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Re: Trouble ahead
Jack, W8TEE
I agree, Arv. For me, many of my experiences were pure serendipity and right-place-right-time. Jack, W8TEE
On Thursday, March 25, 2021, 6:33:12 PM EDT, Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:
We did not plan it that way.? It mostly just happened as part of learning about emerging hardware and software.? _._ On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 4:05 PM masch57 <masch57@...> wrote: This thread is pure gold.? I'm a bit younger -- my well-worn copy of K&R is the "Draft ANSI C" version -- but I was reading and dreaming of all these people and things since my single-digit ages in the '70s. Thank you all! --
Jack, W8TEE |
Re: Problems with adding Nextion Display and CEC Software
All good to know. I'm building up a Raduino clone specifically for the CEC firmware and Nextion display combo. Dang those little SMD parts, all 21 of them. But it did come with the Si5351 chip already mounted. These eyes are too old to deal with SMD parts very often. Seven more to go and the board should be finished. Hopefully the calibration data will be close and I can fine tune it from there. I wanted a separate Raduino board so I could modify it and leave the original one untouched. I want to try a switching P/S that I've had good luck with to see if I can get the power requirements down a little. I need to finish up on this step so that I can add the AGC mod. Thanks for all your help. Max KG4PID
On Thursday, March 25, 2021, 06:54:25 PM CDT, Evan Hand <elhandjr@...> wrote:
Max, Congrats!? glad that you have it working again! The calibration data is for the Raduino and the Mainboard combination.? You can swap out the Nano and use the same calibration information. If you think about it, the calibration of the frequency is adjusting the Si5351 part of the Raduino, the BFO is adjusting the ratio between the other frequencies to match the SSB crystal filter that is on the Mainboard.? Those will not change when changing the Nano.? They will change to some extent if you swap out the Raduino. Have fun with the ?BITX! 73 Evan AC9TU |
Re: Distorted audio
vu2jpn,
You have not given us much information to work with.? The obvious question is if anything changed from when it was working to when it stopped?? Did you change antennas? With transmitter issues on the ?BITX, I usually start by testing the CW output.? If the power is the same as before, then this mostly removes a problem in the power amplifier stages.? If the output power has dropped, then I check the voltages on all of the transistors in the pre-driver, driver, and finals.? Other than the IRF510 MOSFETs I look for .6 to .7volts on the Base Emitter leads. If CW is OK, then I verify that the BFO is still centered using the BFO Tuning Aid from Ashhar Farhan here: If that checks out then I check voltages on the mic preamp? One last question, did you make any changes to the microphone?? There were some posts that were suggesting removing the resistors in the microphone to increase the cartridge bias.? That could cause damage to the cartridge as there is a limit for each mic element for maximum bias voltage.? If you are supplying more than 12volts to the rig you could damage the mic cartridge.? I do not have an easy way to check the mic.? I use an oscilloscope and a recorded tone on a PC played into it to verify that it works.? That is with a breadboard bias supply. Here are some places to start.? Let us know what you find and what type of test equipment you have at hand.? Also, do you have a dummyload?? I find results are more repeatable with a good dummy load. 73 Evan AC9TU |
Re: Distorted audio
Jaiprakkash Pullakudy
Somebody pls guide On Thu, 25 Mar 2021, 11:38 Jaiprakkash Pullakudy, <vu2jpn@...> wrote:
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Re: Problems with adding Nextion Display and CEC Software
Max,
Congrats!? glad that you have it working again! The calibration data is for the Raduino and the Mainboard combination.? You can swap out the Nano and use the same calibration information. If you think about it, the calibration of the frequency is adjusting the Si5351 part of the Raduino, the BFO is adjusting the ratio between the other frequencies to match the SSB crystal filter that is on the Mainboard.? Those will not change when changing the Nano.? They will change to some extent if you swap out the Raduino. Have fun with the ?BITX! 73 Evan AC9TU |
Re: Trouble ahead
I don't know about that.
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Show quoted text
Jack was clearly planning to tell an entertaining story? when he gave his account of meeting up with BG. Jerry, KE7ER On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 03:32 PM, Arv Evans wrote:
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Re: Trouble ahead
We did not plan it that way.? It mostly just happened as part of learning about emerging hardware and software.? _._ On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 4:05 PM masch57 <masch57@...> wrote: This thread is pure gold.? I'm a bit younger -- my well-worn copy of K&R is the "Draft ANSI C" version -- but I was reading and dreaming of all these people and things since my single-digit ages in the '70s. Thank you all! |
Re: Problems with adding Nextion Display and CEC Software
SUCCESS!!! I loaded the CEC firmware on the Nano with Reeds firmware on it that was working. Then I read out the configuration and wrote it to the uncalibrated Nano and I now have a working radio one again. If the Raduino board was replaced, and the previous calibration backup was restored to it, would it require re-calibration? Just trying to figure out what is getting calibrated? When calibrated, is the Raduino board then matched to the main board? Thanks for all your help, Max KG4PID
On Thursday, March 25, 2021, 04:27:13 PM CDT, Evan Hand <elhandjr@...> wrote:
Max, Yes, the calibration values are stored in EEPROM, not in program memory so it is not changed with the program. You have two choices, reprogram the Nano with the good calibration values and then use the KD8CEC Memory Manager to save and record them.? The other choice is to change the Nextion screen back to the stock iLI9341 and write down the values from the setup pages for Reed's software (His software shows the current values, unlike the Stock software that goes back to the default setting every time. 73 Evan AC9TU |
Re: Trouble ahead
That sounds like Gary!? _._ On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 2:06 PM Jack, W8TEE via <jjpurdum=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Problems with adding Nextion Display and CEC Software
Max,
Yes, the calibration values are stored in EEPROM, not in program memory so it is not changed with the program. You have two choices, reprogram the Nano with the good calibration values and then use the KD8CEC Memory Manager to save and record them.? The other choice is to change the Nextion screen back to the stock iLI9341 and write down the values from the setup pages for Reed's software (His software shows the current values, unlike the Stock software that goes back to the default setting every time. 73 Evan AC9TU |
Re: Problems with adding Nextion Display and CEC Software
When I installed Reeds firmware I had no problems doing the exact steps you outlined. I had pretty good sound. I still have the Nano with Reeds firmware on it. If I were to install the CEC firmware on that Nano, would the calibration values still be intact? Then I could read them out with the Memory Manager program. Thanks, Max
On Thursday, March 25, 2021, 04:03:39 PM CDT, Evan Hand <elhandjr@...> wrote:
Max, I would follow the steps in this video for the v6 with stock software.? The only difference with the Nextion and KD8CEC is how you get to the calibrations settings.? For the KD8CEC setup, you need to get to the "yellow box" to put it into setup mode and to get into the BFO or Calibration process. Please note that there are 3 steps to the process that needs to be followed to get the best results. 1 - Adjust the BFO for the best low-frequency response so that you can hear the low zero beat tones.? This means adjusting the "plateau" to the low-frequency side of the aid. 2 - Calibrate against a know AM signal (can be a signal generator IF you know that it is accurate) 3 - Readjust the BFO for maximum voice response and maximum carrier suppression.? This means you now move the "plateau" towards the higher frequency.? You can target the middle, however, I have found that to allow some carrier through. If you are not receiving anything, then most likely the BFO is off. Hope this helps. 73 Evan AC9TU ? |
Re: Problems with adding Nextion Display and CEC Software
Max,
I would follow the steps in this video for the v6 with stock software.? The only difference with the Nextion and KD8CEC is how you get to the calibrations settings.? For the KD8CEC setup, you need to get to the "yellow box" to put it into setup mode and to get into the BFO or Calibration process. Please note that there are 3 steps to the process that needs to be followed to get the best results. 1 - Adjust the BFO for the best low-frequency response so that you can hear the low zero beat tones.? This means adjusting the "plateau" to the low-frequency side of the aid. 2 - Calibrate against a know AM signal (can be a signal generator IF you know that it is accurate) 3 - Readjust the BFO for maximum voice response and maximum carrier suppression.? This means you now move the "plateau" towards the higher frequency.? You can target the middle, however, I have found that to allow some carrier through. If you are not receiving anything, then most likely the BFO is off. Hope this helps. 73 Evan AC9TU ? |
Re: Trouble ahead
Jerry You probably already know that the Google "TensorFlow" AI core is available for FREE from Google.? It only needs 90K or memory (you have to customize your own interface) and is quite complete.? TensorFlow is already present in many of the on-line question-and-answer systems and in many medical diagnostics systems.? How long will it be until we have an AI interface for our uBITX transceivers?? What will the user interface look like, and how long until it becomes the norm for ham radio equipment?? Seems that we may be on the very edge of setting new interface protocols for our hobby. Arv _._ On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 1:28 PM Jerry Gaffke via <jgaffke=[email protected]> wrote: If Musk is halfway right, it's about to get more than amazing: |
Re: Trouble ahead
Jack, W8TEE
Arv: I had a chance to meet Gary Killdal near Monterey when I was with Dick Summe (President and co-founder of Que) during that same book-launch trip to SF. I always wanted to know about his "FM Encoding" that he developed for CP/M. I asked him if FM was some form of Frequency Modulation of the digital data. (What did I know...I'm a software guy.) He smiled and said: "No. It stands for F*&%ing Magic!" I then asked about his new double-density disks that used MFM encoding. He smiled again: "More F*&%ing Magic". I instantly liked the guy! Jack, W8TEE
On Thursday, March 25, 2021, 3:57:51 PM EDT, Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:
Bill The number of players back in those "bad old days" was much smaller than the number of players today.? Back then it was not unusual to know or have met 50% of the experts.? Today there are thousands of "experts", with many now being "self anointed experts" to the point that knowing just a few percent of the most worthy is mostly impossible. Many of those past year experts have now passed on (Gary Kildare-CP/M, Steve Jobs-Apple, Dennis Richie-UNIX, etc.). Arv _._ On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 1:17 PM Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell@...> wrote:
--
Jack, W8TEE |
Re: Trouble ahead
I do recall goimg to MacWorld in Boston with my (now longtime-ex) girlfriend, and practically swooning over the fact that we could buy 2 megs of addin RAM for less than 2 grand! Now it's all like water; abundance brings complacency -- Rich WB2GXM Sent from my MetroPCS 4G LTE Android device ------ Original message------ From: Arv Evans Date: Thu, Mar 25, 2021 1:46 PM To: [email protected]; Cc: Subject:Re: [BITX20] Trouble ahead Exciting times are still with us.? It seems though that as we aged, somehow we lost the excitement.? Today we can buy components for a few pennies, and there are a myriad of software languages to play with.? Must be that we are just not that excitable these days. Arv _._ On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 8:18 PM Jack, W8TEE via <jjpurdum=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Trouble ahead
Bill The number of players back in those "bad old days" was much smaller than the number of players today.? Back then it was not unusual to know or have met 50% of the experts.? Today there are thousands of "experts", with many now being "self anointed experts" to the point that knowing just a few percent of the most worthy is mostly impossible. Many of those past year experts have now passed on (Gary Kildare-CP/M, Steve Jobs-Apple, Dennis Richie-UNIX, etc.). Arv _._ On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 1:17 PM Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell@...> wrote:
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Re: Trouble ahead
SUG meetings were always interesting.? I took my older son to these and now he and his younger brother are both programmers.? Fun times. _._ On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 8:13 AM Tom, wb6b <wb6b@...> wrote: On Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 06:57 AM, Jack, W8TEE wrote: |