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    On215 Qo100 Downconverter

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    On215 Qo100 Downconverter

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    Anil V
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    On215 Qo100 Downconverter

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    of 4

    Getting Ready for Phase 4 – Part 2

    A UHF–VHF Receive Converter for use with a satellite LNB

    In Oscar News 211 we looked at how a There will however also be occasions when
    modern commercial Satellite TV LNB can be using a computer is impractical. – Bright
    used to receive signals from the 250kHz sunlight, poor audio from speakers or simply
    narrow band transponder on Es’hailSat-2 (1). having too much equipment to make
    An LNB converts the X-band signal from portable operation simple and easy. Under
    10.489 GHz, down to an intermediate UHF these conditions using a LNB with a
    frequency of 739 MHz. This can be received conventional radio has several advantages
    directly using a FUNcube dongle with a PC, including being able to use a transceiver for
    laptop or tablet running suitable SDR software. generating the uplink on S-band.

    While the PLL technology used in the current Presented in fig.1 is the circuit of a UHF to
    generation of LNBs produces low phase VHF converter for use with P4A. It includes a
    noise, it was demonstrated that the bias tee to feed DC power to the LNB, and a
    frequency drift with temperature change, mixer that converts the 739MHz signal from
    could be improved by replacing the 27MHz the LNB down to the 2m band.
    reference crystal with a temperature
    compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO).

    Personally, I’m really looking forward to seeing


    the transponder passband on a big screen and
    being able to click on new stations appearing
    as they start to call CQ. – So much easier than
    sweeping a VFO from one end to the other
    trying to find a weak DX station.

    Page 12 OSCAR NEWS No 215 September 2016


    Circuit description. While 14dB is not much, the LNB has its own
    internal filtering which also reduces the signals
    A supply of 12 – 13.8V is applied to the DC input,
    below 750 MHz. In combination there is
    where a series diode D1 protects from reverse
    enough image rejection to prevent noise
    polarity. The supply passes through inductor L1
    degrading the wanted signal at 2m.
    to connector J1 where it travels along the coax to
    power the LNB. The RF output at 739MHz from
    The HPF is followed by another 50 ohm
    the LNB passes along the same coax in the
    attenuator. This reduces the level of the signal
    opposite direction arriving at connector J1. L1
    so that it does not overload the mixer or the 2m
    acts as an RF choke and the signal is AC coupled
    receiver, it also provides a nice match into the
    through C1 to 50 ohm power divider, R1 R2 and
    RF port of the ADE-5 which is a Mini-Circuits
    R3. The power divider attenuates each output by
    double balanced diode ring mixer.
    6dB. The output at the lower end of R2 is applied
    to resistive attenuator R7 R8 and R9. This adds
    The local oscillator, IC2, is a custom made part
    another 12dB of attenuation to the signal which is
    (2) available from Digikey and deserves an
    AC coupled to J2. Although 18dB of loss seems a
    explanation as it is the modern alternative to the
    lot, a typical LNB will have 30 – 50dB of
    crystal and multiplier chain. The Silicon Labs Si590
    conversion gain and so some attenuation is
    is a 6 pin 7 x 5mm module which has an internal
    needed. The UHF output from J2 can be used to
    oscillator in the 4GHz range. It also contains DSP
    drive a FUNcube dongle or other software
    electronics to divide the signal down to
    defined radio in combination with a PC, laptop or
    595.000MHz. AMSAT-UK is using the CMOS and
    tablet. The other output from the power divider
    LVPECL versions in the ESEO satellite payload, so
    appears at the left hand end of R3. It passes
    this family of devices has seen a lot of use and
    through high pass filter L2 C3 and L3. These
    testing over the past 2 years.
    components have a cut-off frequency of 700MHz
    and provide about 14dB of attenuation at the
    image frequency of 450MHz.

    Fig 1

    Page 13 OSCAR NEWS No 215 September 2016


    As part of the programming
    service, Digikey take a blank
    generic Si590 which has the
    required frequency and
    thermal specification, in this
    case 20ppm frequency and
    7ppm thermal stability. Then
    they program the part to your
    specification. This defines the
    output stage to either LVPECL
    or LVDS logic, both of which
    have differential outputs. You
    also need to define the
    frequency, the supply voltage
    from 3.3, 2.5 or 1.8V and if
    you want the output enable pin active high or preventing damage to the external receiver. They
    low. In a test of thermal stability I cooled the also offer some token protection from accidental
    device from 30 degrees to -10 degrees. The transmissions into the mixer but will not protect
    part was seen to be 6.7kHz low at 30 degrees from outputs greater than a few Watts.
    and on cooling by 40 degrees moved to 1kHz
    above the specified frequency. When in orbit the narrowband transponder on
    Es’hailSat-2 will be converted down to 144.550
    My original intention was to use the differential to 144.800 MHz. A homemade PCB was
    outputs from a Si590 with a mixer that had an produced and is 57 x 40mm. J1 to J3 are PCB
    isolated winding for the local oscillator. edge mounted SMA sockets. These are also
    Unfortunately the Tech-Support team at used to secure the board into an 80 x 55 x
    Minicircuits Europe didn’t spot the local 25mm Hammond 1550P diecast enclosure.
    oscillator input of the ADE-5 isn’t isolated but
    has one end earthed along with other internal References.
    connections. After making them aware of the
    1 Getting ready for Phase 4. - D Bowman
    error they stopped responding to e-mail.
    G0MRF Oscar News 211 p.16
    I suppose the rule is; if you don’t have a
    2 Si590BD595M000DG
    really large order, don’t expect much tech-
    http://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/
    support. – a bit disappointing really.
    en/silicon-labs/590BD-DDG/590BD-DDG-
    ND/3878878
    Anyway, this Si590 requires 3.3V at 80mA from
    regulator IC1. Only one of the 2 differential
    outputs is used, generating -3dBm into a single
    ended 50 ohm load. The signal is amplified by
    IC3, a MAR3SM which has 10dB gain.
    The +7dBm output is AC coupled to the local
    oscillator input of the mixer. The 144 MHz output is
    taken from the IF port and passed to connector J3
    via a small attenuator which assists in matching
    the IF port. Finally an optional pair of PIN diodes
    limit the amplitude of the output

    Page 14 OSCAR NEWS No 215 September 2016

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