Transcript A new AO40 K-band Downconverter

New Microwave
Transverter Concepts
Grant Hodgson
G8UBN
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
Grant Hodgson
G8UBN
Topics presented :
Current Transverter Design

New conecpts with new components

Local Oscillator options
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
Conventional 10GHz transverter
5W @ 10GHz
based on
DB6NT modules
G3PHO
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
Conventional transmit converter
Attenuator
Mixer
144MHz
3W
Driver
Image
Filter
Ha rmonic filter
x4
Multiplier
2.4GHz LO
Power
Amplifier
10GHz
1W
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
The future of Transverters?
•Highly Integrated Cicuit
•All functions ‘on-chip’
•Includes :•Mixer
•Synthesiser
•(PLL, VCO)
•Driver/PA
•LNA
•T/R switching
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
The future of Transverters?
•UNLIKELY -
•Amateur market is too small
•Difficult to customise
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
24GHz Waveguide Filter
Photo courtesy of Howard, G6LVB
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
New 24GHz Downconverter
LNA
(Optional)
24.048 GHz
Surface Mount
Sub-harmonic
Mixer
2nd Mixer
(double balanced)
4693.6 MHz
145 MHz
LSB
1st IF amp Filter
9677.2 MHz
x2
9677.2MHz x 2 = 19354.4MHz
2.4 GHz Local Oscillator
2419.3 MHz
x2
4838.6 MHz
5GHz 2-way
Splitter
4838.6 MHz
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
Performance of HMC264 sub-harmonic mixer
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
No-tune 24GHz transverter - Advantages
•Elimination of tunable filters - i.e.
•No-tune design
•Lower cost
•Allows for operation at 24048 or 24192MHz
•Allows operation at 28GHz!
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
New transmit converter 5.7GHz or 10GHz
Attenuator
90 degree
phase shifter
Im age-reject
Mixer
Gain stage
144MHz
3W
LO Buffer
x4
Active
Quadrupler
2.4GHz LO
Power
Amplifier
10GHz
2W
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
90 degree phase shift network
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
HMC520 transmit converter - measured performance
LO rejection 39dB
Image rejection 42dB
Other products >37dB
Achieved with
no filtering!
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
HMC443 Active Quadrupler - measured performance
Fundamental -45dB
2nd Harmonic -25dB
3rd Harmonic -47dB
5th Harmonic -46dB
6th Harmonic -35dB
Achieved with
no filtering!
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
New transmit converter - Advantages
•Elimination of tunable filters - i.e.
•No-tune design
•Lower cost
•Allows for operation in other parts of the bands
•eg. 10450MHz
•Or even non-amateur bands such as 8.42GHz (Deep Space)
•Allows flexibility in choice of type of LO (PLL, Xtal, DDS etc)
•Choice of IF frequencies - 28, 144, 432MHz
•High output power - 2W@10GHz
•Possibility of Dual-band transverter
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
New transmit converter - Drawbacks
•Output is not quite as ‘clean’ as fully filtered design
•LO drive level is very high (+13dBm @ 10.224GHz)
•DC current consumption may be higher
•Close-tolerance capacitors required for phase shift network
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
Options for Local Oscillators
•Crystal Oscillator - can be ovenised or Reflocked
•Good (best?) phase noise
•DDS - any frequency you like
•Can use OCXO or other hi-stab reference, inc. GPS
•Phase Locked Loop - operating at 2.4GHz,
•good phase noise IS possible with careful design
•Can use OCXO or other hi-stab reference, inc. GPS
•Other novel applications - eg.
•120GHz Tx/Rx with single 2.4GHz LO
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
Other no-tune options
•Active bias circuits allow -ve voltages to be set automatically
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
Summary
•New components, particularly MMICs, allow new concepts
•to be implemented
•No-tune designs are possible
New Microwave Transverter Concepts
No-tune transverters are possible - will the
next generation see the end of the trim tool?