‰  NOW 35 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM JULY 2018 QST  PAGE 44‰

PRODUCT REVIEW  MONITOR SENSORS TVTR1 630 METER TRANSVERTER REVIEWED BY
ERIC M. TICHANSKY, NO3M.  SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE 630 METER 472 479 KHZ AND
2200 METER 135R7 137R8 KHZ BANDS LAST SEPTEMBER, ACTIVITY HAS BEEN STEADILY
INCREASING, WITH REPRESENTATION FROM 39 STATES ON 630 METERS AND 13 STATES
ON 2200 METERS AS THIS REVIEW WAS BEING WRITTEN SEE THE SIDEBAR, FURTHER
READING AND RESOURCES, FOR LISTS OF ACTIVE STATIONS.  THESE BANDS PROVIDE
REMARKABLE CAPABILITIES FOR LONG DISTANCE CONTACTS DESPITE THE LOW POWER
LIMITATIONS 5 W AND 1 W EIRP ON 630 AND 2200 METERS, RESPECTIVELY.  ONE OF
THE HURDLES A POTENTIAL OPERATOR FACES IS HOW TO TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE ON
THESE NEW BANDS, AS WELL AS HOW TO GENERATE POWER.  SOME ACTIVE STATIONS
ARE RUNNING VINTAGE GEAR, USUALLY MILITARY OR MARITIME OUTFITS PREVIOUSLY
USED ON THE NOW LARGELY DEFUNCT 500 KC INTERNATIONAL CALLING AND DISTRESS
FREQUENCY.  A NUMBER OF HOMEBREW AND MODIFIED COMMERCIAL AMATEUR RIGS ALSO
GRACE THE RANKS, SUCH AS A GLOBE SCOUT OR DX 100.  A GROWING NUMBER OF
TRANSCEIVERS NOW ON THE MARKET INCLUDING THE ELECRAFT K3S, KENWOOD TS
590SG, AND VARIOUS SDRS PROVIDE 630 METER COVERAGE VIA A TRANSVERTER PORT.
RF POWER OUTPUT IS USUALLY ON THE ORDER OF 1 MW, REQUIRING NO MORE THAN AN
EXTERNAL POWER AMPLIFIER.  ANOTHER POPULAR ALTERNATIVE IS TO USE A
TRANSVERTER.  ALMOST ANY TRANSCEIVER THAT CAN OPERATE ON THE TRANSVERTERS
‰  END OF 35 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ