Re: Fixed: cw latency and wsjtx/flidigi sidetone
Tune no longer works.
Leo, AI5II
Thank you Ashhar for everything you have done for this project for us all! I appreciate it!
I have a minor update?to make zbitx work with wsjtx/fldigi/etc and fixed cw latency. You have to update?just the raspberry zero.
From a terminal window, type this: cd ~/sbitx ./update sbitx
this should do it
|
On 4/12/2025 10:58, Gerald Sherman via groups.io wrote: Some radios can send CW with a straight key if you select CW and then key the PTT line.
I put it into CW mode and keyed the mic, but it just transmitted in LSB. -- Tom Sevart N2UHC -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com
|
Re: sBitx v3 - next final MOSFET killed
Wojtek,
?
I'm sorry you went this way, but you can learn from your own mistakes.
I'm just recommending it, because it worked for me (it's true that I'm not using it in remote mode) that the power supply protects against overcurrent intake with current limitation.
Before replacing the FETs, it is advisable to select the new ones with almost the same opening voltage. Bias setting should be done with a maximum 2.00 A power supply.
I have v2, which has an IRFZ24N built in, and these are more sensitive to overvoltage and overcurrent.
I replaced it once because I tested it on a battery (without current limitation) and I'm still using them.
I think this is due to the current limitation. The limitation is 12.5V and 6.50 A.
I currently have over 10k connections in 1.5 years and I use one antenna (without antenna tuner) on 3 bands (7-14-21MHz) with a slanted vertically fed delta loop antenna.
In short, I am satisfied with the v2 hardware, although I have made several small modifications.
Most of them were aimed at reducing the temperature.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
|
Some radios can send CW with a straight key if you select CW and then key the PTT line.
Gerry Sherman
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 2025-04-12 15:36, Tom Sevart via groups.io wrote: Hi all,
A while back at a hamfest I picked up a mystery radio being sold by a guy selling items from an SK's estate.? He didn't know what it was at all, so I got a good price on it.? Bringing it home, I found out that it's a BitX40 v3.
The builder didn't label any of the buttons or knobs on the radio, so I had to figure those out myself.? Got it all sorted out except for one switch that goes to another smaller board under the main PC board, but that'll be a question for another time.? There apparently have been multiple mods done by the original builder to the radio, but so far I haven't been able to reverse engineer what's been done to it.? It does work great and has great receive audio as well as good transmit audio.
Right now, the things I want to figure out is how much power output the radio should have.? All other Bitx's I've had are 10W output, but this one seems to only be 5W with one IRF510 final. If 5W is what I can expect out of this radio, then fine. I was making contacts on a net last night.
The radio was built without having a hookup for a CW key.? I'd like to install a CW jack so I can operate CW with it.? I did find a schematic but can't seem to find where to hook up a key to the circuit.
Any help appreciated.
|
sBitx v3 - next final MOSFET killed
Hello,
My sBitx v3 has killed next final MOSFET. Again, as previously, only one was dead: However, this time the failure wasn't caused by overheating (the fan was cooling the heatsink and its temperature was ca 30 C) but by SWR.
I was operating my device remotely via WiFi in FT8 mode, and my ATU got crazy. Unfortunately, I could only see the increase of SWR on my laptop, and the connection got broken. I couldn't cease the transmission immediately. When I reached the sBitx, it already showed the output power 0W.
Well, when replacing them, I have exchanged the mica insulators with AlN ones. Let's see how long is it going to survive now.
BTW. Is it possible to replace IRF510 with other MOSFETs (maybe more expensive, but offering higher maximum voltage and better power at 28 MHz)?
?
73,
Wojtek SP5DAA
|
Hi all,
A while back at a hamfest I picked up a mystery radio being sold by a guy selling items from an SK's estate. He didn't know what it was at all, so I got a good price on it. Bringing it home, I found out that it's a BitX40 v3.
The builder didn't label any of the buttons or knobs on the radio, so I had to figure those out myself. Got it all sorted out except for one switch that goes to another smaller board under the main PC board, but that'll be a question for another time. There apparently have been multiple mods done by the original builder to the radio, but so far I haven't been able to reverse engineer what's been done to it. It does work great and has great receive audio as well as good transmit audio.
Right now, the things I want to figure out is how much power output the radio should have. All other Bitx's I've had are 10W output, but this one seems to only be 5W with one IRF510 final. If 5W is what I can expect out of this radio, then fine. I was making contacts on a net last night.
The radio was built without having a hookup for a CW key. I'd like to install a CW jack so I can operate CW with it. I did find a schematic but can't seem to find where to hook up a key to the circuit.
Any help appreciated.
--
Tom Sevart N2UHC
--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
www.avast.com
|
Re: Fixed: cw latency and wsjtx/flidigi sidetone
Thank you Ashhar for everything you have done for this project for us all! I appreciate it!
I have a minor update?to make zbitx work with wsjtx/fldigi/etc and fixed cw latency. You have to update?just the raspberry zero.
From a terminal window, type this: cd ~/sbitx ./update sbitx
this should do it
|
Fixed: cw latency and wsjtx/flidigi sidetone
I have a minor update?to make zbitx work with wsjtx/fldigi/etc and fixed cw latency. You have to update?just the raspberry zero.
From a terminal window, type this: cd ~/sbitx ./update sbitx
this should do it
|
Re: zbitx cw performance problems solved?
The kernel GPIO driver may also record the exact time of each interrupt. So if we may accept certain latency, but want to keep the original timing, it is doable. Well, it is inconvenient like playing electric guitar via a high latency virtual amplifier and sound procesor...
73 Wojtek SP5DAA
sob., 12 kwi 2025, 12:43 u?ytkownik Gordon Gibby KX4Z via <docvacuumtubes= [email protected]> napisa?:
I believe Ashhar has already handled the interrupt recognition on key closure.? ?The problem appeared to be "doing something as a result" - which impacts other portions of the system.? ?That is where the slow polling was appearing to cause the problem.? ?Speeding up THAT part made a HUGE improvement in the sBitx and Erik's results with the zBitx appeared to be the same improvement.? ?Now Ashhar is contemplating integration.? ?
Gordon KX4Z
Unfortunately, I haven't received my zBitx yet, but as I cen see from the schematic diagram: , the key (J3) is connected to pins GPIO7 (PTT) and GPIO21 (R-DASH).
Both those pins are interrupt capable (correct me if I'm wrong). The libgpiod offers a possibility where the thread sleeps waiting for the change of the state of a set of interrupt capable GPIOs. Can't that be used to improve the latency instead of periodic polling?
In the worst case, the handling of the interrupt of selected pins can be implemented in the kernel space.
(A few years ago I had to write a few kernel drivers that connected to the GPIO subsystem in linux (e.g. or ). They were not used for low-latency handling interrupts, but that's possible as well.)
?
73,
Wojtek SP5DAA
|
Re: zbitx cw performance problems solved?
I believe Ashhar has already handled the interrupt recognition on key closure.? ?The problem appeared to be "doing something as a result" - which impacts other portions of the system.? ?That is where the slow polling was appearing to cause the problem.? ?Speeding up THAT part made a HUGE improvement in the sBitx and Erik's results with the zBitx appeared to be the same improvement.? ?Now Ashhar is contemplating integration.? ?
Gordon KX4Z
Unfortunately, I haven't received my zBitx yet, but as I cen see from the schematic diagram: , the key (J3) is connected to pins GPIO7 (PTT) and GPIO21 (R-DASH).
Both those pins are interrupt capable (correct me if I'm wrong). The libgpiod offers a possibility where the thread sleeps waiting for the change of the state of a set of interrupt capable GPIOs. Can't that be used to improve the latency instead of periodic polling?
In the worst case, the handling of the interrupt of selected pins can be implemented in the kernel space.
(A few years ago I had to write a few kernel drivers that connected to the GPIO subsystem in linux (e.g. or ). They were not used for low-latency handling interrupts, but that's possible as well.)
?
73,
Wojtek SP5DAA
|
Re: zbitx cw performance problems solved?
Unfortunately, I haven't received my zBitx yet, but as I cen see from the schematic diagram: , the key (J3) is connected to pins GPIO7 (PTT) and GPIO21 (R-DASH).
Both those pins are interrupt capable (correct me if I'm wrong). The libgpiod offers a possibility where the thread sleeps waiting for the change of the state of a set of interrupt capable GPIOs. Can't that be used to improve the latency instead of periodic polling?
In the worst case, the handling of the interrupt of selected pins can be implemented in the kernel space.
(A few years ago I had to write a few kernel drivers that connected to the GPIO subsystem in linux (e.g. or ). They were not used for low-latency handling interrupts, but that's possible as well.)
?
73,
Wojtek SP5DAA
|
Re: zbitx cw performance problems solved?
Dear CW enthusiasts, I saw a lot of complaints in the past weeks about bad CW performance here.
is this problem now solved?
DL4ZAQ Peter
|
Thank you Evan. Not sure when I will get going on it, but I have it now!? Oh wow.. nice a discord server..
I'll check that out too.
Brad
|
Thank you Evan,
?
I was on Jeff's shop website and saw that he was away and the boards were unavailable. I would prefer to wait and buy the boards from him. While waiting for his return I was going to deoxit the encoder and see if I could clear it up and if disaster struck I would then have a replacement on hand. I noticed that if I apply a bit of side pressure I can get the results I want. I left my email on his site for response.
?
This is one slick rig and I like using it. Backup parts are always good to have.
?
Thanks again,
?
Dean/ N2TNN
|
Hi Dean,
?
Here is the part that Jeff Duce used in his sBitx encoder board replacement:
?
I suggest you try to contact Jeff, as the strain on the stock board will damage the new part.
?
You could try moving the connector to the other side of the board.? You must swap top to bottom to have the bottom encoder control the frequency.? I have not verified this as I purchased the boards from Jeff.
?
You can sign up for an email when Jeff returns:
?
?
73
Evan
AC9TU
|
I see that the encoder boards are not available. Does anyone have the encoder part number. My tuning encoder just went wacky. Turn the know right and the freq goes down and then it jumped an entire band.
?
Thanks,
?
Dean/ N2TNN
|
Not sure what version you are on, but the AGC is aggressive on this transceiver. Try adjusting it and see if you get desired results.
|
i thought I had seen this on here but I am not sure how to search for it.? In ssb mode when I end a transmission it seems like a long time before I can starting hearing the received signal again.? Some times I miss as many as 4-5 words from the person replying to my transmission.? Any ideas here?
?
Jeff Darby
|
Re: Quick Delivery of zBitx to Germany / VAT and DHL duty tax processing / First succesful FT8 QSOs
Hi,
It seems that in Germany it's all or nothing! My zBitx arrived in Leipzig the march 30. But, lost (or stolen!) it never left for France.
They started the laborious steps with DHL to get them to refund me the VAT, and refund HFsignals! I'm waiting..1
Enjoy with your new toy....
?
73
Patrick
|
Re: Quick Delivery of zBitx to Germany / VAT and DHL duty tax processing / First succesful FT8 QSOs
It seems you found the trap too. zbitx has a separate branch on github, but the program name remains sbitx.
The 32-bit , while the .
--
Gyula HA3HZ
|
HA3HZ
DL4ZAQ_Peter