TS480 IF OUTPUT

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   Kenwood hasn't installed an IF output on his TS480, so I was looking for a solution... On the TS480 yahoo group, some guys studied the problem. After have exchanged many emails with them I decided to try. Many solutions could be possible but I selected the FunCube and a band pass filter. There are interesting links :

- TS480 Yahoo Group : all about this trasnceiver

- OK1HRA : Wonderful, all what you need is here

- Minicircuits BPF-A75+ : my band pass filter. It’s also possible to find another or build your own.

   There are 2 differents points where it is possible to take the IF : TP1 and TP2, respectively before and after a filter. With TP1, IF is broadband and could be easily used for SDR, it’s where I took my IF output.

   The band pass filter is placed between TP1 and the Funcube in order to stop/reduce some Broadcast QRM. IF output frequency is 73.095 mhz and could be perturbated by strong transmission.

   The Funcube has an internal sound card with a bandwidth of about 96 khz, it allows a usuable bandwidth of 80 khz.

   All SDR softwares are interesting but finally I chose DSPradio from DL2SDR. I use the waterfall, the interface is very simple, my need is just to have a waterfall on another screen.

   Maybe since my first research there is some better configurations. But for the moment it does what I want, and all weak CW are shown on the screen. The very weak signals are detected, the IF output has a high sensitivity.