Re: Alternate mixer for ?BITX
i heard that there are modes like 8mA mode in SI5351 programming.
?Perhaps that could deliver high carrier levels. ?You may try to explore that before really adding an extra amp section. regards sarma ?vu3zmv
On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 9:17 PM, K5ESS <k5ess.nothdurft@...> wrote: Jerry wrote “The LO injection would have to be 10x the power”.? Well I totally forgot to convert the 3V (probably about 2.8V) P-P output of the SI5351 to an RMS value for calculating the 5351’s power output.? So yes, not enough drive for a +17dBm mixer.? However I get about 20 mW into 50 ohms (((2.8 * .3535)^2) /50) for the 5351’s output power so about 2.5x rather than 10x needed. Mike K5ESS ? From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2017 10:33 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BITX20] Alternate mixer for ?BITX ? The LO injection would have to be 10x the power, so I assume you'll need a gain stage on the LO.? And then evaluate the IF amplifiers to see if they properly deal with the higher level signals that can then come through.? And live with the additional RX battery drain if portable.? Not necessarily a bad idea, but I think you are in for considerably more than just adjusting attenuator values. ? ? On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 08:04 pm, K5ESS wrote: I have several MiniCircuits high level (+17dBm) JMS-1H mixers.? Would anyone care to comment on? pros/cons in substituting these for the discrete component mixers in Farhan's ?Bitx design (assume properly adjusting attenuator values on LO input)?
?
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Re: Alternate mixer for ?BITX
Jerry wrote “The LO injection would have to be 10x the power”.? Well I totally forgot to convert the 3V (probably about 2.8V) P-P output of the SI5351 to an RMS value for calculating the 5351’s power output.? So yes, not enough drive for a +17dBm mixer.? However I get about 20 mW into 50 ohms (((2.8 * .3535)^2) /50) for the 5351’s output power so about 2.5x rather than 10x needed. Mike K5ESS ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2017 10:33 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BITX20] Alternate mixer for ?BITX ? The LO injection would have to be 10x the power, so I assume you'll need a gain stage on the LO. ?And then evaluate the IF amplifiers to see if they properly deal with the higher level signals that can then come through. ?And live with the additional RX battery drain if portable. ?Not necessarily a bad idea, but I think you are in for considerably more than just adjusting attenuator values. ? ? On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 08:04 pm, K5ESS wrote: I have several MiniCircuits high level (+17dBm) JMS-1H mixers.? Would anyone care to comment on? pros/cons in substituting these for the discrete component mixers in Farhan's ?Bitx design (assume properly adjusting attenuator values on LO input)?
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Re: calibration routine fixed (raduino v1.0.2)
I thought there was something "not right" when I did the calibration on my BITX40V3. But I don't have your flight time in the cockpit.
Short and sweet of this message- Because of popularity since start of 2017. It's time to release a minimum revised BITX40V3 recommended hardware-software updates - like adding the cap in the final for 2nd harmonic suppression and other necessary items. Such as a Raduino V1.0.2? sketch. as that will also evolve.
Perhaps on HFSIGS.COM - a timeline page .... this, that or the other was adopted on this date... it's hard to follow on groups.io. I am sure everyone would want a "standard" as of this date page.. Larry W8LM
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Re: Easi link for audio connection - BITX40 and Digital mode
Fred
I believe my links were embedded within the text of my message. I also use Google's Shortener.
It was W9GHO that commented about the long links.
Randy
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Re: Easi link for audio connection - BITX40 and Digital mode
Investigate, yes. Implement, not yet. Those easy-digi boards are simple but effective as an isolator and a serial ptt. If you don't have a serial port, you'll need a USB to serial converter anyway so you could probably build something closer to this. (shameless plug, I made the video. It is aimed at non-builder types.) The biggest hurdle I've found so far is making the rig work on USB instead of LSB.?
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Re: Easi link for audio connection - BITX40 and Digital mode
Randy, You can take those crazy long URLs to tinyurl.com and it will turn them into small urls that are easy to copy. ? v/r Fred W4JLE ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Randy Hall
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 9:29 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BITX20] Easi link for audio connection - BITX40 and Digital mode ? Hi I was using my Easy Digi card to interface my iPhone to my BITX40.? I built a couple of these to interface HTs to iPhones when I was playing around with 2M SSTV. I posted two videos about this interface. ? ? So, I was using the interface with my iPhone for some transmitter testing. I did using a spectrum analyzer?on his phone to look at receiver bandwidth. So, I wondered if there were any function generators for the iPhone. I found this . It has tones, sweeps, and noise generators. I did pay the extra couple of $$s to use the noise and sweep generators.? I used the noise generator to transmit through the BITX40 and viewed the result on my K3/P3. I have also used a couple of resistors 47K/1K as a resistor voltage divider followed by a .15 uF cap in series feed the BITX40 from the iPhone. I haven't tried using the Easy Digi interface for any of the digital modes, yet. I think PSK may work with the BITX40 using LSB. PSK doesn't care about LSB/USB, except for figuring out what frequency you are using. I also wired up a toggle RV/XMIT switch across the PTT button, to free up a hand during testing. ? On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 11:05 PM, W9HGO <radiow9hgo@...> wrote: I came across a thread discussing the Easy Digi circuit for connecting to the radio audio.
Has anyone in the group investigated the use of the bitx40 for digital modes further?
These are friggin long links :)
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Re: Easi link for audio connection - BITX40 and Digital mode
Hi
I was using my Easy Digi card to interface my iPhone to my BITX40.?
I built a couple of these to interface HTs to iPhones when I was playing around with 2M SSTV.
I posted two videos about this interface. ? ?
So, I was using the interface with my iPhone for some transmitter testing. I did using a spectrum analyzer?on his phone to look at receiver bandwidth. So, I wondered if there were any function generators for the iPhone. I found this . It has tones, sweeps, and noise generators. I did pay the extra couple of $$s to use the noise and sweep generators.? I used the noise generator to transmit through the BITX40 and viewed the result on my K3/P3.
I have also used a couple of resistors 47K/1K as a resistor voltage divider followed by a .15 uF cap in series feed the BITX40 from the iPhone.
I haven't tried using the Easy Digi interface for any of the digital modes, yet. I think PSK may work with the BITX40 using LSB. PSK doesn't care about LSB/USB, except for figuring out what frequency you are using.
I also wired up a toggle RV/XMIT switch across the PTT button, to free up a hand during testing.
Have fun,
Randy, K7AGE BITX40 SN 139
On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 11:05 PM, W9HGO <radiow9hgo@...> wrote: I came across a thread discussing the Easy Digi circuit for connecting to the radio audio.
Has anyone in the group investigated the use of the bitx40 for digital modes further?
These are friggin long links :)
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Hi! Simon,
I suggested a cap that is in series and not to ground. The cap c122 charging when the TX voltage came on was the issue.
It helps if there is a 1K resistor parallel to C107 to reference/path to ground for decreasing the carrier burst.
Check if the cut track is really cut or a bit of copper left is causing the issue.
I desoldered the center pin of the preset, lifted the preset's desoldered pin and added a leaded cap in series.
It decreases the burst but reduces it to an acceptable level.
The charge up current spike of the cap C122 has to route to ground but we don't want it to go through the mixer diode and
momentarily unbalance the mixer.
A pic of what you did might give us a clue! I am not in town or I would send you a pic of what I did.
Cheers
--
Raj, vu2zap
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At 07/03/2017, you wrote: Hi,
Tried this and it didn't work for me. I cut the trace between R106 centre pin and R38. Scope indicated that the carrier burst was still there also.
I am wondering why a new cap in the path to ground would stop the current when C122 wouldn't stop this current itself. Scope indicated that the carrier burst was still there also.
Regards
Simon
VK3ELH
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Re: uBITX - A reboot of the old BITX
It would also be nice to have the Coil and Transformer winding details that have been asked for by many already!!!! Ray Koster G7BHQ
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Re: uBITX - A reboot of the old BITX
As much as I'd love to see a kit for the uBitX released it may not be feasible in the immediate future.? Instead it might be more realistic to create and release things like PCB gerber files, BOMs, and Kicad project files to make it easier for new homebrewers to tinker with the schematic and layout.? Different files for SMD and through hole components would be relatively simple to do.? There will undoubtedly be people who release their own files, as has happened with the BitX20, but having a foundation to work from would be a great start for those who don't have much experience with these things.
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Re: Installing the Arduino IDE directions.
Thanks Jack. BTW - I thought that your name seemed familiar. Looking back in the library I see that I have from 30+ years ago: C Self Study Guide C Programmers Library C Programming Guide ??????? Great Books!
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see message #21536
Kelly Jack wrote:
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Hi,
Tried this and it didn't work for me. I cut the trace between R106 centre pin and R38. Scope indicated that the carrier burst was still there also.
I am wondering why a new cap in the path to ground would stop the current when C122 wouldn't stop this current itself. Scope indicated that the carrier burst was still there also.
Regards
Simon
VK3ELH
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Hi, Tried this and it didn't work for me. I cut the trace between R106 centre pin and R38. Scope indicated that the carrier burst was still there also. I am wondering why?a new cap in the path to ground would stop the current when?C122 wouldn't stop this current itself. Scope indicated that the carrier burst was still there also.
Regards
Simon VK3ELH
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Well, got my Bitx40 over the weekend, ?Wired it up and it doesn't work.? That is, the hiss from the speaker can be volume controlled.? The display has all blackened row of pixels.? Tuning will not respond even with antenna connected. Connected a dummy load and PTT brings up the xmiter and additional current draw.? However no response from the mic.? The rArduino shows the power ON led working.? The display pot works.? Pressing the Arduino reset button seem not to do much.? I have several of the Arduino Nano here.? I may have lost the sketch for the Bitx 40.? If I had the code I could down load it again.? Yes -I triple checked my wiring.? Disappointed that it isn't responding.? I got the instructions for assembly off the HFSIGS web site.? I suppose it'll mean oscope time...wasn't planning to make this a career HI ?It may still turn out to be something goofy (I hope), ?I'm hoping there is a Sketch listed somewhere. ?any ideas will be appreciated.
On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 7:09 PM, Ed Vignati <kj4fgi@...> wrote: If you go to the HFSIGS web site you will see that he states that it's not perfect?
Here is a copy and paste ;?The BITX40 will inspire you to experiment. Modify it, mount it, tweak it, change it.? Also stated;?Raduino is a standard Arduino Nano ??
He doesn't build these.
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Re: calibration routine fixed (raduino v1.0.2)
Hi Stephan,
Thank you for the link, I downloaded the library and the sketch compiles nicely!
73, Elia M0ZHN
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Re: calibration routine fixed (raduino v1.0.2)
Hi Elia,
look into the comment in the raduino.ino source...
...there you can read:
"[...] You can download and install it from [...]"
73, Stephan dc8lz
Am 07.03.2017 um 11:03 schrieb Yaya via Groups.Io:
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Hi Allard,
Where can I find the Si5351 library please? There are several libraries
available and I feel a bit confused :(
73, Elia M0ZHN
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Re: calibration routine fixed (raduino v1.0.2)
Hi Allard,
Where can I find the Si5351 library please? There are several libraries available and I feel a bit confused :(
73, Elia M0ZHN
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Re: calibration routine fixed (raduino v1.0.2)
Thanks Ashhar,
The corrections I made are only related to the calibration routine and the
newer Si5351 library. No other bug corrections or improvements. I left the
rest of the code in tact as much as possible.
If you decide to put it in your Github page, then I'd suggest to also
include the following note in the README.md file:
"NOTE: This sketch is based on version V2 of the Si5351 library. It will
not compile with V1!"
As this his also caused confusion with some users recently.
73, Allard PE1NWL
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Easi link for audio connection - BITX40 and Digital mode
I came across a thread discussing the Easy Digi circuit for connecting to the radio audio.
Has anyone in the group investigated the use of the bitx40 for digital modes further?
These are friggin long links :)
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Thanks to Jerry, John and ohwenzelph -(Owen Zelph ?)
Both you gentleman were really helpful, I sincerely appreciate your replies.
I am not a exactly noobie or a novice at this sort of thing. Built a few Knight Kits in the day.
I tinker with the new breed of microprocessor boards - mostly driving RGB LED's for entertainment.
Up until a year and half ago I was using a IC 765 mostly on CW. I gave up brick and mortar living
and now full-time on the road in a Ford Transit 350HT Van. I have been missing the band noise
and finally decided to get back in doing QRP - JT65. Been trying to find a relatively clean ft-817
but they are really scarce. I have a 20M transceiver coming from the Ukraine from the tranverter store.
I have a hunch though, that I am going to want more in a short while. In search of QRP rigs I came acrossthis group. I liked the idea that it was being driven by an Auridino type processor.
The Pacific Antenna was more than what I was looking for, being that there are so many small rigs to choose from - I was not set on that onewhich is what prompted to learn more here. I picked the 20M one for the sake of dealing with a shorter wavelength antenna. But today I found the MFJ 40M telescopic so no really long wires are necessary except the counterpoise. Am I babbling yet?
I am going to have a look at the hfsigs - which I just did and thats the one I am going to try. That way I have for on 20M and one on 40M.
Just one question - what about VOX. The digital modes need rig control to some extent. I am using wsjt as the mode decoderlemen
Thanks again gentlemen
73
Harry
W9HGO
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Raj vu2zap
Allard PE1NWL