Re: zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
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I purchased the rig in the pic from eBay about a year ago. ?The best I can remember it is a version of the Bit-X but not sure. ?I haven¡¯t used it other than som RX because it didn¡¯t have a manual and operation isn¡¯t obvious to me. ?Is there a manual on the web?
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sorry my first post was questions but that¡¯s alli have until I start making contacts. ?Pic attached.
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73,
Jerry NE4L
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Re: Tiny GNSS Clock for the Field
Li¡ªyou are correct. ?All of this GPS stuff is superfluous provided that you know your location and your real-time clock isn¡¯t terribly terribly off. Which isn¡¯t likely to be. And it¡¯s easy to sync with WSJT anyway. ??
However, for our field day effort, our group wanted to demonstrate full emergency communications capabilities without any Internet, and so we built an NTP server that is independent. ?We are an ARES group
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On May 19, 2025, at 10:49, Li Cao via groups.io <licao081@...> wrote:
? I¡¯m wondering why we would need this. Not sure about sBitx, doesn¡¯t the zBitx have a high precision RTC with coin battery inside ? I saw some posting about a zBitx user found the battery missing when it arrived . It should not drift off too much if you sync the clock recently (I am thinking within a couple of weeks at least)
Li KQ4EXQ On May 19, 2025, at 9:08?AM, Gordon Gibby KX4Z via groups.io <docvacuumtubes@...> wrote:
? Thanks, Andy!
?
We had to deal with this a year or so back, so that we could compete in FIELD DAY with FT8/FT4 without requiring any internet.? ?There are of course many ways to "sync" these signals and they are pretty resilient even to being off more than a second -- but we wanted a general purpose solution.? So we built our own NTP server using a cheap dongle GPS receiver and software on a raspberry pi.? ?Something similar should work on the SBitx etc...
?
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We built ours as a standalone system and have used it in a couple of Field Days I think now with good success.
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Gordon KX4Z
?
?
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Re: Tiny GNSS Clock for the Field
I¡¯m wondering why we would need this. Not sure about sBitx, doesn¡¯t the zBitx have a high precision RTC with coin battery inside ? I saw some posting about a zBitx user found the battery missing when it arrived . It should not drift off too much if you sync the clock recently (I am thinking within a couple of weeks at least)
Li KQ4EXQ
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On May 19, 2025, at 9:08?AM, Gordon Gibby KX4Z via groups.io <docvacuumtubes@...> wrote:
? Thanks, Andy!
?
We had to deal with this a year or so back, so that we could compete in FIELD DAY with FT8/FT4 without requiring any internet.? ?There are of course many ways to "sync" these signals and they are pretty resilient even to being off more than a second -- but we wanted a general purpose solution.? So we built our own NTP server using a cheap dongle GPS receiver and software on a raspberry pi.? ?Something similar should work on the SBitx etc...
?
?
We built ours as a standalone system and have used it in a couple of Field Days I think now with good success.
?
Gordon KX4Z
?
?
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Re: zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
I've just received these from AliExpress, haven't tried them yet but they all look okay. The keyboard and mouse will plug into the little splitter.?
The power supply block 9volt? will plug into my main power supply at 13+ volts and should give me the required 9v for my Zbitx it's says 5a so should be fine.?
Hope this is useful , they were great value too.
Martin?
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https://a.aliexpress.com/_EHsNB6Q
12V24V to 9V5A power step-down module 12V to 9V DC transformer 24V to 9V car converter
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EIfTaIE
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Re: zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
A Bluetooth keyboard should also work natively...
Hi Dave et all...Nice to hear from you...I hope all is well...
Another fine radio from HF Signals...I downloaded the manual and gave it a quick read...Any HDMI capable TV/Monitor will work for the display...You will need the appropriate cable to go between the radio and the screen...The keyboard will attach to the micro USB port on the radio...Most any modern keyboard, wired or wireless, will work...
Remember, you are interfacing to a Raspberry Pi so all the rules for that platform apply...It looks like once you have the Pi configured, you will no longer need the external devices for normal operation unless you want them...
I'll give it a closer look but if you are familiar with the Raspberry Pi platform this should be a slam dunk...
Dave...Did the club ever do anything with the BitX40 and uBitX V6 radios I left them?...They are still good radios to learn on...
Best 73's to all...Jim WB2LHP
I and a few friends just got back from Four Days In May with our new zBitx xcvrs.? The manual recommends using a monitor and keyboard for setting up time and some other features but I don't have those available.
Could members of this email site recommend a small key board and monitor and advise on a size for each. I want it to be portable to take when we go to Florida next winter.? Amazon and eBay are fine sources.
Dave K8WPE. Djwilcox01 at Gmail dot com
PS to Jim (past CARC Club President)
Jim,
I know you used similar items when active with your small portable rigs. What say you?
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Re: zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
Hi Dave et all...Nice to hear from you...I hope all is well...
Another fine radio from HF Signals...I downloaded the manual and gave it a quick read...Any HDMI capable TV/Monitor will work for the display...You will need the appropriate cable to go between the radio and the screen...The keyboard will attach to the micro USB port on the radio...Most any modern keyboard, wired or wireless, will work...
Remember, you are interfacing to a Raspberry Pi so all the rules for that platform apply...It looks like once you have the Pi configured, you will no longer need the external devices for normal operation unless you want them...
I'll give it a closer look but if you are familiar with the Raspberry Pi platform this should be a slam dunk...
Dave...Did the club ever do anything with the BitX40 and uBitX V6 radios I left them?...They are still good radios to learn on...
Best 73's to all...Jim WB2LHP
I and a few friends just got back from Four Days In May with our new zBitx xcvrs.? The manual recommends using a monitor and keyboard for setting up time and some other features but I don't have those available.
Could members of this email site recommend a small key board and monitor and advise on a size for each. I want it to be portable to take when we go to Florida next winter.? Amazon and eBay are fine sources.
Dave K8WPE. Djwilcox01 at Gmail dot com
PS to Jim (past CARC Club President)
Jim,
I know you used similar items when active with your small portable rigs. What say you?
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Re: Tiny GNSS Clock for the Field
Thanks, Andy!
?
We had to deal with this a year or so back, so that we could compete in FIELD DAY with FT8/FT4 without requiring any internet.? ?There are of course many ways to "sync" these signals and they are pretty resilient even to being off more than a second -- but we wanted a general purpose solution.? So we built our own NTP server using a cheap dongle GPS receiver and software on a raspberry pi.? ?Something similar should work on the SBitx etc...
?
?
We built ours as a standalone system and have used it in a couple of Field Days I think now with good success.
?
Gordon KX4Z
?
?
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Tiny GNSS Clock for the Field
Since RTCs aren't, and since many want to use their sBITX/zBITX in the field doing things that need accurate time, consider the 'guy with the Swiss accent'.
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Andreas' project this week is a TINY GPS/ESP32 combo capable of sub-second accuracy via both WIFI and Ethernet.
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73, Andy
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I just joined this group.
I ordered a zbitx a couple of?weeks ago and I'm looking forward to using it.??
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Re: zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
Dave
?? I use the Rapoo 9010M small keyboard and mouse (~ $20) with my sBitx and zBitx. It uses a single USB dongle for both or you can use a Bluetooth connection.
73
??? Bob? KD8CGH
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Re: zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
Ken,
Small and portable. No room on my overstuffed bench (or for traveling) for a nice easy to read monitor or pack a larger keyboard.
Dave K8WPE
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On May 19, 2025, at 6:57?AM, Ken N2VIP <ken@...> wrote:
?David,
I won't make any specific suggestions, but I would ask you to clarify - are you looking for "something that works" or "something nice"?
The difference in my mind is that "something that works" will have lower resolution, be smaller (7-8"?), and maybe weigh more (older tech, etc) and "something nice" will have FHD (1920x1080 resolution) and be a bit bigger (15.4"?)
Figuring that out will help focus the responses.
Off the top of my head, and as a starting point, what about the official RPi 15.4" monitor? It's FHD, USB-powered, and fairly reasonably priced at $100 US...
Interested to see what the group comes up with,
Ken, N2VIP
On May 19, 2025, at 05:44, David Wilcox K8WPE via groups.io <Djwilcox01@...> wrote:
?I and a few friends just got back from Four Days In May with our new zBitx xcvrs. The manual recommends using a monitor and keyboard for setting up time and some other features but I don't have those available.
Could members of this email site recommend a small key board and monitor and advise on a size for each. I want it to be portable to take when we go to Florida next winter. Amazon and eBay are fine sources.
Dave K8WPE. Djwilcox01 at Gmail dot com
PS to Jim (past CARC Club President)
Jim,
I know you used similar items when active with your small portable rigs. What say you?
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Re: zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
David,
I won't make any specific suggestions, but I would ask you to clarify - are you looking for "something that works" or "something nice"?
The difference in my mind is that "something that works" will have lower resolution, be smaller (7-8"?), and maybe weigh more (older tech, etc) and "something nice" will have FHD (1920x1080 resolution) and be a bit bigger (15.4"?)
Figuring that out will help focus the responses.
Off the top of my head, and as a starting point, what about the official RPi 15.4" monitor? It's FHD, USB-powered, and fairly reasonably priced at $100 US...
Interested to see what the group comes up with,
Ken, N2VIP
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On May 19, 2025, at 05:44, David Wilcox K8WPE via groups.io <Djwilcox01@...> wrote:
?I and a few friends just got back from Four Days In May with our new zBitx xcvrs. The manual recommends using a monitor and keyboard for setting up time and some other features but I don't have those available.
Could members of this email site recommend a small key board and monitor and advise on a size for each. I want it to be portable to take when we go to Florida next winter. Amazon and eBay are fine sources.
Dave K8WPE. Djwilcox01 at Gmail dot com
PS to Jim (past CARC Club President)
Jim,
I know you used similar items when active with your small portable rigs. What say you?
|
zBitx keyboard and monitor recommendation and advice
I and a few friends just got back from Four Days In May with our new zBitx xcvrs. The manual recommends using a monitor and keyboard for setting up time and some other features but I don't have those available.
Could members of this email site recommend a small key board and monitor and advise on a size for each. I want it to be portable to take when we go to Florida next winter. Amazon and eBay are fine sources.
Dave K8WPE. Djwilcox01 at Gmail dot com
PS to Jim (past CARC Club President)
Jim,
I know you used similar items when active with your small portable rigs. What say you?
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Re: Sbitx v3 HW_settings.ini gone- how fix?
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Re: Sbitx v3 HW_settings.ini gone- how fix?
Robert,
links:
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Read and do
--
Gyula HA3HZ
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Guyula,
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Perfect schematic! Thank you
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Robert
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Sbitx v3 HW_settings.ini gone- how fix?
Hello All,
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well I did it this time. I was trying to make a backup of my Sbitx software and I had a usb stick it one port, on my laptop, and an SD Card in another port. When it came for the backup the imager program asked me if drive F, so I thought, was ready for formatting, of course I said yes and I soon found out it was drive E instead of F. Well anyway I deleted my only copy of my Sbitx software for my Sbitx v3.
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My question is how do I make another HW_settings.ini file. Do I do some type of calibration? I heard that you don¡¯t calibrate the Sbitx v3 the same way you calibrate a Sbitx v2, so I¡¯m stuck. Also I¡¯m moving over to the 64 bit version of the software. Do you still use the same HW_Settings.ini file for the 64 bit versions software? I did a search over the past postings ani I couldn¡¯t I find a definitive answer to my problem. HELP!!
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thanks for all the participation in advance. All thoughts welcome.
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Thanks again, 73,
Robert, AG6LK
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Re: Sbitx high swr on a 1 to 1 antenna
Try taking a very tiny pin, and working with the contacts to make them grasp more tightly. Then add a tiny bit of dielectric or other grease. ?
If you think that there is also a bit of oxidation, put a drop of vinegar (a mild acid that will eat up the oxidation, returning it to pristine metal ) in there for five or 10 minutes and then a drop ?or two of water to wash it out. Follow up with some dielectric grease after it has dried out.
Just a suggestion, Gordon,Kx4z?
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On May 18, 2025, at 19:29, WZab - SP5DAA via groups.io <wzab01@...> wrote:
? Today, using my zBitx outdoor, I have experienced a few random increases of SWR to very high values (above 20 or more, it wasn't displayed correctly). The problem disappeared when I slightly moved the BNC plug at the antenna cable. I have checked the BNC connector in my zBitx and found that the central connectors are not gold-plated.
It looks, like after a month of intensive use, the contacts quality has deterirated significantly :(.
Has anybody tried replacing the BNC connector in zBitx? How easy is it?
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73,
Wojtek
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Re: zBITX Crashes - Suspect Memory Leak
#zbitx
Jody,
the "partial" works good? down to 50ms. (iambic)
thanks so much.
iambic b , no joy
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Bob Benedict, KD8CGH
David Wilcox K8WPE
HA3HZ