Re: CB amplifiers RM-Italy KL203P
I did get the KL203; not bad of course low pass filtering is required.? It works with 20m up. power mod is required and will make it once i get the caps 1200pf/50v for C14.
For softrock no lock; SSB output is too low to trigger it; not sure if anyone has thoughts to make the input power mod?
|
Yes agreed.
I got it but no luck - the power from softrock is too low to trigger the amp to transmit. Not sure if anyone knows how to mod it.? If I use AM,? it does trigger the amp.
Sajid
|
Re: Fuses, diodes and switches
#ubitx
Like Ian, I think the uBitx main rail is a good candidate for a series diode.
We don't care much if we lose a half volt there.
The hfsignals.com wireup diagram shows a shunt diode that conducts
if the power supply is hooked up backwards, but doesn't bother to show a fuse.
This is definitely a case where you absolutely need a fuse in front of the diode.
And the diode should be Schottky (as supplied with the kit) so it has a?
very low voltage drop when it does conduct.
As I said previously, there's hundreds of ways to do this.
Jerry
On Thu, Sep 12, 2019 at 09:44 AM, Jerry Gaffke wrote:
A series combination of a 0.5A fuse and a diode goes from that switch to the main 12v into the uBitx.
|
0dBm and -60dBm calibration
Hi all
Possibly interesting for people with an Antuino who want to check the calibration; or many other pieces of test equipment - I built an interesting 7MHz signal generator with very accurate 0dBm and -60dBm reference outputs yesterday. I made a YouTube video about it see?
73 Hans G0UPL
|
Re: New wiring diagram version
? Adrien,? feel that t is not a good idea to switch the negative power like you ask abot.
?A: is not the common practice. ?B: if the B+ (12 VC) and the PA + are different voltags, there is, IMO, a voltage differential between the B+ an PA +, so would possibly be some power feeding a part of the unit. That might or might not be a problem, and possible drain if running from batteries.
|
Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Hagen via Groups.Io <motdog@...> To: [email protected]Sent: Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:03:27 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: [BITX20] Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
Relay K1 has 12v
connected to Tx or Rx.?? You can get it off the schematic
anywhere Tx or Rx is connected.
Use a current limiting
resistor for Led indicators. Mike, WA6ISP
On 9/12/2019 8:46 AM, James Baird
wrote:
Can someone Please tell me where the TX-RX on the LED hooks
up on the uBITX Board? Thanks?? Jim Baird W5OMM HOT IN TEXAS
----- Original Message -----
From: Razvan Fatu <razvanfatu@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thu, 12 Sep 2019 06:45:53 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [BITX20] Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
Thank you for the replies.
I've looked at the CEC and JackAl expansions, they are nice
but add unnecessary complexity for this specific purpose and
neither seems to have all these minor but specific features I'm
looking for. Looking for a "less is more" approach if possible.
@ John, thank you for all the information, that's very close
to what I'm looking for. I like the way you use the limited
display area, I think this is quite close to what I need. I need
to spend a bit of time on it.
Razvan M0HZH
--
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID "MotDog@..."Mike@...
|
Re: Wired up Bitx40 and it doesn't work!
The bench power supply is outputting 12v and 2 amps, but at the bitx the voltage drops to 0.49v --
|
Re: Wired up Bitx40 and it doesn't work!
I double checked for polarity being backwards and it is wired correctly... --
|
Re: Fuses, diodes and switches
#ubitx
The diode is there to "protect" against reverse polarity and as it is wired directly across the supply and reverse biased,the circuit will effectively short circuit the supply if the supply is connected the wrong way round.Problem with this are that too large
a current will destroy the diode thus removing any protection. A simple and more safe approach is to put a diode in series with each supply line allowing current to pass if connected correctly and block it if reversed.The diodes need to be rated at say 2amps
and 4 amps if using separate supplies for the PA and the remainder of the circuit.The diode may drop up to 0.5v so a slight rise in power supply is to be considered.Only use appropriate sized fuses which should be the fast blow type.? Ian M0IDR
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
I recently wired up my uBITX. I've attached a photo that shows how I wired up the DC socket with some fuses. I used two fuses: one 0.5 A fuse for the main board (red wire) and one 2.0 A fuse for the PA power (brown wire). Before I started, I was only able
to find one photo on the Internet showing a uBITX wired up with two fuses and, due to the way the picture was cropped, it wasn't entirely clear to me just exactly what wires went where and how the diode was wired with the fuses.?
As you can see in my photo (hopefully), starting at the P1 connector, the black wire is soldered to the (-) pin on the DC connector. The brown wire goes to one pin of a fuse holder (with the 2.0 A fuse), and then another brownish wire goes from the other pin
on that fuse holder to the (+) pin on the DC connector. The red wire from the P1 connector goes to one of the "on/off" pins on the back of the volume control pot (not shown). Another red wire goes from the other "on/off" pin on the back of the volume control
pot (not shown) back to one pin of another fuse holder (with the 0.5 A fuse), and then another red wire goes from the other pin on that fuse holder to the (+) pin on the DC connector (with the brown wire). I have soldered the diode across the (+) and (-) pins
on the DC connector, as shown and described in the wire up instructions -- which puts the diode *before* the fuses. This is how the latest "Wiring Diagram Ubitx V5 V2.0.pdf" shows it, and it's also shown this way on the uBITX Assembly wiki.
However, in several messages in this forum, I have seen folks say the diode should be *after* the fuses. Would someone please explain why the diode should go behind the fuses (and is it "should go behind" or "must go behind")? Also, could someone please describe
or show specifically where, in relation to the fuses, the diode would be soldered so that it's *after* the fuses? Like I said, the latest wiring diagram?shows the diode wired to the pins on the DC connector *before* the fuses.
Also, the way I've wired the fuse for the PA power seems to bypass the on/off switch and, thus, regardless of whether the on/off switch is on or off, power is supplied to the PA. Is this how others see this? Should I also have the brown wires going to the volume
control pot on/off pins, too, just like the red wires? Or, is there another way I can wire this so that no power will be supplied to the board or the PA while the on/off switch is off?
Btw, I've successfully powered on the uBITX and everything seems to be working properly (although, there is so much noise around here I haven't actually been able to hear much of anything).
Anyway, any suggestions/comments regarding the fuses and diode are appreciated.
|
Re: Fuses, diodes and switches
#ubitx
Nothing terribly wrong with what you have done, seems better than most I've seen described here.
But I'd have a switch in line with the PA-PWR, as you suggest.??
When the power switch for the rig is off, the rig should be completely off (in my opinion).
The reason to have a fuse before the switch instead of after is so you will blow the fuse
if you accidentally short out the switch with a screwdriver or something.
Not a big deal to have the fuse after the switch, such an accident should not blow up the uBitx.
And if the power supply is properly designed to deal with over-current, it should not be damaged.
Though if the supply is big enough, you might melt a perfectly good screwdriver.
On my rig, I have a 3A fuse in line with main power coming into the rig, it then goes to the main power switch.
A series combination of a 0.5A fuse and a diode goes from that switch to the main 12v into the uBitx.
Also from that first switch, a wire to a second switch to power the PA-12v rail into the IRF510's.
Reverse protection for the IRF510's is not needed, they have their own intrinsic reverse diode,
it will conduct if the power supply leads are reversed and blow the 3A fuse up front.
Hopefully that fuse will blow before the traces into the IRF510's do.
The second switch is very handy for testing the transmitter.
With that switch off I don't need to worry about having the dummy load
while working on everything up through the driver stages.
Actually, instead of a diode, I use an LM2940CT-12 low dropout regulator.
It gives reverse polarity protection with about the same dropout voltage loss,
and allows me to safely feed the rig more than 12v.??
If you do choose to use a diode, a relatively wimpy one like a 1n4148?
may work well enough as a roughly 0.5 Amp fuse, then you only have
one fuse of 2 or 3 Amps up front.? I have not tried this.
?
There are probably hundreds of different ways to do this.
Especially if you plan to sometimes have an entirely different power supply
of higher voltage to feed PA-PWR.
Jerry
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Thu, Sep 12, 2019 at 09:12 AM, DD5ET wrote:
I recently wired up my uBITX. I've attached a photo that shows how I wired up the DC socket with some fuses. I used two fuses: one 0.5 A fuse for the main board (red wire) and one 2.0 A fuse for the PA power (brown wire). Before I started, I was only able to find one photo on the Internet showing a uBITX wired up with two fuses and, due to the way the picture was cropped, it wasn't entirely clear to me just exactly what wires went where and how the diode was wired with the fuses.?
As you can see in my photo (hopefully), starting at the P1 connector, the black wire is soldered to the (-) pin on the DC connector. The brown wire goes to one pin of a fuse holder (with the 2.0 A fuse), and then another brownish wire goes from the other pin on that fuse holder to the (+) pin on the DC connector. The red wire from the P1 connector goes to one of the "on/off" pins on the back of the volume control pot (not shown). Another red wire goes from the other "on/off" pin on the back of the volume control pot (not shown) back to one pin of another fuse holder (with the 0.5 A fuse), and then another red wire goes from the other pin on that fuse holder to the (+) pin on the DC connector (with the brown wire). I have soldered the diode across the (+) and (-) pins on the DC connector, as shown and described in the wire up instructions -- which puts the diode *before* the fuses. This is how the latest "Wiring Diagram Ubitx V5 V2.0.pdf" shows it, and it's also shown this way on the uBITX Assembly wiki.
However, in several messages in this forum, I have seen folks say the diode should be *after* the fuses. Would someone please explain why the diode should go behind the fuses (and is it "should go behind" or "must go behind")? Also, could someone please describe or show specifically where, in relation to the fuses, the diode would be soldered so that it's *after* the fuses? Like I said, the latest wiring diagram?shows the diode wired to the pins on the DC connector *before* the fuses.
Also, the way I've wired the fuse for the PA power seems to bypass the on/off switch and, thus, regardless of whether the on/off switch is on or off, power is supplied to the PA. Is this how others see this? Should I also have the brown wires going to the volume control pot on/off pins, too, just like the red wires? Or, is there another way I can wire this so that no power will be supplied to the board or the PA while the on/off switch is off?
Btw, I've successfully powered on the uBITX and everything seems to be working properly (although, there is so much noise around here I haven't actually been able to hear much of anything).
Anyway, any suggestions/comments regarding the fuses and diode are appreciated.
|
Re: New wiring diagram version
Putting things like diodes and switches on the ground return back to the power supply
is a bad idea.? There are many other ways that the ground return could be completed.
For example, some power supplies will have the 12v ground return connected to the?
electrical safety ground of the three wire power plug into the wall socket.?
And your antenna coax outer braid should have a good solid earth ground as well.
So there's always a completed ground return, and the rig is always on.
A connection from a PC USB port into the Raduino could complete the ground return,
putting 3+ amps through those wires might even damage the PC motherboard.
?
Perhaps you have it powered from an automotive electrical system.
Having the rig chassis touch the any metal in the vehicle would turn the rig on.
The diode in the ground return would probably offer adequate reverse polarity
protection for the uBitx.? ?But I wouldn't do it.
For one, my brain doesn't work that way.
For another, all of the power supply return current might be going through your
antenna coax braid or through your computer's USB cable, since that may well
have a lower voltage drop than the 0.7 volts across a forward biased silicon diode.
Could cause trouble.? Better to spend an extra $0.02 on a second diode.
Jerry, KE7ER
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Thu, Sep 12, 2019 at 02:21 AM, Adrien F4IJA wrote:
Do you think it's a good idea to put the S1 switch (the volume switch on GND instead of 12V ?
This way, it'll cut everything when powered off.
Thanks,
--
73's
Adrien F4IJA
|
Fuses, diodes and switches
#ubitx
I recently wired up my uBITX. I've attached a photo that shows how I wired up the DC socket with some fuses. I used two fuses: one 0.5 A fuse for the main board (red wire) and one 2.0 A fuse for the PA power (brown wire). Before I started, I was only able to find one photo on the Internet showing a uBITX wired up with two fuses and, due to the way the picture was cropped, it wasn't entirely clear to me just exactly what wires went where and how the diode was wired with the fuses.? As you can see in my photo (hopefully), starting at the P1 connector, the black wire is soldered to the (-) pin on the DC connector. The brown wire goes to one pin of a fuse holder (with the 2.0 A fuse), and then another brownish wire goes from the other pin on that fuse holder to the (+) pin on the DC connector. The red wire from the P1 connector goes to one of the "on/off" pins on the back of the volume control pot (not shown). Another red wire goes from the other "on/off" pin on the back of the volume control pot (not shown) back to one pin of another fuse holder (with the 0.5 A fuse), and then another red wire goes from the other pin on that fuse holder to the (+) pin on the DC connector (with the brown wire). I have soldered the diode across the (+) and (-) pins on the DC connector, as shown and described in the wire up instructions -- which puts the diode *before* the fuses. This is how the latest "Wiring Diagram Ubitx V5 V2.0.pdf" shows it, and it's also shown this way on the uBITX Assembly wiki. However, in several messages in this forum, I have seen folks say the diode should be *after* the fuses. Would someone please explain why the diode should go behind the fuses (and is it "should go behind" or "must go behind")? Also, could someone please describe or show specifically where, in relation to the fuses, the diode would be soldered so that it's *after* the fuses? Like I said, the latest wiring diagram?shows the diode wired to the pins on the DC connector *before* the fuses. Also, the way I've wired the fuse for the PA power seems to bypass the on/off switch and, thus, regardless of whether the on/off switch is on or off, power is supplied to the PA. Is this how others see this? Should I also have the brown wires going to the volume control pot on/off pins, too, just like the red wires? Or, is there another way I can wire this so that no power will be supplied to the board or the PA while the on/off switch is off? Btw, I've successfully powered on the uBITX and everything seems to be working properly (although, there is so much noise around here I haven't actually been able to hear much of anything). Anyway, any suggestions/comments regarding the fuses and diode are appreciated. 
|
Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
Relay K1 has 12v
connected to Tx or Rx.?? You can get it off the schematic
anywhere Tx or Rx is connected.
Use a current limiting
resistor for Led indicators.
Mike, WA6ISP
On 9/12/2019 8:46 AM, James Baird
wrote:
Can someone Please tell me where the TX-RX on the LED hooks
up on the uBITX Board?
Thanks?? Jim Baird W5OMM
HOT IN TEXAS
----- Original Message -----
From: Razvan Fatu <razvanfatu@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thu, 12 Sep 2019 06:45:53 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [BITX20] Is there a Raduino replacement with supply
voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
Thank you for the replies.
I've looked at the CEC and JackAl expansions, they are nice
but add unnecessary complexity for this specific purpose and
neither seems to have all these minor but specific features I'm
looking for. Looking for a "less is more" approach if possible.
@ John, thank you for all the information, that's very close
to what I'm looking for. I like the way you use the limited
display area, I think this is quite close to what I need. I need
to spend a bit of time on it.
Razvan M0HZH
--
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID "MotDog@..."
Mike@...
|
Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
Can someone Please tell me where the TX-RX on the LED hooks up on the uBITX Board? Thanks? Jim Baird W5OMM HOT IN TEXAS
----- Original Message ----- From: Razvan Fatu <razvanfatu@...> To: [email protected]Sent: Thu, 12 Sep 2019 06:45:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: [BITX20] Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
Thank you for the replies.
I've looked at the CEC and JackAl expansions, they are nice but add unnecessary complexity for this specific purpose and neither seems to have all these minor but specific features I'm looking for. Looking for a "less is more" approach if possible.
@ John, thank you for all the information, that's very close to what I'm looking for. I like the way you use the limited display area, I think this is quite close to what I need. I need to spend a bit of time on it.
Razvan M0HZH
|
Re: uBITx Antenna Pins Connector
Thanks to Paula and MVS Sarma for your replies!? I really appreciate your help.? I will proceed and assemble my radio using your wise information and recommendations.
73,
Martin
|
Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
There may be a
miss-understanding?
I used standard
Raduino LCD connections (parallel) on RaduinoUMax.
The Microchip part
provides 16 I/O bits for options.?? I used this part because
the library
already exists and
works (Ada Fruit).
Its I2C lines are less
that a few inches to the part on a shielded ground plane PCB.
The RaduioUMax is a
drop in replacement, you don't have to use the extra I/O.
The LCD is exactly
where it was on the original and uses the same connections.
The feature is only
there if you want more I/O bits.?? No I2C comes off the PCB
unless you
connect to the I2C
header connector.
TNX
Mike, WA6ISP
On 9/12/2019 7:04 AM, MVS Sarma wrote:
I fear?? using serial lcd communication could cause
more noise for the receiver.??
On Thu, 12 Sep 2019, 7:10 pm
Michael Hagen via Groups.Io, <motdog= [email protected]>
wrote:
I have a UBit
replacement Raduino, many of the group bought them.
It is much
improved and is a direct replacement.? It has 16
Additional I/O bits using a Microchip
Expander.? Ada
Fruit library works fine.? The I2C Address is also
settable with jumpers.
It has 2
header connector with the I/O bits and power and
ground.
I call it
RaduinUMax.? Nano Plugs in, Power supply protection,
Heat sink too.? LCD exactly place as original.
Would be great
for adding more UBit functions.
Private email
me for more info......motdog@...
Mike, WA6ISP
On
9/11/2019 5:24 PM, Nat Goldberg wrote:
This shd be interesting.?
On Sep 11, 2019, at 6:22 PM, John (vk2eta) < vk2eta@...>
wrote:
On Wed, Sep 11, 2019 at 09:01 AM, Razvan Fatu
wrote:
- supply voltage indication
- forward power
- reflected power
Hello Razvan,
I had the same objective of creating a portable rig.
The easiest and cheapest option I found was to add a
second Arduino (a Mini in my case but can be a Nano,
the sketch is the same). They communicate over the
I2C bus with the 2nd Arduino a slave on the bus.
The advantage is that you get a lot of extra pins
but most importantly a new lot of memory for
per-processing the data you collect as the memory
gets full pretty quick on the Raduino's Nano as you
add features. The 2nd Nano can be set to sleep most
of the time, adding limited extra current.
I added a FWD/REV and SWR measurement, a battery
voltage indication on the display and a two level
low battery alarm (with TX inhibit on the 2nd low
level), plus a few other features that I thought
were useful for a portable rig (Output power control
in SSB, ATU, Android/iPhone style mic/headphone with
PTT on/off via the call/hangup button, etc..).
I still use the same display (has some advantages on
power consumption and readability in the sun) but I
alternate the display between not urgent data (like
battery voltage and Step Size+Key selection). On Tx
I replace the second line by real-time Forward power
and SWR. See attached pictures (no antenna handy, so
no actual values, sorry).
This may give you some ideas:
For the SWR bridge I uses Don's (ND6T) design
described here:
It is sensitive enough to give you readings from
about a watt, so useful across the range. Not as
precise as Farhan's solution in the Antuino, but ok
for my needs.
The latest drawings and sketches for both the main
Arduino and the 2nd one are in the file section at;
/g/BITX20/files/Variations%20on%20KD8CEC%20Software%20%28by%20VK2ETA%29%20+%20ATU%20sketch
They are highly configurable by enabling/disabling
the functions you want.
The post describing the functions:
/g/BITX20/topic/16657839#46254
and the latest version:
/g/BITX20/topic/17836001#46953
Please be mindful that these sketches are for V3-V4
boards. For V5, the relay switching function and the
2nd IF frequencies need to be changed.
Hope that helps.
All the best,
73, John (VK2ETA)
<IMG20190912080324.jpg><IMG20190912080232.jpg><IMG20190912080230.jpg>
--
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID "MotDog@..."
Mike@...
--
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID "MotDog@..."
Mike@...
|
Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
I fear? using serial lcd communication could cause more noise for the receiver.?
On Thu, 12 Sep 2019, 7:10 pm Michael Hagen via Groups.Io, <motdog= [email protected]> wrote:
I have a UBit
replacement Raduino, many of the group bought them.
It is much improved
and is a direct replacement.? It has 16 Additional I/O bits
using a Microchip
Expander.? Ada Fruit
library works fine.? The I2C Address is also settable with
jumpers.
It has 2 header
connector with the I/O bits and power and ground.
I call it RaduinUMax.?
Nano Plugs in, Power supply protection, Heat sink too.? LCD
exactly place as original.
Would be great for
adding more UBit functions.
Private email me for
more info......motdog@...
Mike, WA6ISP
On 9/11/2019 5:24 PM, Nat Goldberg
wrote:
This shd be interesting.?
On Sep 11, 2019, at 6:22 PM, John (vk2eta) < vk2eta@...> wrote:
On Wed, Sep 11, 2019 at 09:01 AM, Razvan Fatu
wrote:
- supply voltage indication
- forward power
- reflected power
Hello Razvan,
I had the same objective of creating a portable rig. The
easiest and cheapest option I found was to add a second
Arduino (a Mini in my case but can be a Nano, the sketch is
the same). They communicate over the I2C bus with the 2nd
Arduino a slave on the bus.
The advantage is that you get a lot of extra pins but most
importantly a new lot of memory for per-processing the data
you collect as the memory gets full pretty quick on the
Raduino's Nano as you add features. The 2nd Nano can be set
to sleep most of the time, adding limited extra current.
I added a FWD/REV and SWR measurement, a battery voltage
indication on the display and a two level low battery alarm
(with TX inhibit on the 2nd low level), plus a few other
features that I thought were useful for a portable rig
(Output power control in SSB, ATU, Android/iPhone style
mic/headphone with PTT on/off via the call/hangup button,
etc..).
I still use the same display (has some advantages on power
consumption and readability in the sun) but I alternate the
display between not urgent data (like battery voltage and
Step Size+Key selection). On Tx I replace the second line by
real-time Forward power and SWR. See attached pictures (no
antenna handy, so no actual values, sorry).
This may give you some ideas:
For the SWR bridge I uses Don's (ND6T) design described
here:
It is sensitive enough to give you readings from about a
watt, so useful across the range. Not as precise as Farhan's
solution in the Antuino, but ok for my needs.
The latest drawings and sketches for both the main Arduino
and the 2nd one are in the file section at; /g/BITX20/files/Variations%20on%20KD8CEC%20Software%20%28by%20VK2ETA%29%20+%20ATU%20sketch
They are highly configurable by enabling/disabling the
functions you want.
The post describing the functions:
/g/BITX20/topic/16657839#46254
and the latest version:
/g/BITX20/topic/17836001#46953
Please be mindful that these sketches are for V3-V4 boards.
For V5, the relay switching function and the 2nd IF
frequencies need to be changed.
Hope that helps.
All the best,
73, John (VK2ETA)
<IMG20190912080324.jpg><IMG20190912080232.jpg><IMG20190912080230.jpg>
--
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID "MotDog@..."
Mike@...
|
Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
I have a UBit
replacement Raduino, many of the group bought them.
It is much improved
and is a direct replacement.? It has 16 Additional I/O bits
using a Microchip
Expander.? Ada Fruit
library works fine.? The I2C Address is also settable with
jumpers.
It has 2 header
connector with the I/O bits and power and ground.
I call it RaduinUMax.?
Nano Plugs in, Power supply protection, Heat sink too.? LCD
exactly place as original.
Would be great for
adding more UBit functions.
Private email me for
more info......motdog@...
Mike, WA6ISP
On 9/11/2019 5:24 PM, Nat Goldberg
wrote:
This shd be interesting.?
On Sep 11, 2019, at 6:22 PM, John (vk2eta) < vk2eta@...> wrote:
On Wed, Sep 11, 2019 at 09:01 AM, Razvan Fatu
wrote:
- supply voltage indication
- forward power
- reflected power
Hello Razvan,
I had the same objective of creating a portable rig. The
easiest and cheapest option I found was to add a second
Arduino (a Mini in my case but can be a Nano, the sketch is
the same). They communicate over the I2C bus with the 2nd
Arduino a slave on the bus.
The advantage is that you get a lot of extra pins but most
importantly a new lot of memory for per-processing the data
you collect as the memory gets full pretty quick on the
Raduino's Nano as you add features. The 2nd Nano can be set
to sleep most of the time, adding limited extra current.
I added a FWD/REV and SWR measurement, a battery voltage
indication on the display and a two level low battery alarm
(with TX inhibit on the 2nd low level), plus a few other
features that I thought were useful for a portable rig
(Output power control in SSB, ATU, Android/iPhone style
mic/headphone with PTT on/off via the call/hangup button,
etc..).
I still use the same display (has some advantages on power
consumption and readability in the sun) but I alternate the
display between not urgent data (like battery voltage and
Step Size+Key selection). On Tx I replace the second line by
real-time Forward power and SWR. See attached pictures (no
antenna handy, so no actual values, sorry).
This may give you some ideas:
For the SWR bridge I uses Don's (ND6T) design described
here:
It is sensitive enough to give you readings from about a
watt, so useful across the range. Not as precise as Farhan's
solution in the Antuino, but ok for my needs.
The latest drawings and sketches for both the main Arduino
and the 2nd one are in the file section at; /g/BITX20/files/Variations%20on%20KD8CEC%20Software%20%28by%20VK2ETA%29%20+%20ATU%20sketch
They are highly configurable by enabling/disabling the
functions you want.
The post describing the functions:
/g/BITX20/topic/16657839#46254
and the latest version:
/g/BITX20/topic/17836001#46953
Please be mindful that these sketches are for V3-V4 boards.
For V5, the relay switching function and the 2nd IF
frequencies need to be changed.
Hope that helps.
All the best,
73, John (VK2ETA)
<IMG20190912080324.jpg><IMG20190912080232.jpg><IMG20190912080230.jpg>
--
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID "MotDog@..."
Mike@...
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Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
Don't forget to also look at W0WEB's board offerings. The BITeensio and a nano replacement:?
It may not meet your 'less is more' criteria, but? still worth a look... to see another option of what has already been done.
Rgds,
Gary
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Re: Is there a Raduino replacement with supply voltage, FWD & REF readings ?
No problems Razvan, glad the information may be useful.
Ask if you need any clarifications.
73, John
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Mark WU6R