Kuhne electronic TR 144 H +40 User manual

Manual
144 MHz Transverter
DB 6 NT
© DB 6 NT
1.2015
TR 144 H +40

TR 144 H +40
Type TR 144 H +40
VHF Frequency range 144...146 MHz
IF Frequency range 28...30 MHz
IF Input power 1... 0 mW, adjustable /
switchable to range 60 ... 1000 µW
LO accuracy @ 18 °C typ. +/- 2 ppm, max. +/- 3 ppm
(without 10 MHz reference frequency)
LO frequency stability (0 ... +40 °C) typ. +/- 2 ppm, max. +/- 3 ppm
(without 10 MHz reference frequency)
PTT control Contact closure to ground
Output power 2 W
IM3 - 32 dBc @ 20 W PEP
Supply voltage 13.8 V DC (12...14 V)
Current consumption typ. 6 A (TX)
Noise figure @ 18 °C typ. 1.2 dB
External reference input 10 MHz / 2 ... 10 mW
RX Gain typ. 2 dB
IP3 out typ. +40 dBm, min. +37 dBm
Blocking min. -106 dBc @ 3 kHz BW
IM-Dynamic min. 102. dB SFDR @ 3 kHz BW
Image rejection typ. 90 dB
Dimensions (mm) 270 x 260 x 80
Case Aluminium
IF connectors BNC-female / 0 ohms
There are two separate IF connectors.
They can be switched to one common
IF connector
RF connectors N-female / 0 ohms
DC supply and control connector SUB-D 9-pole
Features
- Aluminium case with a big heat sink
- Internally wired with silver plated Teflon
coaxial cable
- Antenna relay with 70 dB isolation
- Converter with excellent large-signal
performance
- Big case for additional filters and other
components
- Built-in directional coupler for calibrated
power output control
- Power amplifier with built-in VSWR
protection
- -pole low-pass filter for harmonic
rejection
- Spurious and harmonic rejection better
than 60 dBc
- Low noise butler oscillator with
adjustable frequency;
40 °C precision crystal heater
- Phase noise of the oscillator better
-1 6 dBc/Hz @ 10 kHz
- Built-in sequence control
- Cable for control and DC supply
included
- Handbook included
Hig Performance 2 m Transverter
Several decades of engineering and production of Transverters result in t is new designed ig
performance Transverter TR 144 H +40. Its outstanding tec nical data make it usable for many
applications. T e transverter was originally designed for VHF amateur radio applications, for example
ig performance contest stations. T e receive pat of t e transverter provides very good large-signal
performance. T e new design of our transverter for 144 MHz features better performance and many new
functions.
Now, an external 10 MHz reference
frequency can be connected to ac ieve
ig est frequency accuracy. T is is
necessary for EME and WSJT. T e
frequency of 10 MHz can be supplied by a
ig ly stable OCXO, a reference oscillator
of a frequency counter, a rubidium
frequency standard or a GPS controlled
frequency source.
T e new design includes t e “old” options 02 (TX IF input power 60...1000 µW / 0...-12 dBm) and 06
(common IF-connector for RX/TX). So t e Transverter is compatible to most of t e used HF transceivers
wit transverter output. T e TX IF input ranges and t e IF connector configuration can be done wit t e
internal switc es of t e transverter. T e “old” option 04 (drive gain control on t e front panel) is
standard now.

TR 144 H +40
Oscillator
A temperature-compensated low noise butler oscillator generates the 116 MHz LO signal. A thermostat crystal with a 40 °C
precision crystal heater is used. Phase noise of the output signal is -1 6 dBc/Hz @ 10 kHz. This value is better than that of
the HF transceivers. The oscillator output power is 100 mW.
Receiver
In the receiver frontend there is only one balanced super low noise stage with two Power GaAs-FETs. A noise figure (NF) of
0.9 dB and an output IP3 of min. 40 dBm are achieved. To prevent interference in case of multi-band operation, there is a
notch filter for the 70cm band at the input. The prestage is followed by a high-Q helical filter and a matching network. A high-
level triple-balanced GaAs-FET ring mixer with an IP3 of min. 3 dBm converts the signal to the intermediate frequency (IF) at
28…30 MHz. The total gain of the receiver path is limited to 2 dB to avoid overdriving of the HF transceiver. An internal
preamplifier of the HF transceiver has to be switched off. The transverter provides excellent large-signal performance. Gain
and sensitivity are ideal for contesting and DXing. For EME operation the use of the preamplifier MKU LNA 144 A is
recommended. This drops the total noise figure to 0.3 dB. A second N-connector permits the use of a separate cable for the
preamplifier.
Transmitter
In the transmit path of the transverter a second 17 dBm ring mixer is used. The TX IF input power ranges (0.06 … 1 mW and
1 … 0 mW) can be set with an internal switch.
The TX gain of the transverter can be adjusted with the potentiometer on the front panel. For further power adjustments the
HF transceiver can be used. At the mixer output there is a matching network and a helical band pass filter. It is followed by an
MMIC amplifier stage, another helical band pass filter, driver amplifier and power amplifier. LD-MOSFETs are used in driver
amplifier and power amplifier. The available output power is 60 W. To achieve optimum intermodulation performance, the
output power is limited to 2 W. Overdriving is prevented by an ALC circuit. The transmit unit of the transverter has a
protection circuit. If the antenna SWR is bad, the power amplifier switches off for 3 seconds. This is indicated by a LED. A
final low pass filter guarantees spurious and harmonic rejection of more than 60 dB. The output power is indicated on a
calibrated meter.
Sequence Controller
The built-in sequence controller allows time-controlled operation of a high-quality power amplifier and a coaxial relay with a
preamplifier, which is placed directly at the antenna. The required connectors are on the rear panel of the transverter.
Accessories
RX-Cable TX-Cable ZF-Cable
Rear panel with connectors

1 ON
On / Off switch
2 TX POWER
Potentiometer for adjustment of the TX gain
3 POWER
On indicator
4 ON AIR
Illuminates during transmit operation
PLL LD
Illuminates as soon as the internal crystal oscillator of the transverter is locked to the external reference
frequency.
6 SWR
The power amplifier unit of the transverter includes a protection circuit. During bad antenna matching the
output stage switches off for 3 seconds. Active protection is indicated by active SWR LED.
7 ALC
This LED is active when the power limiter of the transverter PA is active (too much IF drive)
In order to assure a good transmit signal, IF drive power should be reduced to a point where the indicator
does not light anymore. See section "Operation"
8 Output meter
Displays effective output power in watts at 0 Ohms.
TR 144 H +40 Connections and Indicators
7643
1
2
8

TR 144 H +40 Connections and Indicators
9 Antenna connector
10 Separate receiver input
For optional use (see "Setup before first Operation")
11 Transverter output RX OUT to HF transceiver, if two separate IF connectors are used.
Transverter input and output RX OUT / TX IN if one common IF connector is used.
Both configurations are internally switchable (see "Internal Switches CON SW / TX IF SW").
12 Transverter input TX IN, if two separate IF connectors are used.
This connector must be left open, if one common IF connector is configured!
IF output power of the HF transceiver must be in the range 60 ... 1000 µW or in the range 1 ... 0 mW.
The proper input power range of the transverter has to be set inside the transverter. (see "Internal Switches
CON SW / TX IF SW").
13 10 MHz Ref. IN
(see "Information About 10 MHz Reference Input of DB6NT Transverter")
14 Power supply 13.8 V DC (12 ... 14 V DC) / controlling functions
910
11
12
13 14