Rigs used on VHF / UHF / SHF
2 Meter Band (144 – 146 MHz)
For many years i did use tranceivers built by Götting KG in Röttensen. (For Pictures see seperate Götting chapter (in German)).
My first Tranceiver was a 2G70. I made my first QSO ever on 2 meter under my formar callsign DC6ZF on November the 9th 1974 with Joachim, DC0ZJ (Now DF3FF) using this tranceiver. I used this 2G70 till June 1979 when i got the last generation of Götting tranceivers a HG70D. But i still own it and sometimes i put it on (Real radios glow in the dark).
As mentioned before the next tranceiver was the HG70D (Picture see Götting chapter). I used it till November 1998 when i got the ICOM IC-746 see HF chapter. I also still own this rig.
I use the IC-746 from November 1998 till August on 2001 also on 2 meter. I liked the performance running 100 Watts out on 2 meter and to be able to use the small CW filter working CW on VHF though i have the feeling it is a little bit deaf on the 2 meter section.
In August 2001 my very close friend Kurt, DL3CZ, a pioneer in VHF, UHF and SHF operation became silent key and i got his ICOM IC-271. I am using this rig till today.
(Obituary DL3CZ Hessenrundspruch 30/01. In German)
70 centimeter Band (430 – 440 MHz)
I made my first QSO on the 70 cm band December 23rd 1975 still signing DC6ZF also with Joachim DC0ZJ (now DF3FF).
I used a homebrew transverter from 10 meter to 70 cm with a AF239 in the receiver and a 2N3866 in the transmitter. I have no photos from this rig itself only the big box above the HW 101 contained all the stuff (see picture section). Because this transverter made only 100 mW i had a tube PA with EC8010 and EC8020. But i don´t remember the output.You can see a photo of that PA here:
Funny thing, i kept this little tube PA.
I sold the transverter and got a LT470 from Braun as next transverter.
(Picture Copyright: http://www.rigpix.com/transverters/braun_lt470.htm )
Circa 1996 (I am not able to remember the year i bought an ICOM IC-475 E Tranceiver. I Use this rig till today.
To give my signal a little bit more punch i am using a modified cell phone PA Compact 9000 from Ericsson. It gives me 200 Watts output.
23 centimeter Band (1296 MHz)
I made my first QSO on 23 cm in the October contest of 1996 with DF4IAO/p. (Or at least i think so 😊)
I used a transverter with a ZF of 144 MHz and an PA with a 2C39 tube.
After a while i was able to buy a ICOM IC1271 E from Joachim DF3FF and i am using this rig ever since.
3 centimeter Band (10368 MHz)
I made my first QSO on 3 cm on 6. July of 2001 with Peter DJ9DW. I found out that my QTH is not located too good for 10 GHz operation.
I used an transverter from the 2 meter band with a Sommerkamp SK – 290 RII as the tranceiver and the transverter direct on the Antenna mast under the parabolic antenna.
So over the years i´ve got only 15 QSO in my logbook. So in autumn of 2020 i took the transverter and the parabolic Antenna i used in 3 cm down the antenna mast during antenna maintennance.