Re: Sbitx #165 received today, thoughts.
Allison,
Just checked #163
Starts at 300-400mA and goes to 600mA and rises to 750mA when sBitx
starts running. No surge.
Raj, vu2zap
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On 29/09/2022 10:39 PM, ajparent1/kb1gmx wrote: One item noticed and causing concern is a very high current spike at startup.
How high?? Over 5A.? I noted this with mine as i added a fuse to protect it
and?on power up the 6A fuse blows, not a good thing.
I believe something is driving the power amp to full power momentarily and
may have something to do with final getting blown up.? This is being
investigated and a solution should result.
While working with the radio use a current? regulated supply (set to 5-6A)
or fuse supply lead.? This may prevent disasters.
Allison
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Was the DE version the only version available?
I see on?? there is still an order form for the fully assembled and the kit...are those unavailable now?? Or are they different than the DE version?
Mike
KF5DEY
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Re: Gtk-WARNING: cannot open display (./sbitx)
Also, I've gone through all the logs in /var/log but I can't find any reference to sbitx. Is there an sbitx error log somewhere else?
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Re: Gtk-WARNING: cannot open display (./sbitx)
Here¡¯s what I got: 
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I think that the red line tuning indicator is slightly off the exact frequency. This maybe due to some rounding errors withi? the display UI, leading to positioning error of the red line.
Rolf , maybe that's what I saw too.. just a picky decoder for cw... but just could not get it to work... tried several signals...?
Brad
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Re: Use driver stage as PA.
#sBitx
There is no discernible reason why the power out is not behaving for all bands.
With the resistors removed (source of IRF510s) a bias in the range of 100 to 150ma per
device is fine.
However the output transformer for that stage is less than optimum for decent power
and bandwidth into 50 ohms.? The output of the IRFZ24s however with one turn remove
should be a good one to use.
A power out of 5-9w is not unreasonable more on lower bands but at least 3 or more
on the higher.
Allison
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Please use the forum, offline and private will go to bit bucket.
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Re: Sbitx #165 received today, thoughts.
Vince three things I'd like to have...
BOM,
Board etch diagrams
some coils have no data.
Fortunately I'm used to doing forensic engineering made a career out of it.
There are issues in the transmitter switching and I'm digging into that.
FYI throwing new parts at it do not solve that, it only brings you back to go.
When I power up the only thing that keeps it from running off is the
current limited supply.? But at startup it sucks down a lot of current?
(many amps!) when I'd thing far less be normal.
I cleaned out the countersunk surfaces and where each of the corner
blocks anodized their mating surfaces.? ?Hint don't drop screws they
are M4 metric.? Keep metal dust and flakes out of the radio.
Allison/0165
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Please use the forum, offline and private will go to bit bucket.
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Re: Use driver stage as PA.
#sBitx
I reimage the sbitx software and booted the radio. Now the radio is able to recieve and does not shutdown when I attempt send CQ in FT8 mode. However,? FT8 is the only mode that will transmit any power at all across all bands. With the power set to 20 watts the watt meter indicates 9 watts. No power output is indicted on any of the remaining modes or bands. I additionally performed the upgrade to v1.1.
On Mon, Sep 26, 2022, 10:18 PM Ashhar Farhan < farhanbox@...> wrote: Neils,? The transformer of the IRF510s was used to drive a low impedance input of the IRFZ24ns (10 ohms each side). You could, instead, use the PA transformer to up it to 50 ohms. Instead of the three turns of the red/ornage wire secondary, remove one and make it a two turn secondary. Now wire up the two ends of the primary (that originally went to the IRFZ24Ns) to the two ends of the IRF510 drains (After removing the IRFZ24Ns!) To increase the IRF510 current, short out R59, R65 and R72. Bias the transistors for about 150 mA each (300 mA total). You can also try removing R58 and R55 to pump the gain more. You should be able to get 10 watts, at least on the lower bands, much like the uBitx. - f
Hi!!,?
What is the power output per band that you get.
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On what system?
I run linux on everything to Eclipse and straight text editor (xed)
do the job for me.? Ben trying Geany as well.? For Arduino I use
their IDE as its the same on all platforms.
I use a larger uSD but also have a USB to SSD (480gb) if I need space.
Usual work is on my Rpi3B+ HB notebox (homebrew note book?
using PI and all that).? Runs everything.
I have two desktops a Mintbox (amd) and Rpi4D so I can do cross platform?
or native platform work.? I enjoy small.
Allison
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Please use the forum, offline and private will go to bit bucket.
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Reason is it may not be putting out 6W but far more.
I found no real correlation between front panel power setting and what came out.
The BIRD-43 wattmeter was indicating for 6W depending on band up to 30W!
Based on measurements I've made and the efficiency of the amps
72W in was likely around 15 to 25 watts out.
At highest power I've seen 63W before the current limit kicked in
at 10A (130W in at 13V).
It is also like many 100W radios at lower power setting the current needed for
low power is remarkably high.
Allison
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Please use the forum, offline and private will go to bit bucket.
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SBitx: Red LED on microphone
I¡¯m using the microphone that came with my uBItx with my SBitx. The red LED is on all the time. Is that normal?
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Re: File /3.2 & 3.5 for Nextion and CEC 1.095/ubitx_35D7.HMI uploaded
#file-notice
Hi Mark Yes i would like that... you can email vince320@...?when you get a chance. I've been struggling with my sBitx.. made some magic smoke for some reason... vince
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I hooked my SBitx up to my current limited 12 V supply and at 5 watts output (confirmed on an external meter), the unit is drawing close to 6 amps. That¡¯s 72 watts input for 5 out. Is this normal? On receive, it¡¯s around 600 mA or about 7 watts, that¡¯s still 65 watts extra for 5 watts out.
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Re: Sbitx #165 received today, thoughts.
Are you suggesting removing the paint on the exposed side of the panel with the countersink, or would it be sufficient to do it on the inside side, so you don¡¯t mar the appearance? I did a quick VOM check, and it looks like the connectors that the screws go into don¡¯t have good continuity on the surface (probably due to the anodized coating.
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What IDE would you recommend for the RPi 4? FWIW, VSCode runs well on the 4, particularly if you replace the SD card with a USB SSD. I have figured out all the include paths and can use the code editor to jump around the source files. I just need to figure out the way to configure the compiling and linking.
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Re: sBitx C403 Part details
UGG..
got a 50v...? ;=((
that's not going to fly long..
I would not run this at full power anyway, but again better to be safe than sorry..
I'll have to hunt up a 250 or 500 one.
V
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Re: Sbitx #165 received today, thoughts.
Allison,
thanks for the feedback..I've had some issues, and I am sorting through them now..blew R403 and it burned the pad off on the Coil side...
as well as I think the T/R relay is welded to RX..more digging necessary.
a good BOM would be nice..(or maybe I haven't found one yet)
Vince
N2AIE
Sbitx S/N 0096
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Re: N8ME_2_VU3GAO Firmware - Can it have same graphic style as the CEC firmware?
Ditto on Evan¡¯s warning about enlarging the holes carefully. If you look at the 2.8 Nextion you will see a small ribbon cable on one side. You want to work on enlarging the hole from the opposite side. I made the mistake of doing it from the same side as that ribbon cable and the drill/rasp slipped and cut that ribbon cable.?
73
mark
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Re: Gtk-WARNING: cannot open display (./sbitx)
Could you do:
ps aux|grep X ps aux|grep lx
(That second line is grep lima x-ray¡.)
I¡¯m curious to see what the command line is for the Xorg process, and is user pi owns the various lx* processes...
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On Sep 29, 2022, at 15:03, John Terrell, N6LN < N6LN@...> wrote:
Yes, I did another build. Same error.
as to the other question no, I am not trying VPN. I use the cmd line to show the error. Invoking sBitx by clicking on the GUI icon similarly starts the process but the hangs. See photos. The leftward green icon is used to start sBitx and the rightward free icon shows the process which no longer proceeds. And yes, invoking sbitx as ./sbitx from the sbitx folder through ssh has worked in the past¡exactly as doing the same from a terminal on the sBitx screen. I use ssh because it¡¯s easier to read on my larger Windows screen.<A44174F1-4658-4896-BD67-9DED294470F6.jpeg><0D297338-5745-455B-BCE7-89D1A176FC41.jpeg>
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Re: N8ME_2_VU3GAO Firmware - Can it have same graphic style as the CEC firmware?
On Thu, Sep 29, 2022, at 11:59 AM, <curtiswilliamsmail@...> wrote:
Great response. So I could go with Nextion / CEC on Ubitx V6? Scrolling posts couldn't get a super clear answer as to if it's supported.
Curt, Here is a link with the details on how to do the 2.8" Nextion conversion of a v6: One point, with careful file work on the Nextion display, you can get the display to fit the holes of the case. 73 Evan AC9TU
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Raj vu2zap
John Terrell, N6LN
Mark Erbaugh
Vince N2AIE