In search of furthering the knowledge base one of our Club members (VK4MJF), had recently visited a local hams shack, to do some frequency checks on 5.7GHz. His signal generator, a Wind freak USB (low priced) would only read between 137MHz to 4400MHz had its shortcomings. We evaluated the gear bought for testing, with several high valued equipment, a signal generator and a spectrum analyser. Suggesting all items we checked had the ability to work on the band required (5.7GHz), some were eliminated one being a band pass filter unable to be tuned to the required band. Ok now armed with this knowledge he was set to return back to his work bench too test on, using the local beacon supplied by the BVHF Groups Club site at Edans landing (which to date had not been heard).
We also discussed several other ideas that he was also testing, using a reflector up his tower to reflect the Club beacon signals. 10GHz, 3.4GHz etc. had been reflected leaving the tower virtually dish free. Great idea apparently used in the commercial sector to lengthen there range with a small db loss, also assisting to keep older members safely on the ground. During these discussions he suggested a small schottky diode system (2 SMA pc board connectors and a surface mount schottky diode), would assist his signal generator to increase its ability to give him a signal on 5.7GHz. Well what a gem, …… this idea gave him the tools to use this device in lots of other unreachable bands of 10 GHz to name one, also further. One thing that came to mind Stefan VK4CSD had given a talk on using diodes for 26, 46, 76 and 122GHz at the one of another groups monthly meetings, he would like to say the penny dropped and his ideas have resonated in his brain.
