VHF Radios
VHF radio modifications, tips & tricks
VHF radios are essential for local and regional amateur radio activity, covering bands like 6 meters, 2 meters, and 70 centimeters. Hams often modify commercial or surplus equipment for amateur use, adapting transceivers originally designed for other services. This allows operators to build or adapt stations for specific needs, whether for portable QRP operation, mobile use, or fixed base stations.
Many operators enjoy converting older commercial gear, such as AWA or Philips transceivers, to operate on ham bands like 6 meters. This category provides detailed modification guides for popular radios, including Kenwood and Yaesu models, covering everything from 9600 baud packet radio mods for APRS applications to simple CW transmitter projects for the 2-meter band. You will also find technical documents and conversion notes for specific equipment like the Motorola systems and the Yaesu FT-817.
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Conversion, programming, and software notes for the AWA RT85A UHF transceiver for 70cm -
Modification to the Bearcat 210 scanner for reception of 137 Mhz FM is a fairly simple process. -
Project Condor16 VHF transceiver -
conversion of low band VHF AWA 25M-1 carphone onto 6 metres. -
conversion of low band VHF AWA 25M-22 carphone onto 6 metres. -
conversion of low band VHF AWA RT-85 transceiver down to 6 metres. -
conversion of low band VHF Philips FM-828 E band down to 6 metres -
conversion of low band VHF Philips FM-92E to 6 metres -
Digital Voice Transceiver Project This Project began to explore the use of the DVSI AMBE 2020 voice compression chip and also the ADF7021 single chip VHF RF Transceiver from Analog Devices. -
Throughput improvement for the FT726R - Tapr PSK modem -
XLS file with technical specifications about ham radio transceivers -
Unfilter LF output from the TH215/415 kenwood portable radio -
9600 Baud modification on the Kenwood TM441 by ON6MU -
Radio mods for GE Phoenix radios to use in APRS applications -
Conversion notes and amateur radio firmware especially for Finnish PMR radios and cellular phones like Nokia, Mobira and Benefon. Also some information for other European brands (Ericsson, Key Radio/Kyodo, Philips) and an extensive link collection. -
This circuit enables fair copy of strong 444 MHz signals, off a local repeater, using a 2m rig and a 1/4λ 70 cm indoor ground plane antenna. -
The FT-817 is a small 5W MF/HF/VHF/UHF transceiver with internal batteries. Here is an assortment of technical information K6XX put together about this rig that might interest you. -
How to convert the ICOM VHD base station IC-275D to 275H 100W 144-148Mhz -
Whippanny laboratories Li L Lulu 50 to 54 Mhz amateur radio trasnceiver -
Extending frequency to FT-290R for transverter use