[VHFcontesting] Elecraft XV144 QST Review Online

[Kenneth E. Harker]

     ARRL Members can now download the October, 2004 QST Product Review 
column online in PDF format.  The first product reviewed is the Elecraft
XV144 transverter kit - a 20W 144 MHz transverter for a 28 MHz IF rig.

     http://www.arrl.org/members-only/prodrev/pdf/pr0410.pdf

Some lab numbers in brief:

  Conversion gain: 24 dB
  Noise figure: 1.0 dB
  Image rejection: 70 dB
  TOI: +17 dBm
  Spurious and harmonic suppression: 64 dB
  Third-order two-tone IMD products: -30 dB
  Fifth-order two-tone IMD products: -44 dB

The closest ARRL product review of a 144 MHz transverter is the 
SSB Electronics LT2S MKII, reviewd in November, 1997 
(http://www.arrl.org/members-only/prodrev/pdf/pr9711.pdf):

  Conversion gain: 21.3 dB
  Noise figure: 1.0 dB
  Image rejection: not tested
  TOI: +18.4 dBm
  Spurious and harmonic suppression: > 68 dB
  Third-order two-tone IMD products: -32 dB
  Fifth-order two-tone IMD products: -46 dB

In June, 2000, the ARRL reviewed the Ten-Tec 1210 transverter
(http://www.arrl.org/members-only/prodrev/pdf/pr0006.pdf):

  Conversion gain: 19 dB
  Noise figure: 7.6 dB
  Image rejection: 90 dB
  TOI: not tested
  Spurious and harmonic suppression: 58 dB
  Third-order two-tone IMD products: not tested
  Fifth-order two-tone IMD products: not tested

The closest ARRL product review match of a DEMI transverter is the 
DEMI 50-28CK (http://www.arrl.org/members-only/prodrev/pdf/pr9702.pdf)
from 1997.  The ARRL has never reviewed the DEMI 144-28CK.  This 
review was pretty harsh, as the transverter as designed required 
significant external filtering to meet FCC transmit spectral purity 
requirements, which also adversely affected the receiver performance.  
Some numbers on the DEMI 50-28CK transverter to compare:

  Conversion gain: 15 dB
  Noise figure: 3.6 dB
  Image rejection: not tested
  TOI: not tested
  Spurious and harmonic suppression: 55 dB
  Third-order two-tone IMD products: not tested
  Fifth-order two-tone IMD products: not tested

-- 
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker at kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/