23cm KA6U Roving Station Built and Ready to Run
- November 2, 2021



No the big antenna on the right is not my 23cm roving antenna :-)  We did use the antenna for 23cm SSB/CW EME during the activation.  My small truck is on the left.  This is the QSL card I made from the Project Dianna activation in FN20.

I have finished building the 23cm roving station.  Specifications:

  • 1.8M folding dish W2HRO
  • .3db NF LNA
  • Patch feed circular polarization
  • Yaesu G5500 rotator on portable tripod +-2 degree pointing accuracy for a Moon pass (<1db pointing loss)
  • IC9700 Exciter, backup IC705 with Q5 2m-23cm transverter
  • W6PQL pallet PA (K7BQ Gene) design 600W capable (will run at 300W)
  • 12 feet LMR600 feedline from PA to feed
  • SatPC32 controller software
  • Moontracker (SM5CUI) planning software
  • Wireless station remote control from truck to station computer in rotator/feed electronics box
  • Only two cables from truck to 3 station boxes at base of antenna, LMR600 4 watts to drive PA, PTT line
  • Honda 2200EUI generator (2200Watts, 1000 required)
  • Station setup and packing in less than 30 minutes
I plan to do several roving operations in Southern states below the snowbelt this winter.  In Summer of 2022 planning a 40 US State roving expedition over 4 months.

23cm Roving Station Details


W2HRO folding dish 1.8M patch feed, CP preamp and RX isolation relay at feed.  Yaesu G5500 rotator with modified surveyors tripod held down by 3 foot long 1 inch diameter circus tent stakes.


Feed electronics power supplies, relays, rotator controller and station control PC mounted in portable box.  Wireless remote control from truck or portable operating location.


TX power supplies on left, PA box on right.


110V to 220V autotransformer for 3KW capable 48VDC supply.  12VDC supply for PA control electronics and fans.  Two powerpole cables connect to PA Box.


600W W6PQL 23cm pallet PA design by Gene K7BQ.  250W circulator on output to protect PA from high SWR.  PA requires 3 watts from IC9700 exciter (GPS stabilized) to drive to 300W at the feed.


Special thanks to Jim W6PQL, Gene K7BQ, Paul W2HRO for their encouragement, ideas, parts and support.  With Gene's help I was able to source all of the parts I needed in about a week.  PA assembly took three evenings.

With their help I was able to build the station in 3 weeks from the decision to build the station to ready to run.


Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 3, 2021 at 5:35 AM

    Looks good Peter. Now just give some of us time to get our stations operating before you head out the door on a rove!
    Dave N9HF el99

    ReplyDelete
  2. Brett PJ2BRNovember 14, 2021 at 1:39 PM

    Hi Peter. Thanks for sharing! I am busy assembling the parts to build a 23cm EME station. I already have the W2HRO 1.8m dish. I have a question: do you need or use a sequencer in between the PA and the pre-amp? Regards, de Brett, PJ2BR

    ReplyDelete

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