Thanks for the detail George.
A good set of tests. - Particulary that a helix of only 3 turns can give good circularity.
I'll leave the question about plate spacing or bending for either Mike, Remco or Paul, but my feeling is the circularity is primarily determined by the location of the feed point on the patch element.
73 David
Is this linearity test on 10GHz ?
For the 2.4GHz patch on the POTY. Receiving a signal via a linear antenna, the RX signal should be constant as you rotate. To see -20dB you need to measure RX signals with first LHCP (optimum coupling to the LHC dish feed) then with a RHCP antenna at the same distance (max loss)
Thanks
David
If I recall correctly, I managed to find some nuts that were 3.0mm thick.
You can use several of these between the patch and the reflector to ensure the gap is 3mm all round.
After you solder the parts you can shake the POTY and the nuts will fall out.
Try M4.......
David G0MRF
PA Device is discontinued, but P1dB is listed as 35dBm by Qorvo which seems quite good.
Although this performance probably will be less on cheap FR4 PCB.
P1dB=35dBm at 6V
Three Stages of Gain: 37dB
802.11g 54Mb/s Class AB Performance
POUT=27dBm at 2.5%EVM, VCC
6V, 878mA
Active Bias with Adjustable Current
On-Chip Output Power Detector
Similar issue here many months ago.
The solution was easy. QO-100 uplink is in 'WiFi channel 1' So I just used the router software to change to channel 12.
No more problem
73 David
Your total DXCC is coming along Thomas. 
I should be able to add GD for you in October
73 David
Hi Robert. You may want to double check the AD amplifier after the Pluto. I'm not sure it has enough gain at 2.4G to generate 500mW output from a Pluto. Also, the max output from the Pluto could be lower than +7dBm. The Lime has an even lower output.
Another option would be to use the new version of the SG Labs amplifier which needs 40mW for 20W output.
Better to need a small attenuator, rather than be 4 or 5dB short of signal.
Thanks es GL
David
Graph of bandpass characteristic from 2.2 to 2.6GHz. Measured at 100mW output by Jason G7OCD
Is this right?.
Hello Thomas,
I cascaded the different attenuators as I started with the Pluto Output of 1dBm followed by -10dB attenuator, so -9dBm, followed by the CN0417 (+21,8 dBm) and then attenuator of -20dB. We are now at -7,2dBm. This signal goes to the EP-AB003 (+14dBm) and the final (3.) attenuator of -9dB so I measured at the end -2,2dBm.
1dBm -10dB +21,8dBm -20dB +14dBm -9dB = -2,2dBm (red =attenuator)
The challenge is to keep the signal in the input range of the amplifiers but below 0dBm for the RF 8000 at the end. The attenuator have only 2W so I have to be careful after the PA.
73, Oliver
I'm using an RMS30 driven by an LO generated by an e-bay ADF4351 module, but really there are many choices.
Keep letting us know your progress
73 David
Congratulations. I was impressed!
16,800km is a great example of what can be achieved on QO-100 and it serves as inspiration for new operators.
73
David
Hi Daniel.
Hopefully the diameter of yours is about 40mm. In the past I found that winding on a tube creates an antenna that has a fairly narrow bandwidth, whereas if the winding is self supporting or on small pillars then the bandwidth is greater.
Here is a pic of a tube mounted helix using a PCB as a ground plane. (not mine) Note it has a sharp peak in return loss, the same as yours.
73 David
Hi Karen
There are some spectrum analyser shots by Ole OZ2OE for the Lime mini in this thread
"Filtered driver amplifier for SDRs"
Both SDRs have much better IMD products when run below maximum output.
FYI The Pluto can produce a maximum of +3dBm at 2.4G while the Lime is around 0dBm.
Also, I believe the Lime transmits a short pulse at 100% output while it is booting up.
Given the difference in price, possibly the Pluto has a small advantage?
73 David
Finally, after a lot of postal delays the final part for the kits finally arrived this weekend. So, now available at the AMSAT-UK shop.
Design is reliable with no signs of instability. Gain is around 25dB. Power output is 200mW with good linearity and 250mW near saturation.
https://shop.amsat-uk.org/Filt…it/p3815740_20451527.aspx
Still in lockdown........what shall I do next?
73 David
I was thinking about a waterproof enclosure for the patch, Then it occurred to me that if I make the enclosure the correct length, a director could simply be added onto the outside or inside of the enclosure. - Think end cap over tube with disc or loop bonded on.
Shame we don't have those antenna test ranges we've organised in the past at University of Surrey in the AO-40 days.
I have a K3TZ patch feed for 2.4GHz,
Does anyone know a way to reduce the beamwidth / increase the gain so it illuminates a 0.6FD offset fed dish with better efficiency?
I was thinking to add a single director in front of the patch. A loop ? or a disc? or a traditional pair of halfwave (x0.9) long directors as used in a crossed Yagi.
Thanks David
Hello Chris.
There are now a couple of good choices for 3 - 5W PAs. My 5W in the photo above was also short of gain but still produced 5W with a fraction under 200mW drive. I think most of them are better than that with an input requirement nearer 160mW.
The filtered driver amplifier uses a "quarter Watt linear amplifier" and it can produce 250mW, but not with a linearity that would be acceptable on the transponder. However, as a driver for the amplifiers that need <200mW it is very good.
I'm in the middle of producing an article for AMSAT-UK and as soon as the Gali5 amplifiers arrive I'll send off a batch of kits to the AMSAT-UK shop.
Looking at the DJ0ABR board, I wondered if I could mount the driver amp on the PA PCB. (?) The input stripline looks to be just coupling the SMA socket to the input matching. Given the loss in FR4, it may even recover some of the gain.
Thanks for the info on the MHL21336. Always good to hear other people's experiences. With the EP-AB003, I was considering bypassing the 2 TX/RX switching ICs, That would probably improve performace a little.
73
David
Now the part I'm not so keen on. Mechanical assembly.
2 Members of my local radio club want a low cost way to get onto QO-100. Seen here are the modules for a 70cm to 2.4GHz upconverter.
Top row: e-bay ADF4351 oscillator board. (1967.5MHz)
Upconverter PCB with RMS30 mixer and PIC12F629 controller,
Filtered Amplifier board
EP-AB003 Wi-Fi Amplifier
Bottom row is the same except for the PA which is the kit version of the 5W DJ0ABR design
I've probably been a bit optimistic thinking that Wi-Fi amplifier is going to fit in the Hammond box 
73 David
Thank you. The google Earth plot is very interesting
David G0MRF
New driver ampliifer PCB arrived. Only minor changes on this version to allow ERA or a Gali device for the first stage. The silk screen has the correct component designations and now makes sense. When a Gali 5 is used the overall gain of the board with a Murata bandpass filter is 25dB. An ERA2 gives around 2dB less. Testing is still ongoing, but Mike G0MJW reports good SSB into QO-100 using just this driver amp. - Of course a nice 2.4m dish helps. Thanks Mike. Should be good to go between a Pluto / Lime SDR and a 5W PA.
