As long as others are asking newb questions about transverters, I figure I'll
throw mine into the mix as well. For the last two VHF contests, I've been
using a homebrew unit attached to my IC746Pro. It was set up by a local club
member and its worked fine while I've waited for my DEMI 28-222HP transverter
to come in.
Well, its here now and I'm very excited to have 60 watts out and a modern unit
for the next contest. I'm also looking forward to running all 4 bands off my
IC7000 instead of having to turn around backwards in the rover to operate 222.
Everything seems pretty straight forward, but there was no manual with the
unit. I looked on the DEMI web site and found the manual to the standard power
model, but not the high power. I also read the product description. I have to
confess that much of it reads like jibberish to my non-technical brain.
Even with that, I have figured everything out except for two last questions.
1. The product description seems to indicate that the drive power doesn't
matter all that much. Here's the quote: " On transmit, with the proper
options, any 28 MHz IF drive level from –20 dBm to 10 watts, will produce +60
watts of output power." Is it really that non-specific? I don't have a watt
meter so I'd be quite pleased if I don't have to worry about the drive power as
long as its low.
2. The IC7000 doesn't have an RCA jack for PTT-ground. I have the 14 pin
accessory plug that I have already wired a VHF PTT-ground for my 144 and 432
amps. I will be making a wire to run from the HF PTT-ground for keying this
transverter. My question is which part of the RCA plug do I connect that wire
to? Pretty remedial question, I know, but I want to do this right.
Hmmm... I know I said there were only two questions, but while I'm at it, let
me make sure of one other issue. Because I'm going to be running both 6 meters
and the transverter off the same radio, how do I best handle the PTT-ground? I
will have the HF antenna line going to a switch that will divide between my 6
meter antennas and the transverter. When I'm on 6 meters, will it hurt
anything to leave the keying jack live to the transverter? I had planned on
installing a switch so it didn't key it when I'm on 6 meters, but is that
needed?
2. The IC7000 doesn't have an RCA jack for PTT-ground. I have the 14 pin
accessory plug that I have already wired a VHF PTT-ground for my 144 and 432
amps. I will be making a wire to run from the HF PTT-ground for keying this
transverter. My question is which part of the RCA plug do I connect that wire
to? Pretty remedial question, I know, but I want to do this right.
Hmmm... I know I said there were only two questions, but while I'm at it, let
me make sure of one other issue. Because I'm going to be running both 6 meters
and the transverter off the same radio, how do I best handle the PTT-ground? I
will have the HF antenna line going to a switch that will divide between my 6
meter antennas and the transverter. When I'm on 6 meters, will it hurt
anything to leave the keying jack live to the transverter? I had planned on
installing a switch so it didn't key it when I'm on 6 meters, but is that
needed?
Oh... and so you know, the IC7000 will hold different power out levels for
different bands. I can set 10 meters to 10 watts out and 6 to the full 100
out.
Thanks for any advice.
Steve
K4GUN/R
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