Grant Hodgson G8UBN New Microwave Transverter Concepts

Grant Hodgson

G8UBN

New Microwave Transverter Concepts

Grant Hodgson G8UBN

New Microwave Transverter Concepts

Topics presented :-

Current Transverter Design

New conecpts with new components

Local Oscillator options

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsConventional 10GHz transverter

5W @ 10GHz based on DB6NT modules

G3PHO

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsConventional transmit converter

ImageFilterMixer

Power Amplifier

2.4GHz LO

Multiplierx4

Attenuator

144MHz3W

10GHz1WHarmonic filter

Driver

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsThe future of Transverters?

•Highly Integrated Cicuit

•All functions ‘on-chip’

•Includes :-•Mixer•Synthesiser•(PLL, VCO)•Driver/PA•LNA•T/R switching

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsThe future of Transverters?

•UNLIKELY -

•Amateur market is too small•Difficult to customise

New Microwave Transverter Concepts

24GHz Waveguide Filter

Photo courtesy of Howard, G6LVB

New Microwave Transverter Concepts

N e w 2 4 G H z D o w n c o n v e rte rL N A(O p tio n a l) S u rfa c e M o u n t

S u b -h a rm o n ic M ix e r

2 .4 G H z L o c a l O sc illa to r

2 4 .0 4 8 G H z

9 6 7 7 .2 M H z

2 4 1 9 .3 M H z

1 4 5 M H z

x2

x2

4 8 3 8 .6 M H z

4 6 9 3 .6 M H z

4 8 3 8 .6 M H z

5 G H z 2 -w ayS p litte r

F ilte r

2 n d M ix e r(d o u b le b a lan c ed )

L S B

9 6 7 7 .2 M H z x 2 = 1 9 3 5 4 .4 M H z

1 st IF am p

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsPerformance of HMC264 sub-harmonic mixer

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsNo-tune 24GHz transverter - Advantages

•Elimination of tunable filters - i.e. •No-tune design•Lower cost•Allows for operation at 24048 or 24192MHz

•Allows operation at 28GHz!

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsNew transmit converter 5.7GHz or 10GHz

Image-rejectMixer

Power Amplifier

2.4GHz LO

Active Quadruplerx4

Attenuator

144MHz3W

10GHz2W

Gain stage

90 degreephase shifter

LO Buffer

New Microwave Transverter Concepts90 degree phase shift network

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsHMC520 transmit converter - measured performance

LO rejection 39dBImage rejection 42dBOther products >37dBAchieved withno filtering!

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsHMC443 Active Quadrupler - measured performance

Fundamental -45dB2nd Harmonic -25dB3rd Harmonic -47dB5th Harmonic -46dB6th Harmonic -35dBAchieved with no filtering!

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsNew transmit converter - Advantages

•Elimination of tunable filters - i.e. •No-tune design•Lower cost•Allows for operation in other parts of the bands•eg. 10450MHz•Or even non-amateur bands such as 8.42GHz (Deep Space)•Allows flexibility in choice of type of LO (PLL, Xtal, DDS etc)•Choice of IF frequencies - 28, 144, 432MHz•High output power - 2W@10GHz•Possibility of Dual-band transverter

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsNew transmit converter - Drawbacks

•Output is not quite as ‘clean’ as fully filtered design•LO drive level is very high (+13dBm @ 10.224GHz)•DC current consumption may be higher•Close-tolerance capacitors required for phase shift network

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsOptions for Local Oscillators

•Crystal Oscillator - can be ovenised or Reflocked•Good (best?) phase noise

•DDS - any frequency you like•Can use OCXO or other hi-stab reference, inc. GPS

•Phase Locked Loop - operating at 2.4GHz, •good phase noise IS possible with careful design•Can use OCXO or other hi-stab reference, inc. GPS•Other novel applications - eg. •120GHz Tx/Rx with single 2.4GHz LO

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsOther no-tune options

•Active bias circuits allow -ve voltages to be set automatically

New Microwave Transverter Concepts

•New components, particularly MMICs, allow new concepts •to be implemented

•No-tune designs are possible

Summary

New Microwave Transverter ConceptsNo-tune transverters are possible - will the next generation see the end of the trim tool?