W6IFE Newsletter

President: Doug Millar,
K6JEY 2791 Cedar Ave Long Beach, CA 90806 562-424-3737
[email-masked]

Vice President: Dick
Bremer, WB6DNX 1664 Holly St. Brea, CA 92621 714-529-2800
[email-masked]

Recording Sec:Mel Swanberg, WA6JBD 231 E
Alessandro Blvd Riverside, CA 92508 909-369-6515 [email-masked]

Corresponding Sec: Kurt
Geitner, K6RRA 213 Main St. #5 Seal Beach, CA 90740 310-718-4910
[email-masked]

Treasurer: Dick Kolbly,
K6HIJ 26335 Community Barstow, CA 92311 760-253-2477
[email-masked]

Editor: Bill Burns, WA6QYR 247 Rebel Rd
Ridgecrest, CA 93555 760-375-8566 [email-masked]

Webmaster Chip Angle, N6CA

ARRL Interface Frank Kelly, WB6CWN 1111 Rancho Conejo Blvd. #501 Newbury
Park, CA 91320

805-499-8047 [email-masked]

FCC Interface Dave Laag, K6OW 11614 Indian St. Moreno Valley, CA 92557
909-924-1517

W6IFE License Trustee Ed Munn, W6OYJ 6255 Radcliffe Dr. San Diego, CA 92122
619-453-4563

[email-masked]

At the 7 February 2002 meeting of the
SBMS, Dave, WA6CGR and Sam, K6VLM will provide an update on the 24 GHz projects.
There will be a power meter and Spectrum analyzer to measure people's rigs. The
SBMS meets at the American Legion Hall 1024 Main Street (south of the 91
freeway) in Corona, CA at 1900 hours local time on the first Thursday of each
month. Check out the SBMS web site at http://www.ham-radio.com/sbms/.

SBMS BANQUET- We will be having our banquet on Feb. 16th at 4:30 pm in Norco-
see Prez Sez

Last meeting Chip, N6CA gave an informative talk on Dish Evaluation with a
Laser Pointer. His paper can be found on the SBMS web site at
http://www.ham-radio.com/sbms/. Scroll down the page until you find Technical
Information/ papers and software. Chip's paper is N6CA parabolic dish accuracy
testing. Welcome to new members Chuck Mandt, W7VX of Redondo Beach and Jack
Henry, N6XQ of San Diego. January was the annual visit of Paul, KH6HME to the
mainland. Glad to have you visit us. Our visitor was Gary, WA6MEM of Palos
Verdes. Welcome. Plans are still in the works for having a Microwave Update
session in Southern California with both the SBMS and the San Diego Microwave
Group providing the manpower. 24 people present.

Last months newsletter- If you received just part of a newsletter due to a
Post Office problem, please let me know so a replacement can be made. Bill,
WA6QYR [email-masked].

The Prez Sez, Getting Started on Your 24 GHz P-com Project will be brought to
you by Sam and Dave. Come to the meeting and learn what steps are necessary to
get started on your Pcom 24 GHz conversion. Bring notepaper and pencils. We will
have handouts and pictures as well as actual converted critters. However, this
is not the complete story, it covers only what you need to do to check out the
unit you have, what initial measurements you need to make and what changes you
need to start doing. We hope to have PIC chips programmed and available so you
can start on your synthesizer. Second IF board is coming out later.

24 GHz P-com Project News: I have modified our process of getting the project
out to builders. As time is running short, I have asked Dave and Sam to have
available at the meeting: 1. The data and pictures available for the initial
stages of doing the conversion. 2. Programmed PIC upc chips for the first LO.
There won't be many available as they are meant for members who can proceed with
a minimum of support. I estimate in another month the complete kit will be
available with second LO, PC board, parts kit, full instructions, first LO
modification parts, and TCXO. If you don't have access to all the parts and need
to work with full documentation, you might want to wait. The cost of the full
kit will be very reasonable. In addition, I would like to thank Kurt, K6RRA for
helping Dave with the web documentation. This is a huge project and any other
help is greatly appreciated.

Notes on DC Wiring-Many of us are feverishly working on getting radios
working and I thought I'd add a few notes on the input side. One year we had a
spate of cross polarizing mistakes with radios and have probably learned a
lesson: If it is possible to hook your radio up backwards on the DC, you will.
So here are some techniques to keep you straight. It also helps to have
connectors that can't be reversed. But don't bet your radio on it. 1.) Put
"Idiot diodes" in your rigs and on each module. You won't regret it. However,
make the diodes much larger in capacity than your fuses. Also, carry extra fuses
attached to the radio assembly. Another technique that has been used is to have
a relay in series with the input voltage and have it switched on through a
diode. That way if the voltage is reversed, the relay doesn't fire and the rig
is protected. No blown fuses and no .5 voltage drop. 2.) Put in plenty of
bypassing around regulators. Regulators will help protect against reverse
voltages and usually work best with low drop out models, but need to be bypassed
with 10 uf caps. 3.) If you are running on battery, have a voltmeter hooked up
for battery monitoring. I use an expanded voltmeter that reads from 90-140 vac
that was converted to 9-14 vdc. Easy to read from a distance. 4.) Lastly, under
load check the voltages to each module to assess the voltage drop through the
wires. Sounds like overkill, but this way you know. You also might want to make
notes of RF levels and dc voltages so that in two years you can look it up.

SBMS BANQUET- This year's annual SBMS dinner will be on Saturday, Feb 16 from
4:30 -7:30 pm. We will have door prizes, white elephant exchange and awards.
Bring something in a box or wrapping for the exchange that deals with microwaves
and has a value to you of about $10 or more. Hopefully without too many missing
parts. The location is in Norco at the Steer Grill at 2395 Hammer Ave. They have
a wide variety of food choices and an excellent selection of steaks with
reasonable prices. Dinner will be paid for on separate checks and we will eat
asynchronously. (Eat when you get there) The phone is 909-734-5441. It is
between 2nd St. and 3rd St. on Hammer. Hammer Ave. is what Main St in Corona
turns into if you go north. Get off of I-15 on Second St. in Norco and turn
right. The place is on the right just before 3rd St. Come and enjoy a great
steak (other stuff too), good company, and lots of fun. Wives, children and
significant others welcome. Doug K6JEY, SBMS President

2002 Scheduling.

7 March-- Noise Figure seminar- review of techniques with testing available
through 24 GHz. by Ken and Dave. 3.5 GHz report and 2002-2003 SBMS Officer
Nominations.

4 April- Frequency measurement techniques for beginners. Counter with
rubidium source will be available. Bring things to measure. 2002-2003 SBMS
Officer elections.

April-May, dates TBA, Spring Sprints

April 22, 1030Z - Lyrids meteor shower

2 May- Dish and Feed basics for beginners. Types of feeds, dishes and mounts.
Bring in an example and your projects to share.

4 June- 10 and 24 GHz project evaluation. Bring your equipment and get it
evaluated. Power, Frequency, spectrum analysis.

June 8-10, 1800Z - 0300Z - ARRL June VHF QSO Party

Wants and Gots for sale

Wanted- 8 ft Prodelin offset Ku band dish Chip N6CA 310-539-5395

Wanted- 90 degree H-plane bend WR-42 Dave WA6CGR 909-318-5154

Wanted &endash; WR-90 to SMA adapter and SMA t/r relay Richard WW7D
949-855-4689

Wanted- large tripod for 4 ft dish Mel WA6JBD 909-369-6515

Wanted- - 90 degree H-plane bend WR-42 and three inches of WR-42 Miguel W6YLZ
818-349-8525

For Sale- 140 Spectrum analyzer 0-110 MHz and IF APC-SMA Larry N6PPO
818-917-4841

For Sale- Timewave DSP 597 with pwr sup and manual Doug K6JEY
562-424-3737

Activity reported at the January SBMS meeting- Doug, K6JEY had a "tombstone "
24 GHz transverter to show along with a very small hand key; Ed, W6OYJ has been
working on the WSJT mode for both 2 mtrs and 1296 MHz; Kerry, N6IZW did some
work on the "landmine" Pcom 24 GHz transverter and found that the homebrew
Qualcomm noise source works at 24 GHz; Jeff, KN6VR did some 10 GHz LO work;
Kurt, K6RRA has several microwave projects; Chuck, W7VX has 2.4 and 3.5 GHz
transverters working; John, KJ6HZ worked with a 10 GHz Chaparral feed; Chip,
N6CA found out his new TWTs were 90w input power rather than out put, provided a
BIG battery to Clint, W1LP for operation from his ship; Jack, N6XQ has been on 6
mtrs; Chris, N9RIN has a synthesizer that has possibilities of operation from
500 MHz to 6 GHz; Gary, WA6MEM has a 3.4 GHz rig operating and is working on a
24 GHz rig; Mike, W6YLZ worked on a 10 w TWT; Larry, K6HLH worked through AO-40
70 cm to 2.4 GHz, and is working on a WSJT connection; Gordon, WA6FMX had worked
on some satellite receivers; Dick, WB6DNX worked on his "tombstone" 24 GHz rig;
Chuck, WA6EXV has been doing some paper design on a 1 w 24 GHz power amplifier
using Fujitsu MMICs with Wilkinson splitters, Bill, WA6QYR has been working on
inter face for the WSJT mode and with his 1296 MHz Qualcomm mod transverter into
the 1296 to 2304 transverter that WA6EXV/ K6VLM are building; Mel, WA6JBD built
a beacon for checking his early MACOM rig.

Reports for Activity weekend. I got my rig on 24 going and made a contact
with Sam and Dave. 60 mw out. Still going to modify it for Low side injection at
a 432 IF. Right now it is high side on 144. I was on Signal Hill on 10 and 24
wide and narrowband. Doug K6JEY SBMS Sahib

Bill, WA6QYR and Chuck, WA6EXV worked on putting signals through the SBMS
translator 1296 MHz in / 2304 MHz out. The translator is still in burn in mode
as Chuck adds control features to what he and Sam have built.

WSJT contact- On January 7 at 8:40 pm Ed, W6OYJ in San Diego (DM12) and Bill,
WA6QYR in Ridgecrest (DM15) completed a contact on 144.140 MHz using the new
digital mode called WSJT. This mode was announced in the December 2001 QST.
Following the exchange of calls and grid squares, we tried SSB and found it to
be marginal quality. Both stations were running similar equipment, 100w and 13
element beams. This was a first contact for both, so it took some time to iron
out the cockpit problems. Ed transmitted on the first 30 seconds of the minute
and Bill the last 30 seconds. WWV on 10 MHz was Bill's source of time. The
program lets the operator select text to be exchanged, but usually it is kept
short. This mode is for meteor scatter people wanting long haul contacts via the
short trail of a meteor. Definitely not for rag chewing. But for some of us
looking to contact on the longer paths with noise level signals, this mode may
help. Lots of our contest microwave contacts end up CW and sometimes using
airplane scatter or cloud bounce for that few seconds on enhancement. Ed noted
during the some 20 minutes to get everything set up and information exchanged
that my signals had periods of enhancement, perhaps by aircraft coming or going
in the Ontario or LAX areas between us. The WSJT mode uses similar computer to
radio interface as does PSK31. The sound card generates the tones in the program
sequences for the radio to transmit. It also sorts out the sounds coming from
the radio for analysis by the software. With Windows type display the operator
has control of many functions used during the contact. WSJT uses much more
bandwidth (2 kHz) than the PSK31 (31 Hz) so is easier to tune for the other
station. The software is free from http://pulsar.Princeton.edu/~joe/K1JT along
with a user manual. There are several sources of interface hardware if you don't
wish to build your own. RIGblaster from West Mountain Radio and MFJ have
hardware and software for the digital modes. They do not yet have WSJT on their
CD's. Either Bill or Ed can supply you with a schematic if you are a builder.
73's Bill WA6QYR

73's Bill

Doug (K6JEY) working Sam (K6VLM) by cw on 24.192 GHz! Sam was working from
his house in La Mirada (DM03xv) & Doug on Signal Hill (DM03wt).The QSO took
place on Saturday, 12 Jan. 2001 @ 1:10 pm (+/-) local time. SSB & FM were
worked as well. Sam's rig was one of the "P-Com" units & Doug's a 10 mW
Celeritek. A contact was tried w/ Dave (WA6CGR) from the park near his house w/o
success. K6RRA photo and text.

The San Bernardino Microwave Society is a technical amateur radio club
affiliated with the ARRL having a membership of over 90 amateurs from Hawaii and
Alaska to the east coast. Dues are $15 per year, which includes a badge and
monthly newsletter. Your mail label indicates your call followed by when your
dues are due. Dues can be sent to the treasurer as listed under the banner on
the front page. If you have material you would like in the newsletter please
send it to Bill WA6QYR at 247 Rebel Road Ridgecrest, CA 93555,
[email-masked], or phone 760-375-8566. The newsletter is generated
about the 15th of the month and put into the mail at least the week prior to the
meeting. This is your newsletter. SBMS Newsletter material can be copied as long
as SBMS is identified as source.

San Bernardino Microwave Society newsletter

247 Rebel Road

Ridgecrest, CA

93555

USA