Re: How to ruggedize the sBitx V3
I am a programmer, and the fact that the radio has a built in RPi was the point that sold it to me (together with the bands covered, features, power level, and portability). I do have an antenna tuner and analyzer, so SWR is under control.
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Thank you for all the suggestions. I guess I should start on the thermal control side first. Replacing the mica insulator, and adding a temperature sensor, seem like easy and useful firsts.
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Re: sBITX 64Bit Pi Image Available
#sBitx
On Sun, Mar 2, 2025 at 01:29 PM, WK4DS wrote:
I am curious about the voltmeter mod. Which two gpio pins does it connect to? I saw it uses two but the notes dont mention which ones.?
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David
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The discord server has answers to your questions..? ?:)
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Re: Sbitx v3 file requirement
On Sun, Mar 2, 2025 at 02:21 PM, James French wrote:
Hello.
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Wondering how important the original sbitx.db and the hwini files are from the original disk I got when I purchased my unit a few years ago?
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Before you ask, I DID back up those two files to a safe disk, I thought. That backed up disk was used by the xyl by mistake and overwritten. It was stashed away separate from my other SD disks but in the same drawer that the others were.
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Thanks in advance,
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James W8ISS
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See ?
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Re: Sbitx v3 file requirement
ps.: There is one sentence missing from the previous message: for the EZ Data operation you will need a USB stick, which is advisable to store in a safe place so that it is accessible when needed. Carry out the operation as often as necessary.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
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Re: Sbitx v3 file requirement
James,
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The original sbitx.db stores the log content, so you didn't lose anything at 0 QSO.
The hardware_settings.ini file contains the drive scale required for your device to transmit.
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If your transmission works fine with your current hardware_settings.ini file, then you haven't lost anything.
The point is to have a backup of a well-functioning device from which you can restore the well-functioning state in case of damage.
It is worth using the sBITX_toolbox/ EZ Data operation, with which you can save and restore the data required for correct operation by date.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
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Re: Anyone got a ZBitX or SBitX connected to the Internet?
Hey Travis,
Yeah, I’m thinking the same, actually. The issues I see are: * Interrupting receive audio to get speech from Orca/Speakup/whatever * Input. USB keyboard perhaps? Because I don’t think touch screens work very well under GNU/Linux for us.?
At any rate, even if we start out by using the web interface from another computer just to start off with, that’s something, and probably not the end of the story.?
BTW, If I read this right, the Pi 0 ?(or whatever its designation is...2w?) runs the show, and there’s a separate Pi Nano that runs the touch screen. I gather that this isn’t exactly a Pi though, more like the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s answer to Arduino. So not sure if it could be repurposes to running speech synthesis or not.?
It should be fun, at any rate.?
Keeping an eye out for it. An 80-10m transceiver for under $200 that can be hacked on sounds good to me. Add one of those N7DBC autotuners even. This should be a lot of fun.?
--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV, WRVB670?- Erie, PA
Email: buddy@...
Mobile: (814) 431-0962
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Mar 2, 2025, at 3:56?PM, Travis Siegel <tsiegel@...> wrote:
Buddy. I'm figuring we can just install espeak/orca on one of these
radios, and have complete speech access that way.? It's possible
we'll need to swap out the raspberry pi board, to either one with
more ram or one with more cpu muscle, depending on what's required
to make it all work, but that shouldn't be a major issue, as long
as we can put the wires back where they go.? And, I'm fairly
certain that the only pi that needs to run the speech software is
the one that handles the display, because that already has all the
info we need to operate the system. I was planning on buying one of the zbix devices when they
started taking orders again, and seeing exactly what it would take
to get it operational with speech feedback.? I'm thinking it
shouldn't be a difficult process, considering it already runs a
full blown raspbian setup anyhow, and we already can run speech on
those, so it should be as simple as installing a few new packages,
and poof, talking zbix. It's of course possible it won't be that simple, but I won't know
that until I get one of them here to check out how exactly it
works.
On 2/2/2025 1:22 AM, Buddy Brannan
wrote:
To
be clear, I’m OK with the port forwarding, or putting something on
Tailscale or (currently using) Zerotier. I was really asking if
anyone had this set up that I might look at. As I say, longshot, I
know, and I wouldn’t expect that anyone has one set up full time.?
--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV, WRVB670?- Erie, PA
Email: buddy@...
Mobile: (814) 431-0962
On Feb 1, 2025, at 11:51?AM, ww6x via groups.io
<ww6x@...> wrote:
assuming
your shack and 'comfy bedroom' are behind the
same home router
But I wrote that the shack had it's own router.
Right?
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Re: zBitx - Progress Update
Jsem ve fázi ?ivota, kdy jsem si myslel, ?e mám v?echna rádia, která jsem kdy chtěl. Dokud jsem neviděl zBitx. Mo?ná pot?ebuji je?tě jednu.? 73 Michael N4MJR?
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Re: Sbitx v3 file requirement
The power output is proportional to the square of the drive number
I always come up with my own calibration numbers by starting with the power set to maybe 30 to 50% and measuring the output power. ? then finding out where it starts to flatten
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and then doing some math to figure out what to set the coefficient to, so that at 100% drive, I get a value of output power that isn’t flattening out
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of course, I get confused a time or two in that process, but with a bit of patience, anyone can figure it out
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also, set a hard limit of whatever your power amplifier set is reasonably capable of
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Gordon kx4z?
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Re: Anyone got a ZBitX or SBitX connected to the Internet?
To upgrade the RPi in the zBitx will 'require' repackaging the radio, as the RPi it ships with, an RPi Zero 2 W is about half to one-third the volume of an RPi 4 or 5.
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The RPi Zero 2 W has the same processor as an RPi 3B+, and half the ram (512M). To upgrade it would require an RPi 4 or 5.
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The size issue isn't a concern with the sBitx, as the RPi 4 and 5 are physically the same size.
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The question to be answered is if the sBitx or the zBitx needs more RAM, more CPU, or both to run the apps you're mentioning along with other radio duties.
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I'm looking forward to hearing about your experiments,
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Ken, N2VIP
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Re: sBITX 64Bit Pi Image Available
#sBitx
David,
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I believe it piggybacks the real time clock modules I2C pins and power pins.
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Joel
N6ALT
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Re: Anyone got a ZBitX or SBitX connected to the Internet?
Buddy.
I'm figuring we can just install espeak/orca on one of these
radios, and have complete speech access that way.? It's possible
we'll need to swap out the raspberry pi board, to either one with
more ram or one with more cpu muscle, depending on what's required
to make it all work, but that shouldn't be a major issue, as long
as we can put the wires back where they go.? And, I'm fairly
certain that the only pi that needs to run the speech software is
the one that handles the display, because that already has all the
info we need to operate the system.
I was planning on buying one of the zbix devices when they
started taking orders again, and seeing exactly what it would take
to get it operational with speech feedback.? I'm thinking it
shouldn't be a difficult process, considering it already runs a
full blown raspbian setup anyhow, and we already can run speech on
those, so it should be as simple as installing a few new packages,
and poof, talking zbix.
It's of course possible it won't be that simple, but I won't know
that until I get one of them here to check out how exactly it
works.
On 2/2/2025 1:22 AM, Buddy Brannan
wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
To
be clear, I’m OK with the port forwarding, or putting something on
Tailscale or (currently using) Zerotier. I was really asking if
anyone had this set up that I might look at. As I say, longshot, I
know, and I wouldn’t expect that anyone has one set up full time.?
--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV, WRVB670?- Erie, PA
Email: buddy@...
Mobile: (814) 431-0962
On Feb 1, 2025, at 11:51?AM, ww6x via groups.io
<ww6x@...> wrote:
assuming
your shack and 'comfy bedroom' are behind the
same home router
But I wrote that the shack had it's own router.
Right?
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Sbitx v3 file requirement
Hello.
?
Wondering how important the original sbitx.db and the hwini files are from the original disk I got when I purchased my unit a few years ago?
?
Before you ask, I DID back up those two files to a safe disk, I thought. That backed up disk was used by the xyl by mistake and overwritten. It was stashed away separate from my other SD disks but in the same drawer that the others were.
?
Thanks in advance,
?
James W8ISS
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Re: Error starting sBitx v4.3 64 bits
Thanks Evan
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now it works.
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搁补尘ó苍
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Re: sBITX 64Bit Pi Image Available
#sBitx
I am curious about the voltmeter mod. Which two gpio pins does it connect to? I saw it uses two but the notes dont mention which ones.?
David
Software Release Announcement: sBitx Version 4.4
Version 4.4 introduces new features, enhancements, and fixes to improve your experience.
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Here’s what’s new:
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New Features:
- Added power down button from sbitx menu 2
- Added Macro chooser button in the main GUI for FT8/CW modes
- Added full spectrum/waterfall button for CW modes
- Added current/voltage meter display functionality for INA260 Power Sensor add-on hardware
- Added max-hold visualization for POWER and corrected SWR calculation in the case of little or no FWD POWER
- Added AUTOSCOPE in MENU 2 which adjusts the vertical offset of the scope and the base value for the waterfall automatically, making it easier to see signals clearly.
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Fixes and Improvements:
- Fixed the Macro change screen refresh when changing macros
- Fixed the CW Macro issue when the delay/WPM were set at a threshold
- Adjusted CW shaping timing and reduced from 20ms to 4ms for improved CW transmission
- Fixed the "crashing" noise in voice, FT8, and DIGI modes
Please see the release notes at ?for more information.
To get this new update, please visit our wiki ?
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Sincerely,
The 64 bit sBitx Development Team
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Yes! An ounce of prevention....
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Well, who knows how it got damaged. Don’t forget to put D7 back in there, and it wouldn’t hurt to put something even a little beefier like two or three of the one amp diode in parallel.
This is fantastic that you’ve been able to figure this out
There are lots of different systems out there for polarity protection, use whatever you like.
Gordon kx4z?
On Mar 2, 2025, at 12:26, JJ - W9JES via groups.io <jj@...> wrote:
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You can buy one prebuilt. ?
-- Mike - K8MCB?
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Well, who knows how it got damaged. Don’t forget to put D7 back in there, and it wouldn’t hurt to put something even a little beefier like two or three of the one amp diode in parallel.
This is fantastic that you’ve been able to figure this out
There are lots of different systems out there for polarity protection, use whatever you like.
Gordon kx4z?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Mar 2, 2025, at 12:26, JJ - W9JES via groups.io <jj@...> wrote:
? You can buy one prebuilt. ?
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You can buy one prebuilt. ?
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It was in fact one of the IRF510s that failed. So I will replace both with a fresh pair, then proceed to recheck all of the active components in the PA section. If all is well, I believe I will incorporate your reverse polarity protection circuit! Thanks again!
Mike - K8MCB
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Show quoted text
So typically what you do there is unsolder the drain on each MOSFET and just disconnect it so that you can stop those from potentially taking all the current and then see if you still have the direct short
You have to keep working at it until you find out where the current is going, slick tricks like looking for which traces are hot or which voltages are low might help
On Mar 1, 2025, at 18:43, Gordon Gibby KX4Z via groups.io <docvacuumtubes@...> wrote:
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HA3HZ
Joel Caulkins/N6ALT
WK4DS