Cuz sheet metal work is not as much fun as burning solder.

Shielding various sections of the radio from each other is not a bad idea.
And the Raduino/display is a good place to start.

Allowing the Si5351 clocks out of the box while disallowing
everything else might be problematic.
Simple solution: move the Si5351 to the uBitx, filter the i2c bus to a few hundred khz and less.

Though I do think that running the processor from the BFO and kicking?
the USB-to-UART out entirely would pretty well solve most interference
from the Raduino.??

Jerry

You could actually have different Nanos for different overall functions and just swap them out since it would be pluggable.

73 Kees K5BCQ

yes and other mods as well.? For now its at best a partial fix.

FYI the IRF510s will deliver 10W and then some at 10M!


Allison

Why not remote it some from the mainboard and put a box around the back of it
with the wires sneaking out of? it.? The front of the box is the front panel and the
Raduino is tinned up.? Take care with the signal leads (use SHORT twisted pairs).
Used those tricks for old style counter circuits that radiated digital noise like mad.

In my case the height of the board when mounted is a problem.? Solution is change
the board connector into a right angle and then relocate the display with wires.
That lowers the profile.? ?Both boards can easily then have a cover over them
made of soldered up PCB, hobby brass, or copper screening.? Control pins will
exit though the screen box via 1000pf feedthroughs.? I try to keep noise in
the box so to speak.

Allison

开云体育

Haven't tried that specific one but I have an Rpi with a 7" TFT with touch.? Power required i
s about that of the Rpi.? But it looks good and is really nice to use.

However using it with a Raduino is likely a bit tough as its compute intensive and IO too.
STMF4 or Cypress CY8CKit-049-42xx.

The Cypress family is handy as its PSoC peripherals allow some programable CLBs for
custom interfaces.? That and 32 bit ARM at 40Mhz 32k falsh and 4K ram (plus ADC,
serial, lots of IO) makes a nice step up.

Allison

We would like to socket the Nano, but then the standard display doesn't fit,
If we extend the pins to make it fit, then we may have to redo our enclosure
to give the display some extra room.

Here's a possible solution:

Remove Nano from the Raduino, add socket strips to the other side of the Raduino,
Get a Nano with the pins not yet installed:
? ??
Solder them pins to the top side of the Nano.
Plug and play.

Bad news is that the Nano is now sitting right above the RF part of the uBitx,
no longer shielded by the Raduino's ground plane.
So the audio tone issue could be the next issue to solve.

Fortunately, the CH340 is now easy to remove/disable, use a USB-to-UART cable assembly instead.

Perhaps hang caps on the 16mhz resonator to bring it down in frequency,
or replace it with a non-16mhz crystal?? Drive it from the BFO?

Or tinfoil and duct tape?

Jerry, KE7ER

Here is where i'm at...

This is experiments 101, interim progress.

While waiting for parts, used whats on hand:
Made Q90 a 2n2369A smt part, Better gain bandwith product (ft) gain maintains at higher frequency (also lowered bias)
I installed 6 2n2222A in the predriver and driver.? (HFE hold up at high current(
Put 470 pf across R82 ( gain increases with frequency.
Placed 390pf cap from top of RV1 to the wiper? (only works if your not maxed out!)
? ?The trick here is couple more rf through RV1 with increasing frequency.? If it is all the
? ?way up its hard to get more vis this path.
Put 3.3uH inductor in series with R86 (allows decreasing feedback with frequency)

Turned up the bias on the IRF510s. I'm running at 210ma per device!??
Doing this really helped the output power at 20M and up.
Key down at 10W is 2A.

Power set to 10W at 12.0 V 3.6mhz
40m? ? 10.3w
30M? ? 6W? ???? output low pass filter??
20m? ? ?9.8w
17M? ? ?7.5w ???? low pass filter again??
15M? ? ? 8w
12M? ? ? 8.5W
10M? ? ? 8W? ? ? ? ?

This is still interim testing and I have many more things to try.
It does confirm that the performance can be more uniform.

I'm perplexed that 30M and 17M is so low, it may be the low pass filter in use.

The only problem I see with 210ma per device is the no-modulation standing current is .8A
which is not battery friendly but maybe what we need.? They do not seen to heat much.?
It suggests T11 is less?than optimum.

I need to try improved output transformer both 1:1 (2t:2t) and 1:2 (2t:3T) on
bn43-6802 (and bn61-6802).? I may also try a different configuration driver
transformer.

This IS NOT FINAL, net even close. I need to see what it looks like with spectrum analyzer.?
The final result will be put up with pictures and explanation of what, where, and how.
Patience please.


Allison

I was wondering if you would share your hmi file.? I am thinking of trying the Nextion display and would appreciate a starting place for the display.
What model are you using?
I was thinking? of either the 3.5 or 5 inch

Thanks
joe
VE1BWV

There was a thread a few months back...
/g/BITX20/topic/9607885

Hi,
I have been working with the regular LCD and TFT Touch displays and was wondering if anyone in our group had ventured into the Nextion Touch Displays?

They appear to be an excellent alternate to the regular TFT touch displays and are nearly the same price.
The big thing i see is it has a full micro-controller on board so virtually no load on the Arduino micro-controller and only 2 wires required to exchange data.

With the current nano as the processor it does not take much to bog it down so using Nextion? Touch displays would provide much improved visual enhancements

Free software is available? to build your graphic display, and emulate functions before uploading to the Display...

Just throwing this out to the group for feedback.

Joe
VE1BWV

Please let us know how well it works for you.
Dan, W2DLC

Jack and Al,

This is really quite fantastic; well done!?

All my best,

Mike

开云体育

I can't answer what is you favorite BitX or uBit software.?? It is up to you to load what you want eventually.
I can load what ever you want.? I just need the link for what you want.
I can use Arduino IDE to load it.
You need to be able to load the Nano with Arduino IDE, it is Wonderful and fairly simple.? That is a basic leaning curve!

You can email me for more specific documents. motdog at verizon dot net, please don't reply on the list.

There are "better" features, but the software is in the Nano, just like original Raduino.
RaduinoX is for the BitX40.? Adds lots of connectors and features.
RaduinoUMax for the uBit, adds 16 I/O pins for expansion using a Microchip part and library available on line.
They both plug in for original compatibility.
I have lots of bare PCBs for DIY folks.

TNX
Mike

Michael Hagen,?

I'd love to buy one that I can just swap out and swap in.?

I don't have an IDE for the Raduino/Arduino nor do I have a linux based computer anymore so I prefer a replacement that is already stuffed full of the compiled software so that it runs at the get go. IDE's and the such I will pick up later, right now I just want to see the radio working.

Tell me how to proceed and I will buy one.

Thanks

Mike

On Mon, May 21, 2018, 6:57 PM Michael Hagen <motdog@...> wrote:

I have Raduino replacements for both Bitx and uBit.

Bare PCBs and some built and tested.

Much improved and more features.

email motdog at verizon dot net for info.

I have sold over 60 to the folks on this list.? Good Stuff.

Just ask those that have them.

TNX

Mike, WA6ISP

On 5/21/2018 3:26 PM, Mike aka KC2WVB wrote:

I was away for a few days and just tested the voltage off the 8 Pin outs of the Raduino board using a wall wart for power and yellow number 4 as ground.

From pin out 3 to 8 the voltage read 4.68 volts dc. Pin out 1 is not used but was giving random mil volt readings and so was pin out 2 which maps to the keyer.

With the encoder removed and the radio powered up I grounded red, pin out 6 to yellow which is what the encoder does when the shaft is depressed. This, I think, should have taken me into the standard menu but it did not seem to. It gave me two options one was do you want to change bands? The next momentary grounding of red to yellow said press to confirm and the last momentary grounding of red to yellow took the radio back to the frequency display. This does not seem right unless you have to unlock all the other menu features, so in spite of the voltage readings being seemingly OK I am thinking the Raduino is out to lunch.

Could you be so kind as to give me the contact information or web page from which you ordered your new Raduino from? I think I will have to do the same and can't seem to find the spare parts page.

Thanks and good luck on your radio.

Mike

On May 18, 2018 5:55 PM, "kj6etl" <pa1zz@...> wrote:

I have almost the exact same issue with my uBitx!!!!

I spend many hours trying to diagnose this problem at the end you can narrow it down to this:

1. Disconnect the raduino board from the main board
2. Disconnect the main connector
3. Power it with a USB cable
4. Measure voltage between pin 4 and 6 (Yellow to Red)
5. It should read 5 Volt

It it doesn't read 5 Volt your Raduino board is bad and you have to replace it. So I ordered a new one ($35 shipping from India shigh..). Meantime bought a generic and will attempt to replace the failed one. Who knows I might have it working before the orignal board arrives.

-- 
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID  "MotDog@..."
Mike@...

-- 
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID  "MotDog@..."
Mike@...

I'm pretty sure our Nano clones have a ceramic resonator.
After all, ceramic resonators are cheaper than crystals.

They are also smaller.
I measure the resonator on my Nano to be 3.2 x 1.3mm, (within 0.1mm),
so we likely have a Chinese clone of this product from Murata
? ??
The 16mhz resonator is parked to one side of the board, between the IC and the switch.
The 12mhz resonator for the CH340 USB chip is on the other side of the Nano, inaccessible if soldered down.

Note that Murata claims an accuracy of +/- 0.5%.
So the 16mhz oscillator could be off by up to 80khz (or worse on a clone?).
Much of that variance is due to temperature so those having trouble
with audio tones on their uBitx might try adjusting the room thermostat.
If that doesn't work, maybe a propane torch.? ?;-)

Jerry, KE7ER

开云体育

I have Raduino replacements for both Bitx and uBit.

Bare PCBs and some built and tested.

Much improved and more features.

email motdog at verizon dot net for info.

I have sold over 60 to the folks on this list.? Good Stuff.

Just ask those that have them.

TNX

Mike, WA6ISP

I was away for a few days and just tested the voltage off the 8 Pin outs of the Raduino board using a wall wart for power and yellow number 4 as ground.

From pin out 3 to 8 the voltage read 4.68 volts dc. Pin out 1 is not used but was giving random mil volt readings and so was pin out 2 which maps to the keyer.

With the encoder removed and the radio powered up I grounded red, pin out 6 to yellow which is what the encoder does when the shaft is depressed. This, I think, should have taken me into the standard menu but it did not seem to. It gave me two options one was do you want to change bands? The next momentary grounding of red to yellow said press to confirm and the last momentary grounding of red to yellow took the radio back to the frequency display. This does not seem right unless you have to unlock all the other menu features, so in spite of the voltage readings being seemingly OK I am thinking the Raduino is out to lunch.

Could you be so kind as to give me the contact information or web page from which you ordered your new Raduino from? I think I will have to do the same and can't seem to find the spare parts page.

Thanks and good luck on your radio.

Mike

On May 18, 2018 5:55 PM, "kj6etl" <pa1zz@...> wrote:

I have almost the exact same issue with my uBitx!!!!

I spend many hours trying to diagnose this problem at the end you can narrow it down to this:

1. Disconnect the raduino board from the main board
2. Disconnect the main connector
3. Power it with a USB cable
4. Measure voltage between pin 4 and 6 (Yellow to Red)
5. It should read 5 Volt

It it doesn't read 5 Volt your Raduino board is bad and you have to replace it. So I ordered a new one ($35 shipping from India shigh..). Meantime bought a generic and will attempt to replace the failed one. Who knows I might have it working before the orignal board arrives.

-- 
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID  "MotDog@..."
Mike@...

The CH340 otr the presvious part is one of the reasons I use the pro-mini.? The
ftdi-232ttl-3v3 is well supported and?an official item not the clone.? Its the
programming interface and? runs very fast as serial. I do serial at 57600 usually
for diag work.? As as you said it avoids the second oscillator and the power.

Most of what I do is often with the raw Atmega328p (28pin) critter as then I don't have
the board level baggage to deal with.? It also allows me to slow it down for lower power.?
Thought the Pro-mini saves me a lot of effort and has a bit more IO.

The real crystal version is much more stable.? ?However I don't bother using it for
frequency counter as various boards to do that are available and saves me time.
That and I must have at least 6 of them around especially the nice 8 digit good
to 2500mhz ones.

Allison

Thanks Jack,

That is good information on the?Arduino IDE file/directory naming convention.?

Tom, wb6b