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Author Topic: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios  (Read 5605 times)

KG5OOU

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146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« on: January 23, 2017, 03:09:55 PM »

I am just starting to get into working satellites. In fact just made my first sat QSO on SO-50 about an hour ago.

Presently I am using a Yaesu FT-60R with a Diamond antenna.  Definitely going to upgrade to one of the Arrow handheld yagis.

I am leaning to option A:  buying one of the inexpensive HTs and working both HTs.  But Option B: buying the one with the duplexer and just using my FT-60r.

To me it seems like buying the second HT is the way to go.  The money saved by getting the antenna w/o the duplexer would just about pay for the radio and I would be able to hear the downlink while I transmit on the uplink freq.  Additionally I would have a spare radio.

I am sure a bunch of you have gone down this road and would truly appreciate your input from your experience.

Thanks,
Jim
KG5OOU
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K5LXP

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2017, 05:51:59 PM »


Full duplex is definitely the way to go.  When you can hear yourself you know your calls are getting through.


Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
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K6LCS

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2017, 09:20:08 PM »

Use your FT-60R as the receiver ... and snag a, say a CURRENT Baofeng HT for less than $30 ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HX03AMA?th=1

Then you can either purchase an Arrow Sat Antenna WITHOUT diplexer ... or build your own sat for
less than $30 in parts. Plans for home-brew on the ANTENNAS page at ...

http://www.work-sat.com

 
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Clint Bradford, K6LCS
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JS6TMW

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2017, 06:51:57 AM »

Use your FT-60R as the receiver ... and snag a, say a CURRENT Baofeng HT for less than $30 ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HX03AMA?th=1

Then you can either purchase an Arrow Sat Antenna WITHOUT diplexer ... or build your own sat for
less than $30 in parts. Plans for home-brew on the ANTENNAS page at ...

http://www.work-sat.com

 
Is that "new" UV-5R actually an improvement? I find my one-year old model much inferior to the FT-60 on receive and couldn't hear myself on duplex at all when I used it for transmitting. It seems to be transmitting on frequency, but just not enough of whatever it takes. (My antenna is now a 4el/8el crossed Yagi).

Steve
« Last Edit: January 25, 2017, 06:56:23 AM by JS6TMW »
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K6LCS

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2017, 06:21:09 PM »

Yes - the most current "Baofeng UV-5Rxxx" units are "better" than many earlier models. Things like being able to properly transmit CTCSS tones have been fixed ... (grin)
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Clint Bradford, K6LCS
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AC7CW

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2017, 06:43:58 PM »

Might as well do satellites at the bottom of the sunspot cycle, no? I have a pair of Wouxun handhelds. So far all i've done is tests regarding desense and it looks favorable. So long as the stock antennas are not parallel and closer than a few inches there is no desense. I'm guessing they will work ok with two yagis mounted orthogonally on the same boom.
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K6LCS

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2017, 07:32:26 PM »

Sun spots??? (grin) No effect on working the FM birds ...

Hope you are not over-thinking this! I mean, with 2W and a tape measure beam, an astronaut aboard the ISS was conversed with. Same antenna works AO-85 and SO-50 with 4W ...

Clint
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Clint Bradford, K6LCS
AMSAT Ambassador, ARRL Affiliated Club Coordinator
http://www.work-sat.com
909-999-SATS

KG7NXH

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2017, 06:51:38 AM »

Sun spots??? (grin) No effect on working the FM birds ...

Hope you are not over-thinking this! I mean, with 2W and a tape measure beam, an astronaut aboard the ISS was conversed with. Same antenna works AO-85 and SO-50 with 4W ...

Clint


Clint, what he is saying is that since the sunspot cycle is at a low point, one might as well spend time working satellites which aren't affected by the sun spot cycle.

K6LCS

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2017, 06:53:37 AM »

Mis-interpreted his post ... (grin)
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Clint Bradford, K6LCS
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JS6TMW

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RE: 146/437-10WBP Sat antenna with duplexer or 2 radios
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2017, 06:51:03 AM »

More than ever I think the duplex recommendation is a poor one. Most of what I hear on AO-85 passes is strong signals blowing in their mikes. ???
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