I started on QO-100 in the March, 2020. After 6 month of more/less activity and around 550 CW/SSB/DIGI-mode QSOs and 4 new countries for DXCC award, I decided to stop and sold all equipment (full set from DXPatrol), excluding 1.5 meter dish.
But 5 month later, my interest to this satellite “woke-up” again. But this time I decided to take the most cheapest way.
I have 2400/430 MHz high quality transverter for 13 cm band from SG Laboratory Ltd. So, 2W output into 150 cm dish should be enough. And for receiving on 10 Ghz just to use WEB SDR. I found the best (in my opinion) IS0GRB SDR.
150 cm dish for uplink
Easy 4 turns helix feed to the dish. The transverter as close, as possible to the dish and in one day of a small efforts I was again on the satellite. It was on 4th of March, 2021 – exactly 1 year after my first start!
During 20 days of not very active operation I’ve added 48 new calsigns to my logbook of 82 total worked QSOs.
Of course, this is not so suitable, regarding to a real cross-band operation without computer. With the old setup I used YAESU FT-847 in satellite mode, as a station transceiver + SDR console V3, connected in parallel to RX port and using tranceiver’s CAT system. Very comfortable! Now only YAESu FT-817 for uplink…
The worse – you must manually adjust TX frequency, make a few attempts just looking to the trace on WEB SDR’s waterfall and listen to own echo. But after several days of operation I found a simple and quick way to fine tuning. Better, than nothing and cheap!
Probably, in the nearest future I will restore my real satellite operation. Who knows…
Just one remark: on this satellite I’ve meet many people, who I met earlier on the EME and HF bands, especially on 6 meter. And many says that, like for me, this is a great opportunity to maintain and diversify your activity on the air.