BATC Forum

First a word of caution. Twelve weeks ago I ordered and paid for a 2.4GHz linear amplifier for DATV into QO-100 satellite from Dirk Fischer Elektronik (DK2FD) in Germany. I am still awaiting my order despite receiving four promises of dispatch. I am in total despair now and will probably cancel in the next very few days. Whether I will receive a refund has yet to be determined. What can one do at this distance? I put this information out to advise of my experience dealing with this company in the hope that it will prevent others from having similar problems.

I still need a PA! I could build one but I don’t know of any modern designs and PC boards for 2.4GHz amps in excess of 100W, even then I don’t have a power meter for setting up. Does anyone know of a commercial source of such amplifiers please or can offer any other suggestions? My DATV TX has otherwise been ready to go for 8 weeks so extreme frustration here!

Best 73 John G3YQC

John

Your experience is not very different from mine having ordered a 90w 13cm PA from Bert PE1RKI in March this year. It finally arrived last week following two chase emails, some 15 weeks after ordering. I think that the suppliers of these 13cm PAs have been overwhelmed by the demand created by QO-100. I'll probably do a review for CQ-TV when I've got it housed and heatsinked.

To be fair to Bert, he is not running his operation as a business and like other amateurs he does have a life outside amateur radio which sometimes gets in the way of the hobby; he had apparently some renovation work going on at his home which didn't help.

However, DFE has a much wider range and comparatively higher prices so I would expect a better service than you have received from them.

If you do get your money refunded have a look at PE1RKI.com although you'll inevitably go to the back of the queue again!

73

Clive G3GJA / G8EQZ

Hi Clive, thanks for that. Yes, our experiences are certainly similar and I well understand the 'one-man' situations but, a quick e-mail advising a delay would have been helpful, not a string of broken promises - ah well.

Believe it or not the amplifier actually arrived today !!! talk about coincidence. Anyway I'm in the middle of installing it now so hope to be on in a couple of days. Thanks again for your reply which may also be useful to others.

Best 73, John G3YQC