What is a Transverter?
The transverter is a device that provides dual functionality when it comes to the processing of radio frequencies. Essentially, the transverter combines the functions of an upconverter and a downconverter into one simple unit. Transverters work hand in hand with transceivers to manage the range of transmission and reception frequencies that are used for communication purposes. One of the most common applications of the transverter is with the amateur radio. The introduction of the transverter will allow the radio to broaden its range beyond the HF and VHF ranges that the devices are normally manufactured to receive. The addition of the transverter into the workings of the amateur radio allow the device to also receive what is known as an intermediate frequency, which is considered to be a broader range than is encompassed by HF and VHF bands. In some cases, the transverter may be equipped to include automatic switching that allows for easy transmission and reception, although it is mor
In the good old days nobody had VHF receivers – if you wanted to receive VHF or UHF signals you used a converter with your HF receiver. It simply converted VHF signals down to HF. To tune across 2 meters, for example you used a converter that allowed you to tune 144 to 146 MHz, for example, by tuning your HF receiver from 28 MHz to 30 MHz. If you set your receiver at 28.1 MHz, the converter took a 144.1 MHz signal and shifted its frequency down to 28.1 MHz. 144.2 came in at 28.2 etc. You can do the same thing with a transmitted signal. And there were transmitting converters that did just that. To match the receive converter, you transmitted at HF and the signal was shifted up in frequency to VHF. As with the receiver, the conversion was one-to-one. If your transmitter was tuned to 28.1 MHz, the transmitting converter shifted the signal up to 144.1 MHz. Then when you combine both the receive and transmit converter together, you end up with, guess what, a transverter! There are some othe
Many hams aren’t familiar with the technique of mixing the output of a standard 40m transceiver with another oscillator to get onto a higher band such as 17m. N2CX gives us a quick tutorial on a transverter’s construct and use, as well as a quickie overview on the ubiquitous 17 meter WARC band in which we hams have usage rights. A WARBLERing Experience, by Don Jackson, AE5K Don shared with QHB an article he wrote in his local radio club newsletter in which he described his experiences in construction and use of his Warbler. Perhaps you’ll get some ideas for building your Warbler from this nice piece. A Warbler Tuner, by Dave Ottenberg, WA2DJN WA2DJN is one of the clubs most fervent supporters at meetings and at our field outings. He is also a regular contributor to QHB and this time offers up a couple of simple-but-useful accessories for the PSK80 Warbler transceiver. This one describes how he built a dedicated tuner for his Warbler, based on the tuner-portion of the N2CX “Squirt-80” a
