Hungarian manufacturer and seller of RF equipment Janielectronics, operating an e-shop at janielectronics.com and janilab.hu, offers radio amateurs and SDR enthusiasts with a clear range of low-noise preamplifiers, diplexers, filters, converters and other RF equipment. All products are supplied as finished PCBs or devices, not kits. The company is headquartered in Kunszentmiklós, Hungary.
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Who is Janielectronics Hungary?
The company operates under the registered name Janielectronics RF Microwave Devices and, according to its own description, focuses on the design and implementation of microwave and telecommunications circuits. The range mainly covers amateur radio VHF and UHF bands, SDR receivers, air band (AIR Band), ADS-B and satellite reception. The products are available directly through the e-shop, as well as through the eBay accounts janielectronics and janilab, where the company trades globally and maintains positive reviews with thousands of feedback.
The foundation of the portfolio is the PGA-103+ chip from Mini-Circuits, which Janielectronics has incorporated into several products. It is a modern, ultra-linear MMIC Preamplifier with high IP3 and very low noise figure, which has gained popularity in the amateur community for repeatability of results and ease of connection.
Low-noise preamplifiers at 144 MHz
For work in the 2 m band, Janielectronics offers several variants of preamplifiers. The main product is an LNA with a PGA-103+ chip, which operates in the range of 10 MHz to 4 GHz and has a noise figure of 0.5 dB up to 1 GHz, or 0.8 dB at 2 GHz. The 1 dB output point (P1dB) is given as 22.5 dBm typically at 2 GHz and a voltage of 5 V, IP3 reaches 45 dBm typically at 2 GHz. The gain reaches 18 dB in the range of 1 MHz to 1 GHz, at 2 GHz it drops to 11 dB and at 4 GHz to 6.2 dB. Power supply is possible in the range of 6–12 V DC, while remote insertion of power via coaxial cable (Bias tee) is supported. Connectors are SMA female. PCB dimensions are 30 × 32 mm.
In addition to the basic version, a variant with an integrated RF VOX circuit is also available. This preamplifier automatically disconnects the LNA during transmission at a power of 0.5 W to 100 W, which allows its use in a connecting chain without the need for an external sequence relay. Power supply is possible at 5 V or 12 V.
Bandwidth 2m VHF 144MHz LNA Low Noise Amplifier with PGA103+ has a center frequency of 145 MHz and a width of 11MHz (-3dB). The gain is +20dB with a noise figure of 0.5 dB.
Another type is a broadband LNA with adjustable RF gain in the range of –20 dB to +19 dB and a working range of 1 MHz to 3 GHz. The noise figure of this device is 1.9–2.1 dB, power supply +5 V/100 mA, SMA female connectors, PCB size only 25 × 30 mm. It is suitable where gain control is required, for example, when the input stage of the receiver is overloaded.
| Product | Frequency range | Amplification | Noise figure | Power supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNA with PGA-103+ (basic) | 10MHz - 4GHz | 18 dB (up to 1 GHz) | 0.5 dB (up to 1 GHz) | 6–12 V, Coax possible |
| LNA with PGA-103+ + VOX | 10MHz - 4GHz | 18 dB (up to 1 GHz) | 0.5 dB (up to 1 GHz) | 5V or 12V |
| Wideband LNA (adjustable) | 1MHz - 3GHz | –20 to +19 dB | 1.9–2.1 dB | +5V / 100mA |
Low-noise preamplifiers at 432 MHz
For the 70 cm band, Janielectronics offers two basic variants. The first is a simple LNA for the 430–446 MHz range with +18 dB gain, 1.8 dB noise figure and a SAW filter that suppresses out-of-band signals. The power supply is +5 V with the option of powering via coaxial cable.
The second variant covers the 420–450 MHz range (also suitable for PMR 446), has an RF gain of 19 dB and includes an integrated RF VOX circuit that automatically disconnects the preamplifier during transmission. This solution will be appreciated especially by operators working with two-way radios or repeaters where an external PTT line is not available.
Using RF VOX instead of the classic PTT input simplifies installation - the device detects the presence of a RF signal on the transmitting side and automatically switches without further wiring.
| Product | Frequency range | Amplification | Noise figure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70cm LNA with SAW filter | 430–446 MHz | +18 dB | 1.8dB | +5 V, coax power supply |
| 70cm LNA with VOX | 420–450 MHz | 19dB | – | Integrated RF VOX |
Diplexers, notch filters and band filters
Janielectronics offers three variants of diplexers for a combination of 2 m and 70 cm bands on one antenna input or one antenna connection of a dual-band transceiver.
Diplexer 2m/70cm at 50 W (SMA connectors) has an insertion loss of 0.2 dB in the 2 m band and 0.3 dB in the 70 cm band, isolation between ports is 60 dB. The 50 W version with N connectors is structurally the same, but thanks to the N connector it is more suitable for direct connection to the antenna connector. The 100 W version (N connectors) gives an insertion loss of 0.1 dB for 2 m and 0.15 dB for 70 cm, isolation again 60 dB. For mobile or compact use, a Mini diplexer with PCB dimensions of 22 × 26 mm and a maximum power of 10 W is available.
To suppress strong FM transmitters in the 88–108 MHz band (a problem with SDR receivers and sensitive VHF converters), an FM notch filter with a high rejection rate for this band is used. The filter is designed passively and eliminates input stage overload from local FM transmitters without additional power supply.
For the construction of an all-band HF receiver, a Multi Band Pass Filter with two SMA connectors and seven bands starting from 1.6 MHz is available. This filter is primarily oriented towards SDR applications with active band selection.
| Product | Attenuation 2 m / 70 cm | Insulation | Max. power | Connectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diplexer 50W | 0.2dB / 0.3dB | 60 dB | 50W | SMA |
| Diplexer 50 WN | 0.2dB / 0.3dB | 60 dB | 50W | N |
| Diplexer 100 WN | 0.1dB / 0.15dB | 60 dB | 100W | N |
| Mini diplexer | – | – | 10W | SMA (PCB 22×26 mm) |
Other preamplifiers
For satellite reception, there is an LNA with a SAW filter designed specifically for receiving the Hungarian SMOG-1 pika satellite. This preamplifier operates at +5 V with the possibility of bias tee power supply via coaxial.
For the AIR Band, Janielectronics offers a professionally designed LNA with a 6th order bandpass filter (Modified Chebyshev) that prevents overload from strong out-of-band signals. This type is also suitable for radio amateurs monitoring 118–136 MHz.
The wideband LNA with the PGA-103+ chip without VOX is also available as a stand-alone assembly for applications requiring the full frequency range of 1 MHz to 4 GHz at an IP3 of 45 dBm and a low barrier to entry price.
Video: Multi Band Pass Filter review
Converters and other devices
For reception of HF bands via SDR receiver without native HF support (such as RTL-SDR), Janielectronics offers several variants of the HF upconverter.
The HF upconverter version v3.3 with a double balanced mixer ADE-1 and LNA preamplifier BGA614 covers the range 100 kHz to 56 MHz. The local oscillator is connected at a frequency of 100,000 MHz (optionally 125 MHz), which shifts the input HF signal up by this value to the VHF/UHF SDR receiver band. Power is supplied via a USB connector +5 V, the connectors are 2× SMA. Example of conversion: 3.5 MHz (80 m band) is displayed at a frequency of 103.5 MHz of the receiver.
Precision HF upconverter is an improved version with adjustable LO signal level, KV input preamplifier and output level adjustment. The operating range is 100 kHz to 54 MHz, LO frequency 100,000 MHz (sine output), high-precision local oscillator. The device has 3× SMA connectors, PCB size 5 × 3 cm and allows switching between UHF and HF antenna input with active port indication via LED.
The VLF HF upconverter is a compact version for the VLF/HF range with an LO at 100 MHz, available for around .
An optional accessory is the Power Bias Tee in the range of 1 MHz to 6 GHz with SMA connectors, powered by +5 V/1 A via USB or external power supply. It is used to insert the supply voltage into the coaxial cable for remote powering of the LNA at the mast or antenna.
Summary
Janielectronics Hungary's portfolio covers the practical needs of the VHF/UHF radio amateur, from a simple preamplifier at the mast to a more complex receive chain solution. The products are delivered as ready-made, functionally assembled PCBs, which lowers the barrier for those who do not want or cannot design RF circuits themselves. Prices are mostly in the range of 20–50 USD depending on the complexity of the device, with 100 W diplexers at the upper end of this range.
The range is available directly on the website janielectronics.com or janilab.hu. International shipping is provided via eBay and direct orders from the e-shop. For those interested in the Central European region, the advantage is the relatively short delivery time and the availability of most items in stock.
If you are working on improving the reception sensitivity of your station on the 2m or 70cm bands, or are looking for a reliable diplexer for a dual-band transceiver, visit janielectronics.com and view the current offer. You can direct questions about availability or technical parameters directly to the seller via the website's contact form or a message via eBay.