Schematic . . . What Schematic . . mine?
As I worked on my uBitx I made changes . . .duh . . doesn't everybody?
As I progressed I found I forgot what I had hooked to what.
I used cardboard for my front panel to help make a template for control placement.
Easy to cut new holes or move the placement.
Forgot to document what I had wired to what and where.
Now I am wanting to install a push button to be able to read both board voltage and PA voltage.
Also adding a analog watt meter to the mix.
First picture shows work so far and has room to add the above controls.
All fine and well. . . except . . . I didn't make a schematic of what I had already wired.
2nd pic shows the other side with wiring.
As this was a proto-type I left most wires too long as to make easy mods. That's fine.
BUT I didn't document what I had already wired.
Now I have to retrace wiring to find out where to hook up new contriols.
Moral of story . . . Make notes and a schematic.
Sure will help id something becomes . . . disconnected.
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Re: New uBitx V3 QRP Transceiver For Sale $120 Shipped
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Re: KD8CEC - Nextion Display - IAN questions
Kevin,
Yes, that's right, I will only support 2.4 "and 2.8" for the time being.?However, on my distribution list, you will find the GUI files for 3.2 "and 3.5".
They were converted to 3.5 "using the 2.8" GUI.
It will work normally, but it will probably look a little awkward.?
In the Nextion Editor, you can convert to a different resolution with a click of the mouse.
But I keep getting emails saying that I have successfully converted to 3.2, 3.5 "or even 7" LCD.
They work nicely by modifying the entire GUI to fit the LCD.?
You can ask them to get a 3.5 "file.?But please wait for the beta version to finish. There are a few additional features to add.
Ian KD8CEC
-- Best 73 KD8CEC / Ph.D ian lee kd8cec@...
(my blog)
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Try sending email to? ??hfsignals?at?gmail?dot com
Replace the "at" and "dot" with something more appropriate.
If they do send you a replacement it might take a month to arrive, and have import duty issues.
I know many electronics hobbyists use heat guns meant for embossing, or melting a colored powder into paper
Something like this:
? ???
Likely the cheapest way to go.
But you could buy a full solder rework station, others in the forum may have recommendations of which.
Maybe cover the display connector and blue pot of the Raduino with cloth to protect them from heat,
cover the Raduino entirely with metal foil to further protect it from heat,
clamp the Raduino in a vice,
cut an opening in the foil to expose the Nano.
Blast?away with the heat gun while tugging at the Nano, lifting the nano free of the pins it was soldered down to.?
Then remove the pins one by one from the Raduino using a soldering iron.
That will probably work better then cutting the pins, I had trouble when I did it that way.
Jerry?
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On Sun, Jun 24, 2018 at 05:06 pm, f1mqj wrote:
So it looks like a bad nano board and i might have to change it (main problem is to extract it without destroying raduino PCB as we discuss early)
1-Do you know if I can get spare Raduino and how (#ubitxsupport #ubitxwarranty) ? perhaps i could get one as warranty feature, because mine never worked fine (if possible with nano socket, or without nano board -i've already some)
2-i'll try to borrow an air heater (looks fine for the job, Vince do you have a link to yours ? 852, 878) or use diagonal cutters (perhaps dremmel but i fear leaving a lot of small metal particles)
I'll give you news
73 - Remi
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Re: KD8CEC - Nextion Display - IAN questions
Lowell, Thnk you for your work. LCDs usually consume much current in the backlight. Decreasing the backlight brightness will certainly reduce current consumption. Adjusting the brightness of the backlight generates noise.?
I think this is probably a problem with LCDs that use most inverter type backlights. I think that the way to reduce the brightness in hardware is coming soon.
Perhaps users who use uBITX as Portable will also be able to use Nextion LCD.
Just got in a 2.4 and a 3.2 Nextion display.? I'd seen some comments on the current draw and the possible need for a heat sink on the existing 5V regulator or maybe even a separate supply. So I just measured both on the bench.
Supply voltage was 5.04 VDC.
2.4 display was 125 ma.? 3.2 display was 110 ma.? Both at full brightness.
These are both above (~25 to 35 or so) what is listed on the manufacturers website.
I did not check with the display in sleep mode.
-- Best 73 KD8CEC / Ph.D ian lee kd8cec@...
(my blog)
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Re: I need a V3 or V4 uBitx board.
I sent the email weeks ago
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Re: BITX QSO Afternoon/Evening, Sunday, June 24, 3PM & 7PM Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere.
Calling CQ and listening on 7.277
WS4JM
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Re: Keypad for Raduino...?
Hi Jack. That whole idea of using voltage to determine keyer state makes me nervous.
Even something as simple as corrosion on the contacts can make a difference. True. But then again I figure if I know how it works, and with some appropriate debug code always built in, it would be pretty easy to track down a keypad problem. Partially to address this issue, my SNA code has a min and max for each key value and includes a calibration menu item to determine the average value to use (which is then used to calculate the min and max). Not only does this work for resistors that are slightly different values (but still within tolerance) and can handle a slight variation in contact resistance as well. If I wanted to really minimize contact issues, I'd use something other than a (USD) $5-$10 keypad :-) I used the cheap one because the SNA started out as not much more than a simple proof of concept. Funny how proof of concept projects become the final project :-P You are right, however, in that the problem has caused people to rethink the
problem(s) and that's almost always good. I couldn't agree more. Maybe other will get some ideas from my SNA code. (I haven't done a whole lot more with it since I picked up an HP 8591E spectrum analyzer with a tracking generator. Although I was pleased to see my little SNA agreed with the HP SA :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW
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Re: Understanding Spurious Emissions
Rahul,
I came to the same conclusion a while ago.? Your estimates of loss are a bit higher than
my measurements but we are talking maybe 2-3db but its all the same in that there is?
way too much TX path gain.
However the spur is visible when the input to the last mixer is -10dbm.
Also the balanced mod can be pushed harder to? maybe -13dbm is not bad and it helps
the carrier to signal ratio some.? The 12mhz filter in mine measures under 4DB loss when
modded for 2160hz bandpass.? My 45mhz us less than 5db loss.
I have the gains for TX 12mhz of 7db and 45mhz of 8db and its still high but?
closer.? That much gain is not needed as the modulator is already a fairly
large signal.
Allison
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Thanks Jerry, Vince, Ralph and others I cutted the pcb to disconnect capa and socket REF pin from the AREF processor pin (if the problem have been a short capa or short circuit on this part of PCB it may erase the problem)  BUT no change : i've still contact (0 ohm) between AREF processor pin and ground (and 220mA if powered !) So it looks like a bad nano board and i might have to change it (main problem is to extract it without destroying raduino PCB as we discuss early) 1-Do you know if I can get spare Raduino and how (#ubitxsupport #ubitxwarranty) ? perhaps i could get one as warranty feature, because mine never worked fine (if possible with nano socket, or without nano board -i've already some) 2-i'll try to borrow an air heater (looks fine for the job, Vince do you have a link to yours ? 852, 878) or use diagonal cutters (perhaps dremmel but i fear leaving a lot of small metal particles) I'll give you news 73 - Remi
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Re: Understanding Spurious Emissions
Farhan,
The filter are fine.? They work as they should for a low pass filter.??
The problem is 28mhz makes it though the respective low pass filters
and everything below 28mhz.
Allison
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Re: KD8CEC - Nextion Display - IAN questions
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Re: I need a V3 or V4 uBitx board.
Those remaining kits where sold weeks ago.
Roy WA0YMH
On Sun, Jun 24, 2018, 5:58 PM Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io <jgaffke= [email protected]> wrote: Tried again to post to kd1jvdesigns.
This time I noticed a "Your message will be sent when it's approved by the moderators"
at the top of the webpage after submitting the post.
So kd1jvdesigns is configured a bit different than this bitx20 group,?
though they are both hosted by .
I tried voting again, this time from the individual message webpage of post #161.
My vote was added immediately without review.
Steve? doesn't often respond to email.
But seemed odd he wasn't responding when he apparently still had a few boards to sell.
Perhaps he had a bunch of promises, but was waiting till the checks arrived.
I've bought 4 other KD1JV kits, first one in 2006.
They were all winners.
Manuals are very good, my only criticism is that schematics seldom quite agree with the board you get.
Steve seems to edit the design within his board layout program, then draw up the schematics without a netlist check.
Used to be he coded exclusively in assembly language, and I seldom find it worth the bother?
to get my head into somebody else's assembly code.? Or my own.
Steve has recently taken up residence in ArduinoLand, the Slop Bucket is coded in C.?
To bring this discussion around to some sort of Bitx relevance:
The Slop Bucket is comparable to the Bitx40, is a single band SSB/CW transceiver at 7W,
offered at a comparable price.? ?It's a full on surface mount kit using lots of 0805's and Sot23's.
You get to solder down your very own Si5351, wind your own toroids.
Jerry, KE7ER
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On Sun, Jun 24, 2018 at 02:34 pm, Roy Appleton wrote:
Jerry, don't get too excited, between projects he often goes on extended hikes. He may be gone for a couple of weeks.
?
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Re: ubitx code version 4.3 for review, testing
Neophyte question: The code is in several files. May different files be merged into the Arduino IDE as desired?
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Re: I need a V3 or V4 uBitx board.
Tried again to post to kd1jvdesigns.
This time I noticed a "Your message will be sent when it's approved by the moderators"
at the top of the webpage after submitting the post.
So kd1jvdesigns is configured a bit different than this bitx20 group,?
though they are both hosted by groups.io.
I tried voting again, this time from the individual message webpage of post #161.
My vote was added immediately without review.
Steve? doesn't often respond to email.
But seemed odd he wasn't responding when he apparently still had a few boards to sell.
Perhaps he had a bunch of promises, but was waiting till the checks arrived.
I've bought 4 other KD1JV kits, first one in 2006.
They were all winners.
Manuals are very good, my only criticism is that schematics seldom quite agree with the board you get.
Steve seems to edit the design within his board layout program, then draw up the schematics without a netlist check.
Used to be he coded exclusively in assembly language, and I seldom find it worth the bother?
to get my head into somebody else's assembly code.? Or my own.
Steve has recently taken up residence in ArduinoLand, the Slop Bucket is coded in C.?
To bring this discussion around to some sort of Bitx relevance:
The Slop Bucket is comparable to the Bitx40, is a single band SSB/CW transceiver at 7W,
offered at a comparable price.? ?It's a full on surface mount kit using lots of 0805's and Sot23's.
You get to solder down your very own Si5351, wind your own toroids.
Jerry, KE7ER
?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Sun, Jun 24, 2018 at 02:34 pm, Roy Appleton wrote:
Jerry, don't get too excited, between projects he often goes on extended hikes. He may be gone for a couple of weeks.
?
?
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Re: RFI from uBitx TX after AGC and other mods installed
FB Alan! Got my fingers crossed. -Don
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Re: RFI from uBitx TX after AGC and other mods installed
Don: I am referring to the AGC. My next step is to run shielded cable instead of a twisted pair between the volume control terminals and the the AGC board.
Alan
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Re: RFI from uBitx TX after AGC and other mods installed
Rowland,
With the AGC board mounted so far from the volume control (and right near the high RF area) it might be best to run shielded cable instead of just twisted pair. Some RG174 or similar small cable (impedance unimportant) might be the answer. I think that you may have found it! Or at least one of 'em.
The two others with problems were also using that spot! That is something that I had not considered. My builds are all right on the front panel, just a couple of inches for the audio run. -Don
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Re: RFI from uBitx TX after AGC and other mods installed
Hi Don - thanks for your speedy assistance.
To be clear - what I am hearing when I transmit SSB is RFI - loud garbled sounds from the speaker or headphones, not a clear rendition of my voice.
The offender seems to be the wiring to the volume control (audio).? If I unplug the audio pot from the audio pins on the board, the RFI goes away.? I am using a twisted pair from the pot to header pins on the AGC board.
With the pot connected, the RFI is heard when I transmit into a dummy load or an antenna, no difference.
Independent of the RFI, I noticed my use of J1 to drive the S-meter was giving a reading of zero.? I checked the voltage on J1 (with everything hooked up to the AGC board) and it never deviates from zero, so I must have a problem with the AGC board.? This happens even if I disconnect my AGC off/med/long switch and just check the voltage at J1 - it's zero regardless of signal level.??
So I think I have (at least) two problems - RF being picked up by the cable going to the volume control pot, and something wrong with my assembly of the AGC board so there is no voltage across C4.
I'll see if I can re-route the audio cable - I was trying to keep it on the short side so it is routed across the board, not along the case as you recommend.? I'll try that.
I do have a second AGC kit so I can try assembling that and see if my "no voltage across C4" issue goes away.
73,
Rowland K4XD
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I had to replace mine twice due to letting the wrong wires touch.
I used one of the hot air rework stations that can be found on ebay for about $ 60 including shipping.??
Just use the hot air wand and the nano comes right out.? I did have to heat some of the holes and use a solder sucker on them to get all the solder out.
On Sun, Jun 24, 2018 at 4:31 PM, Vince Vielhaber <vev@...> wrote:
On 06/24/2018 12:22 PM, Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io wrote:
The Nano is tough to remove, if it comes to that.
I'd try a little rotary saw or grinder using my Dremel tool for all but
the pins hiding
behind the LCD connector, then heat up those few pins on the Nano board
to pull it free.
And then extract all the pins one-by-one from the Raduino.
And take care to wash all the metal bits from the Raduino.
If anybody has a better method, perhaps they could speak up.
It seems the easiest method I've heard anyone use I refer to as the RCA method.? It's what the techs at the RCA service centers used when they had to replace modules on the TacTec hand helds.
Cut the part out, in this case the nano, then remove the pins one at a time.
Vince - K8ZW.
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Jay - WS4JM
Craig Wadsworth
Don, ND6T