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I have sat on my desire to bump up the CPU in my uBITX V6 for far too long, and would like to know in 2024 are there any CPU upgrade paths available, if so where can I buy the appropriate board(s) and CPU, and where can I pull software from??

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I have seen AJ6CUs git hub but where can I get the hardware?

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Thanks - KC5BOD

The Gerber’s are on GitHub, ?but you would need to get your own boards made and know how to source and solder surface mount.

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?You would also have to compile and install my 2.0 beta of CEC…

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And the software doesn’t yet support the original v6 display so you would need to go the Nextion route.?

So not a real practical upgrade path…

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I am undecided whether to take this effort to conclusion and tidy it all up. Quite frankly the latest offering from HF signals is such a better radio, it doesn’t seem like there would be much interest in this effort anymore.?

73

mark

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AJ6CU/7
KD8CEC 2.0, Nextion Screens,? and open source uBITX Raduino boards for Arduino IOT, BLE, RP2040, Teensy 4.0, and Raspberry Pi Pico
https://github.com/aj6cu

Hi Mike,

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As Mark has stated, there has not been much interest in the uBiTx since the introduction of the sBitx.? To add computing power (and I/O) to a uBitx, the best option may be the attached blog post from KD8CEC:

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This may be a low-cost option since you would need to add the Nextion display for any of the actual board upgrades.? The Nano, depending on size, can be had for under $10, and the display for under $40.?

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It requires the capability to engineer your own case mountings and some file work to fit the Nextion into the V6 case.? Here is a pdf from the files section on how another Ham has done the mod:

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Mark does have the Nextion screen files needed on his site.

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My suggestion is to first think about what you want to do with the radio and then choose to either mod the one you have or go to the sBitx radios if you want to learn more about SDR and software.?

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I have six different uBiTx radios that have been on the shelf for over two years.? When I moved on to SDR-based radios, I realized that any new radio design learning would be in SDR.? Regardless of your choice, there will be software issues that you will need to overcome and learn about.

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73

Evan

AC9TU

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Hi Mike,

Although I have no experience with the sBITX, I agree with the advice from Mark and Evan.

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Both Mark and Evan were very helpful to me, when I ran into difficulties in the process of upgrading my uBitxV6 to a Nextion display with KD8CEC software, including the "standalone signal analyzer i2c type" which utilizes a second Arduino Nano. Most of my posts on this forum were related to these issues. If you search for my posts, you should get a good idea of potential modification hazards. Of course, I would be happy to discuss my experience directly (although I would need to reread my posts, to refresh my memory).

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The worst of the problems required replacement of the si5351 chip, which generates the three clock frequencies essential to the radio's operation. (Apparently, it was damaged by static discharge in the modification process.) Secondary problems were mostly related to difficulties with frequency and BFO alignment. In retrospect, I almost gave up on the project. But the end result was an improvement over the factory radio.

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Now that the radio is working, I am quite happy with it. There really is no need for additional CPU power... except to improve non-essentials, such as spectrum display and CW decode functions. Both of those are included in the KD8CEC software. Mark's software releases have improved those and other functions, as compared to the KD8CEC original. But neither of those features works very well, in my opinion.

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I was very interested in Mark's work with more advanced CPUs. He sent me a prototype board with the latest version of his KD8CEC software preloaded on an RPi-Pico. It works well. But I can't see any real improvement over the Arduino-Nano versions... the non-essential features were not well supported on the prototype. No doubt, he would have improved those features, too. But since he doesn't see a future in that direction, that's as far as I will go (since I'm not as technically astute as Mark or Evan).

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My typical usage is SSB and js8 (interconnected with a laptop computer). I also added a simple AGC circuit and an audio bandpass filter for CW work. However, I have not actually used the radio for CW. If you are an avid CW operator, you might explore alternate software, such as the K8NE VU3GAO firmware (which does not require more CPU power).

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DaveW, KL7HJF

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Regarding any upgrades, there is a fellow ubitxer who designed a panadapter for the ubitx, kenwood,icom and a few others too.

here is the link:

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On his landing page it shows a ubitx with a nextion display and the panadapter. pretty cool. I own several ubitxes and always looking for more that need a good home. every unit i own, i have added a lowpass filter network for each band.Still havent pulled the trigger on the sbitx since i keep reading about some of the issues the current owners are having.

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I think Marks experiments with the other boards for the ubitx is brilliant. there is alot of info for us off his website to give us ubitxers a springboard to jump onto to send us to the next level. Love the using the raspberry pi pico, and larger displays. As long as you can generate the 3 outputs of the si5351 and get it to the ubitx board along with interfacing the display, i think there is alot that can be done to give memory space to the ubitx. Im still learning like all of you but i personally think if we went another route instead of arduino, we could bust out of the limitations of memory and such. even if it means putting a small memory board to be accessed by a different CPU.Basically a CPU with a si5351 . Im still tinkering with 2 of my ubitxes with different Cpu setups. Pulling what ever hair i have off my balding head.HI HI. but have been making headway,slowly.

Ubitx has been shoved aside for the sbitx, but the ubitx has alot of possibilites . the main board, without the arduino and tft is just laying there saying"MOD me MOD me"HI HI

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Mike, i agree with Dave. Si5351 chip is very sensitive on static. I personally have removed the si5351 off the raduino board and installed a si5351 module and wired accordingly. havent fried one yet. I want to incorporate the panadapter product and a 10 inch display with one of my experimental ubitx units with a different cpu, built into a cabinet with panadapter and display all in one. wishfull thinking, but im making headway. lots of other websites on raduino replacements and such.

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Good luck on ur experiments

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73

David

ac9xh

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By the way ive been searching cpu that will possibly work with the ubitx outside of the ubitx circle. arduinos are king but like u ,i believe there is a cpu outside the ham circles that is being used that will increase the storage ability substantially and will be just as easy to interface.

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73

David

ac9xh

Hi, you can view this post: /g/BITX20/topics#msg95052

I still have a couple of PCBs available.

Ramon

Ramon,

It looks like your link is not correct. This one works: /g/BITX20/message/95052

It's a long thread. I haven't taken time to read it, yet. But will do so, soon.

DaveW, KL7HJF

Ramon,

Your Raduino with ESP32 obviously involved a lot of time for development of hardware and firmware. I'm sure it will be of interest to other uBitx V6 users. The link about your project is a good read.

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At the moment, I'll stick with the KD8CEC Arduino-Nano firmware, which works well for me. I'm sure I would not make use of many of the added features, on your system (such as WiFi and Bluetooth).

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However, since I'm already somewhat familiar with the KD8CEC firmware, I would be interested in following further development of the projects by Mark, AJ6CU, utilizing RPi-pico (or other processors), if he were to decide to press on with those. His design does support the Nextion display, but he was also working on better utilization of the factory display (as you have done).

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DaveW, KL7HJF?

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Thanks.?