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Re: BITX40 Pop Fix
BevTed Stanier
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýHi Vic Back looking for more help. I have been playing with an Arduino Uno R3 kit and had an IDE on my laptop. I actually removed it and installed another Arduino IDE via amunters instructions. I added pinchangeinterupt to the library and could include it in a sketch but can¡¯t seem to follow the instructions to download the actual software (sketch}. I don¡¯t get the green button that says ¡°clone or download¡± when I go to ¡°Amunter/BITX40¡±. Can you help again? Ted ? Sent from for Windows 10 ? From: Vic WA4THR via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2020 2:50 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BITX20] BITX40 Pop Fix ? The BitX40 with the Raduino is a pretty neat rig and I still enjoy mine, particularly as a temporary mobile rig with a mag-mounted hamstick. The first thing you might do, Ted, is to install some upgraded software. Allard Munter. PE1NWL,
wrote a wonderful sketch that does not require any hardware changes and fixes some issues on its own. Little things like tuning "clicks" and stability are vastly improved. Additionally, he has a number of very simple and well-illustrated hardware changes that
add more and more functionality. You need only to install the free Arduino IDE software on your computer to compile and load the "sketch" to the Raduino, and it is fully reversable as the original sketch is also available n Github, but I doubt anyone ever
goes backward. You can find Allard's sketch and documentation here: ? |
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uBITX V6 weird modulation
USB looks just the opposite. CW shows up on the correct side though. |
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Re: Why the Microphone Matters
#audiocircuit
#microphone
#tx
#v6
#ubitxv6
I have not yet looked to see if the revision number is on the board. Will do soon. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 8:07:13 PM EDT, Reed N <greenkid336600+groupsio@...> wrote:
Bob, Did you look at your circuit board when you determined you had a v6.1, or did you look at the touch screen? Ashhar's stock software is currently at revision v6.1, and will display v6.1 on the screen. However, if you look near the antenna connector on the circuit board inside your radio, you should see a revision for the board. Reed |
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Re: Why the Microphone Matters
#audiocircuit
#microphone
#tx
#v6
#ubitxv6
Reed, I have to speak loudly to get enough modulation. Did not get a before/after check on the air but listened to the audio on the big rig. When I speak loudly and closs-talk the mic, I get more S-Meter swing on the big rig. When they told me the audio sounded fine on the air tonight, I'll go with it. I do see more S-Meter swing with the hole drilled out, though. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 6:58:48 PM EDT, Reed N <greenkid336600+groupsio@...> wrote:
Gary, My uBiTX main board is also labeled 6.2. Maybe your baofeng mic is just better than mine! --- Bob, Did you not have to speak loudly and close-talk before drilling the hole, or are you just stating that you still have to, even with the mod? I'm guessing you talking about the capacitor shunting the mic, labeled C2 on the baofeng microphone board. Did the person who told you your audio needed to be more crisp say that it was more crisp after removing the capacitor? Even with the stock mic, in my early testing of the system, I sounded fine when listening to myself on a different rig. The problem for me has always been signal output level. With the stock unmodified mic, I made exactly 0 SSB contacts. Couldn't even be heard by a friend of mine a couple of kilometers away. Reed |
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Re: Why the Microphone Matters
#audiocircuit
#microphone
#tx
#v6
#ubitxv6
I just checked with a few on the Kentucky Phone Net with my V6 with the Baufeng mic and was told it sounds a slight bit bassy but that the audio quality is fine, no need to try to improve it. That's what I hoped to hear. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 6:38:46 PM EDT, Bob Lunsford via groups.io <nocrud222@...> wrote:
Thanks Reed for your measurements. I drilled out the eletret hole in the mic to 1/8th inch which is only 1/32-in smaller than 5/32-in. Now I have to speak loudly and close-talk the mic to get through. I also found a small SMD cap across the mic element and removed it after someone told me the transmitted audio needed to be "more crisp." I do not know what the cap value was/is since I could see no marking. I then listened to my signal on the "big rig" and could not detect a problem. I have yet to get an on-air check but from listening to the signal on the Yaesu, it does not sound bad. I'll be interested in others' comments on this issue. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 4:26:40 PM EDT, Reed N <greenkid336600+groupsio@...> wrote:
There have been a number of reports of issues with the baofeng mic that comes with the uBiTX v6, and some suggestions on how to fix the issue, but I haven't seen any measurements posted, so figured I'd show off what I found out. For reference, here are some of the other threads already discussing microphone issues: /g/BITX20/topic/71576826 /g/BITX20/topic/74673407 /g/BITX20/topic/75264904 I don't have calibrated test equipment, but I was able to produce relative measurements using the following setup: I hooked up my radio to a dummy load, and used an AirSpy HF+ with SDR# to monitor the leaked output from the dummy load. I used my phone with the app to produce an 800Hz, 50% amplitude sine wave on the right channel. I then turned my phone's volume up to max. Finally, I placed the mic pickup directly next to the phone's speaker, and moved the position around slightly until a maximum output was observed. I took a screenshot of SDR# showing this maximum for each configuration. The stock mic is the baofeng mic I received with my v6. I measured it first, as it originally came in the mail. Next, I modified the stock baofeng mic, by drilling out the plastic in front of the element using a 5/32" drill bit. Finally, I measured the "Power Mic" that was suggested by a few people in the threads linked above, both with and without the battery for additional amplification. Here's a table summarizing these values:
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Re: Why the Microphone Matters
#audiocircuit
#microphone
#tx
#v6
#ubitxv6
Gary made a comment in the first paragraph about a possible change to the mic amp circuitry from V6,1 to V6.2. I have V6.1 and wonder if there is a change and if I should consider updating the mic. audio circuit, if there was a change. Anyone having this info, please advise. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 4:47:16 PM EDT, Gary Dumbleton <gary@...> wrote:
Although I have not done such exact measurements as below, I used
the baofeng mic on 20 meters, and contacted someone in Virginia (I
am near Toronto) and he gave me a 59.? My board says that it is a
6.2.? Is it possible that something was done to the mic amplifier
circuit between 6.1 and 6.2. I have not seen any list of changes made from version to version. Gary On 7/26/2020 4:26 PM, Reed N wrote:
There have been a number of reports of issues with the baofeng mic
that comes with the uBiTX v6, and some suggestions on how to fix
the issue, but I haven't seen any measurements posted, so figured
I'd show off what I found out. For reference, here are some of the other threads already discussing microphone issues: /g/BITX20/topic/71576826 /g/BITX20/topic/74673407 /g/BITX20/topic/75264904 I don't have calibrated test equipment, but I was able to produce relative measurements using the following setup: I hooked up my radio to a dummy load, and used an AirSpy HF+ with SDR# to monitor the leaked output from the dummy load. I used my phone with the app to produce an 800Hz, 50% amplitude sine wave on the right channel. I then turned my phone's volume up to max. Finally, I placed the mic pickup directly next to the phone's speaker, and moved the position around slightly until a maximum output was observed. I took a screenshot of SDR# showing this maximum for each configuration. The stock mic is the baofeng mic I received with my v6. I measured it first, as it originally came in the mail. Next, I modified the stock baofeng mic, by drilling out the plastic in front of the element using a 5/32" drill bit. Finally, I measured the "Power Mic" that was suggested by a few people in the threads linked above, both with and without the battery for additional amplification. Here's a table summarizing these values:
 |
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Re: uBITX V6 Expanded System
Thanks Arv: I'm no stranger to SDR radios. I have built and serviced dozens of them. I have reloaded the operating systems and firmware, debugged problems with CAT systems, etc. But I have never played with arduino before...that's what I meant. Writing code for that would be a learning experience for me. I've dabbled with COBAL, Fortran, Basic and C++, but right now I really don't have the free time to become un-terrified of this new language...LOL. But then, who knows what the future holds. Thanks for your comments. Bob, N1KPR NOTE Pls add backup address to your phone book: rwbetts@... http://www.bobsamerica.com? http://www.youtube.com/n1kpr Engineering: Where Enigma meets Paradox
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 4:45:17 PM EDT, Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:
Bob N1KPR In today's equipment much of what we used to do with hardware is now being done with software.? This makes things more flexible because software is much easier to change than hardware.? There are many on-line examples of good, and bad, software that can be used as examples to learn from. AGC sources for driving an S-Meter circuit might not be available in the BITX series, but you can rectify some of the RF in IF circuits and use that to drive an S-Meter circuit.? However, with the Arduino having analog inputs, which it converts to a digital signal, you can use software to make various conversions and displays, including very accurate S-meters.? Since the BITX designs use fixed-gain amplification your software can be based on that to determine the actual RF level arriving at the antenna input.? There is no built-in AGC to make the IF levels inaccurate.? If an old geezer like me can do it, you definitely can.? Arv? K7HKL _._ On Sun, Jul 26, 2020 at 12:57 PM Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:
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Re: Why the Microphone Matters
#audiocircuit
#microphone
#tx
#v6
#ubitxv6
Thanks Reed for your measurements. I drilled out the eletret hole in the mic to 1/8th inch which is only 1/32-in smaller than 5/32-in. Now I have to speak loudly and close-talk the mic to get through. I also found a small SMD cap across the mic element and removed it after someone told me the transmitted audio needed to be "more crisp." I do not know what the cap value was/is since I could see no marking. I then listened to my signal on the "big rig" and could not detect a problem. I have yet to get an on-air check but from listening to the signal on the Yaesu, it does not sound bad. I'll be interested in others' comments on this issue. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 4:26:40 PM EDT, Reed N <greenkid336600+groupsio@...> wrote:
There have been a number of reports of issues with the baofeng mic that comes with the uBiTX v6, and some suggestions on how to fix the issue, but I haven't seen any measurements posted, so figured I'd show off what I found out. For reference, here are some of the other threads already discussing microphone issues: /g/BITX20/topic/71576826 /g/BITX20/topic/74673407 /g/BITX20/topic/75264904 I don't have calibrated test equipment, but I was able to produce relative measurements using the following setup: I hooked up my radio to a dummy load, and used an AirSpy HF+ with SDR# to monitor the leaked output from the dummy load. I used my phone with the app to produce an 800Hz, 50% amplitude sine wave on the right channel. I then turned my phone's volume up to max. Finally, I placed the mic pickup directly next to the phone's speaker, and moved the position around slightly until a maximum output was observed. I took a screenshot of SDR# showing this maximum for each configuration. The stock mic is the baofeng mic I received with my v6. I measured it first, as it originally came in the mail. Next, I modified the stock baofeng mic, by drilling out the plastic in front of the element using a 5/32" drill bit. Finally, I measured the "Power Mic" that was suggested by a few people in the threads linked above, both with and without the battery for additional amplification. Here's a table summarizing these values:
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Re: kit-projects AGC, with G4HUP buffer + audio buffer; AGC not very effective
Here's a quick question: If one took a wire from the hot side of the volume control and ran it to a jack on the rear of the radio and read the voltage with an Digital Voltmeter in AC mode would it show the S-Meter reading of a signal? I know it would be mainly on voice peaks but here is another thought: If that signal was run through an audio amplifier and the output was loaded with a good sized electrolytic cap of perhaps 10-25 MFD and the AC level on the cap read with a digital meter in AC mode, would this then give a believable S-Meter value, again on voice peaks? On CW it should also work. Sure, it's a digital reading but also a 1MA meter should also work if fed with a diode bridge and filtered with a relatively high value electrolytic. It's a fonky idea but cheap and dirty and should give some idea of how hot a received signal is. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 3:38:26 PM EDT, Rob French (KC4UPR) <kc4upr@...> wrote:
David, I'm tapping the Vol-H for AGC from the output side of R70 (left side on the uBITX V5 schematic).? I'm assuming that is where you are referring to?? (Rather than running the wire from the Vol-H on the volume control, I actually jumpered it directly on the uBITX mainboard, with a jumper soldered to the end of R70.)? Or are you referring to essentially where TP21 is on the schematic?? (The input end of R70.) If I do have too much loading there, then my thought is some subset of: (a) add an RF preamp to the uBITX RX input (after the input filters of course); this would be intended to recover some of the signal loss introduced by the BC band filter and G4HUP panadaptor buffer; (b) add an audio unity buffer (and maybe a separate preamp as well) to drive the AGC bias... would that work???; and/or (c) take the AGC from my line-out output (which currently has a 20dB preamp). Thoughts? -Rob KC4UPR |
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Re: UBITX V4, bitx40 misc boards for sale
Is the uBITX V4 in good working order? PayPal??? On Sat, Jul 25, 2020 at 5:44 PM Mike Short <ai4ns.mike.spam@...> wrote:
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Re: UBITX V4, bitx40 misc boards for sale
How can I send you the the $$$ On Sat, Jul 25, 2020 at 5:44 PM Mike Short <ai4ns.mike.spam@...> wrote:
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Re: UBITX V4, bitx40 misc boards for sale
I am interested on the uBITX v4. Can u ship it to Houston 77379. Thanks.? On Sat, Jul 25, 2020 at 5:44 PM Mike Short <ai4ns.mike.spam@...> wrote:
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Re: UBITX V4, bitx40 misc boards for sale
Dave Dixon
Hello, ???????????? Is the v4 still for sale and will you post to the uk.if so how much please.regards Dave. On Sun, 26 Jul 2020 at 13:20, Mike Short <ai4ns.mike.spam@...> wrote:
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Bob Lunsford
Bob, N1KPR