[Elecraft] Transverters

[k6se@juno.com]

Mike, AD5IU wrote:

"At the risk of appearing naive and/or dumb, I just don't 'get it' when
it comes to transverters."
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Yes, indeed, you just put your foot in your mouth!
==========

"I guess if you wanted to convert from microwave 'inexpensively' you
don't have much choice. But otherwise, if you want to listen/operate on a
particular band why not just get a radio designed for that band instead
of 'hacking' a rig that wasn't originally intended for it?"
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No "hacking" is done.  With a transverter, you've merely added a band to
your HF rig along with all of the modes your HF radio will operate on. 
Most quality HF radios, such as the Elecraft K2, will provide better
performance on a VHF or UHF band with a transverter than the many El
Cheapo VHF and UHF radios on the market today (including the TS-2000).
==========

"First, as cheap as VHF rigs these days are I just can't see how umm...
'forcing' an HF rig to operate on VHF would be money better spent. I
certainly can't think  it would perform as well as a rig specifically
designed for 2 mtrs."
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Youi said, "as cheap as VHF rigs are...".  This should tell you
something.  Today's cheap VHF/UHF radios are designed for the ragchewer,
and are usually FM-only.   They are not for the ham who is into something
unusual like moonbounce, meteor scatter, aurora, etc.
==========

"Secondly, given we're on the downward side of this solar cycle I'd say
give it a year or two or so and I suspect 6 mtr rigs will be cheap too
;)"
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For the run-of-the-mill ham like yourself, this might be true.  As far as
6 meters is concerned, sporadic E skip occurs at the bottom of the
sunspot cycle.  DX is still possible on double and triple-hop E.  If you
are insinuating that signals are non-existent at the bottom of the solar
cycle, you're wrong.  If signals are weaker, all the more reason for the
avid 6-meter DXer to have a high quality low-noise transverter to use
with his quality HF radio, because none of the VHF/UHF rigs on the market
today will hack it.

Moonbouncers would never consider a radio that you suggest because they
know that reception of weak signals requires a low-noise receiving
converter and a low-noise HF radio.  Japanese moonbouncers several years
ago tested the top-of-the-line HF radios and determined that the Kenwood
TS-870 served best as an IF for receiving converters.

73, de Earl, K6SE