AMATEUR RADIO ON 24 GHZ
This page and the links from it are dedicated to the 24 GHZ Ham Band. As Tom, WA1MBA says, "No frequency to high!"
There are a number of ways to get on 24 GHz including simple GUNN diode transceivers, transverters and modifying commercail equipment. Using a GUNN diode would allow for wideband FM operation but not modes such as WSJT (or other digital modes) or SSB. Even CW would be difficult at best with a GUNN diode system due to its instability. However, this is the easiest way to get on the band and make legitimate contacts.
The easiest way to get going on the band, though the most expensive, is to buy a transverter such as those made by DB6NT in Germany. These are very high quality units but they too can be improved by adding a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) to them.
The middle choice is modification of commercial equipment that has been used on near by frequencies. At times you can find retired 21-22 GHz equipment (for example) available that can be converted to the Amateur 24 GHZ band. Of course the further away from 24 GHz the equipment is, the more difficult it may be to get it on frequency.
But - let's now look at yet one more way of getting on the band, homebrew. There is nothing to say that you can't sit down and design from start to finish your very own 24 GHZ transverter and then go build it and make it work. This method is beyond the capabilities of most of us. Not all of us have the technical know how, the time, or the resources to do this. A homebrew 24 GHZ transverter would be a major undertaking for even the most experienced. Just laying out and building the PC boards is a significant project.
So where do you go from here? Lots of choices and options with each choice. Just keep your eye on the ball and remember the objective; two way contacts on 24 GHz.
Below are some additional web pages with more 24 GHz information.
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