?
Time for a break. I drank the uBITX koolaide and have been fighting with that thing for almost a month now. The instructions and available data on the project is a total mess. There is no instruction manual or step by step how-to, just a conglomeration of comments by experiments. Assembly is easy but calibration is nothing short of luck. There appears to be as many outcomes as experimenters. The low quality of parts may affect the tolerance values resulting in a quite unpredictable result. Add to that the simplicity of design with dual circuit functions and the possibility for errors compounds. So unless someone derives a solution in the near future I will be looking for a new sucker at a hamfest this summer. Fine example of 'If it sounds too good to be true it isn't'. uBITX makes my KX3 look like a bargain if?my time has any value.
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My board (147/2) arrived with one lead on L8 not through the board and no solder residue in the hole or pad. If this board passed ¡®testing¡¯ I really question production procedures.
?
I not asking for ¡¯try this or try that¡¯ but a book or guide with specific proven instructions. So for now uBITX sits in a box, in the basement waiting for a second chance.
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Re: Board Map/Layout, Test Points? (V5)
You¡¯re quite welcome. ? It¡¯s only my guess
On Mar 27, 2019, at 10:09, ronmhauser via Groups.Io < ronmhauser@...> wrote:
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Ah, I get it, that is a good reason.? Thanks for the insight.?
73
--Ron
K0EIA
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Did he post the source somewhere?? Github perhaps? ? ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bill
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 6:37 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BITX20] ubitx 5 board? Try Bill K9JUI ? On 3/27/2019 7:13 AM, Don Klier wrote: Can? anyone? send me the? right link? for the new? ver? 5 kd8cec? ?new system? thanks in advance? I have? tried 3 different and? they all fail? ?Don W0DJK
-- ¡_. _._
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Gary
indeed, first examine whether the BFO calibration is off - I think I see enough data (including my v4) that HFSignals does not align the BFO.? if all is okay here, then ...
[it would help a lot if HFSignals would list a 'default' BFO setting in the instructions!? maybe a v5 builder reading this will share their BFO setting]
my best guess is you have a connection issue somewhere.? (I certainly have made a bad solder joint before, and sometimes they are even attached!)
I would first check all the wires you installed, including insure you don't have a stray piece of wire causing a short across the RF.? Or it could be an audio issue also.?
A much smaller possibility - check more than one band in case it were an issue with board mounted filters or relays.?
Hang in their patiently - I sense its something simple.?
Curt
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Re: Board Map/Layout, Test Points? (V5)
Ah, I get it, that is a good reason.? Thanks for the insight.?
73
--Ron
K0EIA
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Actually, Linux (and Unix) DO use device drivers. You just don't
typically have to deal with installing them.
I was a device driver writer for HP-UX in a previous life.
Chris Shaker
On 3/26/2019 3:25 PM, Pat Anderson
wrote:
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I understand what you are saying, and would agree
if I were using Windows or Mac. I am pretty confident it is not
a problem on my computer end...Linux does not use "drivers" the
way Windows and Macs do - everything going out a USB port in
Linux goes out using the dialout device, /dev/tty. When the user
is a member of the dialout group, and there is an FTDI or
Prolific (even counterfeit) chip on the other end, a
/dev/ttyUSB0 device is created, which is then made read/write
with chmod. Linux is remarkably un-fussy about what the chip is.
Whatever the chip in the Raduino is, it does not seem my
computer is not having a problem with it.
Whatever the chip is in the Raduino is, /dev/tty is?
recognizing it and creating the USB device on? the computer.
The IDE knows the USB device is there, and I am making it
read/write, which has always worked for everything else.
Thanks for the input though. I think I may j just set this
aside for a while and come back to it later.
If
you are unable to upload ANY code to the processor - it is
likely a problem with the serial port and/or driver on your
computer.? This issue is always a black eye with new setups.?
Some Arduino boards use FTDI devices and others use CHD
devices.? It seems that most of the Chinese clones are using
CHD340/341 devices. ? HTH
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Did you try calibrating the BFO?? Mine arrived with BFO so far out that the crystal ladder filter was attenuating most of the audible signals.? Getting the BFO set reasonably close got my received audio much improved.? Mine is currently at ...55.5, pending some adjustment to keep the carrier nulled on transmit.
--Ron
K0EIA
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Re: Reverse Polarity Protection.
Raj,
FYI, The loss in receiver function was due to a reverse power application WITHOUT the protection diode installed.? That was why he was checking all of the active devices.
73
Evan
AC9TU
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Cut and paste from previous message:
Check all the mixer diodes. Using the tip of your multimeter probe
gently press the legs towards the board and discover any solder given up in the
board's long travel! Do this on RX with a volume turned up. Any increase in
background noise and you have found it.
Raj
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At 27-03-19, you wrote: Wired up my uBitx ver 5 and tried it out stock, I could hear a couple stations on 40, but were very low. Out of the 3 or 5 I heard I could only tune in one of them to the point I could understand them. I upgraded to a touch screen which seems to work fine, but I hear nothing but a low hiss from the speaker now. I do hear plenty of volume when I find a birdie though, so I assume the audio amp is still working.
What I found this morning, is I hear no difference if an antenna is connected or not. I hear no stations at all now.
Am I missing a step, or any suggestions what to look for?
KC8YJJ
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Wired up my uBitx ver 5 and tried it out stock, I could hear a couple stations on 40, but were very low. Out of the 3 or 5 I heard I could only tune in one of them to the point I could understand them. I upgraded to a touch screen which seems to work fine, but I hear nothing but a low hiss from the speaker now. I do hear plenty of volume when I find a birdie though, so I assume the audio amp is still working.?
What I found this morning, is I hear no difference if an antenna is connected or not. I hear no stations at all now.?
Am I missing a step, or any suggestions what to look for?
KC8YJJ
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Re: Reverse Polarity Protection.
I have not come across a dud transistor but many issues with
soldering.
Check all the mixer diodes. Using the tip of your multimeter probe
gently press the legs towards the board and discover any solder given up
in the
board's long travel! Do this on RX with a volume turned up. Any increase
in
background noise and you have found it.
Raj
At 27-03-19, you wrote:
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Ah, thanks for that info
Evan.
I'll upgrade the polyswitch. I have them from 50mA to 8Amps here in
stock.
Still, I've not got my board going correctly. It is distorted and deaf
so I think a mixer is damaged. It is looking like removing the
transistors one by one to test them.? Hot air tool and tweezers to
work!
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keep getting a? ?Check cat? error
Try
Bill K9JUI
On 3/27/2019 7:13 AM, Don Klier wrote:
Can? anyone?
send me the? right link? for the new? ver? 5 kd8cec? ?new
system? thanks in advance? I have? tried 3 different and? they
all fail? ?Don W0DJK
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Ok? bill? well? ?i was? following the? link? ?"how? to upgrade"? from? kd8cec? ? ?that? does not? work? then i tried a? link? ?ide? thats? does? not? work? either? ?any way? Tnx? I keep? going back and? down loading? the? same? link as? you sent? ..its? the same? as? i have been? trying? maybe its? just me? ?hi hi? ?tnx? again? de? W0DJK? Don
Sorry I am not so good at this and keep trying thing also.? Guess
I will wait a while and see if some one does some upgrades.
Have a nice day.
Bill K9JUI
On 3/27/2019 7:45 AM, Don Klier wrote:
Hi Bill? ?I
have tried? all? ?again this moring and? same? dam? msg? ? so?
i? give? up? all teh? link i got sent are terh same? as? we?
were? trying? there? is? someting
relly? wrong
here? some? where? any sugestions??? Don w0DJK
Try
Bill K9JUI
On
3/27/2019 7:13 AM, Don Klier wrote:
Can?
anyone? send me the? right link? for the new? ver? 5
kd8cec? ?new system? thanks in advance? I have? tried
3 different and? they all fail? ?Don W0DJK
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Sorry I am not so good at this and keep trying thing also.? Guess
I will wait a while and see if some one does some upgrades.
Have a nice day.
Bill K9JUI
On 3/27/2019 7:45 AM, Don Klier wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Bill? ?I
have tried? all? ?again this moring and? same? dam? msg? ? so?
i? give? up? all teh? link i got sent are terh same? as? we?
were? trying? there? is? someting
relly? wrong
here? some? where? any sugestions??? Don w0DJK
Try
Bill K9JUI
On
3/27/2019 7:13 AM, Don Klier wrote:
Can?
anyone? send me the? right link? for the new? ver? 5
kd8cec? ?new system? thanks in advance? I have? tried
3 different and? they all fail? ?Don W0DJK
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opps? sorry? wrong? Bill? ?I keep ggetting an error? msg? when i try to upload? its? getting discusting!? hi hi? ? Don W0DJK
On Wed, Mar 27, 2019 at 6:46 AM Don Klier via Groups.Io <parkpoint1939= [email protected]> wrote: Hi Bill? ?I have tried? all? ?again this moring and? same? dam? msg? ? so? i? give? up? all teh? link i got sent are terh same? as? we? were? trying? there? is? someting relly? wrong here? some? where? any sugestions??? Don w0DJK
Try
Bill K9JUI
On 3/27/2019 7:13 AM, Don Klier wrote:
Can? anyone?
send me the? right link? for the new? ver? 5 kd8cec? ?new
system? thanks in advance? I have? tried 3 different and? they
all fail? ?Don W0DJK
|
Hi Bill? ?I have tried? all? ?again this moring and? same? dam? msg? ? so? i? give? up? all teh? link i got sent are terh same? as? we? were? trying? there? is? someting relly? wrong here? some? where? any sugestions??? Don w0DJK
Try
Bill K9JUI
On 3/27/2019 7:13 AM, Don Klier wrote:
Can? anyone?
send me the? right link? for the new? ver? 5 kd8cec? ?new
system? thanks in advance? I have? tried 3 different and? they
all fail? ?Don W0DJK
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This may help..
73,?
Kelly K5AID?
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Re: Reverse Polarity Protection.
Yes, they are very useful! I have one and recommend? the addition to any workshop.
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Try
Bill K9JUI
On 3/27/2019 7:13 AM, Don Klier wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Can? anyone?
send me the? right link? for the new? ver? 5 kd8cec? ?new
system? thanks in advance? I have? tried 3 different and? they
all fail? ?Don W0DJK
|
Re: Reverse Polarity Protection.
Here is an interesting link to a mosfet reverse polarity protection circuit. I found this mentioned in a post on this group from about a year ago.
Tom, wb6b
----
"Please don¡¯t put red price stickers next to the negative battery pole......"
Ouch!
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A Kiddoo
MadRadioModder
Chris Shaker, KJ7BLE
Raj vu2zap