VHF-Microwave Contest Trailer

Like many others, my neighbors do not appreciate the beauty of a large antenna array!
So for many years I have operated portable, but as the bands and equipment increased I found it becoming more complicated packing up all the equipment to go to the local hillside.
Since I am not getting any younger I needed a way to decrease the work required to go portable. The solution was to construct a dedicated VHF-Microwave contest trailer.

 

16' x 6' Cargo Mate Trailer

Modified with Rohn 8' 25G front mounted tower w/25' telescopic mast and Alliance HD-73 rotator

Trailer is equipped with:
An on board Honda 6KW Generator
Two AB577 Military Tower Systems

Maximum Trailer Capacity 7000lbs

 


VHF Operating Position

Yaesu FT847-
50,144,432MHz

DEMI Transverter
222MHz

Mirage Amplifiers -
144MHz - 160W
222MHz - 160W
432MHz - 100W


Microwave Operating Position

IF Radio - Kenwood TS-711A

Custom built MMIC IF switch driven by a VHF LOG LPT Interface

DEMI Transverters -
903, 1296, 2304, 3456, 5760, 10368

DEMI Mast Mounted Preamps -
903,1296,2304,3456

Power Amplifiers-
903MHz - 100W Modified Cell Amp
1296MHz - 18W DEMI
2304MHz - 60W Modified PCS Amp 3456MHz - 55W PyroJoe Amp
5760MHz - 50W Siemens TWTA
10368MHz - 55W Siemens TWTA

Sequencers on all microwave bands

Power Measurement-
HP Dual Directional Coupler
Boonton 4200 Microwatt Meter

A SP6T relay switches 903-3456MHz to a single feedline. The 5.7 & 10GHz transverters share a common WR112 waveguide.



Future Projects

Like all radio projects, the contest trailer will never be completely finished! I am presently building legal limit amplifiers for 50, 144, 222, and 432 MHz using Russian GS-35B triodes. A common 3.7KV @ 1A power supply utilizing a G3SEK Triode board will be shared by the four seperate amplifiers. The big amps will mount just below the "brick amplifiers" that will then be used as the drivers for the final PAs.