AmateurRadio.com

G6ALB has reported some progress in his tests using 433MHz AM modules, although it looks like an external linear audio transistor stage may be necessary to get best AM (voice) sensitivity from the super-regen detector. On TX he is getting 10dBm from the TX module at 5V (more with higher supply voltages) although the mod seems to be a mix of AM and FM. Our first “DX” test will probably be from G6ALB to me using the voice modulated TX module. I’ll receive Andrew on my FT817ND initially. When the super-regen RX is sensitive with speech I’ll try to receive him with that. Super-regens should be sensitive on AM, but are usually poor NBFM detectors.  We are about 3km apart and both have V2000 verticals externally mounted. At 70cms these have gain.

Andrew has ordered 5  pairs of 433MHz AM modules (TX as well as RX) for not much more than £2 total from China. This makes each TX/RX pair very inexpensive. It amazes me that they can make these so inexpensively. I hope G6ALB succeeds in this venture. It would be good to be able to communicate with him using a really low cost 70cm transceiver. I expect Andrew will write up his results in an article for a UK magazine later.

It seems entirely possible that a complete 70cm AM transceiver can be made for just a few pounds based on these low cost 433MHz AM modules.