Hi Allard
no, the red one is not at the ground and the only thing happening is that the rig is not mouving from discriebed pos. 2 !
73 Gert
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Hi Gert,
it seems your Raduino is going into calibration mode.
This normally only happens when pin A2 (red wire) is connected to ground.
Make sure that your pin A2 is not accidentally connected to ground.
Before upgrading to a newer software version, first make sure the radio
works OK with the stock software v1.01.
Newer software with additional features is available at
73 Allard PE1NWL
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Re: BITX QSO Night, Sunday, November 26, 7pm Local Time, 7277 kHz in North America, 7177 kHz elsewhere
Just a reminder! See you all tonight, I hope!
--
John - WA2FZW
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Hi, I"m pretty new around and about a beginner
My new BITX worked for a few days correcty but now does not like me any more
Turning on the display says
1. Raduino v1.01
??? Calibrating....
2. A:00:0000?? n...
?? -025 0000 up to 00261500 depending on the tuning
and it provides me with a hissing sound
3, no further action
My guess is, that Arduino lost his mind / program - power on the board is o.k.
I think, the sw-version is a bit old, but how can I replace it with my computer ?
Anybody got a siple idea dor me ?
DG3OQ
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Re: Is my BitX output stable?
Hi Jerry, The link you mention,?, is our club web site and documents our first club build. We built 30 or so Pixies and exposed many to their first soldering adventure. I? would consider the Pixie to be an interesting experiment rather than a viable transceiver, but yes they do work. With much time and patience and a good antenna I was able to work Brazil from New England, one of the few contacts I was able to make.
On Mon, Nov 20, 2017 at 11:51 PM, Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io <jgaffke@...> wrote: If that's the $1.98 ebay Pixie transceiver, let us know if it actually works.
That would be amazing.
Of course, you will need an Extra Class license to put that 7.023mhz crystal oscillator on the air,
a different crystal will probably cost you yet another $1.98.? Unfortunate.
Should be able to hear the Bitx40 transmitting into a dummy load if you tune the Raduino to around 7.023mhz
On Mon, Nov 20, 2017 at 05:35 pm, Gene Nitschke wrote:
Ordered one of the CW kits.? May be a couple of weeks.
?
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
Yup, you're right, probably not Vgs-max.
Lack of DC bias could easily cook it.
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On Sat, Nov 25, 2017 at 02:35 pm, Ryan Flowers wrote:
I think I messed up R150 when soldering to it, and so there was no bias, which caused the IRF510 to cook itself.
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
I haven't posted it yet. I'd posted the problem with output dropping at 14mhz in another thread about the multi-band bitx in the last 2 weeks. -- Ryan Flowers W7RLF
?
?<-- Learn how to go digital on the BITX40
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
?Did I miss something?
I don't think I saw the detailed explanation of increased output/data....????
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I think I messed up R150 when soldering to it, and so there was no bias, which caused the IRF510 to cook itself. After replacement it's worked fine, for which I am glad. I've also thought about cutting the Drain lead off and soldering a jumper straight
between T7 and the tab. Right now I have the drain pin bent forward toward T7 with a small jumper between the two, and it seems to work well. It drops off at much higher frequencies now. I'll post all the info when I have time to get it together.
--
Ryan Flowers W7RLF
?
?<--
Learn how to go digital on the BITX40
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
I think I messed up R150 when soldering to it, and so there was no bias, which caused the IRF510 to cook itself. After replacement it's worked fine, for which I am glad. I've also thought about cutting the Drain lead off and soldering a jumper straight between T7 and the tab. Right now I have the drain pin bent forward toward T7 with a small jumper between the two, and it seems to work well. It drops off at much higher frequencies now. I'll post all the info when I have time to get it together. -- Ryan Flowers W7RLF
?
?<-- Learn how to go digital on the BITX40
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
Be careful!
The spec for Vgs to 20v. is for putting the device in the "full on"
condition. At 0v the switch is "full off", but at some gate voltage
(usually around 5v) it turns rather suddenly to "full on".
Remember, these are really electronic switches.
You are looking for the linear region between these conditions.
It is small but it is effective for RF. Usually that is a gate voltage
of 3-4v, no matter what the RF signal frequency is.
So START at 0v. on the gate and work up from there. Try to
avoid too high a gate voltage as it will fry the MOSFET in an
instant.
The real secret, I suppose, to matching a MOSFET to RF is
handling the gate capacitance at a given frequency range.
Layout is important. So is input impedance. So is heat
transfer.
john
AD5YE
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
Ah, so that's the consequence of too high a value at R150.
Vgs max is +/- 20v, my guess is this got exceeded and punched a hole in your IRF510.
R150 would keep that voltage within reasonable limits.
Vgs is the voltage on the gate with respect to the source
In our case the IRF510 source pin is tied to ground, so any momentary gate voltage
beyond plus or minus 20 volts peak with respect to ground is to be avoided.
Jerry
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On Sat, Nov 25, 2017 at 11:24 am, Ryan Flowers wrote:
when R150 failed open and took the IRF510 with it. No Bias = 5A on transmit = poof!
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
My thoughts as well, Jerry. I also intend to fiddle with resistance and gate capacitance a bit more. I was in the midst of doing so when R150 failed open and took the IRF510 with it. No Bias = 5A on transmit = poof! -- Ryan Flowers W7RLF
?
?<-- Learn how to go digital on the BITX40
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Re: Low output on 14mhz solved!
You're very persistent!
Sounds right, different IRF510 fab lines likely present a different capacitive load at the gate.
A stock R150 at 47 ohms is a good match for T6/Q14, but as frequencies go up the load at the gate
may mean R150 is better off with larger values of resistance. ?
I wonder what the consequences of having too high a value at R150 would be.
Does one value at R150 work well on 80m,40m,20m?
No change to board layout?
Jerry, KE7ER
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On Fri, Nov 24, 2017 at 11:16 pm, Ryan Flowers wrote:
New IRF510, new R150. Details in a blog post to follow.?
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Low output on 14mhz solved!
New IRF510, new R150. Details in a blog post to follow.? -- Ryan Flowers W7RLF
?
?<-- Learn how to go digital on the BITX40
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Multi-turn potentiometer for tuning. The thread continues . . . .
This might be interesting:
You could also use a conventional 270-degree rotation potentiometer and drive it
with a gear reduction or a homebrewed string drive arrangement.
Arv? K7HKL
_._
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Great pics. I exchanged the front and rear panels with same dimensions aluminum panels, a bit thicker. :) Sent from my iPhone
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On Nov 24, 2017, at 6:05 PM, David Arthur < mumrah@...> wrote: I purchased one of these a few weeks back and got around to fitting it today:??If that listing is gone, just search for "blue metal project enclosure" and you'll find a bunch. They are listed on Amazon as well. The totally usable dimensions inside are slightly less than advertised, so the bitx40 just barely fits. But it does seem to fit, see below. N.B., the heatsink for the PA does not fit, a hole will need to be cut for it. <IMG_6722.JPG><IMG_6721.JPG><IMG_6720.JPG><IMG_6719.JPG>
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I purchased one of these a few weeks back and got around to fitting it today:??If that listing is gone, just search for "blue metal project enclosure" and you'll find a bunch. They are listed on Amazon as well. The totally usable dimensions inside are slightly less than advertised, so the bitx40 just barely fits. But it does seem to fit, see below. N.B., the heatsink for the PA does not fit, a hole will need to be cut for it.    
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Raduino hardware test sketch
Hi,
I've made a Raduino test sketch which might be useful for trouble-shooting some basic hardware issues,
see attached raduino_diag.ino
- tuning pot readings
- function button test
- spot button test
- PTT switch test
- capacitive touch sensors test
- test which mods are installed
Results will be shown on the LCD display.
Additional diagnostic messages (BFO, VFO, si5351 frequency) are sent to the serial monitor
(in the IDE, select Tools = > serial monitor).
73 Allard PE1NWL
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A "Clarostat" 10T Pot (made in Mexico) on sale?
This was or is? a real company, maybe better that ebay stuff?
$5.95.
Of course there is that terrible shipping.
Mike, WA6ISP
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Barett,
is the problem only with the side tone, or is also the transmitted CW
signal delayed?
Remember the software applies a 65ms TX-delay (to prevent the spurious RF
burst that is emitted when the radio goes from RX to TX).
The initial dit (or dah) that is keyed within the first 65ms will be held
(delayed) until the 65ms delay is over.
However note that the TX-delay affects both the CW signal that is actually
transmitted over the air as well as the accompanying side tone.
73 Allard PE1NWL
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On Fri, November 24, 2017 19:52, Barrett O wrote: Is there anything to do about the cw side tone delay? A dit over about 15
wmp it wont even make it to the speaker.
--
Barrett
K5SSO
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Allard PE1NWL
Willy