CQ Datv66

In this issue
Editorial............................................................. 2
News & World Roundup......................................3
SpaceX launch of a Falcon 9 Block 5 Rocket....... 5
70cm vs 23cm Band Activity...............................8
DATVExpress Project Report........................... 10
The ABC of Broadcast Video Tape Recording.... 12
Matching 50Ω to 75Ω........................................17
The Mini Router Switcher................................. 20
70cm Antennas for ATV.................................... 22
One from the Vault........................................... 26
Information......................................................28
Coming up........................................................ 29
Production Team
Ian Pawson G8IQU Trevor Brown G8CJS
Terry Mowles VK5TM Jim Andrews KH6HTV
Contributing Authors
Jim Andrews KH6HTV Brian Beezlet K6STI
Trevor Brown G8CJS Richard Carden VK4XRL
John Hudson G3RFL Ken Konechy W6HHC
Mike Stevens G7GTN
CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 1

Editorial Also in this issue
Welcome to issue 66 of our electronic ATV magazine. Ken W6HHC reports Art WA8RMC has tested the first Mini
Tiouner Express unit’s design called “Rev B” from the
CQDATV would like to send it’s congratulations to AMSATDL assembly house. All units fired up…although one unit needed
after the successful Es’hail2 launch. On board the Es’hail to have the USB chip solder refluxed, Art will explain.
satellite is AMSATDL’s Phase4A transponder.
The successful launch was on Thursday, November 15th from Trevor has followed up his broadcast VTR story with the
Launch Complex 39A (LC39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space introduction of C format and the changes it brought to the
Centre in Florida. television broadcast industry, from SloMo to portable
recordings.
You can watch the launch at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhTbzc Brian Beezlet K6STI has come up with a simple home
BqKs&feature=youtu.be. constructed 50 ohm to 75 matching unit for test equipment
and explains why this is necessary.
AMSATDL describes their commissioning procedures at:
https://amsatdl.org/p4aeshail2launchesinafewdays Richard VK4XRL and Mike G7GTN have produced the final
part of the 8 input 4 output mini router series, Richard
Phase4A operating frequencies and modes are documented explains why he needs 4 outputs for all the equipment in his
at: https://amsatdl.org/eshail2amsatphase4a shack along with the hardware design and Mikes Code.
More on the service Es’hail 2 further down this issue.
One from the Vault features a frequency counter project by
Other news We now have a 70cm RBTV beacon installed in John G3RFL from CQDATV issue 2.
Catalonia, located at the top of Montjuïc mountain in
Barcelona (JN11BI). As we always say, sit back and enjoy CQDATV 66.
Finally some news of our own. CQDATV now has another From the enlarged production team in the UK, USA and
member on the team. Jim Andrews KH6HTV has joined the Australia.
CQDATV team and will be submitting articles each month
starting in this issue with a bumper 2 articles “70cm vs 23cm
Band Activity” and 70cm antennas for “ATV”. Please note: This is the last issue of CQDATV that
will be published on the last Friday of the month.
Jim lives in Boulder Colorado from where he edits the Boulder Future issues will be published on the last DAY of the
ATV repeater news letter, when he is not fixing and improving month!
the actual repeater. Jim does admit to escaping the Boulder
winters to his bolt hole QTH in Hawaii.
This snow birding may impact repeater repairs but not his
planned series of articles for CQDATV!
News and World Round-up SSTV from the International Space Station
70cm RBTV beacon in Catalonia
On October 23rd a 70cm RBTV beacon was installed in

Catalonia.
Source: Southgate Amateur Radio news
SpaceX drops plans to make Falcon 9 rockets

The beacon is based on a remote controlled raspberry pi with more reusable
F5OEO software, located at the top of Montjuïc mountain in
Barcelona (JN11BI). For a while, SpaceX has dreamed of making its Falcon 9
rocket as reusable as possible, and not just the first stage.
Transmission frequency 434,5MHz, power 1w, 2 element
Yagui, F5OEO software. Project was conducted by EA3CNO Now, though, it’s having a change of heart. SpaceX has
(Antoni) and EA3ANS (Joaquim). There has been reception scrapped plans to make the rocket’s second stage reusable.
reports from Terrassa, 25Km north of Barcelona. Instead, Elon Musk said, it’s focused on “accelerating”
development of the BFR. Musk also teased a significant
Source: http://www.radioaficionats.cat/radioaficionats/baliu design shakeup, calling it “delightfully counterintuitive” and
rbtvacatalunya/ a “radical change” compared to the previous design.
Musk didn’t say when he expected the BFR to be ready in the
wake of the strategy shakeup. In March, SpaceX aimed for
early orbital launches by 2020.
It’s not completely surprising that SpaceX might shift focus.

The company’s ultimate aim is to retire Falcon 9 in a few
years once the BFR is ready. It would be pouring resources
into a rocket whose shelf life could be quite limited by the
time it’s truly reusable. BFR, meanwhile, represents SpaceX’s
longterm future. What the spaceflight firm loses in near
term costcutting and waste reduction could be worthwhile if
it speeds up the arrival of a longterm solution.
Elon Musk@elonmusk
Btw, SpaceX is no longer planning to upgrade Falcon 9

second stage for reusability. Accelerating BFR instead.
New design is very exciting! Delightfully counterintuitive.
6:45 PM Nov 17, 2018
Source: Elon Musk (Twitter)

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1063865779156729857
Please note: articles in this magazine are provided

with absolutely no warranty whatsoever; neither the
contributors nor CQDATV accept any responsibility or
liability for loss or damage resulting from readers
choosing to apply this content to theirs or others Check out the DKARS website at:
computers and equipment. http://dkars.nl/

SpaceX launch of a Falcon 9 Block 5 Es’hail2
Rocket Es’hail2 is a new communication satellite originally
scheduled to be placed into the geostationary transfer orbit in
SpaceX was scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket as the fourth quarter of 2016. It will be launched aboard the
part of the Es’hail 2 mission. The launch window for the Falcon9 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force
Communications mission was on Thursday, Nov 15th, 2018, Station, Florida, US.
8:46 PM from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, The satellite will be positioned at 26° east orbital position and
FL. The status of the launch is GREEN. will provide TV broadcasting and directtohome (DTH)
services across the Middle East and North Africa. It will be the
A video of the launch can be seen here: first Amateur Radio communication satellite in Qatar.
https://www.spacex.com/webcast?fbclid=IwAR2Q95AMXVJNv
X5VPNpYPRjEEBanf6haB_Mu9weTfwDTNWS1RxrrXbrm00U Es’hailSa, a company based in Qatar, is the owner and
operator. Es’hail2 will become Qatar’s second
Darko OE7DBH comments: communications satellite, following the launch of Es’hail1 in
August 2013.
Finally the wait has come to an end after more than three
years. Es’hailSat2 with the ham radio transponder has been Satellite development
successfully promoted into space.
“Es’hail2 has a mass of approximately 3,000kg.”
Here is a video recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krABDyhBujM Es’hailSat awarded the design and build contract of the
satellite to Japanbased satellite manufacturer, Mitsubishi
UHF and SHF friends are pleased, finally a geostationary Electric (MELCO) in September 2014.
satellite.
MELCO will also supply the ground systems and provide the
https://amsatdl.org/category/eshail2p4a required training under a complete turnkey solution. This
makes Mitsubishi the first Japanese satellite supplier to enter
No antennas tracking more and no minutes operating times Arab’s commercial communications satellite market.
like the orbiting satellite. Now it will be easy, antenna
direction stops and never move again. Half world listening at Es’hail2 has a mass of approximately 3,000kg and will have
all times. a lifespan of more than 15 years.
Great, never again “nobody is on it”. Communication capabilities
Good luck and good satellites QSO wishes you Darko OE7DBH The satellite will feature 24 Kuband and 11 Kaband
transponders to provide direct broadcasting services for
https://www.oe7forum.at/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=468#p2441 television, government and commercial content distribution.
In addition, it will carry two phase four Amateur Radio
transponders, which will provide Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation the first geostationary communication capability
to directly link Brazil to India in a single hop in realtime. It
will also allow the AMSAT community to corroborate and
exhibit their digital video broadcasting standard. The electrical power system includes 100Vregulated dual bus
with silicon, multijunction Gallium arsenide solar array and
Satellite bus NiH2 or LiIon batteries.
Al Yah 3 Communication Satellite, Al Yah 3 is an all Kaband Launch vehicle

communications satellite .
In December 2014, Es’hailSat selected Space Exploration
Es’hail2 will be based on the DS2000 satellite bus platform Technologies to launch the satellite.
developed by MELCO.
SpaceX will launch the satellite aboard Falcon 9, its own
The satellite bus handles a broad range of communications launch vehicle, from SpaceX’s launch complex 40 at Cape
payloads and can provide an output of up to 15kW, which is Canaveral Air Force Station.
sufficient to power multiple payloads.
Falcon 9 is a twostage rocket weighing 505,846kg and
Its flexible design suits various payload applications, standing 68.4m tall. It can carry a payload of 13,150kg to
including hybrid communication payloads, multiple spotbeam LEO and 4,850kg to GTO.
broadband communications and meteorological satellites.
Its first stage features nine Merlin engines and aluminium
lithium alloy tanks carrying liquid oxygen and rocketgrade
kerosene (RP1). It generates 1.3Mlb (million pounds) of
thrust at sea level and 1.5Mlb in the vacuum of space.
The second stage incorporates a single Merlin vacuum engine

that delivers the payload to the respective orbit. The engine
can be restarted multiple times to place different payloads
into different orbits.
This stage generates a thrust of 180,000lbf and an

intermediate stage between the first and the second holds
the release and separation system.
From http://www.aerospacetechnology.com

70cm vs 23cm Band Activity A lot of amateur, 70cm, FM repeater outputs are noted in the
445450 MHz portion.
Written by Jim Andrews, KH6HTV
Extract from BOULDER TV Repeater’s REPEATER November, Also a lot of unlicensed activity is seen in the 434 MHz region.
2018 On 23cm, the span of 100 MHz includes government bands
below 1240 and above 1300MHz.
Absolutely the only activity detected were the government

radars in the vicinity of 1265MHz and 1318MHz.
23cm monitoring over extended 1/2 day periods also showed

essentially an empty, quiet band, except for the radar signals.
From my QTH with my Rigol spectrum analyser, I have

monitored the relative activity on both the 70cm and 23cm
bands. Dramatic differences!
The screen shots shown below were taken under the same
analyser settings on both bands. The analyser was set to the 23cm Normal Band Activity – 1270MHz centre
Peak Hold mode to capture everything which occurred in the frequency, 100 MHz span, 10MHz/div data acquired in
10 minute acquisition interval. max. hold for 10 minutes. The only signals seen are
government radars
The measurements were made on a weekday in the middle of
the day. On 70cm, the span of 50 MHz includes the Next page: 70cm Normal Band Activity – 435MHz
government band 410420MHz (bottom 2 divisions) and the centre frequency, 50 MHz span, 5MHz/div data
commercial / FRS band 450460MHz (top 2 divisions). acquired in max. hold for 10 minutes
Below: 70cm Band Activity with ham DTV signals. TV
repeater at 423 MHz & another ham’s signal at 441
MHz – 435 MHz centre frequency, 50 MHz span data
acquired in max. hold for 1 minute
TV Amateur is a German Language ATV Magazine. It is

published 4 times a year and if you would like to
subscribe go to http://agafev.org/
DATV-Express Project Report The photo right is the Fuji
“pickandplace robot” for
Written by Ken W6HHC SMT PCBAs. The PCB
panelarray is designed to
Art WA8RMC reported he pickedup and tested the “first hold six boards.
articles” of MiniTiounerExpress unit’s design called “Rev B”
from the assembly house. All units fired right up…although The assembly house
one unit needed to have the USBchip solder refluxed. Art started to complete the
observed that he observed some voltage drop at the end of rest of the 100 unit
the USB cable plugged into the computer USB3 port. Use a production run on Friday,
short USB cable if you plan to obtain power from a USB3 Nov 02.
port using the new jumper. Quality brand USB3grade cables
are not longer than 2 meters and are recommended. The fast FUJI “PickandPlace” robot can complete each unit
in 5 seconds, 30 seconds for the PCBarray of six boards.
New RevB of MiniTiouner
Express with arrow Ken W6HHC Plans to upgrade the MiniTiounerExpress User
pointing to the new J3 Guide to include the new power supply options available with
jumper setup that was the addition of J3 in RevB. Ken is also working to update the
added. The pushon DATVExpress User Guide to emphasize that DATVExpress
shorting plug is shown has transitioned to become solely a software product for the
positioned (away from future.
end of the board) to
configure power supplies Project Speed is set to slow….de Ken W6HHC
as the original design
(not USB3 powered). G4GUO comments
It important to note that
the new RevB units will If anyone is interested the improvement to my GPU LDPC
ship with J3 configured to work like the original design. decoder uses the Self Corrected MinSum algorithm.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/0803.1090.pdf
Charles G4GUO had fixed one bug for PLUTO units with the It improves decoder performance by about 0.4 dB
v1.25LP10 software release. v1.25LP11 of the software was
released to the www.DATVExpress web site DOWNLOADs Charles
page after Ken independently tested at his lab. No new
problems have been reported with v1.25LP11. Charles did
say he also improved his GPU LDPC decoder using a This is your free ATV magazine.
modification to the algorithm he read about in an academic Please consider contributing an article!
paper.

The ABC of Broadcast Video Tape
Recording
Written by Trevor Brown G8CJS
In the last two issues we have looked at the way video tape
recording evolved. We started with Quadruplex and then
moved onto B format developed by Bosch who were the only
manufacturer of this format. The next format was C and
strangely enough was not a step forward but a step
backwards.
C format grew out of Helical Scan, video recorders. These

formats used a head drum that rotated at the slower speed of
one revolution per field. The head to tape speed was slower
and instead of scanning across the tape, it scanned
diagonally down the tape producing longer scans to
accommodate the increased data of a full field as opposed to
17 lines of Quad or 50 lines of B format. The head drum was
much larger in an attempt to keep the head to tape speed
high.
There were various options: IVC produced a single head

Alpha wrap, Ampex started with the 180° Omega wrap which
required two heads so one was always in contact with the
tape. The tape was 2” and the heads were singularly
replaceable, but were difficult to align, which was critical to
achieve interchange.
The pictures were poor and the signal to noise left a lot to be
desired. This machine was never considered to produce
broadcast pictures, although NASA did use it to record the
Moon landings.
Ampex switched to a one inch, single head full helical omega

wrap machine, which was even less of a broadcast format
because single head omega wrap has the problem of missing
VR7800 early Ampex Helical VTR..not Time Base
Corrected and missing about 10 TV lines at the bottom
Ampex VR660 2” omega wrap Helical Scan VTR of the picture
Granada tried this in the UK for a mini OB unit before
the days of ENG The world changed when AST Automatic Scan Tracking was
developed. The video replay head was mounted on a
information when the head leaves the tape at the end of a transducer that could dynamically follow any changes in scan
scan. Resulting in about 10 lines of picture missing, seen as a angle, the tape could even be slowed or stopped, which
band at the bottom of the picture, something the broadcaster would cause a dramatic change in track angle. This opened
would never tolerate. the door to pictures in wind slow motion and even freeze
frame and the broadcast world suddenly started to love
This was a another main stumbling block, dimensional helical scan.
instability of the actual tape, which would vary in length, with
temperature so the angle of the recording would change The poor signal to noise was revisited with better filters, tape
when the tape was stored making control track phase jitter was improved by better servo’s and the addition of time
adjustment difficult and frequent. base correction. The band of missing information was moved
to the vertical interval where a TBC corrected picture could
Quad and B format with their slant tracks were much less use a processing amplifier to repair the vertical interval.
affected.
Suddenly Ampex had a broadcast Helical Scan machine called
the VPR 1. This had broadcast potential. Slo mo, freeze
frame, pictures in wind, and a separate play head following
the record head so the recordings could be verified while the
recording was in progress.
Then politics and the world of committees such as SMPTE,

raised its head. Sony wanted a piece of the action and
wanted a common standard so they could produce a
compatible broadcast helical. They insisted from the outset
that the missing band of information was unacceptable, even
though it was now in the vertical interval and came up with a
proposal of extra heads on the scanner to record when the
video head was not in contact with the tape.
The argument was that a machine without a TBC could be

produced. The problem was then compounded that the extra
heads caused incompatibility with machines that did not have
them and so dummy heads needed to be fitted and Ampex
had to change the scanner design to add the extra heads and
produce a SMPTE compliant VTR called the VPR 2. The VPR 1
although it did sell was not C compliant. The VPR2 was, as
was the Sony BVH 1100.
BVH 1100 and the later BVH 2000 entered the broadcast
market as Ampex’s main competitor. RCA initially declined to
enter the C format market, but then later reversed that
decision and produced the TR800, which like RCA soon
disappeared as a broadcast manufacturer.
The non TBC machine requiring the extra heads never

appeared. The dummy heads made little difference to the
interchange, but running without them did off balance the BVH 2000 Sony C format machine
scanner. Sony’s BVH 1100 was soon replaced with the
BVH2000 and was the better machine because it had a serial Ampex head drums gave problems and often required and
interface that was excellent at interfacing to linear edit expensive overhaul, costing several times the cost of a Quad
controllers. head rework.

Ampex sold the VPR2 manufacturing rights to the Marconi C format also opened the door to small portable recorders for
corporation who were desperate to have a VTR machine in field recording Ampex built the VPR 20 and Sony the BVH 500
there stable and called it the MR2B. They made modifications, these were useful and both machines were on a power with
but blew the budget on power supply improvements and each other, but Ampex also licensed Nagra to build portable
producing a combined waveform and picture monitor display, recorder.
but neglected the serial interface that was limiting the
potential of this machine. Ampex went on to develop the
VPR3 and VPR6, which had a serial interface and longer
tapes, demanded by the USA market, while Sony developed
the much loved BVH 3100.
Above: Sony BVH 500 and the RCA badged version along
with the Ampex VPR 20 portable battery recorders
Left: Sony BVH 3100 the only reel to reel VTR that would
self thread, sounds a good feature, but it was a little slow
at performing this task and refused to be rushed.
Fortunately it could be manually threaded and
faster..something that was often done when transmission
tapes arrived late from the edit suite for a sporting event.
Auto thread also required a custom take up spool with air
holes to suck the tape to the spool
VPR 5 developed by Nagra for AMPEX, note the
aluminium extruded case, the picture has oversized
reels, with the smaller tape reels it has a cover and
can be carried by the sound engineer on a two man Believe it or not this was once my garage, which
shoot. The spool motors were built into the hubs a became Edit Suite 1 when I set up my TV production
rather nice Nagra touch company. Three Sony BVH 2000 machines, two
external TBC’s mounted below. One Sony SP VTR, the
Nagra had long since had a reputation for excellent portable edit controller caption generator, switching and
field audio recorders loved by the film industry and what they monitoring rack. Not shown is the production desk
produced was the VPR 5 which really blew everyone’s socks that controlled all of this hardware or the electric
off as the portable 1” VTR to end all portable 1” VTR supply meter in fast forward night and day. But clients
machines. came, cost were covered and the family got to eat and
live in doors. The journey to work was also less
C format delivered Slo Mo, freeze frame and pictures in wind arduous
along with practical field recorders. The broadcast industry
was happy, but these were still analogue recorders and
composite at that!
Multiple generation copying and editing still added

considerably to picture degradation.

Matching 50Ω to 75Ω LNetwork
Written by Brian Beezlet K6STI

http://www.hamradio.com/k6sti/
Reprinted by kind permission.
Most signal generators have an output impedance of 50Ω. To

align an FM tuner or measure its performance, it’s best to
match this to the tuner’s 75Ω input impedance. Mismatch loss
is only 0.2 dB, but a source impedance that differs from the
design value may alter the RF input circuit bandwidth or
resonant frequency. This can degrade frontend tracking and
affect intermod or desensitization measurements.
MinimumLoss Pad
An Lnetwork is nearly lossless. This circuit isn’t broadband

like a minimumloss pad, but it easily covers 88–108 MHz.
A simple minimumloss pad provides a broadband match. Use

chip resistors or the shortest possible lead lengths to
minimize stray inductance and pickup of local broadcast
signals. Loss is 5.6 dB for the 5% values shown.
For calibrated voltage output, set the signal generator to 1.55

times the desired output level in microvolts. (For 1%
resistors, use 43.2Ω and 86.6Ω. Loss is 5.7 dB.) This shows an Lnetwork in a small metal box. The inductor is
made of #14 wire and the capacitor is a small mica trimmer.
I adjusted the turns spacing and the trimmer for best return TwelfthWave Transformer
loss over the FM band. Response must be checked with the
box cover in place. A twelfthwave transformer can match 50Ω to 75Ω with
negligible loss and no adjustment. It is a special case of a
seriessection transformer.
The transformer consists of a 75Ω coax section in series with

a 50Ω section, each about 1∕12wavelength long. At 98 MHz
the section length for soliddielectric coax with a velocity
factor of 66% is 6½″. For foam dielectric at 83%, it is 8⅛″.
For best accuracy, obtain the manufacturer’s specified
velocity factor for your cable. Then use the twelfthwave
transformer calculator in this set of transmission line utilities
This shows the return loss of the Lnetwork with a coaxial to find the section lengths and to analyze performance over
75Ω load from 88 to 108 MHz. I used an HP the FM band.
141T/8553B/8552B spectrum analyzer, 8443A tracking
generator, and Anzac THV50 power splitter. The return loss
of the power splitter with a 50Ω load was a constant 30 dB
across the FM band. This is the limit of the test setup. Results
beyond this figure indicate cancellation of the residual return
loss.
The Lnetwork loss measured 0.05 dB. For calibrated voltage

output, set the generator to 0.83 times the desired output
level in microvolts.

Like the Lnetwork, the twelfthwave transformer loss
measured 0.05 dB. For calibrated voltage output, set the
generator to 0.83 times the desired output level in
microvolts.
Matching 50Ω to 300Ω
Vacuum tube tuners provide 300Ω antenna terminals. They

may connect to a balanced RF transformer with a floating or
grounded centertap, or to an unbalanced input circuit with
one terminal grounded. For a grounded centertap, connect a
To splice the sections, cut the cable jackets back ¼″, strip the 50:75Ω matching network to one antenna terminal and
dielectric ⅛″, overlap the center conductors, and solder nearby chassis ground. For an unbalanced input, use the
them. Place a ⅛″ piece of slit dielectric over the joint, put a following matching network. Use it also for a balanced
dab of superglue in the slit, overlap the shields, and solder floating input by grounding one antenna terminal.
them. Cover the splice with heatshrink tubing.
For lab use, install a BNC connector on the 75Ω cable and an
Fconnector on the 50Ω cable. I assume the impedance
changes ½″ from the end of the BNC and ¼″ from the end of
the F. When cutting the cables, account for this, for the
centerconductor length each connector requires, and for the
splice overlap, which effectively shortens the 75Ω section ⅛″.
Loss is 13.3 dB. For calibrated voltage output, set the

generator to 1.88 times the desired output level in
microvolts.
Republication of CQDATV magazine material is encouraged

as long as source credit is properly given.
Exception: “Reprinted by permission” material must have

This shows SWR for a twelfthwave transformer cut for 98
the original publisher’s/authors permission.
MHz.
The Mini Router Switcher You will note that a file called setup stores all the text that
maybe changed depending on the inputs and outputs that
Richard Carden VK4XRL and Mike G7GTN you use. Now the Latch buttons can be called what ever you
like and as you can see I have opted to call them as to what
How many times have you wanted to switch different video function they perform. The picture below shows the prototype
and audio sources to different parts of your television plant. under construction.
In my situation I wanted at least two channels via dongles to

feed vMix, also to the PortsDown which needs separate input
as well for streaming or to the 23cm digital transmitter for
local live transmission. Another could be a preview channel
therefore at least 4 outputs would be required so armed with
this information and with the information we have seen in
CQDATV regarding switcher hardware we now are looking at
a eight by four mini routing switcher.
Because of the number of connections the video 8 x 4 is on

one board, however because most connections are been used
only one of the two output feeds are available on the back
panel. Two boards are required for the audio, left and right
and again only one output for the separate 8 x 4 audio
switchers are available. Suitable separate VDA’s can be
utilized for the extra feeds that you may require. Similar
separate audio SDA’s can be used to supply the extra audio The LCD screen is also operated via I2C and works as follows.
feeds.
Upon switching on you should see the screen below and then
Having separate VDA”s and SDA’s allows some adjustment of a screen with SELECT which allows you to select the required
levels and you could also feed the outputs form the the four input source to the switcher.
VDA’s to a Quad split unit for monitoring.
The video and audio switchers are the same ones used in
past articles in CQDATV so we won’t repeat here only to say
other switcher IC’s could be used. The selection of the
required input source is via a 4 x 3 switchpad (see article on
this subject) and is feed to the Nano via I2C which in turns
produces S0, S1 and S2 to feed the switcher and is feed to all
four switchers. The switcher now only requires a latch pulse The block Diagram (next page) shows you the intended
to feed the selected source to the required output. arrangement.
Also using the serial monitor you can see the address
allocation for the keypad interface and the LCD in case you
need to change them. Likewise pressing any of the source
buttons confirms that button select and same with the four
latch switches.
Construction can either be rack mounted boards although it

maybe a tight squeeze to place 12 BNC’s on a back panel and
as we have to drop off the extra output from the 4 switchers,
VDA’s maybe needed depending on you own system design.
You could also use two 1RU rack frames, one for video and
another for audio. DB9’s can be used for the control signals
and the the control circuit can be fitted in with the video
switcher if required.
Well that’s all for this series on DIGITAL WORLD we hope you
have enjoyed these series of articles and don’t forget
feedback to the editor. Also thanks to Mike G7GTN for putting
up with me doing this from around the other side of the world
where our times are nearly 12 hours apart and to Trevor
G8CJS for proof reading including suggestions for
improvement.
Happy ATVing…..VK4XRL
The source you have selected may now be sent to the

required output by switching one of the four latch buttons
were confirmation is read out to the LCD (see below). After
about 5 seconds this output selection will drop off so that
another input and output selection can take place.

70cm Antennas for ATV
Written by Jim Andrews KH6HTV
Recently, I moved out of the city of Boulder to a rural,

residential area on the prairie I now own a 2 1/4 acre lot with Fig. 1 View of the Antenna Test Range from the
a very large, open, flat, pasture with no obstructions. Ideal transmitter location
for setting up an antenna measurement range.
Fig. 1 above shows the large open pasture used for the
I thus decided to make measurements on a selection of 70cm antenna range. The small blue car seen in the far distance on
antennas for possible use for ATV. This was a repeat of earlier the right side of the photo is at the test antenna receive site.
measurements which I made in 2011 on a less than The distance between the transmitter and receiver sites was
desireable antenna range in my then much smaller back yard 75 yards. For visual reference, my 50 ft. tower with an HF
ref [1]. hex beam antenna is on the left side of the photo.
For ATV, the major criteria for an antenna is Bandwidth. It The test signal source was a synthesized signal generator
must be capable of handling at least a 6 MHz wide TV channel driving a KH6HTV Video, model 707B, 70cm, rf linear power
and preferably the entire amateur band. amplifier. The output power was set to +34dBm. The antenna
was a junk box, 6”, BNC rubber duck, which was found to
Many 70cm yagi antennas were designed for weak signal work well with good vswr over both 23cm and 70cm bands.
work at strictly 432 MHz and were quite narrow band. Also
many other 70cm antennas, especially vertical antennas, The antenna was mounted on a bracket supported by a
were designed strictly for the upper 10 MHz, (440450 MHz), camera tripod. This source was set up in the northwest
FM voice portion of the band. Unfortunately, most antenna corner of the pasture.
manufactuers rarely give data on specific operating frequency
or bandwidth.
Fig. 2 Andrew, model DB411, 70cm, four folded Fig. 3 Ground Plane test platform for testing hand
dipole, colinear antenna under test held radio antennas
At the receive site, 75 yards away, in the southeast corner of For testing handheld radio antennas, I mounted them on a
the pasture, a 12” dia. concrete “bullseye” was planted on 13”x17” aluminum ground plane resting on top of the 3 ft.
the ground for use as a positioning reference point. Fig. 2 antenna tripod, Fig. 3. For testing mobile antennas, I
shows a DB411, four element, colinear antenna positioned positioned my Saab convertible over the bullseye and
over the bullseye and pointing toward the transmitter which mounted the antennas on the trunk lid using their own
is at the far end of the field on the left side of the photo near magnetic mounts. The rear end of the Saab was pointing
the large tree. towards the transmit antenna.
The front range of the Rocky mountains are visible on the The Reference Antenna, Fig. 4, used for all the
horizon. Figs. 1 & 2 show that the test range is very open, measurements was a 1/4 λ ground plane. It consited of a #8
flat and free of obstructions. Most test antennas were solid copper vertical radiating element plus four, #12 solid
mounted at 6 ft. on a 5 ft. mast supported by a 3 ft. antenna copper wires drooping at a 45o angle, all mounted on a type
tripod. N jack. The antenna was tuned for a resonance frequency of
430MHz with a return loss of 30dB.
There were some atmospheric instabilites due to fluctuating
wind, etc. Thus for each measurement, ten readings were
taken and averaged. The typical σ of measurements ranged
from 0.05 to 0.2dB. Depending upon the antenna being
tested, signal levels ranged from 60dBm to 20dBm.
Measurements were taken at the center of each of the five, 6
MHz, 70cm, TV channels. (i.e. 423, 429, 435, 441 & 447
MHz). No RFI was noted on any of the test frequencies.
Quite a few different antennas were tested. The results

published here in Table 1 are only for those antennas which I
found suitable, and recommend for use for wideband, 70cm
amateur TV, and which are also presently commercially
available.
Note: this list in not all inclusive of the many possible

antennas which could be used for ATV. It is only a summary
of those I personally tested and recommend. For more details
on this test and also the 2011 antenna tests, I refer you to
references [1 & 2].
Table 1 — Antenna Gain in dBi
Fig. 4 Reference Antenna, Gain = 2.2dBi
The return loss at the band edges was 14dB. The reference
gain of this antenna is +2.2dBi.
Received signal strengths were measured using my Rigol

DSA815 spectrum analyzer. The analyzer was positioned
some distance away from the antenna under test and
connected to the antenna with a 30ft. LMR400 coax cable.
Comparison to MFGR’s SPECS: with 1.2dB loss. I got good agreement of 5.1dBi vs. 5.6dBi at
443MHz. Decent, low cost, antenna over whole 420450
Not all antenna manufacture’s give very complete band.
specifications. Most are quite vague. Some give gain in dB
without specifying if it is dBi or dBd, or what their reference Diamond RH951S 2m/70cm HT flexible whip. Gain = +6dB
really was. Most all also do not specify gain measurement relative to typical stock HT antennas, what band? i.e. no real
frequency, nor bandwidth. The following is the data I have world spec. given ! ! BNC, 14” flexible whip, $45 I measure
gleaned from online search of specification sheets for the roughly 2dBi.
above antennas.
Nagoya NA771 2m/70cm HT flexible whip. Gain = 2.15dBi
Diamond X50NA dual band 2m & 70cm Omni, Gain = 2m/70cm, which band is spec. for ??, 15” flexible whip, SMA,
4.5dBi(2m) & 7.2dBi(70cm), 5.6ft., $95 I got similar gain $17 I measure 3 to 0 dBi over band.
values, but a bit higher. Excellent antenna, useful over whole
420450 band. This is my preferred antenna for a 70cm ATV REFERENCES:
base station.
1. “Antennas for Ham TV”, Jim Andrews, KH6HTV Video
Diamond X6000 tri band 2m/70cm/23cm Omni, Gain = Application Note, AN4, Sept. 2011, 3 pages
6.5dBi(2m) / 9dBi(70cm) / 10dBi(23cm),10.5 ft., $170 I got
similar (10.6 vs. 8dBi) at 435, lower at low end of band and 2. “70cm Antennas for ATV”, Jim Andrews, KH6HTV Video
higher at top of band. NOT recommended for use below Application Note, AN40, August, 2018, 6 pages,
435MHz. I have included it because it is a useful antenna at
23cm with about +7dBi across entire band [1]. On 70cm, it The above app. notes are available in .pdf format from
should only be used for Ch 60 (438444MHz). www.kh6htv.com
MSquared 4406SS 70cm Yagi Gain = 11dBi (420

450MHz), 3 ft., 3 lbs, $95 Excellent match to my
measurements of 11dBi over whole band
Diamond NR2000NA tri band 2m/70cm/23cm Mobile, Gain

= 3.7dBi/6.4dBi (which bands ??, assume 2m & 70cm), 39”,
$85 Tested using Diamond DPK4NMN, mobile magnetic
mount, N connectors, 13ft. coax with 0.8dB loss. I got good
agreement at 443MHz with 6.9dBi vs. 6.4dBi spec. Nominal
+3dBi gain over rest of band.
Larsen NMO440C 70cm Mobile whip. 5.6dBi, 430450MHz,

5/8λ, NMO mount, 31”, $25. Tested using Larsen, 3” dia.
mobile magnetic mount, NMO connector, 12ft. RG58 coax
One from the Vault Setting up GB3R
First published in Issue 2 The frequencies counter displays (TM 6755’s are the older
displays using LED’s yes they are bright, but I am old and
Making a simple Frequency Counter for 10GHz this is a definite plus! The circuit revolves around a PIC16F84
3cm with a 10MHz XTAL. This needs calibrating to a known 10MHz
Written by John Hudson G3RFL source once built, otherwise the accuracy is impaired.
The LNB 900MHz input divided by 256 gives 3.515625MHZ so
Having built and tested the video transmitter for GB3FY, I it’s just a pure maths calculation, something that micro
needed some way to accurately check its frequency and to processor do well to get to 900MH.
monitor its stability, looking around the shack all I had was a
simple frequency counter built back in 1997. It was a little
limited and would not cover the 10GHz band, but perhaps I
could add prescaler and extend its range.
Quick look at eBay and I found a plentiful supply of MB 506’s,

for around £2, which could easily be configured to divide by
256 and be capable of working in the 10GHz band. So I
committed myself to a £2 investment and a rebuild for this
old unit. I also decided to add an optional phantom power
feed so LNB’s could be driven directly from the counter. The
end design was a very sensitive frequency counter that could
be connected to an LNB, and used to receive GB3FY, across
the shack.
The new three additional push buttons provide a choice of

LNB PUCK offsets, Button 1 resets it to no offset button two
sequences through software presets and the third button is a
spare, you can never have enough buttons. Switching off will
NOT reset the offset, it is stored in EEPROM
Other things going on are converting the Counter to Decimal

digits adding offset and serially sending up to the two LED
displays and adding some decimal points leading zero
blanking was added as well.
The rebuild was on a new PCB and for the constructors with
home photo etching I have reproduced the single sided PCB
foil and component layout, copies of which can be
downloaded from http://cqdatv.mobi/downloads.php.
It was relatively simple build and could easily be built in a

single evening. I omitted the 10uH choke from the PCB as not
everyone will want to feed phantom power to an LNB’s, this
can easily be added, off the PCB
The New Software
The PIC Software has avoided interrupts and the lower freq
goes into TMR0 timer counter with a DIV 4 prescaler via
PORTA, 4 TOCK1
A background software counter counts for 1 SEC and keeps

polling the timer for an overflow situation. This overflow feeds
three counters Count0 Count1 and Count2 also the remainder Above: PCB foil layout Below: Component Layout
in the TIMER is added. After it has stopped we take all the 24
bits and start to add them up in a 5byte register starting
with bit 0 in freqtab.
Bit 00 = 0.000,001,024 GHz
through to
Bit 23 = 8.589,934,592 GHz
Then add the offset, in this case 9.1GHz
Software is called picfreq3.asm run it under MPLAB to

produce HEX code.
This software (picfreq3.asm) is downloadable from the eBook

site https://cqdatv.mobi/downloads.php so for those of you
with an understanding of PIC code the hardware can be
customised to your own requirements.
Cheers Have fun, I did!

John G3RFL Cleveleys

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In this issue

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 1

70cm RB­TV beacon in Catalonia

On October 23rd a 70cm RB­TV beacon was installed in

Source: Southgate Amateur Radio news

SpaceX drops plans to make Falcon 9 rockets

It’s not completely surprising that SpaceX might shift focus.

Btw, SpaceX is no longer planning to upgrade Falcon 9

6:45 PM ­ Nov 17, 2018

Source: Elon Musk (Twitter)

Please note: articles in this magazine are provided

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 4

Great, never again “nobody is on it”. Communication capabilities

Al Yah 3 Communication Satellite, Al Yah 3 is an all Ka­band Launch vehicle

The second stage incorporates a single Merlin vacuum engine

This stage generates a thrust of 180,000lbf and an

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 7

Absolutely the only activity detected were the government

23cm monitoring over extended 1/2 day periods also showed

From my QTH with my Rigol spectrum analyser, I have

TV Amateur is a German Language ATV Magazine. It is

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 10

C format grew out of Helical Scan, video recorders. These

There were various options: IVC produced a single head

Ampex switched to a one inch, single head full helical omega

Then politics and the world of committees such as SMPTE,

The argument was that a machine without a TBC could be

The non TBC machine requiring the extra heads never

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 14

Multiple generation copying and editing still added

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 16

Written by Brian Beezlet K6STI

Most signal generators have an output impedance of 50Ω. To

An L­network is nearly lossless. This circuit isn’t broadband

A simple minimum­loss pad provides a broadband match. Use

For calibrated voltage output, set the signal generator to 1.55

The transformer consists of a 75Ω coax section in series with

The L­network loss measured 0.05 dB. For calibrated voltage

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 18

Matching 50Ω to 300Ω

Vacuum tube tuners provide 300Ω antenna terminals. They

Loss is 13.3 dB. For calibrated voltage output, set the

Re­publication of CQ­DATV magazine material is encouraged

Exception: “Reprinted by permission” material must have

In my situation I wanted at least two channels via dongles to

Because of the number of connections the video 8 x 4 is on

Construction can either be rack mounted boards although it

The source you have selected may now be sent to the

CQ-DATV 66 - December 2018 Page 21

Recently, I moved out of the city of Boulder to a rural,

Quite a few different antennas were tested. The results

Note: this list in not all inclusive of the many possible

Table 1 — Antenna Gain in dBi

Fig. 4 Reference Antenna, Gain = 2.2dBi

Received signal strengths were measured using my Rigol

M­Squared 440­6SS 70cm Yagi Gain = 11dBi (420­

Diamond NR­2000NA tri band 2m/70cm/23cm Mobile, Gain

Larsen NMO440C 70cm Mobile whip. 5.6dBi, 430­450MHz,

Quick look at eBay and I found a plentiful supply of MB 506’s,

The new three additional push buttons provide a choice of

Other things going on are converting the Counter to Decimal

It was relatively simple build and could easily be built in a

The New Software

70cm RBTV beacon in Catalonia

On October 23rd a 70cm RBTV beacon was installed in

6:45 PM Nov 17, 2018

Al Yah 3 Communication Satellite, Al Yah 3 is an all Kaband Launch vehicle

An Lnetwork is nearly lossless. This circuit isn’t broadband

A simple minimumloss pad provides a broadband match. Use

The Lnetwork loss measured 0.05 dB. For calibrated voltage

Republication of CQDATV magazine material is encouraged

MSquared 4406SS 70cm Yagi Gain = 11dBi (420

Diamond NR2000NA tri band 2m/70cm/23cm Mobile, Gain

Larsen NMO440C 70cm Mobile whip. 5.6dBi, 430450MHz,

Cheers Have fun, I did!

CQDATV is published on the last day of the month. The cut

Want to be notified when issues of CQDATV are published?