BATC Forum

I would like to use the Langstone stationary for the higher bands (from 1.2 GHZ) at home.
I have a mesh parabolic dish with a duobander antenna that I would like to exchange for a multiband antenna.
Then use severalbands.

For this, the Pluto would like to be mounted with LNAs / PAs directly behind the dish.

Has anyone already thought about the required switching - LNAs, PAs and possibly something in development?

We don't have to invent everything twice or, if necessary, work together.

Hi

I think I'm right in saying the Langstone is compatible with the Portsdown 4 and 8 RF band switch and PTT steering.

See this wiki page for more details on the hardware: https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown2019_hardware

Also there is a wiki dedicated to Langstone https://wiki.microwavers.org.uk/Langstone_Project

Noel - G8GTZ

Hello Noel,

thank you for the hints.

I've already seen the pages.
However, I was thinking of something more compact. Receive and transmit side for all bands in one case each. If necessary, a control and output stages for it.

Hi at all,

is there no one here who has a similar idea?

The only extension board so far developed is the Hydra 10GHz board by OE8FNK which has a doubler for transmitting FW or CW only and a Satellite down converter chip for receive. Fred is also working on a version that supports the x5 harmonic mixing mode of the Pluto which would allow SSB.

A multi band extension board would be nice but would be quite complicated, even if you could use wideband amplifiers it would still need a lot of switching and filters. I don't think anyone has yet volunteered to design such a device. Of course if it existed it would be equally useful for DATV.

I do use my Langstone as a multi band receiver by fitting one of Kent's 2-11GHz LPDAs as a feed to the 0.8m dish and then into a high gain wideband preamp using NLB310s before feeding down the Coax to the Pluto in the shack. That gives me some receive capability on all bands from 2-11GHz. There is no filtering and the noise figure is not great but it does allow me to receive beacons on most of the bands.

Colin G4EML

Hi Thomas

To give you an idea of the complexity (and potential cost) of a multi-band extension board, have a look at this device (the LimeRFE) developed for the LimeSDR, which does what you are describing. https://www.crowdsupply.com/lime-micro/limerfe. I do believe that it would work well with the Pluto.

I think that the LimeRFE is supported by some of the SDR programs, but shipping times of the CrowdSupply orders have been delayed by COVID.

Dave
G8GKQ

Hello Colin,

thank you for your answer.

I got in touch with an OM who developed something. The RX layout is probably finished, but it will still take some time.
The OM does not always have the time to work intensively with it.

I wanted to start QRV this spring on 23 + 13cm and hoped that someone might develop something ...

I think I will start with the two bands and use relays to switch over ...

@ Dave: Thank you for the information.
I had already seen this, but it is not very "lovely" to me.
I'm interested in the bands> 70cm, which you otherwise have to work with transverters.
I would also want to build the processing directly behind the antenna in order to minimize cable losses.

G8GKQ wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:41 pm

Hi Thomas

To give you an idea of the complexity (and potential cost) of a multi-band extension board, have a look at this device (the LimeRFE) developed for the LimeSDR, which does what you are describing. https://www.crowdsupply.com/lime-micro/limerfe. I do believe that it would work well with the Pluto.

I think that the LimeRFE is supported by some of the SDR programs, but shipping times of the CrowdSupply orders have been delayed by COVID.

Dave
G8GKQ

I like the way a highly sophisticated PCB has great bolts sticking up through it holding it down to the heatsink. There is also a LMS companion PCB that extends coverage to 10 GHz. It's aimed at the Lime but no reason it would not work with other SDRs. Add these two together and you have LF to 3cm.

Hi Mike,

thanks for the hint ..

I think all of this together is going to exceed my HAM budget for some time.
I also miss the experience of having built something myself.

For me the frequencies from 1.2 GHz are interesting. Below you can generate or receive signals with normal TRX.
From 1.2 GHz you need transverters that have to be in the shack again and then the cable attenuation strikes again.

So I'm looking for a solution where I can do 1.2, 2.3 / 2.4, possibly 3.4, 5.8 and possibly 10 GHz directly on the dish.

73 Tommi

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the pointer to the LimeRFE! Interesting project indeed.
Do you know of anyone who has tried one of these?
73 Warren

G8GKQ wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:41 pm

Hi Thomas

To give you an idea of the complexity (and potential cost) of a multi-band extension board, have a look at this device (the LimeRFE) developed for the LimeSDR, which does what you are describing. https://www.crowdsupply.com/lime-micro/limerfe. I do believe that it would work well with the Pluto.

I think that the LimeRFE is supported by some of the SDR programs, but shipping times of the CrowdSupply orders have been delayed by COVID.

Dave
G8GKQ