DX Patrol QO-100 User manual

DX
PATROL
August 12, 2021
Authored by: CT1FFU v2.0
QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station
An all-in-a-box station for easy QO-100 operation

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station
An all-in-a-box station for easy QO-100 operation
An all-in-a-box station for easy QO-100 operation

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Table of content
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS. .................................................................................................... 3
SIMPLIFIED BLOCK DIAGRAM ................................................................................................ 4
GENERAL OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................... 5
CONNECTING THE GROUND STATION .................................................................................... 6
EQUIPMENT NEEDED. ..................................................................................................... 6
HOW TO CONNECT? ...................................................................................................... 6
OPERATING THE GROUND STATION ....................................................................................... 7
SWITCH THE GROUND STATION ON WITH THE SWITCH ON THE FRONTPANEL. ................................. 7
SCROLLING THE MENU .................................................................................................... 7
WELCOME SCREEN .................................................................................................... 7
SATELLITE INPUT POWER ............................................................................................. 8
INFORMATION MENU .................................................................................................. 8
GPS MENU .............................................................................................................. 9
GROUND STATION INFORMATION .................................................................................. 9
READY FOR OPERATION ................................................................................................. 10
TRANSMITTING ........................................................................................................... 10
CURRENT BANDPLAN .................................................................................................... 11
ADJUSTMENTS ................................................................................................................ 12
IF LEVELS .................................................................................................................. 12
POWER METER LEVEL .................................................................................................... 13
DETAILED VIEWS AND SCHEMATIC ........................................................................................ 14
INSIDE VIEWS .............................................................................................................. 14
PTT/VOX CIRCUIT ...................................................................................................... 16
INCLUDED PARTS LIST ....................................................................................................... 17
MODIFIED DX PATROL LNB ............................................................................................ 17
DX PATROL GPS + GLONASS ANTENNA .............................................................................. 17
AVAILABLE ACCESSORIES .................................................................................................... 18
DX PATROL HELIX QO-100 ANTENNA ............................................................................. 18
DXPATROL STANDALONE RX SET ................................................................................... 19
COAX CABLE CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................ 20
CONTACT INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 20

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Main Characteristics.
The Ground Station works as a simplex radio station (RX/TX on 70cm)
It’s up to the operator, to arrange continuous monitoring of his signal via WEBSDR or other means like separate RX
convertor *, as recommended by AMSAT.
• Reception frequency: 10489.500 to 10490.000MHz;
• Transmission Frequency: 2400.000 to 2400.500 MHz;
• IF Frequency: 432.500 to 433.000 MHz;
• GPS Lock internal 10MHz reference;
• Transverter stage output up to 200mW;
• Maximum Output RF Power 10 W @2.4 GHz based on NXP MHR1008NT1;
• Factory set input power 250 mW for VOX operation * @432.5 MHz (*can be adjusted with R38);
• Maximum input RF 5W (500mW optimum drive);
• Auto TX and RX by VOX PTT
• Supply voltage 12V to 14V;
• Thermal protection > 60º C;
• SWR protection > 1:3;
• High voltage input protection;
• Satellite Strength signal indication;
• Power output bar and Watt indication;
• SWR bar and ratio indication;
• Internal 3A fuse protection;
• NMEA GPS indication;
• Number of GPS satellites in range;
• GPS coordinates;
• QTH Locator presentation on screen;
• UTC clock and date;
• Mixer, Double Balanced Mixer ADE-35+

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Simplified block Diagram

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
General overview
Front view
The Ground Station has 2 tilt feet on the bottom, front side, for easy access and use.
Left the menu button, next OLED screen and on the right the ON/OFF switch.
Rear view

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Connecting the Ground Station
Equipment needed.

A power supply 12V or ( 13,8V) 5A minimum;

Two coaxial TV 75 Ohm cables for satellite LNB fitted with male F connectors;

Low loss coax cable (50ohm) from RF out to patch/helix antenna.
.
How to connect?
WARNING
Never make these connections with Ground Station ON.
There is 12V Phantom Power on the cable and a short-circuit will happen if life wire touches the shield, damaging the
Ground Station .
1. Connect the Ground Station correctly to the LNB with 75 ohm cable with F connectors;
Cable 1: LO UP to LNB´s input LO
Cable 2: SIG IN to LNB´s SIG
2. Connect the GPS antenna to GPS input ( SMA connector);
GPS antenna must be outside with clear visibility to sky. The antenna is waterproof, but will be good to fit it
inside a plastic bag to avoid rain damage. In some cases it can work on a window, even inside.
3. Connect IF to your UHF SSB with a 50 ohm coaxial cable fitted with a male SMA connector;
4. Connect the OUT RF to the transmitting antenna with a 50 ohm low loss coaxial cable
5. Connect the 12V power supply (center pin is positive pin)

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Operating the Ground Station
Switch the Ground Station on with the switch on the frontpanel.
When turning ON you will see for some seconds the Splash Screen Logo of DX patrol and then the display
will present a page as show in the picture below.
RX mode, no Power/SWR detected, Clock and Wait.
The clock is UTC time and it takes a few seconds to be visible. ( only visible with GPS satellites in range).
While the OCXO (oven-controlled crystal oscillator) is warming up, the WAIT indication is flashing. This
can take a few minutes.
Scrolling the menu
Pressing the Menu Button advances You in the menu, press and hold the button will freeze the chosen menu
page
.
Welcome screen

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Satellite input power
This page shows input satellite strength. This is shown in dBm and it's very useful to point the dish
and fine adjustment of LNB in the focal point.
Information menu
This page shows:

the input DC voltage;

PA temperature;

Internal LO source ADF4351 lock status;

GPS lock status (this can take a few minutes).

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
GPS menu
Overview of the GPS data.

Geographic Coordinates;

Date and UTC time;

Number of GPS in range;

WW QTH locator.
Ground Station information
 Current FW version (August 2021)
 Serial number.

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Ready for operation
When both LOCK indications are shown on screen, you are ready to start using the QO-100 satellite.
IMPORTANT
Do no start transmission till both references are locked.
In the warm up phase, that is till dual lock, frequency excursions as big as 25 kHz are possible!
Any UHF SSB radio as IF will receive very loud and clear satellite signals. Lower beacon should be at 432.500 MHz
and upper beacon should be at 433.000 MHz.
The Ground Station will receive the QO-100 very clearly with the included LNB with any dish, even small ones as 30
cm. However, in transmission, to have a clear loud signal, you should use a minimum 60cm dish and an efficient
antenna feed, such as a Helix or a Patch antenna, low loss cable as short as possible is preferred to feed the 2.4 GHz
up to the dish.
! Practical test have shown that with 4 Watts at the feed of a 1m offset dish you are very close to the CW beacon signal!
Transmitting
There is no need for any PTT, switch or cable (except for the coaxial cable from radio to Ground Station) to activate
the Ground Station into TX mode.
Even 250mW of RF is enough to trigger the VOX and switch to TX mode.
The TX indication will be visible, as well the Output Power in Watts and in a bar-graph.
Maximum power is 10 W output and SWR bar and ratio will be presented if reflected power is detected. Alarm will
display if SWR raises more than 1:3, to clear an SWR or Temperature Alarm, press Menu button.

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Current band plan
NB transponder Bandplan
IF UP Mode Down
432,500 2400,000 CW beacon 10489,500
432,505 2400,005 10489,505
CW only
432,540 2400,040 10489,540
NB digital modes
432,580 2400,080 10489,580
Digital modes
432,650 2400,150 10489,650
SSB only
432,745 2400,245 10489,745
PSK beacon
432,255 2400,255 10489,755
SSB only
432,850 2400,350 10489,850
432,860 2400,360 Emergency frequency 10489,860
432,995 2400,495 10489,995
433,000 2400,500 CW beacon 10490,000
Mixed mode & special
purpose

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Adjustments
IF Levels
The set input level (factory setting) is 250mW.
For maximum versatility the required input power of the Ground Station can be adjusted on the inside. The RX gain
can be adjusted as well.
P38 sets the TX gain level.
R13 sets the RX gain level.
The RX level should be set so that the IF receiver shows just a slight movement of the S-meter,
typically S 1.

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Power meter level
These are factory set and should not be adjusted without the proper external power meter equipment.
R59 sets the forward power level indicated on the OLED display.
R61 sets the SWR level indicated on the OLED display.

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Detailed views and schematic
Inside views
Power amplifier on the bottom of the case

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On the left the 12v->28volts convertor, on the right the top board holding the RF parts
GPS module
Transverter output to final power amplifier

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
PTT/VOX circuit
The F6 on the PCB board can be used for external PTT switching from the radio (requires soldering on the PCB) and
adding a PTT connection, like a simple RCA jack, on the back of the QO-100 Ground station.
The F6 connection can be used to bypass the PA PTT as well, this is useful if you use very drive levels to the QO-100
Ground Station. A diode (e.g. 1N4001) from the PA PTT to F6-1 should be inserted in line (K to F6-1)

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Included parts list
Modified DX Patrol LNB
DX Patrol GPS + Glonass antenna

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
Available accessories
DX PATROL Helix QO-100 antenna
With quick mount system

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QO-100 DX Patrol Ground Station | 8/12/2021
DXPATR OL standalone RX set