[hpsdr] HPSDR and microwave converters

[lstoskopf at cox.net]

Sitting here revamping the microwave setup to go from the old 857 set up which works well to HPSDR.  Some musings:  Went back to the SDR-1000 setup as the UCB board works well so far with it (as intended!).  Hopefully the control code will end up with KISS.  No need for the group to reinvent that board, just the control.

I would like to switch over to Mercury/Penny combo, but the UCB works well now with the SDR-1000.  Hopefully this winter will try direct upconversion and down conversion to each band with Janus.  Keeping the LO out of the preamps looks to be a chore, but we'll see.  In the mean time, the NT switching board seems the way to go for HF.  I'm in the process of changing all of the Down East stuff to split input/output and also the SDR-1000.  Also have enough filters/mixers/osc to do a simple in line 28 MHz to 2M transverter as time allows and if the code gets written for the UCB.

I was going to wait for Alex for the HF switching, but the NT will buy some time.  I'm glad to see another vendor picking up the boards as TAPR runs out.  Ozy2 will help with that vital board.  The worst for a project like this is running out of programmers or out of hardware.  This is a step for the latter.

Off to Oregon for a week to see the wheat harvest and cool off in Couer...., Ida.

Phil H. is going a great job on KISS.  Making me think that Cathy M. is back as with the QS1R.

N0UU