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You are right, Loris. If meter has a VU readings on meter face and calibrated as such, it would be accurate at one point on the meter ... per the calibration. The circuit was "borrowed" from the schematic of a radio produced in Indonesia ... and labeled as such. I put it out there for anyone who might want to play with it. Nothing more. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 5:53:31 PM EDT, IW4AJR Loris <lorisbollina@...> wrote:
The circuit you show is not an S-meter, but a VU-meter, it is proportional to the quadratic law of the diodes used, quite similar to the logarithmic law of dBV (mostly referred to an impedance of a few hundred ¦¸) to l output from circuit BF, responding poorly to RF levels received in the antenna.
An S-meter is a substantially different circuit, it is proportional to precise RF levels (defined by the IARU as in the table below for the HF) at the antenna input and varies in steps of 6 dBm referred to the ?V levels on an impedance of 50¦¸.
If you want to see a needle that moves it's fine, if you want to give reports that make sense it's useless!
Regards, Loris IW4AJR.
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Right Arv ... Software is the way to go. Otherwise someone is being amazed by flashing lights and bird whistles. This is just one opinion, however. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 3:12:56 PM EDT, Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:
Bob and Jack Seems that if you are using that circuit and an ADC input in place of an analog? meter, you could use software to convert the ADC readings into VU meter,? S-meter, or anything else.? Might be a way to show Peak readings versus? Average, and even to calculate receiver input in Microvolts. Arv _._ On Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 11:26 AM Bob Lunsford via <nocrud222=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Duh-oo
Everything is relative. One's S-meter reading depends on the receiver AND the antenna. One too many variables. A Volume Unit reading is based on voltage across a standard resister value. The VU reading may be more accurate but still has too many variables. Personally, I do not need an S-meter and unless someone asks me, I do not give a Signal Strength report. It means little to me when we are talking about readability. I can come up with a circuit that may warm someone's heart but my V6 does not need an S-meter. HOWEVER, the same circuit can be an operator for the AGC circuit. Old time operators used to pull the "cans" off the ears and put them over the temple to either adjust the audio level or keep excessive volume from waking them up. Been there, done that... Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 2:26:54 PM EDT, Jack, W8TEE via groups.io <jjpurdum@...> wrote:
My bad, it should have read: Again, I'm not an EE type, but if the metering is done off the volume control, is it really an? S meter or a VU meter??
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 1:26:27 PM EDT, Bob Lunsford via groups.io <nocrud222@...> wrote:
The signal off the volume control can be used as a signal source for either S-meter purposes OR a way to control an AGC circuit by causing attenuation for signals above a pre-set level. However, I learned with my G90 that there are times when the AGC should be shut off to provide maximum signal gain. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 12:56:25 PM EDT, Jack, W8TEE via groups.io <jjpurdum@...> wrote:
Again, I'm not an EE type, but if the metering is done off the volume control, is it really an SWR meter or a VU meter?? Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 12:49:45 PM EDT, Bob Lunsford via groups.io <nocrud222@...> wrote:
This again is offered to show an S-meter circuit borrowed from the transceiver circuit being sold from Indonesia. It is apparently attachable to the volume control and since it's in the receive system, it does not affect the transmit system. It can be "rubbered" here and there since the component values may be the best for this considering that they are what is available to the builders in Indonesia, the FET and transistor can work equally well when using substitutes. Attaching to the high end of the uBITX's volume control and making the 47K variable in the circuit below a set resistor for calibration purposes results in making this a usable circuit. The meter, of course, can be substituted with an LED barcode circuit OR merely provide a source signal for an on-screen display of received signal level. The circuit as shown is relatively simple, however. Bob ¡ª KKR
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 7:06:58 AM EDT, IW4AJR Loris <lorisbollina@...> wrote:
On the CCARC (Carroll County Amateur Radio Club, Inc.) website I found a very interesting article on automatic gain control that is worth reading!
Without many frills Carol makes us understand that an AGC (automatic gain control) on the IF of the uBITX, due to the nature of the amps used (bidirectional), is very complex to make at this level of the circuit ...
therefore ? ...
Much better and less invasive to act directly on the volume control, implementing a simple but effective automatic volume control (AVC)!
Think man ... think ...
A little less software and a little more electronic experimentation and, with much less effort, very complex problems can be solved!
Think man ... think !
Greetings to all, Loris IW4AJR
-- Jack, W8TEE -- Jack, W8TEE |
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Jack, W8TEE
Agree. Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 3:12:56 PM EDT, Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:
Bob and Jack Seems that if you are using that circuit and an ADC input in place of an analog? meter, you could use software to convert the ADC readings into VU meter,? S-meter, or anything else.? Might be a way to show Peak readings versus? Average, and even to calculate receiver input in Microvolts. Arv _._ On Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 11:26 AM Bob Lunsford via <nocrud222=[email protected]> wrote:
--
Jack, W8TEE |
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Bob and Jack Seems that if you are using that circuit and an ADC input in place of an analog? meter, you could use software to convert the ADC readings into VU meter,? S-meter, or anything else.? Might be a way to show Peak readings versus? Average, and even to calculate receiver input in Microvolts. Arv _._ On Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 11:26 AM Bob Lunsford via <nocrud222=[email protected]> wrote:
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Duh-oo
Jack, W8TEE
My bad, it should have read: Again, I'm not an EE type, but if the metering is done off the volume control, is it really an? S meter or a VU meter??
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 1:26:27 PM EDT, Bob Lunsford via groups.io <nocrud222@...> wrote:
The signal off the volume control can be used as a signal source for either S-meter purposes OR a way to control an AGC circuit by causing attenuation for signals above a pre-set level. However, I learned with my G90 that there are times when the AGC should be shut off to provide maximum signal gain. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 12:56:25 PM EDT, Jack, W8TEE via groups.io <jjpurdum@...> wrote:
Again, I'm not an EE type, but if the metering is done off the volume control, is it really an SWR meter or a VU meter?? Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 12:49:45 PM EDT, Bob Lunsford via groups.io <nocrud222@...> wrote:
This again is offered to show an S-meter circuit borrowed from the transceiver circuit being sold from Indonesia. It is apparently attachable to the volume control and since it's in the receive system, it does not affect the transmit system. It can be "rubbered" here and there since the component values may be the best for this considering that they are what is available to the builders in Indonesia, the FET and transistor can work equally well when using substitutes. Attaching to the high end of the uBITX's volume control and making the 47K variable in the circuit below a set resistor for calibration purposes results in making this a usable circuit. The meter, of course, can be substituted with an LED barcode circuit OR merely provide a source signal for an on-screen display of received signal level. The circuit as shown is relatively simple, however. Bob ¡ª KKR
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 7:06:58 AM EDT, IW4AJR Loris <lorisbollina@...> wrote:
On the CCARC (Carroll County Amateur Radio Club, Inc.) website I found a very interesting article on automatic gain control that is worth reading!
Without many frills Carol makes us understand that an AGC (automatic gain control) on the IF of the uBITX, due to the nature of the amps used (bidirectional), is very complex to make at this level of the circuit ...
therefore ? ...
Much better and less invasive to act directly on the volume control, implementing a simple but effective automatic volume control (AVC)!
Think man ... think ...
A little less software and a little more electronic experimentation and, with much less effort, very complex problems can be solved!
Think man ... think !
Greetings to all, Loris IW4AJR
-- Jack, W8TEE -- Jack, W8TEE |
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Re: No output power on
#v3
The only "pop and smoke" experience I ever had was when I bought a Swan 350 at a hamfest that was a "Sure, it's working!" radio so when I plugged it in at home, it sounded like a shotgun shell going off. The power supply caps had to be replaced. Nothing like a PnS experience to add to one's bank of experience. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 1:31:29 PM EDT, _Dave_ AD0B <davesters@...> wrote:
Hi Evan, The comment was not directed at you but as information for the poster of the statement.? I don't think that I can a recall a single instance where a pop and smoke left my equipment working. -- 73 Dave |
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Re: No output power on
#v3
Hi Evan,
The comment was not directed at you but as information for the poster of the statement.? I don't think that I can a recall a single instance where a pop and smoke left my equipment working. -- 73 Dave |
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The signal off the volume control can be used as a signal source for either S-meter purposes OR a way to control an AGC circuit by causing attenuation for signals above a pre-set level. However, I learned with my G90 that there are times when the AGC should be shut off to provide maximum signal gain. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 12:56:25 PM EDT, Jack, W8TEE via groups.io <jjpurdum@...> wrote:
Again, I'm not an EE type, but if the metering is done off the volume control, is it really an SWR meter or a VU meter?? Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 12:49:45 PM EDT, Bob Lunsford via groups.io <nocrud222@...> wrote:
This again is offered to show an S-meter circuit borrowed from the transceiver circuit being sold from Indonesia. It is apparently attachable to the volume control and since it's in the receive system, it does not affect the transmit system. It can be "rubbered" here and there since the component values may be the best for this considering that they are what is available to the builders in Indonesia, the FET and transistor can work equally well when using substitutes. Attaching to the high end of the uBITX's volume control and making the 47K variable in the circuit below a set resistor for calibration purposes results in making this a usable circuit. The meter, of course, can be substituted with an LED barcode circuit OR merely provide a source signal for an on-screen display of received signal level. The circuit as shown is relatively simple, however. Bob ¡ª KKR
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 7:06:58 AM EDT, IW4AJR Loris <lorisbollina@...> wrote:
On the CCARC (Carroll County Amateur Radio Club, Inc.) website I found a very interesting article on automatic gain control that is worth reading!
Without many frills Carol makes us understand that an AGC (automatic gain control) on the IF of the uBITX, due to the nature of the amps used (bidirectional), is very complex to make at this level of the circuit ...
therefore ? ...
Much better and less invasive to act directly on the volume control, implementing a simple but effective automatic volume control (AVC)!
Think man ... think ...
A little less software and a little more electronic experimentation and, with much less effort, very complex problems can be solved!
Think man ... think !
Greetings to all, Loris IW4AJR
-- Jack, W8TEE |
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Re: No output power on
#v3
Considering that the radio's boards are pretested and aligned, causing smoke and pops would have to be an accident or intentional. I got my new V6 yesterday at the Post Office (DHL sent the radio from the Cincinnati hub by USPS to my Post Offic) and within an hour of opening the box, it was a working radio on my bench. No Problem. No smoke, no pops. Nor did I expect anything like this when turning on the power. It's a simple plug-n-chug operation to assemble ... as long as the assembler uses a metric scale to make sure to use the proper (short) screws to mount the complete case. I assembled nearly all the ham radio Heath kits and only had one diode with the cathode band on the wrong end and a screw with no threads. With uBITX, I don't even expect to find this. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 9:57:19 AM EDT, _Dave_ AD0B <davesters@...> wrote:
Pops and smoking are a normal part of uBITX startups.. NOT!!!!!!!!! -- 73 Dave |
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Re: Simple UBITX Test Set
When playing my new V6 on a local AM broadcast station and listening to the same station on my main radio, there is a way to know when the two signals are on the same frequency because you can hear the frequency difference between the two audio signals. It is a signal that can be nulled and if both are in the USB or LSB mode, you can read the signal discrepancy frequency by tuning the main radio up or down from the zero beat signal and reading the frequencies on the main rig's display. Then you have to wonder if the main rig's dial is off frequency OR if the broadcast station is not squarely on frequency. Doing this with other stations will give some confidence in the broadcast station's frequency accuracy since they are beholden to the FCC to be on the correct frequency. This may open up a nest of snakes when dealing with some podunk station, however, but the chance of it being inaccurate is slim. Something to play with, anyway. Bob ¡ª KK5R
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 7:54:34 AM EDT, Vic WA4THR via groups.io <vhklein@...> wrote:
Regarding trying to calibrate with WWV, it actually is easier if you have a second AM receiver when WWV is sending tones. You can then match the tone frequency between the uBitX and the AM receiver much easier than when zero beating as you can do that within a few cycles as opposed to losing the low frequency notes perhaps 100's of cycles before zero beat. Note, to be accurate the 2nd receiver needs to be AM, which eliminates that receiver's error which could be added to the perceived tone frequency if using SSB. That is the technique I used on mine and it is dead on frequency. =Vic= |
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Jack, W8TEE
Again, I'm not an EE type, but if the metering is done off the volume control, is it really an SWR meter or a VU meter?? Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 12:49:45 PM EDT, Bob Lunsford via groups.io <nocrud222@...> wrote:
This again is offered to show an S-meter circuit borrowed from the transceiver circuit being sold from Indonesia. It is apparently attachable to the volume control and since it's in the receive system, it does not affect the transmit system. It can be "rubbered" here and there since the component values may be the best for this considering that they are what is available to the builders in Indonesia, the FET and transistor can work equally well when using substitutes. Attaching to the high end of the uBITX's volume control and making the 47K variable in the circuit below a set resistor for calibration purposes results in making this a usable circuit. The meter, of course, can be substituted with an LED barcode circuit OR merely provide a source signal for an on-screen display of received signal level. The circuit as shown is relatively simple, however. Bob ¡ª KKR
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 7:06:58 AM EDT, IW4AJR Loris <lorisbollina@...> wrote:
On the CCARC (Carroll County Amateur Radio Club, Inc.) website I found a very interesting article on automatic gain control that is worth reading!
Without many frills Carol makes us understand that an AGC (automatic gain control) on the IF of the uBITX, due to the nature of the amps used (bidirectional), is very complex to make at this level of the circuit ...
therefore ? ...
Much better and less invasive to act directly on the volume control, implementing a simple but effective automatic volume control (AVC)!
Think man ... think ...
A little less software and a little more electronic experimentation and, with much less effort, very complex problems can be solved!
Think man ... think !
Greetings to all, Loris IW4AJR
-- Jack, W8TEE |
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This again is offered to show an S-meter circuit borrowed from the transceiver circuit being sold from Indonesia. It is apparently attachable to the volume control and since it's in the receive system, it does not affect the transmit system. It can be "rubbered" here and there since the component values may be the best for this considering that they are what is available to the builders in Indonesia, the FET and transistor can work equally well when using substitutes. Attaching to the high end of the uBITX's volume control and making the 47K variable in the circuit below a set resistor for calibration purposes results in making this a usable circuit. The meter, of course, can be substituted with an LED barcode circuit OR merely provide a source signal for an on-screen display of received signal level. The circuit as shown is relatively simple, however. Bob ¡ª KKR
On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 7:06:58 AM EDT, IW4AJR Loris <lorisbollina@...> wrote:
On the CCARC (Carroll County Amateur Radio Club, Inc.) website I found a very interesting article on automatic gain control that is worth reading!
Without many frills Carol makes us understand that an AGC (automatic gain control) on the IF of the uBITX, due to the nature of the amps used (bidirectional), is very complex to make at this level of the circuit ...
therefore ? ...
Much better and less invasive to act directly on the volume control, implementing a simple but effective automatic volume control (AVC)!
Think man ... think ...
A little less software and a little more electronic experimentation and, with much less effort, very complex problems can be solved!
Think man ... think !
Greetings to all, Loris IW4AJR
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Re: Simple UBITX Test Set
If?
Ashhar Farhan can calibrate?the UBITX by the PC via web, what?about a web app to decode SSTV? It can be done with laptop?and easypal?for example listening to the hand held, but it will be great a?web page with a chat, then the images there, and not using easypal. I also know there are pages to load the images, but I am talking web app instead of easypal. That would be great. On Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 3:28 AM Tom, wb6b <wb6b@...> wrote: On Tue, Oct 27, 2020 at 09:55 AM, Evan Hand wrote: |
Bob Lunsford
_Dave_ AD0B
K2ICC
Gerard
