Thursday 16 February 2012

70 MHz FlexRadio MRF151G

By now those of you that follow my Amateur Radio meanderings
have probably realised the glacial pace that I operate/deveolp at.
After an out of the blue email from New Zealand about something
I posted in 2008 I have decided to get my 70 MHz setup sorted.

I built the 10 - 175MHz amplifier design from
Communications Concepts a few years ago but apart from proving
I could get 300 watts out of it I have never used it in anger.

Well that is all about to change! I have modified the old G3WPO
transverter I use on 4m to work with the amplifier. To drive the
transverter I have decided to use a FlexRadio FLEX-1500.

After my experience with the broken antennas a couple of weeks ago
I have decided to buy an antenna rather than make one, that way
if the worse happens I won't feel so bad about all the wasted time.
Currently I am considering an antenna from InnoVAntennas I have
heard good things about their range of antennas.

Keeping the theme of my laid back approach to radio I quite like
4m contests. There is plenty of time to chat with people (as there are so
few of them), propagation is better than 2m and occasionally you get
sporadic E openings. I just hope in the 2 years I have been away from
4m contesting it has not turned into another band full of pratts!

2 comments:

  1. I remember the day my homemade G5RV came down. Darn near broke my heart so I feel your pain. ;-)

    "Glacial pace" or not you are still the guy who wrote a program I use daily. Some days 24hr a day. That being PC-HFDL and I am so happy you did as it's still the best. :-)

    Ken

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  2. Glad you enjoy PC-HFDL I wrote that when I was in an enthusiastic mood. I usually have a dozen or so projects on the go and flit between them. That is why everything takes years to complete!

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