Transverter

A transverter is a radio frequency device that consists of an upconverter and a downconverter in one unit. Transverters are used in conjunction with transceivers to change the range of frequencies over which the transceiver can communicate.

Amateur radio use

Transverters are used in amateur radio to convert radio transceivers designed for use on the HF or VHF bands to operate on even higher frequency (microwave) bands. A transceiver used in this fashion is referred to as an IF radio, indicating its role as the "intermediate frequency" stage in the chain of radio electronics. Common transceiver/transverter combinations include transverters for 50 MHz, 70 MHz, 144 MHz, 222 MHz, and 432 MHz designed for use with 28 MHz IF radios, and transverters for 50 MHz, 902 MHz, 1296 MHz, 2304 MHz, 3456 MHz, 5706 MHz, and 10368 MHz designed for use with 144 MHz IF radios. Some transverter units include transmit/receive switching built into the design, whereas other units require external switching. The use of external switching is popular in applications where preamps and amplifiers are included. Many transverters are built into waterproof enclosures for installation on a radio tower or other antenna support structure to get the device as close as possible to the antenna so as to reduce signal loss in the transmission line.

Low band use

Transverters can also be used in applications where the transverter frequency is lower than the transceiver frequency. Several low frequency bands are available around the world to amateur radio operators, licensed experimental stations, and some unlicensed hobbyists. Transverters for these LF bands generally use HF transceivers as the IF radio. Some are used for communications where one or more of the stations are underground.

Transverters vendors

The following prominent vendors of transverters and transverter kits are listed in alphabetical order:
* [http://www.downeastmicrowave.com/ Down East Microwave, Inc.]
* [http://www.elecraft.com/ Elecraft, Inc.]
* [http://www.hamtronics.com/ Hamtronics, Inc.]
* [http://www.kuhne-electronic.de/ Kuhne Electronic GmbH]
* [http://www.makidenki.co.jp/index-en.html Makidenki]
* [http://www.ssb.de SSB Electronics, GmbH]
* [http://www.thp.co.jp/ Tokyo Hy-Power]

References

* [http://www.w1ghz.org/222xvtr/222.htm "222 MHz Transverter for the FT-817"] by Paul Wade W1GHZ
* [http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/23cmxv.pdf "A Single Board No-Tuning 23-cm (1296MHz) Transverter"] by Rick Campbell KK7B
* [http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/2304xv.pdf "A No-Tune Transverter for 2304 MHz"] by Jim Davey WA8NLC
* [http://radiolocation.tripod.com/Transverter/Transverter.html "Modified Transverter for Converting SSB CB to LF for Thru-the-Earth Voice Communications"] by Brian Pease W1IR
* [http://rudius.net/oz2m/70mhz/transverter.htm "A 70 MHz transverter design with detailed description and construction details"] by Bo Hansen OZ2M