122 GHz til alle!

AG6QV Frank har oplyst at der er fuld gang i konstruktion af 122 GHz transvertere både i VK og Pacific North West. Konstruktionen er bygget op omkring en TRA 120 chip fra Silicon Radar som i modsætning til TRX 120 ikke har indbyggede antenner. Konstruktionen er beskrevet i det seneste nummer af DUBUS. VK2XAX Tim er igang med at fabrikere og distribuere 144 MHz-122 GHz transvertere. For 300 USD er man i luften med en færdigbygget transverter og fødehorn. Se mere info om kits og bestilling af disse og fødehorn nedenfor.

VK3CV 122 GHz transverter monteret i en offset parabol.

 

Subject: 122GHz for All !
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2019 16:35:04 +1000
From: Tim <VK2XAX(AT)skybase.net>
To: VK-Microwave(AT)yahoogroups.com, VK2-MUG <VK2-Microwave-Users-Group(AT)groups.io>

Hi all,

By now many of you have received your DUBUS magazine and had a read of the 122GHz transverter project by Andrew, VK3CV.

For those of you who went to Gippstech you will recognize the transverter as the one that was on display, pictures of which I took and have saved here…

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8oi3HrveRXs7ZoSX8

That includes a scan of the summary document that was handed out at the conference.

Andrew has kindly put all the articles, documentation, schematics, etc. of this project on the net and made it all available from his dropbox here…

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/32iznukohqnpjsz/AADXslP2AEr8md9e9Eg_tHEGa?dl=0

For those of you who do not subscribe to DUBUS, the published article is this document…

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/32iznukohqnpjsz/AAABv0Y5OMHjqbQWZTNozYPAa/As%20Easy%20as%20122GHz%2020_07_2019%20%28Compressed%20images%29.pdf?dl=0

In the month or so since Gippstech I’ve been gathering quotes from various manufacturers to build the transverter PCB to a complete working state including Xray board testing, code load to PIC and functional tests at power-on that meets my test plan so that the units would be delivered to me supposedly working.

I’ve spoken with at least 3 manufacturers and created specific bill-of-materials for each to utilize their in-house supply chains for lowest possible component cost. I’m currently in discussions with another to get a competitive quote from them as well. Likewise for the feed horn assembly. Machining costs vary markedly across those I’ve already asked.

The indicative cost estimates are based on a quantity of 10 since that’s the minimum order level for all of them. The more orders we get the cheaper it becomes. Machining costs for the horns drop by nearly a factor of 100 if I order 1000, but I think that number is a bit of wishful thinking at this stage. One can only hope 🙂

Indicative pricing in $USD is and it has to be because that’s what all the manufacturers deal in.

Complete assembled and tested PCB : $204 USD

Chaparral style feed horn and coupler : $72 USD

Conical Horn $110 USD

None of these $ values include shipping to you.

I haven’t got a specific quote for “board only” since I figured most people would want a built-and-tested board and to not have to worry about soldering 0603 size SMD parts and expensive IC’s.

That being said I’ve already had enquirers from the UK for boards only. So if someone wants a board only, I’ll can take note and ask for a quote when I get sufficient numbers.

so… have a good read of the article since there is still some construction to do with putting the PCB to work and if you decide you want one or two or more, please drop me an email and I’ll add you to the list.

After a month to let the stragglers catch up, I’ll ask the manufacturers for an updated quote with the numbers I get and report back the $ amount we will actually be up for.

Build & test times for the manufacturers are typically 6 to 8 weeks including shipping once an order is placed.

So… who wants to go play on 122GHz ?

regards

Tim

-- 
VK2XAX : QF56if : ITU59 : CQ30 : BMARC : WIA

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Comments

122 GHz til alle! — 1 Comment

  1. Hej.

    Foreløbig er vi 3 amatører i Danmark, der vil gå igang med projektet. Er der andre der vil være med? Jeg er i kontakt med Tim, VK2XAX, der kommer til at stå for produktionen og foreslår at vi gør et samlet indkøb. Jeg skal gerne koordinere, så bare skriv til mig:

    Jeg er også ved at finde ud af hvilke periferienheder, der skal til, og hvor de kan skaffes fra.

    73 Ole OZ2OE

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