Are you proposing to use the HF antenna on the 2-meter CW net? I suggest you would be better advised to use an antenna designed for 2 meters, then as Ashhar said, you wouldn't need the tuner.
Bill VK7MX
|
Re: Double sided PCB for RF
I do it all the time.? The big thing is a wire over ground is a transmission line so?
line width is important as well as in tuned circuits it add capacitance.
Even if the back is only a ground its still a two layer board and all the
rules apply.?
With that any topside ground needs to be stitched to the bottom
ground?either with vias (commercial etched) or though wires for
hand made. Also if you think there is enough of them use more.
Allison
------------------
Please use the forum, offline and private will go to bit bucket.
|
Until the PA-problems is fixed we can transform the sBitx to a usBitx !?
Remove both IRFZ24, remove C100 and C101, connect T6,6 to ground, find track T8,1 on pcb, cut track close to T8, connect a wire from T6,1 to PA-OUT.
Haven't tried yet but will do tomorrow.
de oz9ny, niels
|
Good afternoon, Mr. Farhan,
So I replaced the finals and the voltage regulator¡ªno more issues with transmitting. I reset the Drive and PA bias and adjusted them per instructions. I can send a signal and hear it through a local SDR website, Utah SDR. However, my receiving appears to be dead. To get any noise floor, my IF is turned up to 90+. There are no signals on the waterfall whatsoever, and many stray signals stay put on the waterfall. Hooked up my G90, antenna is working great and I receive lots of signals. I could not test the voltage as it shuts down because when I turned it back on today my finals were completely shorted out.?
Hope all is well.
Andrew, KJ7VIS
|
How can I check to see if my Finals are ok??
Vince
|
16x2, 16x4 display for V6
Can someone kindly guide me to Raduino software for uBITX V6 with a 16x2, 16x4 LCD display ?
Grateful thanks, 73s
de Bapi / VU2MZX?
|
Re: Double sided PCB for RF
My best guess would be possible capacitance between the layers at certain frequencies. I have never had an issue doing HF stuff.? I tend to use ground planes on both sides of the board and connect them together thru either the plated holes for thru hole parts or with vias.? I also incorporate my mounting hole into the ground plane.
On Sun, Sep 25, 2022 at 1:13 PM barry halterman < kthreebo@...> wrote: Master builders, yes you. What is the consensus using double sided PCB for RF construction where the bottom of the PCB is the ground plane? I have read various comments on NOT to use this method, but my brain cells do not remember the reasoning.
TU
K3Bo
-- Paul Mateer, AA9GG
Elan Engineering Corp.
|
Master builders, yes you. What is the consensus using double sided PCB for RF construction where the bottom of the PCB is the ground plane? I have read various comments on NOT to use this method, but my brain cells do not remember the reasoning.
TU
K3Bo
|
I received #135 about two weeks ago and soon after the finals blew so I replaced them. The Radio powered up and I was again seeing traffic on the waterfall. I then performed the adjustments on the? DRIVE_BIAS and PA_BIAS per the instructions.
Power up voltage was 13.9 and current was 0.52 to 0.53 amps. I completed the adjustments but noted that current never was stable; a fluctuation of approximately 0.02 amps but I figured that was not an issue.
Today I performed a power output with a 50 watt dummy load and I see not transmit power on my MFJ-849 swr/power meter. This is a known work meter and was verified working after the test also.
I tested transmit power using RTTY and CW to validate the output. the power was set at 5 and 10 watts respectively. In all cases zero output power was observed.
Your assistance is appreciated.
Phil
|
Before I click on the buy me button?
Hi Everyone,?
I¡¯m minded to buy the sBitx partial kit but I live in the U.K. however I am going to be at the VERON day of the Amateur at Zwolle next month. Where are the kits shipped from and what is the lead time??
Can anyone from the U.K. tell me what additional charges they had when there kit was delivered.?
Best wishes from a rather damp Budapest,?
Steve G0XAR?
|
Jean, The Raspberry Zero 2 is actually cheaper than the Black Pill.? It might be a good idea to design plugin boards to try out different CPUs.
Stephen & Ramon,
Sorry to barge into your discussion, but since the last months I
have been experimenting with exactly what your are proposing, I
thought might forward some comments.
Nor the ESP32, nor the RP2040 are actually powerful enough to
perform any serious DSP.? They can do some digital filters all
right but not with the precision that is needed for any serious
SSB demodulation (at least not with the limited knowledge of DSP
that I have), I tried with both.?
Finally I got something working well using the STM32F411 (black
pill), though this chip is only clocked at 100MHz it has a
floating point coprocessor on board and this makes all the
difference.?
The DSP chain is implemented using the Arduino IDE and the CMSIS
DSP library and is textbook classic.? The receiving path starts
from a rather modest 48ks/s signal for an IF of some 8kHz
bandwidth centered around a 12kHz carrier.? It then features a
12kHz quadrature mixer, a pair of Hilbert +45¡ã / -45¡ã filters, a
SSB demodulator and a main LPF, yielding an audio signal at the
output.? The transmitting part does the reverse, audio in and a
12kHz SSB modulated carrier out.?
As the DSP process takes already about 2/3 of the CPU time, no
spectrum display or waterfall was implemented.? AM and FM
demodulation are not implemented yet, but are certainly feasible.?
To control the radio (frequency, mode, ...) a simple CLI was
implemented, a CAT interface (FT817 style) is working also.?
Connecting a OLED/LCD for a GUI of sorts was also tried, but
abandoned as the libraries for these do not live well together
with the I2S routines (cracking noises every time the screen was
updated). ? An additional controller for the GUI would not be too
bad or cost too much.?
The hardware (see picture), is very much that of the sBITx
(eternally indebted to Ashhar), including the WM8731A codec (which
is indeed "finicky" as Ashhar puts it).? The board (100mm by
100mm) which contains the receiver part and the exciter part, is
essentially an experimental platform and was developed in several
phases, hence some lose wires, odd mounted components and the
gluing of boards, including the actual black pill (about 8€,
import from China).
This project is still very much work in progress (I am currently
struggling with some harmonic distortion at the 12kHz carrier
output), I am nevertheless willing to share the software and
hardware design files with whoever is interested in pursuing this
line of work.
73? Jean - on4jrt
Op 25/09/2022 om 11:59 schreef Stephen
Farthing:
Ramon,?
I think this is a possibility. There is a series
on YouTube of using an ESP32 as an SDR modulator demodulator. I
don¡¯t have the link but if you search you should find it. Lots
of maths and coding.?
73s Steve G0XAR
Hello,
I wonder if it would be possible to do the signal
processing with an ESP32 micro. The idea would be to take
the "AUDIO-DEMOD" signal and inject it with "AUDIO-MOD",
replacing the Raspberry process.
If it worked it could lead to a "compact and low cost
sBitx". Radio control could be done with a modified
Raduino32 and use another ESP32 for signal processing.
My knowledge and skills on FFT and C programming are
limited but if anyone is interested we could work on it.
?
Ramon EA4GZI
|
I did not manually edit the file. I was using the config dialog.
So not sure what went wrong.
When I have time to locate the file I'll load it up in Notepad++
to see what is up.
On 9/25/2022 10:42 AM, Mark Hatch
wrote:
So when you manually edited the XML file, you probably added or
deleted something like <foo>? and/or </foo> Or the
closing ">". Take a look at where you edited and see if you are
missing an opening or closing tag.
If you are running windows, I have found Notepad++ with the XML
extension installed (looked in the "plugin" menu item), good at
telling you at least which tag is missmatched. > But there are
plenty of XML verifiers out there.
73
Mark
AJ6CU?
|
Hello Goody,
I tested this code today. Restart and Shutdown worked as expected with no issues. The exit command worked but the first time I used it and then did ./sbitx to re-enter sbitx it appeared to work but when I did some transmitting of CW (5 watts) ?testing it quit back to terminal. Upon ./sbitx to again re-enter sbitx it worked without error. ?Did not experience any further issues transmitting in other trials exits and re-enterings. ?
Pete WK8s
|
Sorry should have read your reply more carefully. Finding a replacement file is probably the right path. Surprised (and a little uneasy) that Fidigi generated a corrupt XML file. Perhaps when you modified the settings in Fidgi you used one of the magical "special symbols (&<>"') . Usually the libraries used to generate XML protect against that and you get the "escaped form" &, < etc.)?
73
Mark
|
So when you manually edited the XML file, you probably added or deleted something like <foo>? and/or </foo> Or the closing ">". Take a look at where you edited and see if you are missing an opening or closing tag.
If you are running windows, I have found Notepad++ with the XML extension installed (looked in the "plugin" menu item), good at telling you at least which tag is missmatched. > But there are plenty of XML verifiers out there.
73
Mark
AJ6CU?
|
Hello Jim,
Yes you will be receiving the DHL tracking number.
Thanks,
Thomas
Hi Thomas !
Will I receive a DHL tracking number?
Thanks !
Jim
--
--
Support@...
|
Re: Updated sBitx hardware
Hello James,
From our records it appears that your order has come with the upgrade already installed.? Could you open the top cover check and let us know. Those? whose kit had come with the upgrade already installed were only sent a set of spare IRFZ24N and not the buck converter. However if your kit does not have the Buck Converter upgrade installed and have not received your replacement spares then please write to support@... and we will send a set across.
Hope that helps.
Regards,
Thomas
On Sun, 25 Sept 2022 at 19:03, James Conaway < jwc7992@...> wrote:
I am still waiting to receive the switching regulator and finals
promised. I have serial #47. I will look for a switching regulator
to purchase so I can get on with trouble shooting.
73,
James,? NU5E
On 9/25/2022 7:28 AM, Ashhar Farhan
wrote:
If you open the top cover, you can see the
switching regulator tacked on the top.
My sBitx is scheduled for delivery tomorrow. It was
originally scheduled for last Monday, but I put a vacation
hold on the delivery.
I see that there has been a hardware update. I think my
order was after the update, but how can I verify that my
unit has the update?
73,
Mark, N8ME
--
--
Support@...
|
Sorry, forgot the picture, herewith.?
Op 25/09/2022 om 17:12 schreef Jean
Taeymans:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Stephen & Ramon,
Sorry to barge into your discussion, but since the last months
I have been experimenting with exactly what your are proposing,
I thought might forward some comments.
Nor the ESP32, nor the RP2040 are actually powerful enough to
perform any serious DSP.? They can do some digital filters all
right but not with the precision that is needed for any serious
SSB demodulation (at least not with the limited knowledge of DSP
that I have), I tried with both.?
Finally I got something working well using the STM32F411 (black
pill), though this chip is only clocked at 100MHz it has a
floating point coprocessor on board and this makes all the
difference.?
The DSP chain is implemented using the Arduino IDE and the CMSIS
DSP library and is textbook classic.? The receiving path starts
from a rather modest 48ks/s signal for an IF of some 8kHz
bandwidth centered around a 12kHz carrier.? It then features a
12kHz quadrature mixer, a pair of Hilbert +45¡ã / -45¡ã filters, a
SSB demodulator and a main LPF, yielding an audio signal at the
output.? The transmitting part does the reverse, audio in and a
12kHz SSB modulated carrier out.?
As the DSP process takes already about 2/3 of the CPU time, no
spectrum display or waterfall was implemented.? AM and FM
demodulation are not implemented yet, but are certainly
feasible.? To control the radio (frequency, mode, ...) a simple
CLI was implemented, a CAT interface (FT817 style) is working
also.? Connecting a OLED/LCD for a GUI of sorts was also tried,
but abandoned as the libraries for these do not live well
together with the I2S routines (cracking noises every time the
screen was updated). ? An additional controller for the GUI
would not be too bad or cost too much.?
The hardware (see picture), is very much that of the sBITx
(eternally indebted to Ashhar), including the WM8731A codec
(which is indeed "finicky" as Ashhar puts it).? The board (100mm
by 100mm) which contains the receiver part and the exciter part,
is essentially an experimental platform and was developed in
several phases, hence some lose wires, odd mounted components
and the gluing of boards, including the actual black pill (about
8€, import from China).
This project is still very much work in progress (I am
currently struggling with some harmonic distortion at the 12kHz
carrier output), I am nevertheless willing to share the software
and hardware design files with whoever is interested in pursuing
this line of work.
73? Jean - on4jrt
Op 25/09/2022 om 11:59 schreef
Stephen Farthing:
Ramon,?
I think this is a possibility. There is a series
on YouTube of using an ESP32 as an SDR modulator demodulator.
I don¡¯t have the link but if you search you should find it.
Lots of maths and coding.?
73s Steve G0XAR
Hello,
I wonder if it would be possible to do the signal
processing with an ESP32 micro. The idea would be to
take the "AUDIO-DEMOD" signal and inject it with
"AUDIO-MOD", replacing the Raspberry process.
If it worked it could lead to a "compact and low cost
sBitx". Radio control could be done with a modified
Raduino32 and use another ESP32 for signal processing.
My knowledge and skills on FFT and C programming are
limited but if anyone is interested we could work on it.
?
Ramon EA4GZI
|
Stephen & Ramon,
Sorry to barge into your discussion, but since the last months I
have been experimenting with exactly what your are proposing, I
thought might forward some comments.
Nor the ESP32, nor the RP2040 are actually powerful enough to
perform any serious DSP.? They can do some digital filters all
right but not with the precision that is needed for any serious
SSB demodulation (at least not with the limited knowledge of DSP
that I have), I tried with both.?
Finally I got something working well using the STM32F411 (black
pill), though this chip is only clocked at 100MHz it has a
floating point coprocessor on board and this makes all the
difference.?
The DSP chain is implemented using the Arduino IDE and the CMSIS
DSP library and is textbook classic.? The receiving path starts
from a rather modest 48ks/s signal for an IF of some 8kHz
bandwidth centered around a 12kHz carrier.? It then features a
12kHz quadrature mixer, a pair of Hilbert +45¡ã / -45¡ã filters, a
SSB demodulator and a main LPF, yielding an audio signal at the
output.? The transmitting part does the reverse, audio in and a
12kHz SSB modulated carrier out.?
As the DSP process takes already about 2/3 of the CPU time, no
spectrum display or waterfall was implemented.? AM and FM
demodulation are not implemented yet, but are certainly feasible.?
To control the radio (frequency, mode, ...) a simple CLI was
implemented, a CAT interface (FT817 style) is working also.?
Connecting a OLED/LCD for a GUI of sorts was also tried, but
abandoned as the libraries for these do not live well together
with the I2S routines (cracking noises every time the screen was
updated). ? An additional controller for the GUI would not be too
bad or cost too much.?
The hardware (see picture), is very much that of the sBITx
(eternally indebted to Ashhar), including the WM8731A codec (which
is indeed "finicky" as Ashhar puts it).? The board (100mm by
100mm) which contains the receiver part and the exciter part, is
essentially an experimental platform and was developed in several
phases, hence some lose wires, odd mounted components and the
gluing of boards, including the actual black pill (about 8€,
import from China).
This project is still very much work in progress (I am currently
struggling with some harmonic distortion at the 12kHz carrier
output), I am nevertheless willing to share the software and
hardware design files with whoever is interested in pursuing this
line of work.
73? Jean - on4jrt
Op 25/09/2022 om 11:59 schreef Stephen
Farthing:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Ramon,?
I think this is a possibility. There is a series
on YouTube of using an ESP32 as an SDR modulator demodulator. I
don¡¯t have the link but if you search you should find it. Lots
of maths and coding.?
73s Steve G0XAR
Hello,
I wonder if it would be possible to do the signal
processing with an ESP32 micro. The idea would be to take
the "AUDIO-DEMOD" signal and inject it with "AUDIO-MOD",
replacing the Raspberry process.
If it worked it could lead to a "compact and low cost
sBitx". Radio control could be done with a modified
Raduino32 and use another ESP32 for signal processing.
My knowledge and skills on FFT and C programming are
limited but if anyone is interested we could work on it.
?
Ramon EA4GZI
|
Hi Thomas !
Will I receive a DHL tracking number?
Thanks !
Jim
|
Vince N2AIE
AA9GG
