Jerry
Lol, I agree . Yesterday was the first time I had played with the blue pill in about 2 years. I had to relearn again. I find myself using STLINK ?v2 ?most of the time. I have used the other methods including using a Discovery F4 board to do it with which envolves ?using stlink program and hex ?file , works fine but a problem to set up. Yes and don't ?forget moving the jumper on boot 0 . All I have ever got to load and run on it are simple programs never been able to get anything as complex as the uBitx firmware. I seem to be missing some of the needed files for the stm that are already in their for the Arduino . ?I did see where one of the stm people was doing some rewrite ?on some of it especially the EEPROM ?which was something I always had errors ?in. This is why the blue pills I have have not been touched in 2 years. This thing does have some serious ?potential ?and a very good price. I know someone here on this site will get this thing up and going. ?Roger Clark has some very good information ?on it.
73's ?kn4ud
--
Allen ?Merrell
|
Jack,
the ambiguous "it" was the teensy that runs the
filters and mic processing code
in the uBITX. I am imagining leaving the Nano in there for basic
ops, and using
the Teensy for augmented features.
I have not thought out a user interface. I like
the idea of an independent teensy,
as I could use those new features in other rigs.
Rod
On 05/23/2018 09:27 AM, Jack Purdum via
Groups.Io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Rod:
It is Open Source. Google "mic compressor" and see if our
speech compressor doesn't do what you're thinking about. When
you say "it", what is the "it" you're referring to?
Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, 12:24:01 PM EDT, Rod Davis
<km6sn@...> wrote:
Hi Jack,
For my uBITX:
I have not been following the
threads closely: is your software GPL open source?
I would like to just implement the
rx filters.
I would also like to implement a
mic high pass filter, followed by clipping,
followed by a low pass
filter to remove the clipping residue. I have
heard that gives some pretty good readability.
I am not so sure about mic
compressing.
However, that introduces the issue
of how to control it without an additional USB
cable.
Regards,
Rod KM6SN
|
Re: ND6T AGC implementation for uBIT-X
Could you please put me down for 2 of each board.
Ross
vk3ucr
|
I kind of thought there was a buy option, and that maybe it was removed when they redid the website for the uBitx.
Special address is in the second paragraph here:??
I think you should ask Bo first.
He wants a uBitx without a Raduino.
A match made in heaven.
If the rig really did arrive non-functional and this was not some miswire issue,?hfsignals should at least be told
Jerry
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On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 09:20 am, Mike aka KC2WVB wrote:
Thanks Jerry. I did not see a click to order button on HF Signals web page nor did I see an email address for special orders like this. Did I miss what is there or did their page change?
. . .
|
Re: boosting the power on 28 MHz
#ubitx
Yes, thank you Allison!!, I thought that, but I wanted to be certain. I¡¯ve been watching all the discussion on this and all the other modifications. ? Life is a bit busy for me but it won¡¯t be too much longer and I¡¯ll get a chance to work on some of that.
On May 22, 2018, at 13:36, ajparent1/KB1GMX < kb1gmx@...> wrote:
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to18, can.? I've likely said that every time I"ve written 2n2222A
The only SMT is Q90 and maybe a 2n2222a is better there but I went with a 2n2369A.
FYI: you need other changes like farhan's cap mod, the choke in series with r86,
and so on. as just throwing 2n22222A against it only helps a little with no other changes.?
I haven't decided if this is the best way or can it be done using cheaper
transistors.??
Allison
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Rod:
It is Open Source. Google "mic compressor" and see if our speech compressor doesn't do what you're thinking about. When you say "it", what is the "it" you're referring to?
Jack, W8TEE
On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, 12:24:01 PM EDT, Rod Davis <km6sn@...> wrote:
Hi Jack,
For my uBITX:
I have not been following the threads closely: is
your software GPL open source?
I would like to just implement the rx filters.
I would also like to implement a mic high pass
filter, followed by clipping, followed by a low pass
filter to remove the clipping residue. I have heard that gives
some pretty good readability.
I am not so sure about mic compressing.
However, that introduces the issue of how to
control it without an additional USB cable.
Regards,
Rod KM6SN
|
Hi Jack,
For my uBITX:
I have not been following the threads closely: is
your software GPL open source?
I would like to just implement the rx filters.
I would also like to implement a mic high pass
filter, followed by clipping, followed by a low pass
filter to remove the clipping residue. I have heard that gives
some pretty good readability.
I am not so sure about mic compressing.
However, that introduces the issue of how to
control it without an additional USB cable.
Regards,
Rod KM6SN
|
Thanks Jerry. I did not see a click to order button on HF Signals web page nor did I see an email address for special orders like this. Did I miss what is there or did their page change?
On Wed, May 23, 2018, 12:07 PM Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io <jgaffke= [email protected]> wrote: HFsignals will sell a Raduino to you for $25.
Be sure to get one configured and programmed for the uBitx, not for the Bitx40.
You can adapt the Bitx40 Raduino for uBitx use, but would require a new connector on the bottom (soldering) and uBitx firmware (programming).
Or, go talk to Bo:? /g/BITX20/message/50125
Jerry
On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 08:48 am, Mike aka KC2WVB wrote:
I ordered both the 40 meter and 80-10 meter BitX transceivers and assembled both radios this past weekend. The 40 meter rig is functioning perfectly. The uBitX all-band rig strongly suggests its Raduino component is defective. It neither tunes nor enters properly into the menu.
I would like to acquire a replacement Raduino for the uBitx so that it does not serve as a paper weight on my desk. I have graduate and undergraduate degrees in Mathematics not Electronics so while I can prove Pi is a transcendental number prior to using it in a simple equation for calculating the cutoff frequency of a low pass filter I am not necessarily at that high of a proficiency level in what is for me the hobby of electronics. Therefore, so that I can have an operational uBitX as I take the time to develop skills with respect to these fine radios could someone please point me in the direction of obtaining a replacement Raduino for the uBitX that is complete with installed software so that I can swap it with the defective board?
?
?
|
I don't see the Raduino as a buy option on hfsignals.com
Could ask through? ? hfsignals at? gmail dot com
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 09:07 am, Jerry Gaffke wrote:
HFsignals will sell a Raduino to you for $25.
Be sure to get one configured and programmed for the uBitx, not for the Bitx40.
You can adapt the Bitx40 Raduino for uBitx use, but would require a new connector on the bottom (soldering) and uBitx firmware (programming).
Or, go talk to Bo:? /g/BITX20/message/50125
|
HFsignals will sell a Raduino to you for $25. Be sure to get one configured and programmed for the uBitx, not for the Bitx40. You can adapt the Bitx40 Raduino for uBitx use, but would require a new connector on the bottom (soldering) and uBitx firmware (programming). Or, go talk to Bo:? /g/BITX20/message/50125Jerry
On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 08:48 am, Mike aka KC2WVB wrote:
I ordered both the 40 meter and 80-10 meter BitX transceivers and assembled both radios this past weekend. The 40 meter rig is functioning perfectly. The uBitX all-band rig strongly suggests its Raduino component is defective. It neither tunes nor enters properly into the menu.
I would like to acquire a replacement Raduino for the uBitx so that it does not serve as a paper weight on my desk. I have graduate and undergraduate degrees in Mathematics not Electronics so while I can prove Pi is a transcendental number prior to using it in a simple equation for calculating the cutoff frequency of a low pass filter I am not necessarily at that high of a proficiency level in what is for me the hobby of electronics. Therefore, so that I can have an operational uBitX as I take the time to develop skills with respect to these fine radios could someone please point me in the direction of obtaining a replacement Raduino for the uBitX that is complete with installed software so that I can swap it with the defective board?
?
?
|
Re: boosting the power on 28 MHz
#ubitx
Lets wait for Allison, she is doing some major heavy lifting to get flat power output. We can roll all of them together as a single recommendation. - f
On Wed, 23 May 2018, 17:40 David Robertson, < kd1na363@...> wrote: Ashar, I did your modification which included shorting R83. I was careful to bag and tag all the removed components so I could remove the modification if needed.
I found the power out on 10 meters was 4 watts ( 1.2 watts before mod) and increased as we went down in frequency. On 80 meters it appears that I have about 18 watts out peak. Ran a couple of qsos and got good reports. Looks like this mod is a keeper! Thanks Ashar and thanks for such a good design.
73
Dave KD1NA
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Re: Best way to unsolder the Nano?
One thing about solder, it's heavy.? Often made with lead.
I generally have better luck asking molten solder to go down than up.
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Show quoted text
On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 08:35 am, David Nelson wrote:
The key to using it to clear holes, and I will never admit how long it took me to realize this, is to hold the sucker on one side of the board with enough pressure to get it solidly touching the board and the iron on the other side.? I usually do two heats.? First to remove the lead or pin from the offending component then another for the solder sucker to do its work.? Fun fact: if you don't make sure the top is locked down in the slot the plunger will fly higher than you think it will.
--
|
I ordered both the 40 meter and 80-10 meter BitX transceivers and assembled both radios this past weekend. The 40 meter rig is functioning perfectly. The uBitX all-band rig strongly suggests its Raduino component is defective. It neither tunes nor enters properly into the menu.
I would like to acquire a replacement Raduino for the uBitx so that it does not serve as a paper weight on my desk. I have graduate and undergraduate degrees in Mathematics not Electronics so while I can prove Pi is a transcendental number prior to using it in a simple equation for calculating the cutoff frequency of a low pass filter I am not necessarily at that high of a proficiency level in what is for me the hobby of electronics. Therefore, so that I can have an operational uBitX as I take the time to develop skills with respect to these fine radios could someone please point me in the direction of obtaining a replacement Raduino for the uBitX that is complete with installed software so that I can swap it with the defective board?
|
Re: share your BITX success stories
Despite minor burps and lots of modding and testing I'm having a blast with the uBitx.
Then again I live for that and as often said if you like to make changes and improvements?
this is your radio and operating on the air is gravy.
Its pretty slick overall.
Allison
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uBITX Firmware CEC Version 1.08 Release
#ubitx
uBITX Firmware CEC Version 1.08 Release
Version 1.08 is the first major release since 1.061
Version 1.08 includes all additions or improvements from 1.07 to 1.07, 1.071, 1.073, 1.075 since 1.061, Version 1.08 has minor fixes in 1.075 (Beta)
Changed name to Version 1.08 in Version 1.075 Beta with minor fixed.
?
1.Receive performance is improved compared to the original firmware or version 1.061
2.ATT function has been added to reduce RF gain (Shift 45Mhz IF)
3.Added the ability to connect SDR. (Low cost RTL-SDR available)
4.Added a protocol to ADC Monitoring in CAT communications
5.Various LCD support, 16x02 Parallel LCD - It is the LCD equipped with uBITX, 16x02 I2C LCD, 20x04 Parallel LCD, 20x04 I2C LCD, 16x02 I2C Dual LCD
6.Added Extended Switch Support
7.Support S Meter - Any S-meter is compatible.
8.Added S-Meter setting assistant to uBITX Manager
9.Add recovery mode (such as Factory Reset)
There have been many other improvements and fixes. More information is available on the blog.?
Please see the link below for details.
?
You can download HEX file and uBITX Manager from the link above. You can also download the source code at https://github.com/phdlee/ubitx and see all the changes I've made so far. If there is a non-critical bug in the public version, I will link to the new firmware in the above blog.
?
-- Ian KD8CEC kd8cec@...
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Re: Best way to unsolder the Nano?
I had to replace my nano twice. Miswired, my fault. I got one of the cheap irons off ebay with solder sucker built in. Worked great. Beware, they a 110V or a 220V. Be sure to order the 110V version. Best $15 I have spent in a long time. I use it a lot.? kc2ipx? Dave
On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 11:25 AM, Doug W <dougwilner@...> wrote: Fortunately I haven't had to remove the nano (knock, knock) but for cleaning out through holes I have had great luck with just a cheap solder sucker like this...
The key to using it to clear holes, and I will never admit how long it took me to realize this, is to hold the sucker on one side of the board with enough pressure to get it solidly touching the board and the iron on the other side.? I usually do two heats.? First to remove the lead or pin from the offending component then another for the solder sucker to do its work.? Fun fact: if you don't make sure the top is locked down in the slot the plunger will fly higher than you think it will.
--
|
Re: RF power chain mods and improvements..
Testing note..
How I arrive at the issue of gain vs frequency.
One was on paper using the well know EMRD feedback amp spreadsheet.
Every try said not possible unless the device has a FT of greater than 600mhz
THe simple test is we need a gain of 39 (~16db at 3mhz) and at 30mhz we need?
a device Ft of not less than 1170mhz based on the Ft/F rule of thumb.? We can
however get away with a bit less with only a small decrease in gain.
The other was a mod to the board and measure:
I removed the IRF510s and added a trans former to go from the gate connection
to 50ohms (1:1), added 10db 1W pad for safety (protect the Rigol). and to keep the?
mosfet out of the test.
Lifted C1 to isolate the TX amp from the LF and hooked a piece of coax with a.1uf cap at the and to
the input of Q90.??
RV1 set to 100% so we see total stage gain.
Enabled TX mode with out Raduino, jumper T/R to 12V..
Set up RIgol DSA 815Twith tracking generator for -20dbm output from 3 to 30 mhz.
I didn't do a screen capture though I should have.
( I used lower drive as I'd seen gain compression in driver and pre-driver at higher
output levels at higher frequencies. this is device HFE related at higher currents.
this makes the system look worse.)
The result was about 45DB gain at 3mhz falling to 34db at 30mhz. A drop of nearly 10db.
The slope of the curve was such that at about 7mhz we were already dropping by 2db.
Power out of the driver for that setup was .255 Watt at 3mhz falling to .023W at 30.
We could get more power by cranking up the trancking generator output at lower
frequencies but gain compression at higher power levels limited us at?14mhz and
above.
Adding emitter caps and inductors to the feedback helped but the result was still
well short.? The net effect is the curve was flatter to about 13mhz then resumed?
sloping down.
Why is this.? The 2n3904 has a FT of 300 (nominal) and the rule of? thumb is ft/f=Beta
BEta is the maximum attainable gain for the stage.? So at 3mhz the result is 100, lots
of gain and its tamped down with feedback to 39 (~16db).? ? At 30mhz the result is 10!
10 is 10DB of gain...? ?Paralleling transistors is supposed to help that but the result is
typically a 3db improvement at higher frequencies. So for 4 stages at approximately
16db per stage at 3mhz showed?48db (Not allowing for transformer losses) but close
to the result of 45 DB gain.? ?However at 3mhz we are supposed to get 30db and
did get 33 so we are doing better than predicted?but well down from 3mhz.
Adding the various caps and inductors in the feedback to the q90, pre-driver, driver made
the curve flatter but at 14mhz we are now 3db down and would end up at 35db down at?
30mhz.? Clearly the 2n3904s were not cutting it.? Its hard to get more than? a beta of 20
out of two in parallel and we need an effective beta of at least 39.
This is why higher frequency transistors that work at higher currents are being pursued.
Devices with FT greater than 650 mhz gets use within about 3-4db without circuit tricks.
3Db flatness means at 3mhz say 10W and 30mhz 5W.? Adding tapered feedback helps
some so we should see near 7-9W at 30 and so far my results confirm that using
2n2369 for Q90, and the pre-driver one 2n3866,? and driver two 2n3866.? ?All of those
have an Ft of 600mhz or so and power handling suitable for the stage they are in.
The problem is 2n3866 and 2n5109 are not cheap.
NOTE: if as was, we get about 4W (at 30mhz) from the IRF510s with the measured drive
it confirms the MOSFET is being starved!.
Putting the irf510s back in and grabbing the 50W 30db power attenuator agrees
nicely as the IRF510s at 3mhz were netting about 16db of gain and at 30mhz a
respectable 14db of gain.?
Conclusion is we need uniform gain and the ability to deliver more than .5W
(about .7 would provide good headroom).? ?The IRF510 has enough gain.
Now I wait for lower cost parts.
Allison
|
Loading a sketch from the Arduino IDE into a Blue Pill or similar is confusing as all get out.?
There are at least three totally different ways to do it, and the various "how I done it" webpages
focus on only one of them, usually without mentioning which one.? Probably cuz the author doesn't know.
Rudolf's webpage describes all three, I've included my notes below (in the reverse order of Rudolf's writeup).?
The three methods are:
1) Use the SWD pins.
Most ARM processors have some dedicated hardware baked into the chip for the SWD debugger.
Requires a special cable assembly that plugs into a USB port on your host computer to speak SWD:
? ??
I've never messed with it, but is likely the most featureful debugging method, if you are into features.
2) Use the UART debugger permanently burned into processor ROM by ST at the factory.
? ??
It's always present, is ROM not flash in that it can't be erased.? Probably supported by ST processors only.
I prefer this method, as I find a UART easy and familiar and I already have the hardware:
? ??
A description of that cp2102? ?USB-to-UART adapter is in post 50027, there are plenty of other such devices.?
If things don't work, can first debug that USB-to-UART adapter by tying TXD to RXD for loopback mode,
and try talking to it from something like a VT100? terminal emulation program.? If anybody still knows what that is.
3)? Use the USB port that's implemented in the chip to talk to your PC host.
This seems to be the method most people focus on.? But the processor does not have code baked in for
using the USB port, you have to first download a special bootloader to flash using one of the other two methods.
Or buy one with the USB bootloader already programmed into flash.?
The processor has some "boot pins" that allow you to boot from either the baked in debugger of method two
or from flash.? If booting from flash, it could be the bootloader of method 3, or it could go directly to your application code.
The bootloader of method three inspects yet another pin to figure out if it should stick around and execute commands
coming in on the chip's USB port, or jump off into your application code.?
I've probably made a couple omissions or mistakes here, as I haven't used the ARM chips that much.
But did succeed in using both method 2 and method 3 on the Blue Pill? (a Matrix reference, in case you were wondering).
Jerry, KE7ER
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On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 07:00 am, W3JDR wrote:
Rudolf
Very good summery.
This might be in your document, but there are also variants of the Blue Pill on EBay that have "Arduino Compatible" bootloaders already installed. Some say they have "Maple Mini" compatible bootloaders. They might be one and the same, I don't know. I have some of the former, but haven't tried them yet. In general, a good resource for anyone interested in these Pill boards is
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Re: Best way to unsolder the Nano?
Fortunately I haven't had to remove the nano (knock, knock) but for cleaning out through holes I have had great luck with just a cheap solder sucker like this...  The key to using it to clear holes, and I will never admit how long it took me to realize this, is to hold the sucker on one side of the board with enough pressure to get it solidly touching the board and the iron on the other side.? I usually do two heats.? First to remove the lead or pin from the offending component then another for the solder sucker to do its work.? Fun fact: if you don't make sure the top is locked down in the slot the plunger will fly higher than you think it will. --
|
Update #3: Things are happening fast and I'm trying to keep it straight in my head. Is this list complete relative to the various "Raduino" versions available today ? I may have left some off....... Anyone happen to have a matrix of the various options ?? ( silly question).?
You can search on the call and come up with their original posts.
$$ is defined as the --estimated-- $ to implement on your uBITX (new "Raduino" board, new microcontroller, new display, new extra parts, etc). Open to corrections/clarifications.
No$$ is defined as only requiring a firmware load for the existing Nano microcontroller Lo$$ is defined as <$30 Med$$ is defined as >$30 & <$80 Hi$$ is defined as >$80 ??$$ is I don't know 73 Kees K5BCQ 1) Original "Raduino" with a Nano Ver ? (base Farahan started with and probably what most uBITX units have today). No$$ 2) Upgrade to #1 ?? Ver ?? No$$ 3) Upgrade original "Raduino" Nano with firmware by Ian Lee, KD8CEC. (called Ver? 4.3 today) No$$? 4) "RaduinoUMAX" with firmware by Mike Hagen, WA6ISP, (more I/O). Lo$$? 5) "Raduino Protoneer" (Arduino Zero Compatible Nano-ARM, uses SAM21 microcontroller). Who was/is working on this one ? ? ? ?Lo$$ 6) "Raduino Pill" by Joe, W3JDR (uses a STM32F103 "Blue Pill" microcontroller, lots more I/O). Lo$$ 7) "RadI2Cino" by Jim Sheldon, W0EB, uses the Nano. Lo$$ 8) "BITeensio", this is the new one by Jim Sheldon, W0EB, more info coming. ??$$ 9) "JackAl" board this is the "will blow your socks off" design recently announced at FDIM by Jack Purdum, W8TEE, and Al?? ? ? ?Peter,??AC8GY (all the capability you should ever want, uses a Teensy 3.6 microcontroller and will cost "a few $$ more" but ? ? ?has?VERY impressive capabilities which highly depends on the guys writing the firmware (as do? ALL?the others). Hi$$ 10) "KB1OIQ" by KB1OIQ has I2C display, supports Keypad and voice?output suitable for low/no vision operators. ??$$ 11) "Alison TBD" by Alison, KB1GMX, uses the Nano and has no rotary encoder, less or no menu, more buttons. ??$$ 12) "RaduinoI2C", by Nick, VK4PLN It consists of various small boards. popular ??$$ 13) "John's Raduino" by John, VK2ETA, It is a firmware that implements S.Meter, AGC etc with little money (or no?money) ? ? ? ?No$$ 14) "Joe's Raduino", by VE1BWV - uBITX with TFT LCD. Lo$$
?
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David Nelson