TRANSVERTERS FOR VHF TO MICROWAVE
Transverters have long been the best and easiest way to get a up and running on VHF and above. Of course they are not the only way, but the most common and the most economical approach for narrow band operation. Years ago hams used transverters for 6 and 2 meters with an HF IF all the time. Over the past decade many commercial HF radios have started being supplied with 6 and 2 meters in them. The 432/440 band is also common in multiband/multimode radios made by companies like Icom, Kenwood and Yaesu. Of course rigs for 6 meters and above only are quite common but the majority of those radios are FM only and of little interest to the weak signal VHF 7 above ham.
The 222 MHz band has been largely ignored by the big three. Though some earlier radios did have optional plug in units for 222 there are few of them available for purchase. So most current day transverter use is for 222, 903 and above. Equipment can be purchased all the way to 47 GHz for narrow band weak signal work. When we say weak signal, narrow band we refer to CW, SSB, and of course all the digital modes. FM is not included in this catagory.
The following pages have a great deal of information to help you get going on VHF and above. Start with the publications section and see what type of information is out there. The links section will take you to other sites where additional information is available.