[amsat-bb] Re: Receiving RAFT on 216.98 MHz ?

[Anthony Monteiro]

At 04:00 PM 12/7/2006, Douglas Quagliana wrote:

>A quick check around my radio shack confirms
>that none of my receivers will receive at or
>near 216.980 MHz.
>
>What were other amateurs planning to use to
>receive the pings from RAFT on 216.98? Is
>there a bargain-basement no-frills way to
>kludge something together to receive the
>signals?
>
>Douglas KA2UPW/5


---

Hi Douglas,

In the Sept/Oct 2005 AMSAT Journal, there is an article
aout how to build a simple frequency converter for about
$5 using a pair of 1N914 diodes and a TTL clock oscillator.
The circuit was not designed for 217 MHz but it would be pretty
simple to adapt it, just change coils L1, L2 and L3. Using a 35 MHz
oscillator, 216.98 would be converted to 146.98 MHz.

This would not be nearly sensitive enough to hear the 4 mW beacon
on RAFT1 but if you have a spare VHF TV preamp to use in front of it,
this would probably be good enough especially if you use a TV antenna
with a little gain and point it at the satellite.

73,
Tony AA2TX