[VHFcontesting] Transverter interfacing with FT290RII

[Zack Widup]

I've usually been using a modified Realistic HTX-100 as an IF rig for the
microwave bands.I removed the rear power module and replaced it with a
piece of 1/8" thick aluminum where I placed the power and RF connectors,
removed the speaker and installed a homebrew 28 to 144 MHz transverter in
the space where the speaker was. It's well-documented where to tap off
connections inside the rig for transmit and receive RF and keying voltage.
The rig has its drawbacks but works well on the uncrowded microwave bands.
I've made hundreds, maybe over a thousand microwave QSO's with it over the
years.

I now have an FT-817 which I'm working on using as an IF rig. It has the
advantage of two antenna connectors, which can be selected per band. I'm
hoping to use one of those on 28 MHz as the IF for my 50 through 432
transverters and the other as the 144 MHz IF for the bands above that.

I think there is a point inside the radio that can be used as a T/R voltage.

I'll have to dig into the schematic of the FT290RII a little further and
see at what point I can extract a T/R switching voltage.

73, Zack W9SZ


On Wed, Feb 14, 2018 at 10:08 AM, Mark Spencer <mark at alignedsolutions.com>
wrote:

> Interesting..
>
> Apparently I'm not the only one working thru these issues.  With my Icom
> radios I like to intercept the PTT line from the microphone, route the PTT
> line thru a sequencer, then key the radio, amp, etc via the sequencer.   It
> seems safer that way but yes sending CW with this scheme is a bit more
> complicated than using SSB.  I should probably add a foot switch for CW and
> need to ponder how to tie that into the the PTT scheme.
>
> I also have a FT290 put aside for future use as an IF radio in my rover so
> this topic is of interest to me.
>
> 73
> Mark S
> VE7AFZ
>
> mark at alignedsolutions.com
> 604 762 4099
>
> > On Feb 14, 2018, at 7:02 AM, Sean Waite <waisean at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > That might be where being able to flip a switch would come in handy. If
> I'm
> > reading the documentation right, the DEMI transverters prefer you don't
> use
> > full- or semi-break in with CW anyway, so you'd want it to just stay on
> > until you're done transmitting. That's a good point though, especially
> with
> > a portable setup.
> >
> > Sean WA1TE
> >
> >> On Wed, Feb 14, 2018 at 8:33 AM Zack Widup <w9sz.zack at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> I have been using mine in a similar manner, but I thought someone might
> >> offer a better way to do it.
> >>
> >> I don't use the FT290RII as an IF rig too often. But as I have it wired,
> >> when working CW I have to hold down the mic button with one hand while
> >> sending CW with the other hand. It's a bit unwieldy.
> >>
> >> 73, Zack W9SZ
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Tue, Feb 13, 2018 at 11:23 PM, Sean Waite <waisean at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Thanks for the responses! I got a few good ideas here. I'm not entirely
> >>> certain why it never occurred to me to pull the Push To Talk signal off
> >> of
> >>> the thing you push...to talk. Way easier than trying to tap the board.
> >>>
> >>> I have some reading and building to do. Hopefully I'll be up on 7 bands
> >>> (Dare I say...hopefully 8? If I can pull together the scratch for 13cm)
> >> by
> >>> June.
> >>>
> >>> Either way, looking forward to getting this all working smoothly.
> >>>
> >>> 73,
> >>> Sean WA1TE
> >>>
> >>>> On Tue, Feb 13, 2018 at 11:52 AM Michael Kana <aa9il at sbcglobal.net>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Hi Sean
> >>>> I use an FT290mk2 with a sequencer. I use the 4th relay to close the
> >> PTT
> >>>> and key line and plug the key and mic into a “control box” where the
> >>>> sequencer relay is in line. I have the key and mic cables run to the
> >>> radio.
> >>>> I flip a switch to sequence and when the fourth relay closes, the key
> >> and
> >>>> PTT lines are closed so I can then key or transmit.
> >>>> When done, flip the switch off, and the key and PTT lines are
> >>>> disconnected. I will never Key the radio until the sequencer is
> >> switched
> >>>> unless I intentionally bypass this scheme and plug into the radio
> >> direct.
> >>>> 73 Mike
> >>>>
> >>>> Warning!  This is transmitted over a non secure medium
> >>>>
> >>>>> On Feb 13, 2018, at 10:38 AM, Sean Waite <waisean at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I've got one of the old FT290RII 2m all modes that I'm using as t
>


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