My current interest is weak signal VHF, primarily high-speed digital meteor scatter using the WSJT software. In my home setup, WSJT controls an Icom 746-PRO transceiver via a RASCAL interface to the rear data socket. Transceiver output is adjustable between 4--100 Watts on both 50 and 144 MHz. For 2-meter meteor scatter, I run a homebuilt GS23B tetrode 1.5 kW amplifier that is described in detail here.

The picture below shows my antennas, which were obtained from M2. I have stacked 9-element 2M9SSB yagis on 2-meters with the top beam at 53 feet and a 5-element 6M5AX for 6-meters at 41 feet. You can read about the construction of my backyard tower by clicking here. Just below the 2-meter rf power divider is a mast-mounted preamplifier made by LNA Technology. Click here to see inside the electrical box, which contains the preamp and power handling/isolation relays. I had a lot of trouble with 9913 coaxial feedline that resulted in intermittant receive dropout on 2-meters, most likely caused by moisture penetration -- yes, even in the dry New Mexico desert. The main run was replaced with LMR600 with sections of LMR400 above the rotor. The 6-meter feedline is Bury-Flex from Davis RF.

Go back to the WB2FKO home page.