A very good question. I am sure there are a few peps that would enjoy a update on the future of the SBitx life span, Including what is being considered for the new hardware and capabilities V4 implementation will be offering.?
--
Patrick?
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Re: FT8 time differential - how to resolve?
It is not a unique case. I experienced similar FT8 transmission delays! And I posted this already.
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Re: FT8 time differential - how to resolve?
Is it possible that this is a unique case? Has anyone else experienced similar FT8 transmission delays?
If no one else has a similar case, then I would definitely do the following:
first I would rename the existing sbitx folder to sbitx.old then
in the terminal I would clone the current zbitx software, which is v3.052
git clone https://github.com/afarhan/zbitx
cd sbitx
./build sbitx
if there was a connection before, then the sbitx.db file and the hardware.ini file in the sbitx/data folder must be copied to the cloned folder. If I use the sbitx logic, then the /sbitx/data folder must be copied to the new location.
The quality of the uSD card is often not the best, so if everything works well, it is advisable to make a copy of the working card using SD Card Copier. (this is the backup copy)
--
Gyula HA3HZ
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Re: zBitx +-2 MHz transmit spurs? --> SHOWSTOPPER for transmitting
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On May 1, 2025, at 22:22, Ashhar Farhan via groups.io <farhanbox@...> wrote:
? I have been travelling extensively for the last one month. Which explains the absence of any software pushes.
In a nutshell, the hw_settings.ininhas wrong values that is overdriving resulting in the high spurs.
We will issue an updated hw_settings.ini that will dial down the drive and put the spurs below the acceptable levels. This has also been confirmed by a few other radio hams that I have been working with.
However the update will have to wait until I return back from dayton.
- f
On Fri, 2 May, 2025, 6:03?am Gordon Gibby KX4Z via , <docvacuumtubes= [email protected]> wrote: It may be difficult, but we need some statistical sampling of available units in the field to figure out what is going on.
One way to do that would be to figure out if there is a collection of units geographically NEAR each other and then get one person with a spectrum analyzer to make measurements on all of those and produce the sample set. It would be good to have 10 or 11 units.
by going through their sales list, HF signals could greatly facilitate this by seeing if there¡¯s a collection of units in some particular city somewhere in the world
New York? Frankfort? Paris? London?
We just need to find a bunch of units near each other and then either buy or loan or find someone with a spectrum analyzer
Gordon
? Same question. Ashhar Farhan reports having a unit or units that test as compliant with -43 dBc regulations. ?
But what can be done with those units that do not test as compliant with FCC regulations regarding spurious emissions? ?
Were some bad units shipped?? Is there a fix?? Or can these units be returned and replaced or repaired?
Or do we have to wait, and (re)purchase version 2 or 3 of the zBitx to get a radio suitable for transmit?
73, Ron, n6ywu
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Re: zBitx +-2 MHz transmit spurs? --> SHOWSTOPPER for transmitting
I have been travelling extensively for the last one month. Which explains the absence of any software pushes.
In a nutshell, the hw_settings.ininhas wrong values that is overdriving resulting in the high spurs.
We will issue an updated hw_settings.ini that will dial down the drive and put the spurs below the acceptable levels. This has also been confirmed by a few other radio hams that I have been working with.
However the update will have to wait until I return back from dayton.
- f
On Fri, 2 May, 2025, 6:03?am Gordon Gibby KX4Z via , <docvacuumtubes= [email protected]> wrote: It may be difficult, but we need some statistical sampling of available units in the field to figure out what is going on.
One way to do that would be to figure out if there is a collection of units geographically NEAR each other and then get one person with a spectrum analyzer to make measurements on all of those and produce the sample set. It would be good to have 10 or 11 units.
by going through their sales list, HF signals could greatly facilitate this by seeing if there¡¯s a collection of units in some particular city somewhere in the world
New York? Frankfort? Paris? London?
We just need to find a bunch of units near each other and then either buy or loan or find someone with a spectrum analyzer
Gordon
? Same question. Ashhar Farhan reports having a unit or units that test as compliant with -43 dBc regulations. ?
But what can be done with those units that do not test as compliant with FCC regulations regarding spurious emissions? ?
Were some bad units shipped?? Is there a fix?? Or can these units be returned and replaced or repaired?
Or do we have to wait, and (re)purchase version 2 or 3 of the zBitx to get a radio suitable for transmit?
73, Ron, n6ywu
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I have a mint SBITX V3 with 64 bit OS for sale.
Used as receiver only.
$300 plus PP fees and shipping.
CONUS only.
?
Jeff?
K2SDR
?
jkelly at verizon.net
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Re: zBitx +-2 MHz transmit spurs? --> SHOWSTOPPER for transmitting
It may be difficult, but we need some statistical sampling of available units in the field to figure out what is going on.
One way to do that would be to figure out if there is a collection of units geographically NEAR each other and then get one person with a spectrum analyzer to make measurements on all of those and produce the sample set. It would be good to have 10 or 11 units.
by going through their sales list, HF signals could greatly facilitate this by seeing if there¡¯s a collection of units in some particular city somewhere in the world
New York? Frankfort? Paris? London?
We just need to find a bunch of units near each other and then either buy or loan or find someone with a spectrum analyzer
Gordon
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On May 1, 2025, at 19:54, Ron, N6YWU via groups.io <ron.nicholson@...> wrote:
? Same question. Ashhar Farhan reports having a unit or units that test as compliant with -43 dBc regulations. ?
But what can be done with those units that do not test as compliant with FCC regulations regarding spurious emissions? ?
Were some bad units shipped? ?Is there a fix? ?Or can these units be returned and replaced or repaired?
Or do we have to wait, and (re)purchase version 2 or 3 of the zBitx to get a radio suitable for transmit?
73, Ron, n6ywu
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Re: FT8 time differential - how to resolve?
Joe, the .profile is obscure to find for sure.?
It's in the sBitx manual here
73
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Re: zBitx +-2 MHz transmit spurs? --> SHOWSTOPPER for transmitting
Same question. Ashhar Farhan reports having a unit or units that test as compliant with -43 dBc regulations. ?
But what can be done with those units that do not test as compliant with FCC regulations regarding spurious emissions? ?
Were some bad units shipped? ?Is there a fix? ?Or can these units be returned and replaced or repaired?
Or do we have to wait, and (re)purchase version 2 or 3 of the zBitx to get a radio suitable for transmit?
73, Ron, n6ywu
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The V4 is ready with an updated power amplifier and the new display2 from Raspberry Pi. We are waiting for the backlog of zbitx to clear out before rolling it out.
Any updated on V4?? Maybe waiting for FDIM in Ohio??? Any Insight would be helpful.
?
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That background chug noise is mostly from the display up date. If you find a signal and want make it clearer? just select mode or any button which does lot display a waterfall
It may not remove completely but should reduce it.
If you have a problem tuning? in a? station make sure your vfo step is no higher than one 100h
Hope this?helps
Joe VE1BWV?
So I recently received my Zbitx and I think I have a problem. The receive is terrible. I can¡¯t make out anything on it even trying the WWV freqs I can¡¯t hear anything but a sort of ¡°chuh chuh chuh¡± sound that¡¯s continuous. I¡¯ve adjusted the IF and volume as well as bandwidth but it makes no difference. If there something I¡¯m missing or did I receive a faulty unit? Any and all help is appreciated. Video attached to show sound being heard.
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Re: FT8 time differential - how to resolve?
Where is the .profile located?
Thanks Joe ?Ve1bwv
On Thu, May 1, 2025, 6:58?p.m. Leo Aniol, AI5II via <leomaniolone= [email protected]> wrote: I run wsjt-z and don't see this time issue.
On Thu, May 1, 2025, 16:15 Vince d'Eon VE6LK/AI7LK via <vincedeon= [email protected]> wrote: Time Sync is not the issue. The clock is dead-on to WWV and NTP (I have several NTP devices here).
?
Time Zone is not the issue. I have commented out the one line in .profile that forced the TZ to Arizona and rebooted, and now it shows proper TZ. Thank you for this comment on what to do, but note that the sBitx manual states this, not the zBitx. ?
Clock Drift is not an issue for my radio. My clock is DEAD ON accurate.
?
The issue is that the FT8 client delays when you hit the transmit up to almost 2 seconds - and it does this right away after boot. It is consistent in this amount, so clock drift isn't an issue like Joe is seeing.? SO to me this is something with in the FT8 client and how it transmits. Best described as "press CQ, wait for the clock to hit the next transmit interval (0, 15, 30, or 45 seconds), count to two seconds and then the TX engages.
?
At the other end it looks like this:
?
73
?
?
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Re: zBitx +-2 MHz transmit spurs? --> SHOWSTOPPER for transmitting
Hello Farhan,
?
I am looking forward to YOUR measurements of zBitx spurs from current production.
?
In your posting on April 16 you mentioned that you would post your measurements next day, but now 2 weeks have passed and I have not seen any news on the spurs topic.
?
Just to enforce the importance of the problem: With the current level of spurs produced by the zBitx, transmitting with a zBitx would violate the rules: -43dBc in the US, -40dBc in Germany.
?
I am eager to USE my zBitx as a transmitter, but I don't want to risk my amateur radio license by violating the rules...
?
I am still looking forward to
?
1. your measurements of spurs of zBitx devices, from current production, on the same frequencies as I did (particularly 18.1MHz), to make them comparable
2. if your measurements show spurs down below -43dBc, what could be done for the devices, that do NOT fulfill the rules? What needs to be changed?
?
?
On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 04:42 PM, Ashhar Farhan wrote:
You could probe the input to the 3.3v regulator. However, this is a little more complicated than what it appears to be.
?
First, I spent weeks measuring the spurs. They are all below -43dbc except on 21 mhz. To quote a politician: "those are my alternate facts".
?
But, we must first be a little careful in trusting the tinysa. About 10 years ago, I built a spectrum analyser. The amount of shielding it needed was insanely high. See?. The spectrum analyzer needs to be carefully shielded at all stages to be useful, esp with a transmitter testng. The signal from the antenna terminal is reduced at least 60 dB before being applied to the spectrum analyzer. On the other hand, there are many other ways that the RFI can leak from the radio into the spectrum analyzer at any stage and produce these heterodyne beats. The TinySA is a single PCB with mixed signals without any shielding.?
?
The zbitx is a superhet radio with a number of oscillators apart from just the Si5351. There is a 12 MHz crystal on the WM8731, a TCXO at 25 MHz, many spurs coming out of the RPI, the display and the Pico. However, the diode mixer of the zbitx was chosen as a doubly balanced mixer that has far fewer spurs than the Kiss Mixer of the sbitx. This is borne by direct measurements?as well. The uBitx too uses exactly the same front end (of diode mixers driven by an IF amplifier) in transmit, it has acceptable spurious emissions.
?
For a proper testing, you need a very well shielded or a professional quality instrument. Both my spectrum analyzers, the specan and the Rigol DSA-815 are those. My tests were done on both.?
I have also noted a correlation?between the bias current and the spurs. Here are my settings on the on the test bench with the DSA-815:
?
The output of the TX is connected to a dummy load made from 20 x 2 W, 1K carbon resistors. A sniffer consisting of a 100K in series with a 50 ohms is used to tap the input into the DSA-815.?
The Spectrum Analyzer is set to 30 KHz resolution bandwidth, span of 70 MH, the zbitx mode is set to CW, straight key. These are the recommendations of the ARRL's testing lab.??
?
I will repeat these tests and post the pictures tomorrow.
?
--
73, Joerg - DB2OO
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Re: FT8 time differential - how to resolve?
I run wsjt-z and don't see this time issue.
On Thu, May 1, 2025, 16:15 Vince d'Eon VE6LK/AI7LK via <vincedeon= [email protected]> wrote: Time Sync is not the issue. The clock is dead-on to WWV and NTP (I have several NTP devices here).
?
Time Zone is not the issue. I have commented out the one line in .profile that forced the TZ to Arizona and rebooted, and now it shows proper TZ. Thank you for this comment on what to do, but note that the sBitx manual states this, not the zBitx. ?
Clock Drift is not an issue for my radio. My clock is DEAD ON accurate.
?
The issue is that the FT8 client delays when you hit the transmit up to almost 2 seconds - and it does this right away after boot. It is consistent in this amount, so clock drift isn't an issue like Joe is seeing.? SO to me this is something with in the FT8 client and how it transmits. Best described as "press CQ, wait for the clock to hit the next transmit interval (0, 15, 30, or 45 seconds), count to two seconds and then the TX engages.
?
At the other end it looks like this:
?
73
?
?
|
Any updated on V4?? Maybe waiting for FDIM in Ohio??? Any Insight would be helpful.
?
|
Re: FT8 time differential - how to resolve?
Time Sync is not the issue. The clock is dead-on to WWV and NTP (I have several NTP devices here).
?
Time Zone is not the issue. I have commented out the one line in .profile that forced the TZ to Arizona and rebooted, and now it shows proper TZ. Thank you for this comment on what to do, but note that the sBitx manual states this, not the zBitx. ?
Clock Drift is not an issue for my radio. My clock is DEAD ON accurate.
?
The issue is that the FT8 client delays when you hit the transmit up to almost 2 seconds - and it does this right away after boot. It is consistent in this amount, so clock drift isn't an issue like Joe is seeing.? SO to me this is something with in the FT8 client and how it transmits. Best described as "press CQ, wait for the clock to hit the next transmit interval (0, 15, 30, or 45 seconds), count to two seconds and then the TX engages.
?
At the other end it looks like this:
?
73
?
?
|
So I recently received my Zbitx and I think I have a problem. The receive is terrible. I can¡¯t make out anything on it even trying the WWV freqs I can¡¯t hear anything but a sort of ¡°chuh chuh chuh¡± sound that¡¯s continuous. I¡¯ve adjusted the IF and volume as well as bandwidth but it makes no difference. If there something I¡¯m missing or did I receive a faulty unit? Any and all help is appreciated. Video attached to show sound being heard.
|
Re: FT8 time differential - how to resolve?
Good idea.?
Hopefully someone can make the script .
Joe VE1BWV?
On Thu, May 1, 2025, 1:25?p.m. Leo Aniol, AI5II via <leomaniolone= [email protected]> wrote: Why not set up a cron to do a time resync every x minutes.
Leo, AI5II
According to my memories (which I regularly record on paper), I remember that a TZ problem appeared in sbitx 3.02, which was solved by the developers.
At this time, the developers entered and the 32-bit and 64-bit systems were divided. The fix appeared as a TZ fix in 3.02.
I remember that at that time I was already using an external application, so the passage of time was visible in three different windows.
That's when the difference appeared, that the correct time was not displayed on sbitx.
The TZ fix covered this. Since the TZ fix was in the sbitx_gtk.c file, I found the difference, comparing it to the sbix_gtk.c file used by the current zbitx v3.052.
My attention was focused on the time setting, and this is missing from the sbitx_gtk.c used by zbitx 3.052.
The modification requires programming work, I just compared the contents of the two files.
Of course there are more differences, but they are necessary due to hardware differences.
If someone requests it, I will upload the corrected TZ file. (not interchangeable!)
--
Gyula HA3HZ
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Before I spend any more time building out code modules for the sbitx, I¡¯d like to know - is that product ¡°never to be sold again¡± or simply delayed??
?
While I enjoy spending days modifying my own radio, I need to know if it¡¯s going to around in the future.
?
VA3CGF
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Well today is 4 weeks so hopefully
my zBitx will ship in the next few days....I've ordered all the
support hardware (batteries, BNC coax, etc).? I already have
lots of other support since I own a KX2.? Looking so forward to
playing with this radio.? I have a friend who has the sBitx (big
brother) and I was quite impressed with it.
--
"POWER, WE DON'T NEED NO STICKIN' POWER" - EVERY KX2 OWNER
Always respect the airwaves,
73 de KI7PBR, Gary
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HA3HZ
Jeff Kelly
Charles Guerin
Gary-KI7PBR