2m Interference

Reduction
System
by Trevor S Day, G3ZYV

device as eese were 10 hand (Fig 2 ). Almost aners ee input tuning ol pre -amplilier 2 b ul

T
HIS CIRCU IT WtU substanlla lly
reduce or completely eliminate any common dual gat e M OSFET wiU work in more importantly sligh tly shi fts the phase ol
mertereece Irom almost any l0- this coofiguratiOn. eg the 406 73, AV3 con- the signal arriving at the pre-ampl ifier . The
cal source whilst leavirog the tr<*s the gain 01 pre- amplt1tef 2 and is adJust- ou tpu l of the phase swit ch and of pre-ampli-
wan ted signal relatively unaf- able from the front panel. tts purpose is 10 her 1 are boIh led 10 a Signal combiner cern-
fected . even though il may be on the same mat ch the level 01 the in terlering signallrom prising R8 .C14,C15, L5and L6. This is a 50U
frequency! Once the unit is adjusted lor a pre-amphflef 2 10 the interlering signal lrom signal spIi11er operating in reverse , Its per -
particular source 0 1 interference, the use r is pre -amplifier 1 altha signal combiner. thus pose is to add boIh signals and, as the int er-
tree 10 operate anywhere in me band without ensuring complete eerceeeseo. RV2 is a pr e- l er ing signal in one pa th is 180" out ol phase
further adjustment. set potenllOme ler COOlrol hng the gain of pre- WIth its compIemenl in the other path. the
The design of the circuit linlllS operallon to amplifier 1 in the wanted signal path from the interle nng signal is dra stically reduced or
a sma. band 01 frequencies, however it is ma in anlenna. elomlnated completely ,
sufticienl lo cover the entire lwo metre band . Pre-am plifier 2 l eeds lis output to a l illed
The principle can also be used at 50 and 180" phase inver1er (OL 1) lormed by an eiec-
Incal haft-wavelength of RG I 74U m iniatu re
CONSTRUCTION
70MHz and indeed this unit was hrsl con-
structed 10 work al SOMH z in o rde r to remove 50U ec-enet cable which may be switched in THE MAIN PCB IS conslructed from do uble -
computer hash. (See iss ue 28 otme UK Silt Of out 01 circu il by thediode switch comprising sided g lass libre boa rd : the underside layout
Metre Group Ne wsJeNet) . 06,07.08 and 52. A lu rll~r variabl e 180" is shown in Fig 3. The top side is blan k
pha se sh ill is achieved by 53. T his is a hall · copper, Tra ck wicllhs a re nol especially crib-
wa velength o f RG174U cable in eleven sec- ca l and the board can eaSily be marked wi lh
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION lions. swi tch ed in approll ima tely 16° phase a Oalo type pen on the track side and some
THE BLOC K DI AGRAM (Fi g 1) shows the change slaps. na il varnish o n lhe reve rse . The ga te 2 volt-
method of ope ration . Both the wanted and Th e co nnecting cables Irom the switch to age to each pre ·a m plil ier has been derived
interfering signals arrive at pre-amplifier 1 the PCB shou ld be a s short as practically sepa rately to a llow the two 'halves' 01 the
Irom the main antenna via the antenna switch. possible (sill inc hes mall) as these will mtro- circ uit to be sepa rated by sc reens In ord er to
The sense antenna, by wfue of its ineHi- duce additional phase change s. Howeve r, red uce cross-ta lk. The sc reens a re con-
clancy at the wa nted rrequency . picks up the se a re co mpe nsated l or by the fine phase struc ted from the same do uble -sided PCB,
predominanlly the intorlaring signal and co nt rol , Fin e phase control is ac hieved by a about 20mm Wide an d SOlde red into place
passes this to pre-amouuee 2. Both pre- 1N914 diode actin g as a varac tor across the prior lu lII ounlillY 111.. c om pone nts.
a mp lifier out puts even tua lly a dd in the sign a l inpu t circuit 10 p re- am plifie r 2 . The add itional T he p hase switch is a twe lve wa y ro ta ry
co mbiner. However, the interl e ring signa l is ca pacitance o f the diode, controlled by RV 1, switch so lder ed to a PC B ca rri er which holds
first changed in phase by 180°. The re sulta nt
o utp ut of the co m biner is the sa me as the
input to pre-amphfler 1 fro m the m ain ant enna , o +ll V
less the inlerle ring signal.
"'" ca "
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION l£DI 1---!1c..1 w "'" cs Ou, p ut

80T H P RE-A MP LIF IERS a re standard duat

gate M OSFET de signs, using the 3S K8 1
'" ,.,"' "
00' '"
'00
cs

'" " '"'"

" "
:J,". '"
"" :J,".

- I", "
+' Zv

""
,~. '"
'" 00.
"
CS 'nO " v C l - ' ~ _2 00
0 1- lD .'._ '019"
TR1. 2 •__ )SOl"
Rr c _ l l¢'
III I _ 51e ... of RGr74U
u,o .. a l . a l>l..

RYl 7>0

Fig 1: The two -'gn8l

~jft ~
poIths .f. comblnecII .... . F1g2:Ci<cuildiagl-.mshowshow-.i9..... ' rom thetwo ..,t.......... .mpIiI_ln. vari3blegairl MOSFET
confogur. tion.

48 RADIOCOMMUNICATtON ApOll992
 2M INTERFERENCE REDUCTION

••••• rEFO
••
_.
IlI~

- -
_10::
00

+ 12V

'"
o o "
S ~n.~
. n t~ nn ..

o
Fig 3: Undenlide and componentlaYOll l 01the PCB, shown acilla l aize, Track widt ha are no t especia lly cri tic al.

the eleven loops of RG174U co-ax (F ig 4). approxima tely 203 x114 x64mm , Component the rec eiver and main antenna, leaving
The PCB carrier should be fashioned to suit values are not especially cr itical , although the the sense antenna disconnected.
the size of switch used along the lines shown coil dimensions should be adhered to and the b) Tune 10 a weak signa l on FM or a carrier
inthe diagram. Losses lhrough lheswitch are components fonning the combiner should be on SSB fCW and with the l ine phase con-
not particularly significant as only the amp li- as close to those specified as possible. Note trol at mid posi tion, adjusl VC1 andVC2 at
fied interfering signal passes through it The that a small screen is also requ ired 10 sepa- pre-ampli fier 1 for best signal 10 noise.
carrier is made from the same double-sided rate l 5 and l 6 in the signal combiner, The Adjust RV2 for optimum signal level atme
PCB stock as the main board. When com- fixed 180" phasing line DL1 may be coiled receiver.
plete ,the co-a x loops lie in the same prene as and taped up tor compactness.
c) Disconnect the main antenna and con-
the switch shall. (See photograph). The fine
nect the sense antenna . With RV3 ad -
phase control will compensate for the e xtra
SETTING UP justed for a low'S' meter reading, adjust
path length through varying sizes of switch;
ADJUSTME NT PA IOR TO use is quite VC3 and VC 4 in pre -amplifier 2 for
however, a smaller switch is preferred to r
strai ghtforward and requires no test equ ip- ma ximum signal.
compactness. Whichever box is used to hold
the device, it should be RF tight A die-cast ment: d) ge -connectthe main antenna.
aluminium box is ideal and will need to be a) Power up the unit and connect it between This completesthe setting up adjustments.

RADIO COMMUNICATION April 1992 49

2M INTERFERENC E REDUC TION

the balance con trol 10ma intain !he dip. II

nodeep dip is found, then swi tch i"l (orout)
the fix ed l W pha Sing line and try again.
d) Finally adjust theline phaseconl rol (RY 1)
lor best nuq, furthe r adjusting the balance
it requ ired .
A measu re of the eeecnveoess 01 the unit
can be ac hiev ed by swi tching in and out me
fixed 180 0 phaSing line and observ ing me
change in signal level; the ettect is quue
startling! To achieve optimu m re sults the
sense antenna should be remote Irom me
shac k a s mov eme nt 01the an tenna, or people
in the sha ck, can affect the arrival phase of
the interfering signal and make the IlUII un-
slabl e. Even if a random short lengt h of wire
or whi p ant enna is used, it shou ld eithe r be
OPER ATION ou tdoors or in !he loft and led to the shack via
co-axial cable.
AS WITH MOST electronic devices, opera -
l ion is simpIef 10 carry out than 10 describe.
LIMITATIONS
a) T une 10 the inlerfering Signal; it it is broad-
band then anerrct tc lind a peak.. TH E OP ERAnON O F !his devicerelies upon
the interfering signal arrivi ng al bolh ante n-
b) AdJUSt the ba lance COO!rol (RV3) 10 find a na s in a l ixed phase relationsh ip: ie it does nol
dip in the level of me inlerfering Signal , matte r what the relative phase difference is
switching the fixed 180 0 phasing line in or as long as it does not cha nge. Add itionally,
out as requi red. It may be a shall ow dip, the am plil ude 01the unwanted signal et each
b ut a dip must be found . If no dip is pr e-amplifier input musl be relatively con-
ap parent, the n the sense antenna must be stant. In other words, il you change your
adjusted or changed. beam headi ng then the bala nce 01 the circui t
c) Rotate the phase swrtch (53) 10 find a will be upset and RV3 will need re- adjus t·
deep dip in the interfe ring signal, adjust ing ment. The o ther con trols should re mai n unat-
tered o
Any active device will add noise to the
COMPONENTS LIST received Signal and this one is no except ion .
The wanted signal to noise ratio may be
Ll 8t 18SWG 3116" (4.Smm) id 112"
( l 3m m) long
degraded slightly but the eeoeres of reducing
intenerence far outweigh this dlS8dvant age .
l2 8t 18SWG 3116" (4.Smm) id 112"
The system winnot remove 'OX' inten erence
( 13mm) long
as the sense ante nna w iUbe ineffectrve at low
L3 8t 18SW G 3116" (4 .5m m) id 112" signal levels. Remember also that the sense
( l3mm) Iong , tap at 1 tum
antema may rnroduce unwanted signals thai
L4 8t 18SWG 3/ 16" (4.Smm) id 112'
are not audible on the ma in anl enna (mai ns
(l 3m m) long, tap at 1 tum
wiring noi se etc]. If this prove s to be lhe case ,
L5 81 18 SWG 1/4" (6,5mm) id 314"
then the sense antenna shou ld be moved to
(19mm) long Fig 4 : ColII'M &djuet""" nt 01 phi " UHI. 12-way
a less noisy location. ewltc h, lined on I do uble- Ilded PCB elmer.
L6 81 18 5 WG 1/4" (6.5mm ) id 314"
( 19mm) long To achieve use ful results, the diff eren ce in
st rength ot the mtertennq signal at both pre - genera ted interference . (Bear in mind tha t
ci l nF C9 1nF am p lifiers must be able to be compensated a com puter may rad ial e signals from
C2 1nF C l0 100pF for by RV3. T he sen se ante nna must be several so urces but on ly one source can
C3 100pF C l l 100pF chosen so thai this co ndition ca n be mel. In be dea lt w ith at a l ime).
C4 lOnF C 12 1nF essence, u nde rstanding the principle of op-
d) Next door's persistent cen tral heating
CS 1nF C 13 100pF eration d enable besl results to be achieved
sys tem noise.
C6 100pF C141 0pF The most ~essi'Ve demonstration to dale
C7 10n F C 1522pF USES has boon a local ama teu r on FM, many dB
C8 1nF ever '5 9', transmitlmg at the same lime and
TH E ORIGIN AL REA SON for devising this
VC1,VC2,VC3.VC4 20pF
ein::vil was Ie remove oorrp.rter hash at: 5Cfo-1Hz on the same freQuency as another sta tion at
l or wh iChit has prov ed highly successful. The '5 5'. USIng two rece ivers in the shack., one
RFC 33IJ.H x 3 WIlh this unit and one without , both Iransm is·
two metre Circ:uil desc ribed he re was bU~1 as
an e xperimen tal novelty. How ever it has sions were hea rd Simulta neou sly with out a
Rl tk R5 220k trace 01 inte rference on either.
p roved to be mos l versa tile, and the unit will
R2 lOOk A6471<
deal effectively with the l ollowing situations:
A3 220k R7 2k2
A4 tOOk A8 1QOA a) A local pac ket node or a local ama teu r CONCLUSION
RVl 250k lin . dese nsing you r rece ive r aCfOSS the 2m TH E UNIT 15 AELATIVELY easy to con struct
RV2 10k lin, pre- set . band . and is strrore jn concept. For any one who has
AV3 2k lin. b) A loca l amateur w ilh a 'wide' signal (for ev er sa id "It's that ZYY aga in; wha t I need Is
whatever reason): u nlike a notch liIter nol a ZYY Iill er",then this is it!
DL1 68cm RG 174U co-a x only is the 'fundamental' signal rem oved ,
b ra iding to ea rth plane. but also all in-band spurii. Thi s holds tru e
even il !he 'wid e' signal is caused by you r
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
TR 1.TR2 3SK8 1
01·1 0 l N91 4 recevers lront-end overload; eg lrom a VHF/UHF Manual. G R J essop, G6JP ,
LED Red or G reen coo resr sta lion on a nea rby hilltop. (RSG B)
c) Your own, or a neighbour's, computer ARRL Handbook. (ARRL)

so RADIO COMMUNICATION April 1992