Re: [BITX40] Replacement Raduino Board
perhaps you can replace either, arduino nano, interface if any to si5351 or si5351 itself. ?please see some videos. it is easy .
?with little effort you may also be able to load the firmware.
?If you want to change there are at least 4 types with our great members.
All the best regards sarma ?vu3zmv
On Tue, Sep 11, 2018 at 12:12 PM John Baines via Groups.Io <jbaines= [email protected]> wrote: Hi all,
Can anyone tell me how to obtain a replacement raduino board for my BitX40?
73
John
M0JBA
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[BITX40] Replacement Raduino Board
Hi all,
Can anyone tell me how to obtain a replacement raduino board for my BitX40?
73
John
M0JBA
|
Warren,
Please share your spurs at 3.6, 7.2 and 14.2 with the same 100Mhz span.
Want to compare with mine.
Raj
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At 10-09-18, you wrote: My implementation of the filter with a single transformer. I encapsulated the transformer and the filter with heat shrink and mounted it as a single component. As before the power levels are standardized to approximately 2 watts for easy comparison.
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Allison, I would be interested in further info on your checks with the Buffer. Did you buffer all three outputs in your test?? And measure the buffered one only or all three? I don't have access to 74LVT04 but used 3 x 74LVC04's (SOT single versions) I have one Si5351 board with the buffers and a standard one to compare with. (Adafruit) I didn't see the big reduction in cross-talk levels. To the contrary.? I do get a very worthwhile output level improvement at the desired frequency per port, in the order of? plus 13-14dBm. Up from about +8. Pic shows the 12MHz output for example on SA, with and without buffers. The other outputs show a similar, worse, result. As you suggest though further BPF's? to each output would be desirable in any case. I'm wondering if the LVC parts are OK and also, if each buffer chip maybe, should be fed through its own L/C filter on the 3v3 lines. There may be cross-talk across the LVC04 supply lines, just like the Si5351. I do have a couple of 100nF on the supply. Set-up:- The SA is fed via a 30dB attenuator and the SA is adjusted for an offset of 30db to show the actual dBm levels on screen.  Shielding costs weight and money is no surprise, it also gets good results!? Using the 5351 as a single oscillator is actually not bad it when you try to use it for but LO and CIO the fun begins.? Solution use a buffer that presents a high impedance to the 5351.? Lower the circulating current at the outputs and the undesired cross-talk goes down. Band pass filter can limit the impact of this but buffering first really helps.? I tried a 74LVT04 and the spur was near gone (down in the HP8568B SA noise).? Simple fix as those are available as one inverter per sot package.? They are cheap too Mouser gets 37 cents for them for qant=1. So buffer then band pass you get even better result. Me I cut my teeth doing superhet radios starting in the late 60s and the first thing to overcome was unstable VFOs.? By time I started college I'd developed a deep understanding of PLL systems and had made one for a radio using TTL/CMOS and whatever was available in 1971.? So many issues of synthesized RF sources are seriously old hat. What shocked me is after doing research and experiments I looked at many designs and noted very few people understood this or paid attention to it.? Interesting thing is the only ones that? do not have issues either use the Sa612 (high input impedance) and the QSD mixers (cmos switch). Allison
On Fri, Sep 7, 2018 at 02:33 AM, ajparent1/KB1GMX wrote:
Shielding costs weight and money is no surprise, it also gets good results!? Using the 5351 as a single
oscillator is actually not bad it when you try to use it for but LO and CIO the fun begins.? Solution use
a buffer that presents a high impedance to the 5351.? Lower the circulating current at the outputs and
the undesired cross-talk goes down.
Band pass filter can limit the impact of this but buffering first really helps.? I tried a 74LVT04 and the
spur was near gone (down in the HP8568B SA noise).? Simple fix as those are available as one
inverter per sot package.? They are cheap too Mouser gets 37 cents for them for qant=1.
So buffer then band pass you get even better result.
Me I cut my teeth doing superhet radios starting in the late 60s and the first thing to overcome was
unstable VFOs.? By time I started college I'd developed a deep understanding of PLL systems and
had made one for a radio using TTL/CMOS and whatever was available in 1971.? So many issues
of synthesized RF sources are seriously old hat.
What shocked me is after doing research and experiments I looked at many designs and noted
very few people understood this or paid attention to it.? Interesting thing is the only ones that?
do not have issues either use the Sa612 (high input impedance) and the QSD mixers (cmos switch).
Allison
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Re: Surprised by generous and kind act
#bitx40
Please post a picture of it, we¡¯d love to see it.?
Joe kd2nfc
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On Sep 9, 2018, at 12:15 AM, Robert D. Bowers < n4fbz@...> wrote:
Today I was greatly and pleasantly surprised.? I'd mentioned that I was thinking about converting my BITX20 to 40 meters, and I'd related some stories of frustration with the local ham community (generosity and willingness to help others seems to be a rarity in this area).
When I got our mail, there was a package in it - with a BITX40!? The housing it was in is very attractive as far as my wife and I are concerned - and perfect for our car.? The neat part was that you could see the circuitry in it - and the case also would lend itself to portable operation!
I won't embarrass the sender, but I will say it came from another state.? For many years, I've insisted that there was no such thing as Karma... but this suggests otherwise!
To the sender (not named) - a big Thank you! from both of us, and (laugh) no worry about "paying forward" - we do things all the time like that, whenever we can (we may not have much money, but we do have skills and knowledge we share).? Generosity and helping others is not a big price for gifts like this - in our opinion!
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Re: Right-sided relay harmonic attempted fix for v3/4 ubitx
Well that is unfortunate. I am sure they will show up eventually but ¡°eventually¡± can be a pretty big window of time. ? Ripley KD8UYQ ? Sent from for Windows 10 ?
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From: Gordon GibbySent: Monday, September 10, 2018 9:38 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [BITX20] Right-sided relay harmonic attempted fix for v3/4 ubitx ? Well, we have an unexpected setback. The powers that be in my neighborhood concluded that our mailboxes were not uniform enough, so they spent our money and pulled up all of our existing mailboxes and put new ones in, .....without any house numbers. ? Things have to be done just so are they aren¡¯t happy, so none of us have even touched the new $500 mailboxes.? Not realizing that risk, I signed for DHL to deliver the $50 worth of printed circuit boards from? China without a signature, since I was expecting to be at work....no way to sign for them.? They were delivered all right, and even a day earlier than expected ¡ªbut nobody knows where!! ?About 230 this afternoon, somebody got the package (based on the tracking information). ?I have emailed everyone in my homeowners association hoping someone found the package..... If not, I guess I am out the $50 and will decide whether to re-order the order again. One step forward, two steps back? Hello Gordon, Good to hear. I am looking forward to purchasing a few. Ripley The words are mine but this iPad does what it will with them.
On Sep 9, 2018, at 4:58 PM, Gordon Gibby <ggibby@...> wrote:
Hi folks....
25 new blank boards for the simple-minded right-sided relay board fix are supposed to arrive from China on Tuesday.? ?If so, I'll re-enable? the Ebay advertisement and up the "count" (a learning experience) on Wednesday.? ?Was able to mail out five boards on Friday before leaving on a camping trip.? ?Hope they arrive OK!!!? ?I figured out how to mark them as "shipped" and send a note to each purchaser through Ebay.? ?With all the SPUR FIXES now being discovered, things are really shaping up around this little transceiver to make it have much fewer spurious responses.? ?Delighted to see the group progress.? ?Each person proceeds at? their own pace, but the group moves forward huge amounts.
Cheers,
gordon KX4Z
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Hello Nick, ? Well they look dandy to me. Please let me (us) know when you start producing them. In the meanwhile I ordered on of Glen¡¯s boards to start playing with. ? Ripley ? Sent from for Windows 10 ?
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From: Nick VK4PPSent: Monday, September 10, 2018 9:10 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [BITX20] Simple spur fix ? Thanks Ripley.
I havenet made any yet, just waiting on the final verdict as to whether it is good or not...
more pics.
Idea is to drill a GND hole just above the R27 printing. then the board sits flat/vertical and you solder from behind to the R27 pads. and a short leg on the front side for ground to the bottom of the board.
73 Nick Vk4PP
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Re: Right-sided relay harmonic attempted fix for v3/4 ubitx
Well, we have an unexpected setback.
The powers that be in my neighborhood concluded that our mailboxes were not uniform enough, so they spent our money and pulled up all of our existing mailboxes and put new ones in, .....without any house numbers. ? Things have to be done just so are they
aren¡¯t happy, so none of us have even touched the new $500 mailboxes.?
Not realizing that risk, I signed for DHL to deliver the $50 worth of printed circuit boards from?
China without a signature, since I was expecting to be at work....no way to sign for them.?
They were delivered all right, and even a day earlier than expected ¡ªbut nobody knows where!! ?About 230 this afternoon, somebody got the package (based on the tracking information). ?I have emailed everyone in my homeowners association hoping someone
found the package.....
If not, I guess I am out the $50 and will decide whether to re-order the order again.
Such. Is. Life. ?
One step forward, two steps back?
Gordon.?
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Hello Gordon,
Good to hear. I am looking forward to purchasing a few.
Ripley
The words are mine but this iPad does what it will with them.
On Sep 9, 2018, at 4:58 PM, Gordon Gibby < ggibby@...> wrote:
Hi folks....
25 new blank boards for the simple-minded right-sided relay board fix are supposed to arrive from China on Tuesday.? ?If so, I'll re-enable? the Ebay advertisement and up the "count" (a learning experience) on Wednesday.? ?Was able to mail out five boards on
Friday before leaving on a camping trip.? ?Hope they arrive OK!!!? ?I figured out how to mark them as "shipped" and send a note to each purchaser through Ebay.? ?With all the SPUR FIXES now being discovered, things are really shaping up around this little
transceiver to make it have much fewer spurious responses.? ?Delighted to see the group progress.? ?Each person proceeds at? their own pace, but the group moves forward huge amounts.
Cheers,
gordon KX4Z
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Thanks Ripley. I havenet made any yet, just waiting on the final verdict as to whether it is good or not... more pics. Idea is to drill a GND hole just above the R27 printing. then the board sits flat/vertical and you solder from behind to the R27 pads. and a short leg on the front side for ground to the bottom of the board.   73 Nick Vk4PP
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Hashtags and Integrations
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Hi Vince,
I bet with the key up is still goes to zero accurately. SWR is a RATIO so about half of whatever maximum deflection shows is still 3:1. And less is still less.
73,
Bill KU8H
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On 09/10/2018 02:59 PM, Vince Vielhaber wrote: Right, well this firebird isn't even usable as an swr meter unless you
put about a kilowatt into it. In the FWD, the meter won't go full scale
below about 14 MHz.
Vince.
On 09/10/2018 07:41 AM, iz oos wrote:
I have a cheap CB swr meter (just swr not power meter) and a crossneedle
ham-meter. In the instruction sheet they say it is usable between
1.8-30! They are liers!!!! It works from 1.8 to 50Mhz (yes up to the
6meters band) !!! Very similar reading to the ham meter!!! What a
shame... They don't even know what they sell... hihi... hi
Il 10/set/2018 07:40, "Vince Vielhaber" <vev@...
<mailto:vev@...>> ha scritto:
SWR and Wattmeters made for CB are often worthless in the ham bands,
unless you're only using 10M. I picked up a Firebird SWR/Wattmeter
a while back that was supposed to be good for 1.8-30 MHz. HAR!
That thing won't even read accurately (or even semi-accurately) at
21 MHz and gets progressively worse the lower you go. It barely
responds with almost 1KW going into it at 3.9MHz. Needless to say
it's going back on ebay. It is fairly accurate on 10 meters, so it
probably is on 11 too.
Vince.
On 09/09/2018 03:13 PM, Gordon Gibby wrote:
The only cb ones I have tried on 2 m are the long parallel rod
pick up type, they were quite in accurate
For VHF/UHF I use ham products made for the purpose
Cheers
Gordon kx4z
On Sep 9, 2018, at 13:59, Bill Cromwell
<wrcromwell@... <mailto:wrcromwell@...>> wrote:
Hi,
It might start to be a little shaky on the two meter band.
And maybe will work there too.
73,
Bill KU8H
On 09/09/2018 05:37 AM, gonewiththeego@...
<mailto:gonewiththeego@...> wrote:
I was thinking about an Albrecht SWR 20 which I can see
that is used
only for CB. Do you think it should work for 20/40m
band ?
--
bark less - wag more
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
--
bark less - wag more
|
Hello Glen,
I was addressing Nick but I¡¯d happy to have one of your boards in which to experiment. If you would like, send me your PayPal account address via my bob.ripley@... email address and I will send payment.
Thank you.
Ripley KD8UYQ The words are mine but this iPad does what it will with them.
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On Sep 10, 2018, at 6:35 PM, Glenn < glennp@...> wrote: Ripley, not sure who you addressed the post to, but I have 3 x hand made pcb's available for postage cost only. ($4.00 sent as paypal gift) I added the coupling cap, they are drilled and clear coated. As per previous pic of mine they are 0.685" x 0.42". Not thru' hole plated of course. Glenn vk3pe <45MHz_filter_add.JPG> On Mon, Sep 10, 2018 at 09:39 PM, Ripley wrote:
Are those little boards available to purchase now?KD8UYQ
The words are mine but this iPad does what it will with them.
rev.01
<VK4PP 45Mhz Filt rev.01.PNG>
73
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Ripley, not sure who you addressed the post to, but I have 3 x hand made pcb's available for postage cost only. ($4.00 sent as paypal gift) I added the coupling cap, they are drilled and clear coated. As per previous pic of mine they are 0.685" x 0.42". Not thru' hole plated of course. Glenn vk3pe 
On Mon, Sep 10, 2018 at 09:39 PM, Ripley wrote:
Are those little boards available to purchase now?KD8UYQ
The words are mine but this iPad does what it will with them.
rev.01
<VK4PP 45Mhz Filt rev.01.PNG>
73
|
Was that directed to me? Without a quote it's hard to tell.
Vince - K8ZW.
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On 09/10/2018 08:55 AM, Tom, wb6b wrote: Is it still an available meter? Is there an eBay/Amazon listing. If you
have tested it against a known good SWR meter, I'd like to get one, if
it is still at a good price.
Tom, wb6b
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
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Hi Raymond,
The best starting point probably would be to check the voltage on pin 2 (Blue wire) from the Raduino board to the key jack and make sure it goes to 5V when the key is open, to 0V when the key is closed.?
You could trace that back to the pin A6 (marked pin 10 on the schematic) on the Nano board and check the voltages there. Some recent post have had issues with solder connections, such as bridges. I the case I remember seeing the issue was with the rotary encoder not working, but it points to some issues are cropping up with the boards.
Also check the ground and Vcc voltages to the Raduino to make sure the power supply are proper.
Tom, wb6b
?
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Another uBitX V3 For Sale, with Extras
I also have an unbuilt V3 uBitX kit for sale. I have too many projects going on so I've decided to pass it along. It's still in the original bubble wrap in the original plastic box except that I did open up the Raduino module and loaded the KD8CEC version 1.08 firmware into it and plugged it into my other uBitX to be sure it works (it does). I can load another firmware release into it if you'd prefer.
It's a late V3, I got it about a week before the V4 started shipping, so it has the socketed audio amp chip.
And to sweeten the deal a little, I'll include:
- the parts to do the V4 pop fix (2n7000, cap, resistor, etc)
- an ND6T/K5BCQ AGC kit (uses surface mount parts)
- knobs to fit the volume control pot and the encoder shafts
- a small PCB to mount the three small phone jacks (makes wiring them a lot easier)
All for $125 (Paypal only, please), shipped USPS priority mail to US address only. Email me for Paypal info.
73... Mark AA7TA
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Hi Tom.........The only res. fitted is the 4K7 pull?up, 5V to the key jack....I'm baffled 73
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One possibility is the software may be thinking you are using a paddle. Did you wire up the key with one of the resistors in series or without a resistor? When using a paddle the factory firmware uses resistor values to determine if you are hitting the
dot or dash paddle. A straight key should have no resistor.?
Tom, wb6b
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fascinating. Never saw that FIREBIRD brand swr meter before, but sure enough, you can find it on facebook and yes, they are apparently meant for far more power than a CB radio can produce. Allison found a really net section of the antenna free pdf and there really are some gems in there!!! I would caution that with a really short antenna (the quintessential example is a small loop) the losses in the matching system can be much larger than expected (by the unwary) because the radiation resistance may be so small that OHMIC losses are now quite consequential in the matching network/feedline etc. With an antenna of more than say 1/3 wavelngth I think there really isn't much of an issue with reasonable sized conductors etc. But then of course, I'm sure someone can find an exeption to that!! I have a good friend, experienced ham, and he found his "loop" to be about 10dB worse than a full size dipole and some published work has corroborated that. How does this relate to the uBitx? The losses in some antenna designs can be even larger than the dB difference between a 100 watt rig and the uBitx....putting you REALLY in a QRP situation. I'm really excited by the work Warren and others are doing with the filters. Great work! Cheers! Gordon ________________________________________ From: [email protected] < [email protected]> on behalf of Vince Vielhaber <vev@...> Sent: Monday, September 10, 2018 2:59 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [BITX20] uBitx Antenna #ubitx-help Right, well this firebird isn't even usable as an swr meter unless you put about a kilowatt into it. In the FWD, the meter won't go full scale below about 14 MHz. Vince. On 09/10/2018 07:41 AM, iz oos wrote: I have a cheap CB swr meter (just swr not power meter) and a crossneedle
ham-meter. In the instruction sheet they say it is usable between
1.8-30! They are liers!!!! It works from 1.8 to 50Mhz (yes up to the
6meters band) !!! Very similar reading to the ham meter!!! What a
shame... They don't even know what they sell... hihi... hi
Il 10/set/2018 07:40, "Vince Vielhaber" <vev@...
<mailto:vev@...>> ha scritto:
SWR and Wattmeters made for CB are often worthless in the ham bands,
unless you're only using 10M. I picked up a Firebird SWR/Wattmeter
a while back that was supposed to be good for 1.8-30 MHz. HAR!
That thing won't even read accurately (or even semi-accurately) at
21 MHz and gets progressively worse the lower you go. It barely
responds with almost 1KW going into it at 3.9MHz. Needless to say
it's going back on ebay. It is fairly accurate on 10 meters, so it
probably is on 11 too.
Vince.
On 09/09/2018 03:13 PM, Gordon Gibby wrote:
The only cb ones I have tried on 2 m are the long parallel rod
pick up type, they were quite in accurate
For VHF/UHF I use ham products made for the purpose
Cheers
Gordon kx4z
On Sep 9, 2018, at 13:59, Bill Cromwell
<wrcromwell@... <mailto:wrcromwell@...>> wrote:
Hi,
It might start to be a little shaky on the two meter band.
And maybe will work there too.
73,
Bill KU8H
On 09/09/2018 05:37 AM, gonewiththeego@...
<mailto:gonewiththeego@...> wrote:
I was thinking about an Albrecht SWR 20 which I can see
that is used
only for CB. Do you think it should work for 20/40m band ?
--
bark less - wag more
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
-- Michigan VHF Corp.
|
Right, well this firebird isn't even usable as an swr meter unless you put about a kilowatt into it. In the FWD, the meter won't go full scale below about 14 MHz.
Vince.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 09/10/2018 07:41 AM, iz oos wrote: I have a cheap CB swr meter (just swr not power meter) and a crossneedle
ham-meter. In the instruction sheet they say it is usable between
1.8-30! They are liers!!!! It works from 1.8 to 50Mhz (yes up to the
6meters band) !!! Very similar reading to the ham meter!!! What a
shame... They don't even know what they sell... hihi... hi
Il 10/set/2018 07:40, "Vince Vielhaber" <vev@...
<mailto:vev@...>> ha scritto:
SWR and Wattmeters made for CB are often worthless in the ham bands,
unless you're only using 10M. I picked up a Firebird SWR/Wattmeter
a while back that was supposed to be good for 1.8-30 MHz. HAR!
That thing won't even read accurately (or even semi-accurately) at
21 MHz and gets progressively worse the lower you go. It barely
responds with almost 1KW going into it at 3.9MHz. Needless to say
it's going back on ebay. It is fairly accurate on 10 meters, so it
probably is on 11 too.
Vince.
On 09/09/2018 03:13 PM, Gordon Gibby wrote:
The only cb ones I have tried on 2 m are the long parallel rod
pick up type, they were quite in accurate
For VHF/UHF I use ham products made for the purpose
Cheers
Gordon kx4z
On Sep 9, 2018, at 13:59, Bill Cromwell
<wrcromwell@... <mailto:wrcromwell@...>> wrote:
Hi,
It might start to be a little shaky on the two meter band.
And maybe will work there too.
73,
Bill KU8H
On 09/09/2018 05:37 AM, gonewiththeego@...
<mailto:gonewiththeego@...> wrote:
I was thinking about an Albrecht SWR 20 which I can see
that is used
only for CB. Do you think it should work for 20/40m band ?
--
bark less - wag more
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
|
Hi, gone with the go¡ª
Almost anything works receiving. More power to you for learning how to get a transmitting antenna going
As you gain skills, you¡¯ll eventually want to deal with the harmonics or spurs with the transceiver, and it isn¡¯t that terribly difficult and a great learning chance
All things in good time
Gordon kx4z
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On Sep 10, 2018, at 14:05, Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell@...> wrote:
Hi Tom,
Building one is so easy that even *I* can do it.
73,
Bill KU8H
On 09/10/2018 01:55 PM, Tom, wb6b wrote:
I have an auto tuner, but what happens in the auto tuner stays in the
auto tuner. So having another SWR bridge (as well as a extra manual
tuner) would be nice.
I would have thought that CB SWR/Power meters do not have as critical
selection requirement for core material and other design parameters, for
the toroid transformer type, so might have a limited frequency range.
But, it sounds like in many cases they use a proven design and don't
bother to make it cheaper by a few pennies by selecting worst core
materials and such. That is encouraging for the possibility of buying a
low cost spare SWR meter. I plan to head to one of the ham flea markets
and try my luck at getting something, but the closest one is a long
drive. Amazon, UPS and the post office are good things here.
True, it is not hard to build one either.
Tom, wb6b
_._,_._,_ --
bark less - wag more
|
Raj vu2zap
Ripley
Nick VK4PP