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+--- Thread: Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear (/thread-1323.html)
Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear - VK3BA - 27-07-2023
G'day Folks,
Do you have some surplus to requirements uWave gear, do you have a new two-legged hobby, is your uWave gear collecting dust, have you lost the loving feeling for uWave ops, would you like to see some younger & eager operators get on the Gigglehertz bands??
Well, post up here what you've got and for how many sheckles you're after to move on your uWave gear. There's many of us that don't have the test gear, the steady hand, the spare time or the eyesight is shot that perhaps would like to dabble at the upper end of the spectrum. I know of at least two operators that would be keen to take over someone elses uWave gear.
Let this topic be a hot pot of available gear, a discussion, move your surplus gear on and help utilize & save the upper bands.
Some would say... part of uWave ops is actually building it and getting to air... while that's true, many people don't have the time, skills, test gear, eyes, etc but still enjoy working uWave ops - the black box operator.
So, advertise your uWave gear here and see where it takes you. Put some coins in your pocket and give someone else a leg up into the upper spectrum.
Have some satisfaction in helping increase the amount of uWave aciivity everywhere.
The same goes for uWave test gear, books, magazines, etc... I'm taking up a very generous offer of a DUBUS magazine collection from someone who wants to help out the next generation. Set fire to it or move it on.
Cheers,
RE: Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear - VK2ZRH/4 - 28-07-2023
"A splendid idea" (said public service head, Sir Humphrey Appleby to Minister, Jim Hacker, in Yes Minister).
No, seriously. That's how I got a "leg up" into/onto the microwave bands. And when I had to downsize to move interstate on retirement, I sold-off most of it, keeping a few salient things so I could start the process all over again.
RE: Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear - VK3BA - 29-07-2023
Thanks to a pioneer in the foothills of eastern Melb who gave me a massive DUBUS collection, he has also generously given me a large collection of "VHF Communications" magazines as well. I've now got plenty of reading to do. You know who you are - thanks :-)
RE: Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear - VK3BA - 06-08-2023
Further to our last... if you've just finished building or acquiring a uWave transverter but are lacking other bits, such as an antenna... just say so here and you'll never know what might appear at mates rates... one must shake the trees in order for it to bear fruit...
Cheers,
RE: Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear - VK1JA - 18-08-2023
I'm starting to delve into the micowave bands having just built a F6DVA 10GHz transverter. Test and tuning is difficult at these freqencies when you have limited test gear.
If anyone has a ZLPLL laying around they no long have a use for, drop me a message
RE: Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear - ZL3RC - 19-08-2023
Hi Jayson. Ive been playing with the black ADF4351 PLL boards available on the web. At the beginning I thought it was going to be way to hard, it isn't but there are somethings that need doing to these boards to make them work properly.
These things.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005018003916.html?spm=a2g0o.ppclist.product.162.30c55ciV5ciVuN&_t=pvid:7756a092-4409-498d-b651-1ccf01a96ed0&afTraceInfo=1005005018003916__pc__pcBridgePPC__xxxxxx__1692395398
The PLL board needs something to drive it on and this you can do with an Arduino. Im using a very small and cheap "Pro micro"
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32768308647.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.7.24c732f85wJj6b&algo_pvid=372db30d-baf5-40ac-9cb1-a53780f02107&aem_p4p_detail=202308181457191053781485212600004875532&algo_exp_id=372db30d-baf5-40ac-9cb1-a53780f02107-3&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21NZD%217.18%216.25%21%21%214.18%21%21%402101d8f416923958390884158eb01d%2112000024349272661%21sea%21NZ%213823044129%21&curPageLogUid=J6WZKFNaDzr6&search_p4p_id=202308181457191053781485212600004875532_4
Arduino micros are very easy to programme and all the development tools are free and easy to use. You will need the IDE to load code into the Arduino which is downloaded from here.
https://www.arduino.cc/en/software
So with all the above three things on hand all you need is some code and thats here.
https://github.com/F1CJN/ARDUINO-ADF4351-QO-100/blob/master/ADF4351_Fixed_090319.ino
Even if you don't do any of the mods to the PLL board it will work with the above code and give you strong harmonics at 10Ghz.
The connections to the PLL board from the Arduino are listed in the comments in the code, theres only 4 of them. The Arduino board connects to your computer via USB so all you need to do then is copy the code into the IDE and upload it to the Arduino Pro Micro. In the code above all you need to do is change the number at line 80 to change the output frequency but remember these PLL's only go to 4.4Ghz so for 10Ghz pick 10ghz/3.
If you want anymore help just drop me a message....or if your not brave enough to give this a go
I may be able to help with a pre programmed Arduino board and maybe a PLL board but Im a bit short of those at present.Now before anyone comments...this is not a perfect solution I know that but it works.
And the black boards are cheaper than a one of ADF4351.
Roger ZL3RC
RE: Turn over your dusty or unloved uWave gear - VK1JA - 20-08-2023
G'day Roger,
Thanks very much, it's just the info and headstart that I needed!
I'll grab one of each boards and start playing around. You mention 'mods to the PLL board' what mods are there?
I had a quick look at the code and it may be possible to include some basic frequency selection via an external switch, but I'll investigate further when I get the boards in.
Regards
Jayson