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Reviews For: Down East Microwave Inc. 1296-28

Category: Transverters

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Review Summary For : Down East Microwave Inc. 1296-28
Reviews: 2MSRP: 590.00
Description:
1296 MHz Transverter
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.downeastmicrowave.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0025
KL7UW Rating: 2012-02-02
Perfect for eme Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I received my 1296-28H2 transverter about a year ago. I ordered the assembled unit and also ordered the A32 PLL board which locks the LO to an external 10-MHz freq. std. I can measure no freq. error at 1296 with my mw freq. counter which is referenced to a Rubidium std.

The unit was ordered with split IF and RF because I drive it at -10 dBm from my Elecraft K3. I even had to add a 6-dB attenuator to keep from overdriving the transverter. It puts out 6 to 25w which I feed a 60w amplifier.

Still working on my eme dish so no operating report to give (yet).

I also have the L144-28HP, L222-28, and have on order a L432-28. The new series of transverters from Downeast are very nice!
N9LB Rating: 2010-06-07
Excellent Quality and Performance Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I purchased the new style Down East Microwave Incorporated ( DEMI ) 1296-28HP2 transverter for the 1296 MHz band in early 2010, and first used it for the 2010 Spring Sprint operating event.

Note: DEMI offers many options and configurations for their transverters in order to match up with the accompanying HF rig that you will use to drive the transverter.

I ordered mine with Common RF and Split IF configuration. Split IF because my FLEX HF transceiver has low-level transverter in and out connections. If your HF rig does not have this capability, you can have the DEMI transverter configured for direct RF input via attenuator.

Also, I have one of the FLEX's "AMP Relay" output jacks connected to the Transverter's PTT jack so that I don't have to use the "RF Sense" option for transverter receive/transmit switching.

Naturally, I took the bottom cover off and inspected the innards before I powered it up in case something would have come loose in shipping. Excellent quality both electrically and mechanically and no problems found, so I attached interconnecting cables, antenna, and applied 12V DC.

With a single long-boom yagi at 60 feet ( above the tree-tops ) I can work ~100 miles out from my QTH with normal everyday tropo-scatter conditions.

I hope to put more 1296 MHz grid-squares in my log during the ARRL VHF and UHF contests this summer. Also hope to catch some good long-distance tropo band openings soon - I'm looking for them.

I like the new style DEMI transverter so much that I have orders in for matching transverters for a couple of other VHF and UHF bands.

When ordering any transverter, make sure you communicate regarding the HF rig type that you will be using with it and the method of inter-connection.

73

Lloyd N9LB