Amateur Television (ATV) Information and Resources

Under FCC Part 97 Rules and Regulations, Amateur Radio Operators have the legal authority to communicate with one another using television of various forms. Above 420 MHz, wide bandwidth "Fast-Scan" NTSC television similar or identical to that of commercial broadcasts is permitted. This page presents technical information related to Amateur Television in fixed, portable, and repeater service that have been researched, engineered, and put into practice by John Magliacane, KD2BD.

TX/RX Information

• A High-Performance NTSC Video Detection Circuit (a.k.a. Video Operated Relay)
  • as published in the Spring 2000 issue of Amateur Television Quarterly magazine
• A 70-cm NTSC ATV Exciter/Transmitter
  • designed around a pair of Hamtronics model TA451 exciters, and adaptable to other low-powered exciters
• A High-Performance NTSC ATV Video Modulator
  • that received high praise in Dr. Ralph Taggart's Image Communications Handbook, published in 2002 by the ARRL
• Communication Concepts Model ATV3 70-cm ATV Downconverter design improvements
• applicable to other designs as well

Antenna Information

• An 8-element yagi for portable 70-cm ATV communications
• WB0QCD Alford-Slot Antenna Technical Analysis
  • a poorly designed horizontally polarized omni-directional antenna that is no longer manufactured, but is often duplicated by others in various forms
• SAMCO Model SAM-410/H-4 Technical Analysis
• a horizontally polarized, omni-directional antenna that is no longer manufactured, but shows some promise
• Batwing Antenna Design Information
• an antenna ideally suited for ATV repeater service that was vetted by the late, great, L. B. Cebik, W4RNL

Repeater Design Information

• Technical Considerations Supporting a 426.250 MHz in / 439.250 MHz out ATV Repeater Frequency Pair
• as presented to the Tri-State Amateur Repeater Council in the 1990s
• Design Details for a 70-cm In-band ATV Repeater
• as successfully implemented at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, New Jersey during the 1990s
• Elktronics Video ID Generator Conversion Utilities
• Linux-based software to modify the high-resolution images stored in the Elktronics Video ID EPROM
• SPLAT! RF Propagation Analysis Software
• one of the many positive outcomes of the Brookdale ATV Repeater System Project