Hi Reed, many thanks for scripting and sharing this auxiliary sketch. I tested it on my #v6 as build out of the box. Finger touches and tuning knob inputs are detecting as described, while I didn't monitor the serial output. However I notice that input from the rotary encoder is deferred significantly. vy 73 de Urs, du1/dl1kdx 
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Re: uBiTX #v6 - First steps after assembly
#v6
1. Sounds fine 2. Sounds fine 3. Yep. If you search this group, you'll find lots of reports of hot 5V regulators. It's normal. 4. Did you calibrate the screen? I just explained how to do this earlier today: /g/BITX20/message/78865 5. When you first boot (in stock or my version), the knob adjusts the VFO A frequency - it doesn't select. 6. Sounds good 7. Sounds fine 8. Kinda expected 9. N/A 10. If you press and hold the knob in while in tuning mode, that activates the morse menu feature, which "plays" menus to you, so that you can navigate the radio blind. You can turn it back off by long pressing the knob again. 11. Might be a screen calibration thing. See 4. 12. Power radio off. Power radio on. Press knob button momentarily (briefly). At that point, you should see a small white border around VFOA that moves when you turn the encoder. 13. Did you click on the 4 crosses and then set the BFO and oscillator cals? If you didn't, good. I'd recommend against it, since you'll lose the factory BFO and oscillator cals, and have to re-cal from "scratch". If you did, not the end of the world, but also strange that the calibration wouldn't make your touch screen work. It strikes me as odd that it sounds like the knob button only works as a long press for you. I would expect it either to fully work, or not work at all. I know some folks have accidentally plugged the encoder into the audio jack on the motherboard instead of the raduino jack, but if the button works somewhat, that sounds unlikely to be your issue. If you power the radio on, then after the screen is drawn, press the knob briefly (short press), do you not see the white border around VFO A? It's a thin border, so perhaps you just didn't see it? Another thing from the earlier thread today that may be worth trying is loading the test branch: /g/BITX20/message/78792. It will let you test the inputs and outputs of the radio, by providing audio and on-screen feedback (see youtube link in that message for demonstration). Reed
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uBiTX #v6 - First steps after assembly
#v6
Hi guys,
I am new to the forum, received my uBiTX v6 yesterday, assembled the kit same night and encounter some issues. I would like to share with you my issues, kindly seeking for your expertise and advice how to fix them. Here are my setup, observations and issues:
1. Power supply is 13.8V out of a regulated 20A-capable device.
2. Current in Rx mode with running TFT display is approx. 350mA.
3. After a couple of minutes the 5V regulator mounted on the Raduino board gets boiling hot.
4. The TFT is "not touchable", neither pushed with the fingers nor the pen, it doesn't re-act.
5. The displayed menus doesn't re-act on spinning or pushing the rotary encoder.
6. The rotary encoder appears to work well, verified with my Digital Multimeter.
7. Current in Rx mode without TFT display is approx 150mA and the 5V regulator remains at moderate temperature.
8. I re-installed the latest version of Ashhar's master code to the Arduino Nano successfully, to verify that it works properly. It does and none of the above points change.
9. Finally I installed Reed N's modification of the master code with minor operational improvements:
10. After pushing the rotary encoder several times the uBiTX starts sending the VFO-A frequency in morse code through the speaker and volume control works well.
11. Occasionally the Split button illuminates.
12. However, I am still not able to browse through the menus or to change VFO-A frequency.
13. Powering up the uBiTX while pushing the rotary encoder, brings up the "Click on the cross" window, but still the screen is "untouchable" and doesn't accept input through the rotary encoder.
I never had the uBiTX switched on longer than 5 minutes, because of point 3. Enclosed some pics illustrating my observations.
Any kind of comments, ideas etc is highly appreciated.
73 de Urs, du1/dl1kdx
  
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Hi Nick Did you consider the suggestion for an onboard 160M LPF? Any idea when the boards will be available Regards? Lawrence
On Thu, May 14, 2020 at 8:08 AM Cor Beijersbergen < dx11@...> wrote: Hello Nick, I ?haven¡¯t seen the signal that the time window for ordering your board is opened. Ut now I see some people showing their interest in this board, so maybe I missed something, ?therefor I would like to repeat to you my interest in two of these boards. ? Kind regards, Cor ¨C PA4Q
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Hello Nick, I ?haven¡¯t seen the signal that the time window for ordering your board is opened. Ut now I see some people showing their interest in this board, so maybe I missed something, ?therefor I would like to repeat to you my interest in two of these boards. ? Kind regards, Cor ¨C PA4Q
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Okay, wanna try also,?wanna try also when my V6 is working
Regards
Rene
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Re: Better mic for ver 6.1
Les
My v4 did not come with an assembled mic, so I found a kenwood speaker mic and wired a new connector on it.
Possibly your mic element may be okay, but have lousy material over it. Maybe I read here that some have modified those microphones?? also evaluate your output power. First check your cw output level. Your voice won't reach that level since an ordinary power meter responds too slow. But needle should dance significantly off of zero when you are getting adequate drive. See if your mic is delivering adequate audio. It could even be padding over the element. You may need to experiment,? ordering a new mic may not necessarily solve it.
Curt wb8yyy
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Hi Farhan:
Very nice! BTW, after you mentioned the Bach book I looked into buying one. $103! So I went on eBay and bought a used copy for $8. Got it today and started reading it. I think I'm gonna like it!
Please stay safe and well, my friend!
Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 4:43:54 PM EDT, Ashhar Farhan <farhanbox@...> wrote:
Jack,
Scroll down and read through the pacificon pdf
dan tayloe's high performance cw transceiver?
have not heard of it. Details?
Jack, W8TEE
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 4:41:28 PM EDT, Ashhar Farhan < farhanbox@...> wrote:
Dex, the good thing about analog is that you can always improvise. as long as transistors, capacitors, crystals? and resistors are available, analog radios will continue to educate, edify and entertain us. vfo tuning mechanisms are getting tougher to find. but PTOs made from screws are very robust and very stable. have you see dan tayloe's high performance cw transceiver? - f? On Wed, May 13, 2020 at 1:51 AM Dexter N Muir < dexy@...> wrote: Hi Farhan from South-East a ways.
Bill N2CQR (he of SolderSmoke) would be a good Elmer: Fully capable both Digital and Analog, enthusiastic Constructor and collaborator.
My 2p-worth: Analog hardware is becoming rare, best sourced from junkboxes and swap-meets.
73,
Dex, ZL2DEX
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Jack, W8TEE
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Jack, W8TEE
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The first and third should correspond to button presses. 1 for short press, 2 for long press, 0 for not pressed. If you're not watching closely, the 1 or 2 can go scroll by in a flash.
Glad to hear everything is working for you now! Enjoy your upgraded radio :)
Reed
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Reed,?
the serial debug data which shows 5 sets of numbers separated by comma , the 2nd set is changing ?when rotating the knob , 4th & 5th set changes when the screen is touched, no changes on 1st & 3rd set . I plugged back ?the nano with R.1.5.0 firmware, all items on the screen are working now ,can hear the signals well , thank you very much .?
darwin EI3IHB?
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Jack,
Scroll down and read through the pacificon pdf
dan tayloe's high performance cw transceiver?
have not heard of it. Details?
Jack, W8TEE
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 4:41:28 PM EDT, Ashhar Farhan < farhanbox@...> wrote:
Dex, the good thing about analog is that you can always improvise. as long as transistors, capacitors, crystals? and resistors are available, analog radios will continue to educate, edify and entertain us. vfo tuning mechanisms are getting tougher to find. but PTOs made from screws are very robust and very stable. have you see dan tayloe's high performance cw transceiver? - f? On Wed, May 13, 2020 at 1:51 AM Dexter N Muir < dexy@...> wrote: Hi Farhan from South-East a ways.
Bill N2CQR (he of SolderSmoke) would be a good Elmer: Fully capable both Digital and Analog, enthusiastic Constructor and collaborator.
My 2p-worth: Analog hardware is becoming rare, best sourced from junkboxes and swap-meets.
73,
Dex, ZL2DEX
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Jack, W8TEE
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Hi Jonas,?
Yes, I should have a couple of 1N34A in my junk box; then the link you kindly provided will be a good guide for building it. I will do that tomorrow.
This has been a very fruitful day, I am so happy to have repaired the ubitx and, more important, to have learned something new :-)
Hej do
Jep
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 Reed?
I saw the setting icon this afternoon , calibrated it but not all items on the screen is working on R1.5.0, will try to send the debug data later. Thank you.?
darwin EI3IHB?
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Hi Pat,
I have installe SMD parts on legacy circuit boards and the other way round. What you describe is about the same thing I did. It works:)
I spent years on the fire department. There is nothing that cannot be disassembled with a fire axe. Reassembling might be problematic.
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On 5/13/20 11:10 AM, pat griffin wrote: Bill,
I think I installed it on the top so it looks like a water tank in a midwestern town hovering above the smd parts.? Bend the ends of the 2n2222 legs into little circles at right angles to the legs and solder those feet to the pads.
My wife took my fire axe away years ago.? Something about scaring the kids' friends.
73, Pat AA4PG
Pat Griffin
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bark less - wag more
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Hi Jep,
Well, if you have some components such as a germanium diode I suggest you build yourself a RF probe, then you can use the fluke to measure RF levels before and after transistors. See example:? Perhaps You can mail order the needed components if You dont have them at hand. Or perhaps another ham in your town has them?
Best?regards Jonas - SM4VEY
As already briefly mentioned, here at my "marine" location some 50 km North of Rome I only have a digital multimeter instrument, and by now (due to pandemia lock-down) there is no chance to move to Rome and access an oscilloscope or whatsoever... Let's consider that an exercise for emergency conditions: Use more the brain instead of sofisticated instruments :-).
Cheers
Jep
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Re: Better mic for ver 6.1
That is a ad for a 4 pin mic, v6.1 uses a stereo plug ?
?? Les,? K2TGW
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For anyone that thinks they may be replacing the transistor more than once, you can cut single sections off of? SIP sockets and solder them onto the pads. Then? it is as simple as unplugging one transistor and plugging in another without the worry of lifting pads. ? Dale W4OP ? ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jep
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2020 12:59 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BITX20] Poor RX sensitivity, no RF out - #v3 #ubitx #ubitx-help ? Hi Allison,
thank you for the comments. Luckily enough, R84 was not altered as I found full 12V on transistor collector.
At the end, an old TO5 metal-case BC142 came out of my "marine" junk box so I installed it immediately.
Needless to say, now the ubitx puts out its full power and works as it should. The precise indications by the Group have been fully effective.
Given the BC142 is a robust transistor and that now I know I could eventually replace it at once, I will not install protection diodes: You are certainly right.
Bests,
Jep
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Hi Allison,
thank you for the comments. Luckily enough, R84 was not altered as I found full 12V on transistor collector.
At the end, an old TO5 metal-case BC142 came out of my "marine" junk box so I installed it immediately.
Needless to say, now the ubitx puts out its full power and works as it should. The precise indications by the Group have been fully effective.
Given the BC142 is a robust transistor and that now I know I could eventually replace it at once, I will not install protection diodes: You are certainly right.
Bests,
Jep
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nil sine causa accidit Jerry
On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 04:16:46 PM UTC, ajparent1/kb1gmx <kb1gmx@...> wrote:
Besides Q90 as possible failure if it fails shorted R84 tends to fail.
THats that little 10 ohm SMT that supplies 12v (nominal) to the
collector of q90.
So if the collector is at .5V (TX) then R84.
FYI putting protection diodes there is not a good idea as its also in
the TX path and diodes conducting on TX will make for harmonic havoc
and possibly poor audio.
Allison
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No direct email, it goes to bit bucket due address harvesting in groups.IO
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Darwin EI4KX
Jep