Re: [amsat-bb] Re: AMSAT-BB-digest V2001 #343--was Drake mod

[K5OE@xxxxxxx]

Hi Dave.
My goal was not to find an optimum configuration, but merely to 1) use the 
MMIC's I have on hand and 2) attempt an easily reversible mod.  Most of the 
other mods, including yours, require a level of commitment I'm not willing to 
make (translate:  chicken).  I have no test gear, so when something goes 
wrong I have no way to troubleshoot.

G0MRF@aol.com writes:

>  My only thought is how do you earth the device?  Long earth leads can 
cause 
>  instability in MMICs and it's a pain to have to remove the board and fit 
>  either pins or a couple of 'wrap rounds' for less than 1 dB advantage over 
>  the simple mod's performance.

I plan to mount it right at the N-connector, before the RF amp, in between 
the two above-the-board ground busses on either side of the RF-amp input 
trace.  The 4 ground leads on the corners will be bent down to touch the 
board's ground bus, the input is soldered on the N-connector pin, and the 
output has a 2 mm jumper to the RF amp input trace (it might actually make it 
w/o a jumper, but I won't know until I do it).

If it doesn't work out, I simply remove the device, reconnect the N-connector 
lead to the RFamp input trace, and it is stock again.  In short, this mod 
won't cost me anything and it has an oops!-recovery plan.
73,
Jerry
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