Several years ago when I was building Classical Guitars, I purchased a package of 12 Wood Laminating strips from Woodcraft. They are 1/8 inch thick and 7/8 inch wide by 24 inches long. There are several different colors so I plan to use a black one and rip it into 1/8 inch wide square strips. Similar to Arv's idea, I can construct a home made Bezel. Corners can be mitered using an Xacto Razor saw.
This idea is some what more expensive than Arv's idea but I have the stuff on hand (bought it on a whim and never got around to using it) and finally see a use for it. My uBITX will go into an Excellway plastic case and I will do a photo on it later.
Bill
W6SDI
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Re: uBITX Up and running here. One little issue?
Adjust the Contrast (pot on the back of the Raduino).? Took me a while to figure this out.? Its set default at max and that is the problem.
Dave WI6R
On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 8:03 PM, Jason N3YUG <jbr13@...> wrote: I finished up the wiring this evening on my uBITX kit.? It is working very well.? I put it in a great case that I found, that looks like a radio belongs in.
One issue I am seeing, The reading angle for the display is from above at a 45 degree angle.? I can't see anything from straight on.? It may be the protective cover I put on it, but not sure.? Has anyone else seen anything like this?
Jason
N3YUG
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I would guess that one of the upcoming new firmware versions with cat support would allow for cat ptt. That has always been my preferred option with other rigs (ie ?ft-817)
The opportunity to play with both hardware and software mods like this is just amazing. ?
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Sharing codes and method for uBITX (EEProm) control via Cat.
#ubitx
I created and posted uBITX Manager program yesterday.? Originally it is a program I created and created for the firmware that is going to be released today. Maybe you like the original firmware or you are making your own firmware. So I wrote the code to control EEProm through CAT with minimal modification. The original source does not have EEProm control via CAT.?If you add 27 Lines to the original source or your source code as shown below, you will be able to backup or restore the transceiver's configuration files from other programs. The code below does not have bug fixes or other enhancements to CAT. It is just a code for controlling EEProm via CAT  Below picture is an example of downloading the source from??and applying the 27 lines above. and communcation with uBITX --?  Detailed firmware upgrade method and how to use uBITX Manager are posted on the link below. For those who do not have a arduino compile environment, I have compiled the original source code with only the above code. Best 73 KD8CEC / Ph.D ian lee kd8cec@...
(my blog)
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Farhan,
I have been thinking of diode switching in the audio stages. The TX 12v can block the RX preamp and vice-versa.
I have to get back to town to try!
Raj
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Show quoted text
At 09/01/2018, you wrote: i have been trying to hack out the tx pop. it is a far more intricate problem than it does seem at first. to cut a very long and painful story short, i am not yet there. but i have a partial solution.
add a 470uf (or a 220uf) capacitor in parallel to C50. The C50 is the 1uf capacitor that feeds the detector signal to the audio pre-amp. Increasing this to 470uf, prolongs the 'switch on' time of the audio preamp just enough to not hear the TX-to-RX thump.
can someone else too try this out?
i call it a partial solution because it doesn't suppress the rx-to-tx pop (which is not as bad as the tx-to-rx pop).
- f
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Re: uBITX Up and running here. One little issue?
There is a pot on the back of the Raduino controller that sets the contrast. I had to adjust mine.
On Monday, January 8, 2018 8:05 PM, Jason N3YUG <jbr13@...> wrote:
Oh, and the popping on CW is really annoying.? Is there a fix for that???
Jason
N3YUG
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Re: uBITX Up and running here. One little issue?
Oh, and the popping on CW is really annoying.? Is there a fix for that???
Jason
N3YUG
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uBITX Up and running here. One little issue?
I finished up the wiring this evening on my uBITX kit.? It is working very well.? I put it in a great case that I found, that looks like a radio belongs in.
One issue I am seeing, The reading angle for the display is from above at a 45 degree angle.? I can't see anything from straight on.? It may be the protective cover I put on it, but not sure.? Has anyone else seen anything like this?
Jason
N3YUG
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Re: Questions about uBitX
Funny you should mention that... I just ordered five of 'em for $0.99 ea.
Vince.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 01/08/2018 08:14 PM, Dave Bottom wrote: ...and you probably don''t want to exceed 24 VDC anyway because of high
voltage on the IRF510 MOSFETs under any sort of bad VSWR condition.
BTW - those DC to DC converters for $4 are pretty small and could easily
fit on the back panel (after a bigger heat sink). LOL
Dave WI6R
On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 1:21 PM, Vince Vielhaber <vev@...
<mailto:vev@...>> wrote:
And keep in mind that on the B40 the cap across the PA Power pins is
only a 25 volt electrolytic.
Vince.
On 01/08/2018 02:16 PM, Jack Purdum via Groups.Io wrote:
/Many people have done this on their Bitx40s with around 20
watts out at
24-28V supplying the final output transistors..../
...and with appropriate additions to the heat sinks on the finals.
Jack, W8TEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Neil Martinsen-Burrell <neilmartinsenburrell@...
<mailto:neilmartinsenburrell@...>>
*To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
*Sent:* Monday, January 8, 2018 2:09 PM
*Subject:* Re: [BITX20] Questions about uBitX
On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 12:09 PM, Albert Woodhull <n1aw@...
<mailto:n1aw@...>
<mailto:n1aw@... <mailto:n1aw@...>>> wrote:
Also would like know about total weight - obviously I would
want a
lightweight enclosure, and would appreciate
ideas on ideas for that.
I just weighed the whole kit in the plastic box that it came in
at 15
ounces. It's hard to imagine a much lighter enclosure.
The documentation on line has suggestions about adding a
narrower
filter for CW; has anyone done this? And
does the main circuit board provide for adding an alternate
filter
without having to cut traces on the board?
There are two easy options for doing this. One is to use a
narrow audio
filter essentially at the headphone jack. There are kits from
SOTABeams,
4SQRP and many others. Since the uBitx doesn't have AGC, there
aren't
any issues from strong signals in the RF passband that don't
appear in
the narrower audio passband. The other approach is to use M0XPD's
dual-IF setup where a second 4 MHz crystal filter is paralleled
with the
existing 12MHz crystal filter that serves for SSB. Then since
the BFO is
software controllable, a firmware could be written where the the IF
moves to 4MHz in CW mode.
I think IRF510s can probably be used at voltages higher than
12V.
Has anyone experimented with using a higher
voltage for the final amplifier to get more than 10 watts
out? That
would maybe not be useful for SOTA, but perhaps
for home station or mobile use?
Many people have done this on their Bitx40s with around 20 watts
out at
24-28V supplying the final output transistors.
-Neil N0FN
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
--
73 Dave WI6R
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
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Re: Questions about uBitX
...and you probably don''t want to exceed 24 VDC anyway because of high voltage on the IRF510 MOSFETs under any sort of bad VSWR condition.
BTW - those DC to DC converters for $4 are pretty small and could easily fit on the back panel (after a bigger heat sink).? LOL
Dave WI6R
On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 1:21 PM, Vince Vielhaber <vev@...> wrote: And keep in mind that on the B40 the cap across the PA Power pins is only a 25 volt electrolytic.
Vince.
On 01/08/2018 02:16 PM, Jack Purdum via Groups.Io wrote:
/Many people have done this on their Bitx40s with around 20 watts out at
24-28V supplying the final output transistors..../
...and with appropriate additions to the heat sinks on the finals.
Jack, W8TEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Neil Martinsen-Burrell <neilmartinsenburrell@...m>
*To:* [email protected]
*Sent:* Monday, January 8, 2018 2:09 PM
*Subject:* Re: [BITX20] Questions about uBitX
On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 12:09 PM, Albert Woodhull <n1aw@...
<mailto: n1aw@...>> wrote:
? ? Also would like know about total weight - obviously I would want a
? ? lightweight enclosure, and would appreciate
? ? ideas on ideas for that.
I just weighed the whole kit in the plastic box that it came in at 15
ounces. It's hard to imagine a much lighter enclosure.
? ? ?The documentation on line has suggestions about? adding? a narrower
? ? filter for CW; has anyone done this? And
? ? does the main circuit board provide for adding an alternate filter
? ? without having to cut traces on the board?
There are two easy options for doing this. One is to use a narrow audio
filter essentially at the headphone jack. There are kits from SOTABeams,
4SQRP and many others. Since the uBitx doesn't have AGC, there aren't
any issues from strong signals in the RF passband that don't appear in
the narrower audio passband.? The other approach is to use M0XPD's
dual-IF setup where a second 4 MHz crystal filter is paralleled with the
existing 12MHz crystal filter that serves for SSB. Then since the BFO is
software controllable, a firmware could be written where the the IF
moves to 4MHz in CW mode.
? ? I think IRF510s can probably be used at voltages higher than 12V.
? ? Has anyone experimented with using a higher
? ? voltage for the final amplifier to get more than 10 watts out?? That
? ? would maybe not be useful for SOTA, but perhaps
? ? for home station or mobile use?
Many people have done this on their Bitx40s with around 20 watts out at
24-28V supplying the final output transistors.
-Neil N0FN
--
? Michigan VHF Corp.? ?? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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Mike, RE your BITX40.
If you are using an Electret Mic.? Do you have voltage across the Mic element.? If no Mic BIAS, there will be no output.?? On the uBITX there is a 4.7K ohm resistor from 12V line to the Mic element Mic+ side (they are polarized), Mic- to Ground, as this powers the FET inside the Electret Mic.
Dave WI6R
On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 12:49 PM, Michael Davis <maddmd818@...> wrote: It seems like everyone is now focused on ubitx. I hope someone can assist me in getting my "old" bitx 40 up and running again. It has been down (receiving great, no transmit) for a few months. Today I decided to tackle it. Got a good light and a magnifier. I took voltage readings and compared them to Randy's voltage chart. Only 2 slight differences. Q15 gate reads .3vdc in receive normal in transmit and Q16 emitter reads .01 vdc in transmit normal in receive. When I check current in the PA power feed line all is normal but no increase in current drawn when I HALLOWWW. The PA bias setting is 120ma and I haven't messed with R136. Not sure how to set that anyway. I've checked continuity in my microphone line and temporarily changed mic elements. I've tried tracing the audio input circuit but dont have the right equipment to do an audio signal trace or inject an audio signal in the audio input circuit. Relay clicks sound normal upon PTT. Jerry Gaffke has published some nice troubleshooting information, but no luck so far. I think it may be something obvious. It worked when I last used it and didn't when I turned it on a month later. Help!? Thanks, Mike
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Re: Chirp support for uBitx (was: Re: [BITX20] Implement a uBITX Memory Manager Program)
The current uBITX source does not have instructions to control memory yet. So I extended the CAT protocol to read and write memory for uBITX. uBITX can use 0 ~ 1023 EEPROM based on Arduino Nano.If uBITX is the only extension to the protocol, it does not matter what program it is.
Ham radio deluxe and hamlib all use memory access protocol.?The same is true of my program, and so is chirp.
uBITX can simply extend the protocol (very easy - Actually, I wrote 20 lines of code.), it will be accessible from many software.
The program I created will be one of them.
I think it's important to put an extension protocol in uBITX and I do not think it's important what programs use it. If you support uBITX in chirp, it is a good thing.
Ups... !!!
We are working on similar approaches, but I'm on the draft board
yet. Last night I was drafting a Chirp driver for the actual ubitx
code I found here:
The firmware mod is trivial, the Chirp diver kind of trivial as I
have a few years as an active Chirp's developer, some testing and
validation will be required and that takes time (a week or so).
What is the latest killing firmware repository for the uBitx?
Would you like to manage settings and memory channels from Chirp
for the bitx40 (v1 & v2) from Allard, and the latest killing
firmware for the ubitx?
For those how don't know Chirp (),
It's a cross platform (Linux, Windows, MacOS) python software with
the LoTR philosophy:
"One software to program all radios"
Currently supporting about 200+? radio models from 28 brands
()
and with an active developer and users community.
Cheers, Pavel CO7WT.
El 08/01/18 a las 09:18, Ian Lee
escribi¨®:
I wrote and tested
the Yaesu compatible CAT protocol. You can see it in the past
posting.
I will release the firmware I made tomorrow. The program will also
be release.
Currently, only the firmware I created can communicate, but the
protocol added for uBITX only is within 20 lines.
Adding about 20 lines to the original source will probably work.
How to modify the original source will be posted later.
My vacation is short and I am working very busy to release the
beta version of firmware I made so far tomorrow.
Most of the beta testers that we tested until last week reflected
the opinions, but I hope to make something that is not done yet.
--
Best 73
KD8CEC / Ph.D ian lee
kd8cec@...
(my blog)
--
73 CO7WT, Pavel.
-- Best 73 KD8CEC / Ph.D ian lee kd8cec@...
(my blog)
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Re: Implement a uBITX Memory Manager Program
I was able to put memory control commands in a few lines of code simply. Anyone can easily control existing programs with uBITX.
#ubitx? ?I expect this may come in handy when I get my you biddix as I have an ft-897 and and ft991. ?Thanks for the hard work
-- Best 73 KD8CEC / Ph.D ian lee kd8cec@...
(my blog)
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Re: Implement a uBITX Memory Manager Program
of course. Compatibility with wsjtx was completed two weeks ago. Those who have already done beta testing are still using my firmware and wsjtx together.
Especially for wsjtx, we also tested raspberry as Linux with Windows based test.
Please click on the link below.
Windows :?
Linux (Raspberry pi) :
However, in order to communicate smoothly with a digital communication program, other parts must be modified with ubitx_cat.
This is because the current uBITX firmware is single thread. should use interrupts or simmilar Multi thread.
I have been in the field of microcomputing for a long time, but I've been using the arduino program for the first time.
Interrupts should understand the system because it considers the pending time and so on.
So I made it behave like a multithread, so I had no problem communicating with wsjtx, fldigi, etc.
DE KD8CEC
can you test this with wsjtx as well??
- f
-- Best 73 KD8CEC / Ph.D ian lee kd8cec@...
(my blog)
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What would be the smallest reasonable volt spec for the 470uf cap parallel to C50?
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So, re the uBitx, (& not Bitx40v3)
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Re: Customisable panel cutout template for the EF01 project box
#bitx40
Yeah, the LED version isn't any better.
Vince.
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On 01/08/2018 02:50 PM, phraxoid wrote: Yes, sorry, I meant it was a shame that the LCD voltmeter module was
very noisy.
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
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Ash:
Have you seen the solution of Small Wonder QRP?
The blog date is Novenber 3, 2017.
His is a solid state replacement for the relays, etc.
It is an interesting approach.
john
AD5YE
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Does not look as if though the SCI-6 shows USB port pin outs.
Most modern laptops have only USB ports.
Sent from my iPad
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On Jan 8, 2018, at 2:38 PM, B C <k9wis@...> wrote:
Yes...Isolate the radio from the computer using transformers and optos...bad things happen with rf and ac otherwise...
Check out this simple interface...Its the one I use..W9XT even shares the schematic
Brian K9WIS
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Andy Robins
Raj vu2zap