Interest Check: KD0CQ Pre-Modified SUP-2400 Downconverters

Over on his blog KD0CQ has posted an interest check. He’d like to know if anyone would be interested in purchasing pre-modified SUP-2400 downconverters from him. We’ve posted about the SUP-2400 a few times in the past. Basically the SUP-2400 is a cheap (about $5 – $10 USD) DirecTV device which can be modified and turned into a downconverter for your RTL-SDR. A downconverter allows you to listen to higher frequencies, up to 4.5 GHz in the case of the SUP-2400 and an RTL-SDR. 

The modification involves some decent soldering skills as it involves removing some small SMD components and using wires to bridge some points. KD0CQ writes that he’s thinking of selling premodified SUP-2400 units for $20 – $25 to interested customers. If you think that you’d be interested in this please comment on his post.

SUP-2400 Circuit.
SUP-2400 Circuit.
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William R Nesbitt

The directions for the sup-4000 down-converter mod are no longer up on any post I can find.
Do you by chance have them still? I saw them a month ago so I got a couple converters and now they’re gone.
Pretty Please! I’m betting your like me and keep all the radio stuff in “Radio” folder.
Of course your need to drop everything and retrieve them for me will be soon be overwhelming.
I have been fixing Medical lasers for the last 9 years and the only RF I delt with was for cutting lasers.
One of these SDR radio’s might work great for a diagnostic and setup scope.
Thanks in advance
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AMS

What I’d like is a downconverter that covers up to Ka Band…

KD0CQ

You can now order your Microwave Downconverter at https://rxtxdx.com

Raziel E.

I got the SUP-2400 a few months ago. It’s soldered into the aluminum frame, so it’s very hard to reach and remove the components as was explained.

KD0CQ

Hey All,
I’ve received quite a bit of feedback and it looks like I’ll be moving ahead with this project effective immediately.
I have some stock on hand to get started with and more on the way now.

I’ll have an ordering page up later this week. To start off orders will be limited to North America.

International shipping is going to be a real challenge to start out, as postage rates range from $18 to $45 USD and even more to some places. I’m trying to find more affordable shipping options for the folks overseas, so please be patient.

Thanks

KD0CQ

A short International shipping update. Looks like international shipping will range from $13 – $20 depending on location. Much better than initially anticipated.

Mike Wysong

Wouldn’t these be MODIFIED? not Pre-modified? A pre-modified one (IMHO) would be as it was from the manufacturer. Or a better word might be post-modified…Since they are being sold after he has done the mod

snn47

SInce the SUP itself cost more than 5$ in Europe I’m intered since it is a resonable price, however as said before it will depend on the total price including shipping.
If the total cost including shipping would be above the equivillent of ~40 € additional custom tax and the trouble of driving to a custom station to pay and pick it up will make it to unattractive.

AD5NL

I bought a SUP-2400 from Goodwill for $5 and it is sitting around my apartment somewhere.

Upgrading it is something I never seen to get around to doing. It’s not a hard mod, it’s just that I have a number of other professional (work, 40-60 hrs per week depending on load), personal (losing weight, tending to friends and family and my dog) and hobby (building antennas, fixing old CB radios, LimeSDR stuff) things that keep getting in the way of doing this.

I’m not sure if I would pay money to remedy my own laziness, but I think I am probably not alone in saying that I would definitely consider getting one of these done “professionally” rather than have it sit at the bottom of my to-do list forever.

Max

Good idea but shipping to Europe would probably cost a lot.