Re: How to use cheap Chinese Arduinos that come with with CH340G / CH341G Serial/USB chip (Windows & Mac OS-X) ¡¤ by Konstantin Gredeskoul (@kig)
Though there is no problem using any Arduino board as a programmer (with proper external wiring), I highly recommend using one of the cheap USB-ISP with the 6-pin connectors I got mine through ebay and used it on a variety of AVR boards, without a glitch.I am using the programmer in conjunction with a 6-wire flat cable and header connectors that match the 2x3 ICSP connector available on the "nano", as well as most other models of Arduino boards. When using the Arduino studio, specify the programmer type (not he target platform type) as "USBtinyISP".?
?Here is a link to the product that I used (though it is available from many sources for under $4, including S&H):
BTW--while experimenting with software changes to my uBitx V4 rig I discovered that the "nano" module, included with my kit did not have the boot loader burnt-in. I will not be surprised if this is the common case. Therefor, it is safe to assume that anyone intent on tweaking the "factory" version of the software, will have to add the boot loader to the Raduino in order to utilize the Arduino Studio for updating the firmware.
73's --Ron? ?N7FTZ
On Mon, Aug 20, 2018 at 12:19 PM ajparent1/KB1GMX < kb1gmx@...> wrote: There is a design out there to use any Arduino as ICSP ( I have one I made up)
and that can be used to load a boot loader or entire program as desired.
Also I have a commercial in circuit programmer "Arduino ISP" which I believe
is just a USB to serial adapter.
I tossed in the Atmel Atmega in system programming AVR910 ap note.
Allison
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Re: Audio feedback during transmit?
#ubitx
The cap you fitted is acting as a top cut tone control so you will loose some top end clarity.you could try different values as there will be a trade off between feedback from transmission being killed and audio loosing it's top.For Ssb you only need audio
between 300 hz and 3000hz.Probably the supplied speaker is not the best and you may find replacing that brings back some of the lost crispness.For me using screened wire for audio and twisting the wire harnesses has given me no issues.I put a small ferrite
core on the leads to the led and screened the speaker wiring.? Ian M0IDR
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Show quoted text
I wasn't having that problem until I installed the AGC board.? Then, when it happened, I soldered a 10nF ceramic capacitor across the audio pot from high side to ground.? The feedback went away, but I noticed the audio has less high response.
Dan, W2DLC
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Re: How to use cheap Chinese Arduinos that come with with CH340G / CH341G Serial/USB chip (Windows & Mac OS-X) ¡¤ by Konstantin Gredeskoul (@kig)
HI, Here is a picture of my Nano a Nano ISP programming setup. I used the ISP headers with the pins connected one to one, except for the orange wire connected to pin 10 on the Nano programmed as an ISP to reset on the Nano being programmed. The ISP header pins are connected internally to pins 11, 12, and 13. Because the Nano on my uBITX does not have the ISP header installed, I described the actual pins used rather than the ISP header pins. The brown wire from reset on the ISP programmer Nano to +5V is the (use with caution) direct short disable reset fix. Be advised on some boards (Uno vs Nano) pin 1 of the ISP header is rotated by 180 degrees. So double check if you use the ISP headers.?  Tom, wb6b
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Re: Audio feedback during transmit?
#ubitx
I wasn't having that problem until I installed the AGC board.? Then, when it happened, I soldered a 10nF ceramic capacitor across the audio pot from high side to ground.? The feedback went away, but I noticed the audio has less high response.
Dan, W2DLC
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Re: Modular uBitx - "Ex: Harmonics"
Glad you're back Gordon.
Bet of luck with your recovery.
73
Dennis W7DRW
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Re: uBITX new build, quiet audio
#ubitx
"brown lead to the center"
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Re: uBITX new build, quiet audio
#ubitx
Benjamin,
The wall warts are not all well filtered, so that probably accounts for the hum.? It seems like you audio may not be the problem, because the receiver is naturally quiet if the grounding is good.? You should check the connection of the antenna to the board, because maybe you have a bad solder joint or broken wire. The brwon lead should go to the center of the antenna connector.? Also, there have been reports of poor quality BNC connectors, so you may want to test that or just replace it with a better one.
Dan, W2DLC
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Re: uBITX new build, quiet audio
#ubitx
Check the potentiometer wiring, there is some mistake on first wiring (inverting high and middle)
73 - remi f1mqj
¡ª-
v¨¦rifier le c?blage du Potentiom¨¨tre, un sch¨¦ma de c?blage inversait le milieu et le point chaud
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Re: How to use cheap Chinese Arduinos that come with with CH340G / CH341G Serial/USB chip (Windows & Mac OS-X) ¡¤ by Konstantin Gredeskoul (@kig)
I ve at least 3 Chinese nano boards from various sellers, working fine with arduino ide and windows 8.1 (the only problem I have : it need to be run as administrator -giving strange messages when standard user mode).
73 - R¨¦mi -F1mqj?
¡ª-
j¡¯ai au moins 3 cartes nano chinoises de vendeurs divers, programm¨¦es sans probl¨¨me avec Windows 8.1 et l¡¯ide Arduino (le seul probl¨¨me est qu¡¯il faut le faire en administrateur- il envoie des messages ¨¦tranges en mode utilisateur standard).
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Re: Modular uBitx - "Ex: Harmonics"
I have come out of surgery now, and I think I¡¯ll be home tonight and may be able to construct voltage divider on my Heathkit Cantenna to get a attenuated signal that I can further attenuate on toward a ICOM 718 S-meter. ? I have about 4 ?fixed attenuator pads.
?Using those, Setting the baseband signal about the same for each test?I should be able to get a ¡°baseline¡± on a mostly UNmodified version three, I think it has diode to protect Q90
Then I can build my little relay daughter board and repeat the measurements which should give relative indications of any improvement or degradation
If not tomorrow, probably Wednesday.
Gordon
On Aug 20, 2018, at 15:06, ajparent1/KB1GMX < kb1gmx@...> wrote:
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Show quoted text
Alan,
You hit the high and low points well.?
The biggest thing is we have a known fail.
We believe its due to layout.
Its not easily fixed for most.
?
Your not the only one that wrote that as well but your correct.
>>The LPF's work. The physical relay device chosen works, the problem was how it was all put together<<
Bottom line is all that said whats the fix.
My cut is bypass the filters on the board so their losses are not additive.
Create a better board layout that can mount over the existing filters.
Make it so the existing relay control signals are usable, simple wires from a to b.
Cheap as now one will fix it otherwise and many will not bother anyway.
Production boards have the best fix applied to prevent more with this.
Allison
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Re: How to use cheap Chinese Arduinos that come with with CH340G / CH341G Serial/USB chip (Windows & Mac OS-X) ¡¤ by Konstantin Gredeskoul (@kig)
As a linux user the whole problem of drivers is actually transparent for me.
For Win10 it was a major pain and I went with a (real not clone) FSTV232-3v3
cable to sidestep the whole thing.? It connects to the 3x3 group of holes at the
other end of the board.
Allison
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Re: How to use cheap Chinese Arduinos that come with with CH340G / CH341G Serial/USB chip (Windows & Mac OS-X) ¡¤ by Konstantin Gredeskoul (@kig)
There is a design out there to use any Arduino as ICSP ( I have one I made up)
and that can be used to load a boot loader or entire program as desired.
Also I have a commercial in circuit programmer "Arduino ISP" which I believe
is just a USB to serial adapter.
I tossed in the Atmel Atmega in system programming AVR910 ap note.
Allison
|
Re: New Group Specifically for "Homebrew Test Equipment"
Giles
Okay.? I have one other volunteer for moderator.? I will let you both know when I get the
group up and functioning.? Probably only a couple of days until that happens.
Arv
_._
Hi Arv
Yes Arv, in these conditions I want to be?moderator. I will call the real technicians when the questions will exceed my abilities to answer.
73 QRO for F1BFU?
Gilles F1BFU
Thanks for your comments.? Moderators do not have to be technical specialists. The
task of moderating a discussion group seems more like "herding cats" than verifying
technical claims.? The rest of the group will make sure technical statements are
accurate and timely.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to comment about "herding cats". ?? 8-)
Arv K7HKL
_._
Hello Arv
Good idea. I like? But I can not be a moderator because I'm not a technician just a handyman radio amateur. I am continuing to work on the realization of the spectrum analyzer at the base of VFO / SigGen of QRPLabs, attenuator and mixer with your schema.
73 QRO Gilles F1BFU / FR
Hello
A few days ago I mentioned an idea for starting a separate discussion group for
home-brew ham radio test equipment.? The idea still seems interesting but I seem
to be struggling with what to call the group.? It needs to be short enough to type in
easily, and still definitive enough to not be confused with equipment for testing
pigs or homemade beer,? Some possible options that come to mind: - ??? (probably too long)
- ? (Home Brew Test Equipment)
- or....?
There are probably a myriad of better names.? Any ideas? My Linux NFS File Server has a Test Equipment directory that already has several ideas which could be used as a start for this new discussion group. I am sure that others have similar card files or computer files which would be
interesting to the rest of us who like building our own test equipment.? This
does raise questions about how to differentiate hardware test equipment
projects from combination hardware and software based test equipment?
On a slightly different direction........
In the past there have been a few complaints about the amount of software
discussion here on the BITX20 forum.? That raises the question of possibly
starting a separate discussion group specifically for software that is relative
to BITX based equipment.? Again, if such a forum were established, what
In the case of Homebrew Test Equipment and a possible new BITX-Software
group we would need a couple of volunteer moderators for each group.
We already have spawned an Antenna discussion group at
which is working quite well.? The moderators are doing a good job and some
interesting discussion has started.
I can start new discussion groups, but it is possible that someone else could do the same.? The process involves logging into the " create a group" page and filling out the form.? The process is quite easy and straightforward.
It will not hurt my feelings if you want to start one of the above groups, or another
group.? If you have ever envisioned yourself as being the Lord and King of a
discussion group...Go For It !
Arv? K7HKL
_._
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Re: Modular uBitx - "Ex: Harmonics"
Alan, You hit the high and low points well.? The biggest thing is we have a known fail. We believe its due to layout. Its not easily fixed for most. ? Your not the only one that wrote that as well but your correct.
>>The LPF's work. The physical relay device chosen works, the problem was how it was all put together<<
Bottom line is all that said whats the fix.
My cut is bypass the filters on the board so their losses are not additive.
Create a better board layout that can mount over the existing filters.
Make it so the existing relay control signals are usable, simple wires from a to b.
Cheap as now one will fix it otherwise and many will not bother anyway.
Production boards have the best fix applied to prevent more with this.
Allison
|
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Re: Intermodulation Performance
Warren,
The -30dbc for IMD of third order is good.? Whats no so good is only 2W.
It was actually hard to find that data for a lot of the QRP/low power radios.
For many it doesn't exist.??
I never got as far as to measure that for uBitx.? I did it for the old bitx20
(2006 version) and it was not at all good at 4W and -20dbc.? Reworking
the amp? for better stability as that design oscillated when bias hit 60ma
improved matters to -25dbc at 5W.?
A lot of the newer 100W radios out there are barely -26dbc.
Nominally its measured at max stated output power or 10W for ubitx,
and anything better than -26dbc is as good as a lot of radios.
I suspect on 20M and up that will be limited by available power without
hitting 1DB compression point.? Once you hit compression all bets are off.
Allison
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Re: QRP SWR meter recommendation?
#ubitx
I have one I built and was thinking of giving it a go.? Glad to see others feel the same way.?? Perfect for the band and power range.
73, KM4OLT
Michael
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Intermodulation Performance
I am unable to achieve IMD products at -30 dBc or better at any power level above 2 watts. I have searched this board and do not find IMD measurements. What Is the consensus on acceptable IMD levels and the power at which those levels have been achieved?
WA8TOD
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Re: New Group Specifically for "Homebrew Test Equipment"
I can help moderate the new forums(s). I'm an electrical engineer and Extra class ham.
Jim
Gilles F1BFU
Thanks for your comments.? Moderators do not have to be technical specialists. The
task of moderating a discussion group seems more like "herding cats" than verifying
technical claims.? The rest of the group will make sure technical statements are
accurate and timely.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to comment about "herding cats". ?? 8-)
Arv K7HKL
_._
Hello Arv
Good idea. I like? But I can not be a moderator because I'm not a technician just a handyman radio amateur. I am continuing to work on the realization of the spectrum analyzer at the base of VFO / SigGen of QRPLabs, attenuator and mixer with your schema.
73 QRO Gilles F1BFU / FR
Hello
A few days ago I mentioned an idea for starting a separate discussion group for
home-brew ham radio test equipment.? The idea still seems interesting but I seem
to be struggling with what to call the group.? It needs to be short enough to type in
easily, and still definitive enough to not be confused with equipment for testing
pigs or homemade beer,? Some possible options that come to mind: - ??? (probably too long)
- ? (Home Brew Test Equipment)
- or....?
There are probably a myriad of better names.? Any ideas? My Linux NFS File Server has a Test Equipment directory that already has several ideas which could be used as a start for this new discussion group. I am sure that others have similar card files or computer files which would be
interesting to the rest of us who like building our own test equipment.? This
does raise questions about how to differentiate hardware test equipment
projects from combination hardware and software based test equipment?
On a slightly different direction........
In the past there have been a few complaints about the amount of software
discussion here on the BITX20 forum.? That raises the question of possibly
starting a separate discussion group specifically for software that is relative
to BITX based equipment.? Again, if such a forum were established, what
In the case of Homebrew Test Equipment and a possible new BITX-Software
group we would need a couple of volunteer moderators for each group.
We already have spawned an Antenna discussion group at
which is working quite well.? The moderators are doing a good job and some
interesting discussion has started.
I can start new discussion groups, but it is possible that someone else could do the same.? The process involves logging into the " create a group" page and filling out the form.? The process is quite easy and straightforward.
It will not hurt my feelings if you want to start one of the above groups, or another
group.? If you have ever envisioned yourself as being the Lord and King of a
discussion group...Go For It !
Arv? K7HKL
_._
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Jay - WS4JM
Michael Monteith
Jim Myers