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2 transverters from flex 6500 XVRTR port

gi4fue
gi4fue Member ✭✭
in FLEX-6000 Signature Series
A few years ago KC5HCX posted a transverter switch to Work with the 6400 single XVRTR port. He said that thge finished project was on his QRZ page, but it has subsequently been updated recently (within the past month). Does anyone have details of this project which seems to use a relay board and a chinese antenna switch. I want to run 2m and 4m transvertes from my Flex 6500
Charlie GI4FUE

Answers

  • Geoff AB6BT
    Geoff AB6BT Member ✭✭✭

    Hi Charlie,

    I'm using one of these power splitters. No relays. It works well installed between the transverter port and two transverters.

    https://www.minicircuits.com/WebStore/dashboard.html?model=ZFSC-2-1B%2B

  • KD0RC
    KD0RC Broomfield, COMember, Super Elmer Moderator

    Hi Charlie, this may be of interest:

    Automatic Transverter Interface (w6pql.com)

    I have not used (or even seen) one, but it looked interesting, and the guy has a kit or just a bare board available.

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    If you have 1 transverter on a 28Mhz IF and another on 50Mhz IF, you can then connect a diplexor between the radio and the transverters such as a Comet CF-360. This will allow you to use 2 slices at the same time, one on each transverter.

  • gi4fue
    gi4fue Member ✭✭
    Thanks for the suggestions guys. @VA3MW unfortunately Mike, bith transverters are 28Mhz IF.
  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited March 31

    If that is the case, your only option is a coax switch. I would not recommend a power divider on the same frequency range.

    If you have a Q5 transverter, they are easily converted.

  • Geoff AB6BT
    Geoff AB6BT Member ✭✭✭
    edited March 31

    Hi Mike,

    I'm curious about your advice against a power divider. Can you elaborate? It seems to be working for me.

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    I had to give this some thought and I don't think it would cause any damage to anything.

    However, you will be combining 2 28Mhz IF signals on receive and that will significantly degrade your noise floor making it harder to hear weak signals.

    The other concern would be if you had 2 signals show up 200khz up from the bottom of the transverse bandpass, they would show up on top of each other. And, how would you differentiate them?

    I'm sure there are a few other artifacts that might get introduced as well.

    You will also need to make sure you don't key up both transverters at the same time when going into TX.

    If this was me and I couldn't use 2 different IF's, I would use NodeRed to handle an antenna switch and the PTT lines so there was no confusion and no possible damage to either device.

    Others may have a better idea, but always consider that RF flows through all paths possible unless you block it somehow.

    73

  • Geoff AB6BT
    Geoff AB6BT Member ✭✭✭

    Good points.

    I had not considered the receive paths. I'm using two TX outputs so I can't key them simultaneously. I do have a BNC switch and I was going to use that initially but decided to try this apprach instead.

    Thanks for taking time to ponder this.

  • gi4fue
    gi4fue Member ✭✭
    Hi guys.... I've bit the bullet and ordered one of Jim (W6PQL) transverter kits. seems to do the job, and the benefit is only 1 ptt line from the flex, the interface handles ptt switching itself...thanks for all the input, and i just hope our robbing government in UK don't hit me too hard for duty and taxes

    73, Charlie GI4FUE
  • KD0RC
    KD0RC Broomfield, COMember, Super Elmer Moderator

    Sounds good Charlie. Let us know how it works once you get it up and running.

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