[NLRS] 2m IF rig quest

[Chris Cox, N0UK]

Whilst not exactly meeting your goal of being a single turnkey 2m i/f with fully embedded USB CAT & audio, our current 10GHz rover and base rig is fully integrated and is ready to run once set on the tripod.

I went with a RigBlaster Advantage that is mounted on the dish and a small USB hub providing a single cable connection to the computer and automatic switching between microphone and digital.

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73 Chris Cox, N0UK
Chrisc at chris.org
LinkedIn.com/in/Chris-Cox-CISM


> On Mar 26, 2025, at 08:40, Chris Elmquist <chrise at pobox.com> wrote:
> 
> ?Not sure about the "bank breaker" metric but Yaesu FT-991A also has
> internal sound card interface, HF, 6m, and 70cm in addition to 2m
> all-mode.
> 
> And when you're bored, you can work the world via Fusion :-)
> 
> Chris N?JCF
> 
>> On Wednesday (03/26/2025 at 07:39AM -0500), Thomas Murphy wrote:
>> That probably leaves only the IC-705 (since a 905 would be most everything
>> or you're after a companion to fill in the Region 2 bands with
>> transverters). A 9700 would likewise also be out of your desired specs. The
>> upcoming Yaesu FTX-1F QRP is pre-release marketed as supporting single-USB
>> CAT/audio/TX, if you're interested in getting on the reservation list for
>> that whenever it comes available.
>> 
>> For headless radios, I see that the Expert Electronics SunSDR2 base and PRO
>> models offer 8 W on 144. Unfortunately the QRP version foregoes the 2m
>> capabilities. That they are a Russian-based company might make them less
>> attractive for a new build right now. Most other
>> direct-sampling/direct-synthesizing SDRs seem to cap out at 6 or 4m without
>> doing Nyquist folding (with extra filters) and having a fast enough DAC.
>> 
>> Something like the ADALM-Pluto you might as well build completely around
>> rather than going the IF route given its minimal filters and power. I also
>> can't tell how friendly of interfaces are available for it once you're on a
>> PC.
>> 
>> And, since it came up in a search, the DSP-10
>> (https://www.janbob.com/electron/dsp10/dsp10.htm) is presumably the thing
>> you really don't want. A kit project developed in the '90s that would
>> probably be best only for inspiration to design something with newer parts
>> these days.
>> 
>> - Thomas / WN1C
>> 
>>> On 3/25/25 11:46, Jon Platt via NLRS wrote:
>>> Hello NLRS land
>>> 
>>> Checking in with the brain trust here.  I am in the search for a "radio"
>>> to use as my microwave IF rig.  It needs to have 2m (2m only is OK), QRP
>>> preferred, with the desire to have an internal sound card/USB feature to
>>> reduce the number of boxes needed when doing digital from the rover.  It
>>> appears to be a limited field. Not breaking the bank would be nice too. 
>>>  A FT 818 or 817 sort of fits the bill but they dont have an internal
>>> sound card.   I hate all the boxes and cables when I rove, prefer the
>>> KISS approach.
>>> 
>>> Any ideas out there?
>>> 
>>> 73, Jon
>>> W0ZQ
>>> 
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> 
> 
> 
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> 
> --
> Chris Elmquist
> 
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