Vhf version of sbitx??has some interesting thoughts from Farhan and others on this group.

?may also be of interest.

I first found out about sbitx via "Solder Smoke",??.?

--
Regards,
Dave, N1AI

开云体育

Dave - your idea of a leanable case is an excellent idea.? I have a few other QRP radios, and some of them have leaning cases.? Perhaps adding legs to the existing case somehow?

Since you mentioned batteries, perhaps those who have used them would like to comment on battery capacity and operating time per charge.? Might be interesting for new users.

Gerry Sherman

Sent by the Windows 11 Thunderbird

I wouldn't be interested in this myself, but perhaps others might be:? an sBIT covering a single frequency range, like 25 to 30 Mhz., a low TX power (a few milliwatts) and separate TX and RX ports to connect to a transverter (or transverters) covering frequencies above 30 Mhz.? Just a thought and if there is enough interest perhaps Ashhar will consider bringing out such a model.

Gerry Sherman

Sent by the Windows 11 Thunderbird.

On Sun, Jan 21, 2024 at 02:05 PM, Mark Hatch wrote:

Let me know what you think!

I think it's wonderful!??

Here in the Northeast USA it is winter so for me a good time to focus on software development.

In the springtime it'll be outdoors POTA season and then having a cool case for the radio will rise up the list of things to do.

I definitely think having built-in braces for the radio to lean is a great idea, that alone will be worth making a new case.

Currently, I have a hi-capacity RC battery velcro'd to the area above the heat sink so the braces will need to be pretty robust since the battery makes the radio more top-heavy.

Just a thought: A friend of mine sends his designs out to a company that can cut them from metal, maybe the braces will need to be metal to be strong enough while being light as well?

I'll wait to see what you come up with, but I'm already quite enthused!
?
--
Regards,
Dave, N1AI

Hi,

Just finished and tested my 3d printable case for the sBitx motherboard. This is based on the OEM case design from HF Signals and leverages the original work done by Mike (KW1ND).?

The preferred download is from my github at:?


In the? sBitx-case-3d-printer-files directory you can download individual stl files (and the Fusion 360 archive). Or you can go to:


Click on the CODE drop down in upper right and download all my3d printing designs.

This work is also hosted on Thingiverse at:


The github directory has detailed instructions and this is also provided as a pdf on Thingiverse that you can download in the files section.

This design in not perfect as the holes for the RaspberryPi are about 1mm too high. This results in a slight tilt to the RaspberryPi. I will fix this in the next version.?

There is also no attachments for an internal speaker provided (although there is a grill area for the speaker to the left of the RaspberryPi.) I have some possible candidates for a speaker coming from Amazon, if they work out I will re-release the design with the proper holes and provide the link if you want to buy the speaker (direct, not a referral link ;-) )

I also want to add a brace -- like what Elecraft provides for their KX2/KX3 -- so the sBitx can tilt back slightly.

Let me know what you think!

73
Mark







--
AJ6CU/7
KD8CEC 2.0, Nextion Screens,? and open source uBITX Raduino boards for Arduino IOT, BLE, RP2040, Teensy 4.0, and Raspberry Pi Pico
https://github.com/aj6cu

The current (v3.02) log program does not accept the / sign, therefore, none of the forms of occasional stations that are located outside can be entered.
The call sign displayed in the reception window is displayed in the form <...>.
If it is shorter, you can see it, but during the QSO it happens that it simply disappears and the entry <...> remains in the log file.
My example today is that the program entered the / sign.
When I wanted to note with the editor that no cfm had occurred, i.e. the R-xx report was not acknowledged, the / sign disappeared from then on.

I could tell you to bring POTA, SOTA, so go out into the field with this device, which cannot give your occasional call sign.
But I don't because I want it to work well.
I'm not a coder and I'm not a good English speaker, as google translator helps with the translation.
But I am looking for an opportunity to help someone who can code.
I would appreciate any help.
--
Gyula HA3HZ

I found a forum discussion between Joe K1JT and Bill G4WJS about the composite call sign.
Things are still flexible here, but if you read it, you'll probably understand more than I do.
I hope it leads you a little closer to the solution.
They exchanged "".

--
Gyula HA3HZ

开云体育

Nice to know.? Now I know what software version I'm running, as I don't have the button.

Gerry

Sent by the Windows 11 Thunderbird

On Sat, Jan 20, 2024 at 11:23 PM, Ashhar Farhan wrote:

In V3, there is a SET button in the top row, click on that to get the form to change the callsign and grid.

Nice.? I note that it was introduced to the code on Jan 6th so not in V3.00, but in V3.01 and later.

Also, unfortunately, the user-facing document I linked to above still has the V3.00 screen shot in it and doesn't mention SET.

Is there a document update for the newer changes?
?
--
Regards,
Dave, N1AI

On Sat, Jan 20, 2024 at 09:31 PM, Ashhar Farhan wrote:

Ok, here are a few comments:

I will offer what I think is constructive feedback, and hope it will be accepted as such.

1. The only tried and tested operating system for sbitx is 32 bit operating system. Those trying the 64 bit versions are encouraged to do so at their own risk. We will eventually move to 32 bits but the updates are tested on the operating system provided on the sd card - the 32 bit buster.

Re: At our own risk: The hfsignals.com web site makes it clear that after thirty days there is no support other than community-based efforts and points to this forum as the main location to interact with the community.

Re: Buster: Buster is Debian 10, two releases old, first released in 2019.? ?Security updates ended in 2022.? Long-term support ends in a few months.? It's definitely time to move on to something newer.

Re: 64 bits:? Support for a 64-bit OS for Pi has been mainstream since Debian 11 ( Bullseye, 2021 ) which has already been succeeded by Debian 12 ( Bookworm, 2023 ).? Windows dropped support for 32-bit machines in 2020 and new smartphone ARM cores have dropped 32-bit OS support since last year.? ?They may have some ability to run 32-bit apps, but that is fading away fast as well.? Linux itself has had 64-bit support since the 1990s and runs on everything from phones to supercomputers, so it is very mature and robust.? Most apps benefit from processing data 64 bits at a time and using instructions and registers that don't exist in 32-bit mode.? ?Dropping support for 32-bit mode makes CPUs cheaper and faster, so the trend will accelerate.

2. The sbitx does everything that the ic 705 does with the same stability. It is the things that no other radio does (like keyboard macros and logging) that are at a higher level that any other radios, those continue to report errors.

I agree the sbitx is more innovative than IC-705.? You should be congratulated and celebrated for that. I certainly want the innovation to continue.? I'm willing to put up with bugs as a side effect of innovation.??

I think the integration of FT8 as a first-class citizen is a wonderful idea. I personally like the large touchscreen and its UI, including its on-screen keyboard and macro support, and hope that it continues to be developed.?

I have purchased two sbitx radios.? I could have bought a IC-705 instead but did not.? I respect and admire your work.? I am using my dollars and my time to support your work.? I respect and admire you as a person.? ?I think the project shows your decades-long experience at work after creating several innovative radios from scratch.

I introduced the IC-705 to show an example of high-quality release notes.

I'm not sure what kind of stability you are referring to.? I would suggest the IC-705 software is more robust than the sbitx software and suggest that the recent bug fixes pretty much prove that point.? I doubt Icom has ever released hallucinating FFT software, if not it's been a very long time.

I am concerned about the sbitx software's robustness and pace of development.? Whatever unique ideas you have will probably get copied soon enough.? It feels to me like we are months behind where we could be if bug fixes and functional improvements were being taken in efficiently.? It feels to me some have walked away from this product both as customers and developers due to concerns about software completeness, robustness, and pace of development.? Yet I feel much of this can be improved dramatically, and am hopeful that it will be.

3. There will be many edge cases like turning the taskbar on/off or using other on-screen keyboards like the matchbox, etc., that will continue to throw up errors.

This is why software-intense commercial products are expensive.? It takes a robust software team to find fixes for edge cases and deliver them to customers in a timely fashion and in a format that they can use without disrupting their current setup. Most of these people want to be paid, thus the cost.? It's no secret that most of the key Linux developers are being paid to work on Linux one way or the other.? It's a real challenge in the hobbyist space to keep up with that kind of effort.? It is why we need to adopt the best practices sooner rather than later.

4. The 3.02 software is not yet a release. We do not have a release cycle yet. V3.0 is the stable software for those who just need a radio that works.

It's very hard for end users to understand what is a release and what is not a release.? This V3.02 thread started with "I urge you all to run an update and enjoy the better version" which sounds like a release to most people.? The git repo has no tags to indicate what the releases are.? ?The github release facility is not being used.? Git branching is not being used.? Release notes similar to the ones I showed for IC-705 are not being issued.? Upgrade and downgrade strategies are not being documented consistently and effectively.? IMO this thread provides several examples of why these areas need attention.
?
--
Regards,
Dave, N1AI

Harald,
I think that you are not using the device for connection in ft8 mode, where the difference is noticeable.
It's still not the real thing, but it's getting better.

Oh and it is not mandatory to use ./update.
Read back in my messages and you will find the difference.
--
Gyula HA3HZ

I have ecperinced some issues vith V3.02 and moved back to V3.01 which seems to be more safe.
It would have been very practical if ./update could give us the option to select between versions.
Now, everybody has to make backups of everything.
73 Harald

"Funny"' experience with my V2 sBitx and the homebrew desktop microphone I built and used very successfully with my (modified) Development Edition.? ?The mic DIDNT WORK with the V2.? Dead.? ?No modulation.? ?Scared me good, thought I had destroyed it somehow.

Mic construction article:??
Digikey has the cartridges for < $1.40, thousands in stock:??
Datasheet on the extremely high output cartridge (-24dB)??specifies 10v max.....

The sBitx mic DC bias circuit (a 10K to +12 (which might be +13)) has been discussed extensively in a thread beginning here:? ?/g/BITX20/message/99461

So I put the homebrew desktop mic back on my (modified) DE -- and it works FINE!? ? The difference is mic bias voltage...I had modified the DE to drop the mic bias voltage back into the more traditional voltage range.? ?Cartridge much happier with voltage within spec (<10V).

Suggestion:? ?It is much easier for me NOT to have to dive into the surface mount and tear into the V2 (which I finally have back together!! and doing great) -- so merely adding a 33K in parallel with the mic cartridge in the homebrew microphone will drop the DC bias with the sBitx even with +13V back down into the specification range.? ? And the AC load on the mic is down in the 2-3K range because of resistors and base impedance of the 2N3904 amplifier, so adding 33K in parallel will do almost nothing to the AC load impedance or output voltage.? ??

The SUPPLIED mic works fine, just doesn't sound quite as nice (and besides,? I've misplaced one of my mics so need this homebrew to work).? ??

Additional suggestion:? ?as part of the school science fair project I'm helping three students with, we have modified the code to allow chopping off unnecessary bass frequencies, and enhancing intelligibility-important treble frequencies, in the transmitter response.? ?All digital signal processing, just a very few lines of code....and controlled by \commands just like the sidetone, etc.? ? This can tailor the frequency response of the sBitx transmitter to match what ICOM and other brands can do.? ?I'll post snippets soon, and someone might wish to incorporate (or IMPROVE) them to make transmitter equalization possible.? ? Listening on a local ragchew net, it is very interesting with the sBitx to see which brands have this tailoring versus those with wasted low frequency response all the way to near 0 Hz.....and poor poor treble output.? ?Because the sBitx is SDR, tailoring this stuff is duck-soup.

With the typical hearing loss in the higher ends of the age group, it can also be useful to tailor the RECEIVER freq response.? ?Adding that would be similarly simple because of the DSP nature of this radio....we have one guy in our group who has real trouble copying callsigns etc (likely due to loss of high freq hearing).? ??

This goes along with the "fix" that I implemented to raise the USB output to be roughly equal to the LSB output.? ?All easy to do on this wonderful little radio that Ashhar provides.

73
Gordon KX4Z

Hi Gerry

Use wine? but it needs to be a 4gb pi



I have it on my main pi for when I was testing a mode (think it was vara ?)

I? have an 8gb pi I used for all radio stuff before I got my sbitx and I used wine on that.

I would copy the SD card before installing wine in case there are any unexpected side affects to the sbitx program.

Have Fun Richard G7OED?

Thanks to all.?
73, de Andrea?

Gerry,

Grid Tracker runs well on the RPi. If you use an external monitor, they fit nicely next to each other with the sbitx.
You can find how to install it in a previous message. Use the search function in the upper right corner.
This is just a suggestion. Look at it, read it and decide if you need it or not.
--
Gyula HA3HZ

On Sat, Jan 20, 2024 at 11:51 AM, HA3HZ wrote:

JJ - W9JES,
When I tested pull requests, I left this last. It was #69 that made the change in sbitx_sound.c. As far as I know, it is to eliminate the occasional error by rebooting.
The error was that the audio loop was not built and there were dark spots in the waterfall. This was the visible error.

I think it needs more time to really do its job well.
If you are completely disillusioned with it, you can return to the previous sbitx_sound.c. I saved this with the name .old and could return to it at any time.
Since I store all previous versions, I can easily go back. But as I wrote before, adding old makes the return faster.
If you need an earlier version of git, I can do that.
--
Gyula HA3HZ

Addendum to my message #108180:

For the sake of testing, I have always incorporated pull request changes into the sbitx currently released on github.
This was the case with 3.0, 3.01 and 3.02 as well.

I currently have 812 ft8 connections on 3 different bands.
Previously, before the pull requests, it happened that the audio loop was not built and in that case I restarted sbitx to make it work correctly.
Since I installed #69 and have been using it, nothing like this has happened.

I note that I discussed my question with Steve.
I thought it was important to say this.
?
--
Gyula HA3HZ