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Re: New user
Jack Purdum
Hi Simon: I wasn't criticizing your code at all. I, too, am self-taught (my degree is in economics) and can really appreciate that everyone has to start somewhere. I was simply trying to point out where the code might fail so someone who tries it doesn't get frustrated and give up. Thanks for the kind words about the 49er...fun little rig! I just had an article accepted by QST for an antenna analyzer our club built. (See pix.) Oddly, the PCB is pretty similar to the 49er!? 73, Jack, W8TEE From: Kelly Jack <kellyjack1968@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, January 30, 2017 10:14 AM Subject: Re: [BITX20] New user Thanks Jack. I am a self taught using the heuristic that if it works ok when I run the sketch then it will do until it doesn't do what I thought it should. ?So I know my coding is not going to be optimal or elegant. Not sure what I did with the volts voltage variables. I may have forgotten to save that last edit. By the way my first ever dds was based on the one you did for the 49er and I tweaked it to use on the BITX40 before the raduino came out. So my BITX became much more workable thanks to you. (I apologise for turning your elegant coding on that into what is most likely a jumbled mess!) Thanks again. Regards? Simon VK3ELH |
Re: New user
Thanks Jack. I am a self taught using the heuristic that if it works ok when I run the sketch then it will do until it doesn't do what I thought it should. ?So I know my coding is not going to be optimal or elegant. Not sure what I did with the volts voltage variables. I may have forgotten to save that last edit. By the way my first ever dds was based on the one you did for the 49er and I tweaked it to use on the BITX40 before the raduino came out. So my BITX became much more workable thanks to you. (I apologise for turning your elegant coding on that into what is most likely a jumbled mess!) Thanks again. Regards? Simon VK3ELH |
Re: New user
Jack Purdum
I would suggest the following changes: #define TWOMIN 120000UL ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?// There's no reason to do the math at runtime The following statement belongs in setup() as it initializes the time since the program started: ? ??nextRolltime = millis() + TWOMIN;? // variable to test against millis() in the loop In your loop, the next statement asks the math on two unsigned numbers to yield a signed result: if ( (unsigned long) (millis() - nextRolltime?) >= 0UL) {?? //checks to see if its time to read the supply voltage again That statement can yield weird results. ?I would change the if statement block to: if ( millis() > nextRolltime?) ?{?? //checks to see if its time to read the supply voltage again ?? float supply = (float) analogRead(A1); ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?// read the supply voltage ?? float voltage = supply/50.6; ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? // follow Don's method to determine the denominator ?? float volts = round(voltage*100)/100; ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?// I only wanted one decimal point ?? lcd.setCursor(0,1); ?? lcd.print(voltage,1); lcd.print("V"); ? ?nextRolltime?+= TWOMIN; ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?// add two minutes to the rolltime variable to test against for next time. } You should cast the result of analogRead() to a float, if nothing else but to document what you're doing. Next, in the if block you calculate volts, but never use it. I think you want volts, not voltage, in the first lcd.print() call. Jack, W8TEE From: Kelly Jack <kellyjack1968@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, January 30, 2017 5:50 AM Subject: Re: [BITX20] New user Mike, There is nothing of mine in there.? I started with Ron's (PA3FAT) sketch which has the encoder?stuff and removed the s meter code.?All I did was comment out the smeter and bargraph functions in the loop. ?/g/BITX20/files/Radruino%20with%20rotary%20encoder%20and%20S-meter Then I added Don's (ND6T) hardware mod and code for the voltage measurement which I tweaked to run every two minutes as it was ticking each time it ran - I haven't bothered to sort out the tick. This goes in the definitions: #define TWOMIN (1000UL * 120)? // two minutes unsigned long rolltime = millis() + TWOMIN;? // variable to test against millis() in the loop This goes in the loop: if((long)(millis() - rolltime) >= 0) {?? //checks to see if its time to read the supply voltage again ?? float supply = (analogRead(A1));? // read the supply voltage ?? float voltage = supply/50.6;? // follow Don's method to determine the denominator ?? float volts = round(voltage*100)/100; // I only wanted one decimal point ?? lcd.setCursor(0,1); ?? lcd.print(voltage,1); lcd.print("V"); rolltime+=TWOMIN; // add two minutes to the rolltime variable to test against for next time. } As its currently set up the voltage is tested for the first time only after two minutes after power on.?I'm sure it could be rewritten to test immediately. I haven't bothered with it yet. Happy to load it up in full but I would like to clean it up a bit, I'm a lazy coder and cut and paste a lot of stuff without commenting and also take shortcuts like commenting out bits I don't need. There are also some other lazy tweaks that I've done to personalise it to my preferences which again are not well formed code, but work as quick hacks. Also, there is no crediting in there for the bits I've brought in so I'd like to make sure that's good too. Regards Simon |
Re: isolating BNC jack from metal case
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýno ? Van: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Namens davidzdeb@...
Verzonden: 30 January, 2017 01:12 Aan: [email protected] Onderwerp: [BITX20] isolating BNC jack from metal case ? Hello, ? Is it necessary to isolate the BNC jack if using a metal enclosure? |
Re: New user
Mike, There is nothing of mine in there.? I started with Ron's (PA3FAT) sketch which has the encoder?stuff and removed the s meter code.?All I did was comment out the smeter and bargraph functions in the loop. ?/g/BITX20/files/Radruino%20with%20rotary%20encoder%20and%20S-meter Then I added Don's (ND6T) hardware mod and code for the voltage measurement which I tweaked to run every two minutes as it was ticking each time it ran - I haven't bothered to sort out the tick. This goes in the definitions: #define TWOMIN (1000UL * 120)? // two minutes unsigned long rolltime = millis() + TWOMIN;? // variable to test against millis() in the loop This goes in the loop: if((long)(millis() - rolltime) >= 0) {?? //checks to see if its time to read the supply voltage again } As its currently set up the voltage is tested for the first time only after two minutes after power on.?I'm sure it could be rewritten to test immediately. I haven't bothered with it yet. Happy to load it up in full but I would like to clean it up a bit, I'm a lazy coder and cut and paste a lot of stuff without commenting and also take shortcuts like commenting out bits I don't need. There are also some other lazy tweaks that I've done to personalise it to my preferences which again are not well formed code, but work as quick hacks. Also, there is no crediting in there for the bits I've brought in so I'd like to make sure that's good too. Regards Simon |
Re: Raduino dead?
@John, I am sure everything is settup correctly. I also tried to press the reset button. Nothing helped. I did so many Arduino uploads in the past (for my RC models stuff) and never had that problem. Wether my nano died or the drivers I have installed over time do harm each other. @Rich, no worry. I totally understand, that we should only write in english, so everybody can understand. When I red the german answer to my post, it was some kind of a reflex to answer in german. And don't mind about the headacke of that Lutheran Gesangsbuch. If it is something like I think it is, it would give me headache too ;-) |
Re: New 10 turn pot for $10.00
Ronny Julian
On Sun, Jan 29, 2017 at 2:27 PM, KC8WBK via Groups.Io <cruisenewsnet@...> wrote:
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Re: New user
Mods I've done. 1. DDS vfo - i got one of the pre raduino ones. 2. Remove cap between pins 1 and 8 of the lm386 and replace with a switch so there is both cap and no cap options. 3. Additional power jack to feed in 24v to the power amp. Its on a switch so i can run it with 12 volts off one supply also. 4. Replace the cap in the bfo with a trimmer per recommendation of Peter VK3YE. 5. Replaced the volume/switch pot with a separate new pot and switch. 6. Put the upgrade raduino module in and converted it to use a rotary encoder. 7. Added the voltage readout to the display. A couple of failed mods that I've undone. Relays to eliminate the PTT pop - didn't work. S meter on the raduino - too noisy. Oh, and bigger heatsink when i did the higher voltage mod. Regards? Simon? VK3ELH? |
Re: VFO & Digital Read out Does Not work (where do I get software for the
Jack Purdum
My bad: Change this line: LiquidCrystal lcd(12,?11,?5,?4,?3,?2); to LiquidCrystal lcd(8,9,10,11,12,13); and report back. Jack, W8TEE From: B S <saaint@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 6:05 PM Subject: Re: [BITX20] VFO & Digital Read out Does Not work (where do I get software for the THANKS!
I just compiled and UPLOADED the attached program.? DOES NOT DISPLAY
see attached Photo
BOB
K6YN
Sent from
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Jack Purdum via Groups.Io <econjack@...>
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 1:12 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BITX20] VFO & Digital Read out Does Not work (where do I get software for the ?
Does this work on your Nano:
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
// initialize the library with the numbers of the interface pins LiquidCrystal lcd(12,?11,?5,?4,?3,?2); void?setup()?{ ??// set up the LCD's number of columns and rows: ? lcd.begin(16,?2); ??// Print a message to the LCD. ? lcd.print("hello, world!"); } void?loop()?{ ??// Turn off the display: ? lcd.noDisplay(); ??delay(500); ??// Turn on the display: ? lcd.display(); ??delay(500); } From: dj0hf <dj0hf@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 4:04 PM Subject: Re: [BITX20] VFO & Digital Read out Does Not work (where do I get software for the Hi Bob,
the simple 'Hello World' sketch normally outputs to the serial port and so wouldn't show anything onthe green screen unless the appropriate libraries have been included and the program extended to include the output to the green screen. So although it doesn't help you find the problem, your display may not be defective. Good luck, Ian DJ0HF/G3ULO Am 29.01.2017 um 21:29 schrieb B S:
Thank again for all the help!
I FINALLY got the complied RADUINO sketch to UPLOAD to my NANO..? When plugged into my radio it TUNES the receiver but there is still NO digital read out on the JHD162A green screen.
I downloaded a simple "HELLO WORLD" sketch from ARDUINO webpage and uploaded that sketch.? Still no reading on the green screen.
I am concluding that my screen is bad..? Is this a reasonable assumption?? ??
IS the JDH659a LCD Display module a direct replacement fit for the JDH162a LCD display?
BOB
K6YN. ?
Sent from
From:
[email protected]
<[email protected]> on behalf of John Backo via Groups.Io
<iam74@...>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2017 3:33 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BITX20] VFO & Digital Read out Does Not work (where do I get software for the ?
These are all warnings. They have little to do with the running of the program. If it works, OK. If not, you need another configuration as already mentioned.
john AD5YE |
Re: New user
If you are going to mod the radio, I suggest you order a second one because they are easy to break and a second one provides a reference how to fix the first one. 1. The mod that made the biggest improvement for me was an RF Gain knob.? I added a 10k ohm variable resistor (potentiometer) in series
with R16, so I now have an RF Gain control on my radio.? It certainly
improves the user experience when listening to high power signals. Remove R16, solder two wires to the pads, connect them to a potentiometer with a 220 ohm resistor in series.? I used a 10k pot, but a 5k or even a 1k would probably also work, I use less than 10% of the turning angle. I can turn down the high power signals and listen to them without damage to my ears, or I can turn down the noise while monitoring a frequency, and turn it back up when I hear something interesting.? The receiver as delivered is seriously loud in headphones, hopefully this will reduce my future hearing aid bills. 2. I did this mod and I believe it helps but I have not heard my signal yet, so can't confirm that:? I paralleled a 22pf capacitor and a 5pf cap in the same method as the vk3ye video. Audio sounds more punchy. It also helps to speak loud with the mike right next to your mouth. I had some faint signal qso's where they couldn't hear me until I very clearly and loudly barked out my call. The power meter jumps higher the louder you speak. 3. I removed c113 but this may not be necessary if you do mod 1, above. 4. I haven't done this yet, but a shuttle tuning mod is in my future.? I only have one working Raduino with another in the mail, but when I get my second one, I will start programming the arduino sketch to do various things.? I have a shuttle tuning sketch written up but not tested yet.? Shuttle tuning is where the frequency does not change with the knob at a center point, but if you move it left or right the frequency goes down or up until you move it back to the center point.? The frequency will move faster the further you turn the knob left or right. You don't have to do any of these mods, the radio is good out of the box.? But if you like to tweak things, modding can be fun. |
Re: VFO & Digital Read out Does Not work (where do I get software for the
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýDear Joel, Thanks!? Tried it ..? no change..
B K6YN
Sent from From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Joel Caulkins <caulktel@...>
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 3:13 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BITX20] VFO & Digital Read out Does Not work (where do I get software for the ?
Bob,?
I know this is very simplistic, but have you adjusted the contrast pot under the display? Without it adjusted correctly you won't see anything but squares on your display. Just a thought.
Joel?
KB6QVI
|
Re: Raduino schematic additions
Hi all, I have spent a long time trying to get a few of the "A" input features that are included in the raduino sketch working. Unfortunately I am having little success. The Calibration mode works as expected and I can reassign this successfully to any of the other available A inputs (proving that the hardware is working fine), however none of the other features in the code work. That is: -VFO A/B toggle (A3 double tap to GND) -VFO Copy (A3 Hold to GND) -RIT (A3 Tap to GND) -"TX" display on screen (A6 to GND) It is driving me nuts. Ashaar commented elsewhere that it was not working possibly?due to buggy timer code. I have edited the timers in many ways but still it doesn't work for me.? Can anyone here have a look and see why its not working? I am not an Arduino expert but I know enough to be dangerous :). ? Cheers ? |
Greetings from VE6
Hi everyone, ... and greetings from Calgary, Canada I ordered BITX on January 9, and eagerly waiting to receive the package, it's still in transit. I want to thank Ashhar and everyone else who put the effort into project like this one. Snow is slowly melting here and soon it will be time to put up some antenna ;) Anyway, I'm glad that group like this exist, I'm sure that I'll be able to find lots of anwsers here on many questions that will crop up when kit arrives and I put my hands on it. Still looking for the box ... Cheers, and see you somewhere on 40m ... 73,? Goran VE6GPO |
Re: isolating BNC jack from metal case
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On Jan 29, 2017, at 4:11 PM, davidzdeb@... wrote:
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Re: Recieve only with a non resonant antenna
M Garza
Yes, receiving with any antenna is fine.? It will not harm anything. Marco - KG5PRT? On Jan 29, 2017 6:09 PM, <davidzdeb@...> wrote:
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Re: Capacitance higher in LC of VFO
It was Raj in Bangalore (who has what has to be among the coolest of call signs!) I am very pleased with myself!! got the drift down to +-20Hz, even blowing on the board changes it by 50Hz momentarily. Changed C91-96 with C0G/NP0 SMD's and it was almost perfect! Choose 5% types. I changed the trimmer C93 with a murata Green. then: Old rule of the thumb I followed.. Low inductance higher capacitance makes a stabler VFO! I reduced the original 9.5uH yellow coil to about 6uH. Added 120pF across C95 Then I paralleled 2-3 MV209's across D9. You can parallel them to suit your tuning range. 200 or 300 Khz! You need a frequency counter for this mod. 73 -- Raj, VU2ZAP Bangalore, India. On Sunday, January 29, 2017 1:12 AM, John Backo via Groups.Io <iam74@...> wrote: Bill Meara in his latest podcast mentioned that someone recently had talked here about a rule of thumb regarding VFO's. It was an Indian ham as I recall (but I can't remember his callsign either...and I searched for it!). The most important thing stressed over and over in mounting traditional VFO's was to isolate the hand from the capacitor. There are numerous examples of this involving variable drives and non-metal spacers between the knob and the main capacitor. The reason is simple -- it is to minimize the effect of the hand on capacitance in the VFO circuit. If a VFO has an LC circuit which is high in inductance and low in capacitance, the percentage effect of stray capacitance (including that from the hand) is increased. So, as a rule of thumb, VFO's should have an LC circuit which is relatively higher in capacitance and relatively lower in inductance. Stray capacitance has a much greater effect on stability than stray inductance...and the hand has no effect on inductance, of course! By doing this the stray capacitance tends to be swamped out as a factor in stability. It is a rule derived from common sense and experience. All the older LC VFO's observed and compensated for this fact...especially the multi-band consoles which were in everybody's home until the mid-1950's, when the transistor radio and portables started to appear. I remember that. I tore a bunch of them apart and repaired many. I also remember the elaborate ways the tuning knob was isolated from the main capacitor in the VFO. It's still true today. The LC tank circuit in a VFO should be weighted towards capacitance and not inductance to minimize the effects of stray capacitance. FYI john AD5YE |