2 Feb 2015

70cm AM test with low cost modules

This evening I listened for G6ALB on 70cm. Andrew is 3km from me. We both have V2000 vertical co-linear antennas. He was using a very low cost SAW locked TX module, which produced as much FM as AM when modulated with an electret mic. The biggest problem was Andrew's low power and low level of modulation.  He needs more mic gain, more TX power (10dB more?) and some pre-emphasis on the audio. TX power today was very low milliwatts. From 433.925MHz up to at least 433.990MHz a lot of squeaks and whistles could be heard, presumably from more local ISM devices. I was receiving G6ALB using an FT817 at about RS41 on FM and weaker on AM. This very initial test produced results that were expected. To use a super-regen module on RX (the intention is a very simple AM voice transceiver) will require G6ALB to be considerably stronger than on these first tests.

3 comments:

G1KQH said...

Watch George Smart and VK3YE latest Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4leNjynR0DM


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5WNbspIKI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57HIvGXePD0

I have mine on order 5 for £2.50 delivered inc RX module

73 Steve

Peter Parker said...

Inspired by this post and a mild evening, I did a range test with a UHF module to a 1/4 wave antenna 8 metres high.

It could be heard through suburbia on a handheld 1.5km away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL1HnjDvT1Q

3km should be possible assuming an 8 metre antenna height both ends.

G1KQH said...

If a module was fitted onto the top of a small beam that should further the range and eliminate the losses of feeding the RF via a long length of coax.

Pity they are fixed to one frequency. Although as Peter demonstrates this can be varied slightly depending on where the Bias pot is set,

There can be so many different uses for these with a bit of experimenting and thought, APRS beacons comes to mind etc..

73 Steve