If I just power up my raduino it draws about 100ma.
nothing else connected, the display works, backlight is on.

Without the display, more like 60ma.? Most of that is probably backlight.

开云体育

Will I have been thinking along the same path and right now it is in the noodling/research stage. I need to get spice on my computer to do some modeling.?

Some of the clones are going for the lowest possible price, and fab/qc is as cheap as possible.
They work well enough for some applications when powered from 5 or 6v.
But depending on where that die was cut from in the wafer, may blow at 8v.
They simply don't meet the ST spec.

Most of them that do have a datasheet claim a max working voltage of 15v
as per the original ST part.
There are exceptions, claiming a max working voltage of 12v, absolute max of 15v.


The WX does not have a datasheet.??
It does not have a spec and might be doing anything it darn pleases.

That's my take.

Jerry, KE7ER

Remi F1MQJ-

If power consumption is a problem, there are regulator boards that can be had/made that use a torrid to buck-boost the voltage. Much higher in efficiency than a 7805. I have heard a claim of 95%.? The circuit is basically an oscillator at the input voltage that the oscillators' output is rectified/filtered to create a new voltage output.

#2. disable the back-light of the display. Or the entire display when not looking at it. It is only an output and not interactive except to provide information. You should be able to tune around without it for short periods of time. DPDT Center off switch - display- off-? display with back light.

#3. QRP - by definition is transmitting LOW power. Not Low power consumption of the transceiver.? Comparing a 1950's 100 watt station (tubes) to a modern rig today, certainly uses less power at the mains. Likewise true low consumption minimalist transceivers are usually 1 band, CW only- crystal controlled.
?????

#4. Like you, I appreciate QRP operation and years ago used a K1SWL 40M QRP rig, that worked nicely in my sleeping bag as, frequency read out was in CW, it's only mode. My mess kit weighed more than that rig, headphones and key. True backpacker's rig. No longer made, also came in a 30 meter version.

#5. Perhaps a Radunio with cw audio readout will be instituted by others.? "PROGRAMMING ARDUINO" by Simon Mark ISBN 978-0-07-178422-1 has information on a CW sketch, albeit it converts ASCII to a flashing LED. But a good basis. Further application would be visually impaired hams. It could be a Raduino without the display- a Plug in.. or a variant of #2 above.

Regards from Kansas,
Larry W8LM


?

Ian,

First, thank you for the time and effort you have put into this radio and now, a truly nice display to go with it. ?

I'm new to Arduino but your tutorials and instruction allowed me to upload .hex files to the Arduino and the Nextion display. ?Everything works (V1.094) that I've tried so far.?

I started using Raspberry Pi's for all my radio interfacing and digital mode operation some time ago so I could learn that little Linux board. ?They were also used for all the firmware upgrades for the uBITX and the Nextion display. When something didn't go exactly right the first time, I knew it was something I did. Because your software and procedures are top notch.

You sir are doing a great service to this user community and our hobby.

Lowell Haney
Rome,GA

Let me try again.

Here is the Google Translate URL for the article.

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.carnetdumaker.net%2Farticles%2Ftest-comparatif-de-la-consommation-electrique-vide-de-diverses-cartes-arduino-et-compatible%2F%23les-cartes-arduino-compatibles-chinoises&edit-text=

Hello Remi,

I measure 168 ma. for my entire uBITX on idle receive (low volume, no input signal, 13.8 volt source). Since I use a 7808 as a pre-regulator my 7805 is cool enough to pinch and hold, the additional heat being soaked up by the cabinet where I mounted the 7808. That keeps heat off of the Raduino and also provides a modicum of additional filtering. I also decrease the LED backlighting on my display which probably helps a bit.
Isolate the loads and check your current. There is something wrong if you measure 350 ma at under 14 volts. With the power off, unplug the Raduino, re-apply power and measure the current. If the drain is coming from the Raduino then disconnect power again and just unplug the display. Then apply power and measure again. Take your time and measure resistances until you see something amiss. Check to see if something is touching mechanically where it should not. Check under the boards. Look for a tiny wire or solder ball. Make sure that you are, indeed, in receive mode. Please let us know what you found. 73, Don

Not exactly sure the issue you are describing.

However, I see your display is moving in increments of 500Hz.?

When I was first trying to get WSJT-X working and the frequency calibrated, I was very puzzled. That is until I discovered that the CEC firmware would only set the frequency via the CAT interface in the same increments as the rotary encoder frequency steps. I had to set the frequency steps for the tuning knob to 10Hz to get my WSPR frequencies to set correctly and then use the PPM setting in WSJT-X to dial in the final frequency adjustment.

Tom, wb6b

I am going to bend up a case from Brass sheet and I plan to use the case for the heat sink. I will have to use insulators to electrically isolate the finals. It should give me a much bigger surface area to dissipate the heat,? and also shield the uBitx from external fields.

I have a receiver here with a first IF of 45 MHz and coverage very slightly more than the ubitx. It has eight filters and very few (maybe none) birdies. In a receiver birdies are a local problem and no problem to the outside world. But still an obvious problem. That is not a suggestion that you must use eight filters instead of four but to serve as a referencence point for future development and for those who want to modify their radios.

For what it's worth, I intend to not modify mine much at all. I will run the modest power on the upper bands (where I almost never venture). The 'CEC' software looks attractive. I will install a level control on that roaring loud sidetone. I will put the insulated mounting kits on larger heatsinks (probably my steel cabinet). And operate, operate, operate :) It is Field Day weekend here in the USA and I will be giving my uBitx a baptism.

73,

Bill KU8H

--
bark less - wag more

Hi Walt,

Others here have reported doing what you propose and had no ill effects. I intend to eventually do the same thing.

73,

Bill KU8H

--
bark less - wag more

Some additional data (sorry it's in french) about consumption trials on arduino boards (genuine and chinese) :
spreadsheet file on
it shows nano consumes 80-100mA (about half the one in the Raduino)

Thanks Folks, I will go ahead with my plans then, so far so good!!,

I am having a great time, can’t remember so much fun since I built a Heathkit television in my senior year in high school,
guess im dating myself Hi Hi! You should have seen my mom’s face whe I plugged that in and no smoke came out.?

Cheers and 73

Walt VE7CWS

Hi,
new to uBitx, I've a problem already shown on some thread but more than a plaster on the wound I would like to understand the problem and reduce it.
My 7805 get very hot after few minuts (already seen on threads), looking at current consumtion i found about 0.35A, with 12V input, 5V output that makes 7x0.35 = 2.5W so heat production
My problem is also : 0.35A consumption in receive is not very fine for QRP rig and small battery life
But when i look at datasheet of what is powered, I don't understand where come this great current :
- Led backlight : about 25mA on 5V (measurment and datasheet), 1602 logic : 35-40mA (datasheet)

-Sis5351A : 22-45mA (datasheet)

-FT232 (part of the nano which produce 3.3V for Sis5351A from 5V) : 15mA (i assume + 3.3V consumption) -> 60mA

- so that would mean that the nano board asks at least (assuming max consumption for other parts...) 350-65-45-60 = 180mA, looks a lot, near the PIC max rating (200mA)
Looking at the QCX which use the same screen and same PIC (not on a nano board) comsumption is given to 180mA (half less)

My questions :
Q1 : do you have the same current consumption ? (especially interested by answers with genuine raduino but other firmware)
Q2A : what could be the source of this problem ? (perhaps programming without using power consumption reduction)
Q2B : what could be the means to reduce this consumption ?

if the problem is due to some software features (CAT, ...) it could be nice to disable them to reduce consumption (TMHO the main goal of a QRP is not to work with CAT but on the field with small battery), the "only" usage of Radiuno processor might be when changing frequency or some parameter, staying on a frequency receiving and transmitting might not need any processor cycles? (oups i missed the PTT and CW is processor driven, but it's still true in receiving -PTT could be transfered out of processor drive, but we need to have outputs TXA-B-C remain to proper value)

PS : Some tips are used on QCX to reduce 7805 problem i plan to try them : Powering Backlight directly from 12V with calculated resistor (240ohms), powering Sis5351A directly from 5V with 2 diodes in serial to lower voltage (avoiding using voltage tranverter like ft232, perhaps a consumption reduction by putting it in low power mode ?)

Thank's in advance for answer
73 - Remi - F1MQJ