[amsat-bb] Full band transverters for satellite operations?

[Alan P. Biddle]

With the advent of rigs like the FLEX-5000, features are becoming available
which exist in no traditional rig.  However, for operation on VHF, UHF, and
microwave frequencies, you are obviously going to need a transverter.  Using
a 28-30 MHz IF, you can cover 2 meters with 2 LO crystals.  However, once
you get to 70 cm, it would take 15 crystals to do this.  Now admittedly, you
wouldn't necessarily want to cover the entire band, as an FT-847, TS-2000,
etc do.  But you would want more flexibility than just one or two 2 MHz
segments for both space and terrestrial operations.  More if you wanted to
include basic FM repeaters.

Given that there are no (?) transverters which have a 20-30 MHz IF width,
has anyone seen a transverter with a tunable IF, instead of crystals?  Or
alternatively, a VFO-like "VLO" which could be plugged into the transverter
crystal socket, or something equivalent?  There used to be such VFOs for
crystal rigs 3-40 years ago.  I doubt that a transverter would maintain full
specs over a wide range, but such flexibility would be handy.  Perhaps this
is a solved problem with the microwave community? 


Alan
WA4SCA


-----------------------------------

Before a mad scientist goes mad, there's probably a 
time when he's only partially mad.  And this is the time 
when he's going to throw his best parties.