Bel GX65 antenna is a new design...

[focalcivic]

A forum member reported insane K band performance with their GX65 as I recall. Hmm...I wonder what the Ka band performance is like. What if the LO is moved to 1/2 of Ka band instead of roughly 1/3 of Ka band? I'm just guessing and winging it. Maybe Jimbonzzz, The Professor will chime in with some possible thoughts. Anyway, in about two weeks the internal photos will be available on the FCC web site. Then Jimbonzzz can discect the design based on the photos of the LO board.

I remember the same thing, but yoda happyass said a steak is steak, so an M4 is an M4, but in this case like you said Mem different FCC number.

[MEM-TEK]

The different FCC number doesn't bother me. But the fact that the GX65 has no 12GHz emissions like the M4 antenna used in the 9500i, current Vectors and the current RX65, does. This is why I think that the LO board has to be different and that it is either a modified or completely new design. We have to wait until the end of the month for the FCC internal photos to be made public.

[languy99]

I think that if it was the same antenna it would have the same FCC ID, the only time they have to change the ID is if they come out with a different one. Remember that it costs money to have the FCC test the device. Why pay to have it tested if it already meets the specs?

[WK446]

Definitely a popcorn moment...

The different FCC number doesn't bother me. But the fact that the GX65 has no 12GHz emissions like the M4 antenna used in the 9500i, current Vectors and the current RX65, does. This is why I think that the LO board has to be different and that it is either a modified or completely new design. We have to wait until the end of the month for the FCC internal photos to be made public.

[CJR238]

Isn't 11.7-12.2GHz the range for KU band? I also think it has to do with the shielding of the GPS board.

[languy99]

Isn't 11.7-12.2GHz the range for KU band?

13.400 - 13.500 GHz (Ku band)

[CJR238]

I researched that frequency and it comes up as a KU band frequently and referenced to satellites. So I believe the shielding has to do with the GPS more than the end design of the M4 horn.
I bet that frequency coming from the GPS unit can interfere with K detection range.

[BlinderGuy]

I researched that frequency and it comes up as a KU band frequently and referenced to satellites. So I believe the shielding has to do with the GPS more than the end design of the M4 horn.
I bet that frequency coming from the GPS unit can interfere with K detection range.

If the GPS interferes with K band than they did a good job of shielding it because I get really good range on K band...They do not use a lot of KA in my town so have not had a good KA encounter yet.

[happya$$]

^ I don't know. GOL's radar tests later this year will tell the tale. The first thing which crossed my mind though is that the Spectre might not see a GX65 at all, at least not until the Spectre is redesigned -- again!

You will play a key role if the radar test takes place

[MEM-TEK]

Isn't 11.7-12.2GHz the range for KU band? I also think it has to do with the shielding of the GPS board.

Two samples were tested. One sample was a design which did not have a shield over the main circuit board. The other sample had a revised GPS board plus a shield installed over the main circuit board. Both product samples had zero emissions in the 11.7 to 12.2 GHz range.

Mhardy and CJR bring up interesting observations that GPS could interfere with K band. Yet it occurs to me that a 9500i which has a M4 horn performs as well or better than a RX65 with the same M4 horn. Yet this idea has peaked my curiosity. Hmm...I might try making and installing a thin shield between the main board and the GPS board in my 9500i and see if I get any improvement in sensitivity.