Folks

I refer you to a famous story. It comes in many variations and this is just one:

I am the last person to discourage experimentation.... it is what I do, both for a living and for fun. But this is getting ridiculous.

We have here a platform that literally does nothing well. Nothing. Its only claims to fame are 1) It is inexpensive and 2) it is software configurable. The uBitx is a horrible transmitter, perhaps a worse receiver, bereft of simple operating niceties like AGC, ALC, preselection filtering, etc. As it comes out of the box it is illegal for air operations in most countries in the world. Its receiver has no front end, no filtering, miserly overall gain, and lousy audio. The transmitter cannot be put on the air legally and maintained without thousands of dollars of lab grade test equipment. Even as a core SSB generator it is 1960's technology executed badly.

And all of that would not be so bad if it were not for the fact that it IS put on the air, in the vast majority of cases, without the necessary lab equipment and testing simply because it does a lot of bands very inexpensively. This is the Twinkie offered to a starving child, the shipping container begging to become a multimillion dollar condominium,? the tricycle with dreams of winning the Indy 500. All possible..... but all ultimately futile for all but a persistent, doggedly stubborn few. And the others who try will simply add to the noise and junk that has become HF around the world.

Even the narrative that this represents employment for needy women in a third world country.... even that does not justify foisting this on amateur radio operators around the world. Producing garbage does not lift a segment out of poverty..... it just makes more garbage. It is very, very disappointing to see the hobby I have loved for 50 years be reduced to this.

If there was ever an electronic analogue for "Stone Soup", it is uBitx.

WA8TOD

Warren,

The uBitx is just fine as a QRP 80/40/20 SSB transceiver once the LPF's are cleaned up.?
Or as a good general coverage receiver.
Or as a testbed to learn about radios and arduino programming.
Good luck finding anything better for the price.

Perhaps you should find yourself some other forum to haunt.

Jerry, KE7ER

Warren, don't forget the very positive moral of the "stone story":?

Moral:??By working together, with everyone contributing what they can, a greater good is achieved.

I think the uBITX has been and is a wonderful educational opportunity for all and still is a great value rig to use on the air. In all my electronic history, which goes back quite a few years, I have never seen so many people learn and contribute so much to the hobby......anywhere.

If "in the old days", enough people had access to Rigol DSA815-TG (Spectrum Analyzer and Tracking Generator) test equipment, NONE of us would have successfully built anything to get on the air and we'd all be "appliance operators".? ?

I. for one, am having great fun and think this is what REAL ham radio is all about.

73 Kees K5BCQ

?

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I love the Bit and uBit.? It brought some hams to actually look under the hood.?? A legacy of Heathkit?

I got my license in 1961.? Because of Ham Radio, I went on to college and struggled for a BSEE.

Always an experimenter, while posing for the dollar as an engineer.?? I could have worked at the 76 Gas Station I worked for in

high school!? Wow, Circuit Design!

After all,? look what it has done to bring all these folks from EVERYWHERE together.

That's what working DX has done for years.? I love meeting folks from New Zealand or England or Anywhere!

In one weekend contest, I made 126 foreign contacts on a home made beam on 10M.? Yes? DXCC + in one weekend.

Long Live Ash and his projects.

Mike, WA6ISP

Folks

I refer you to a famous story. It comes in many variations and this is just one:

I am the last person to discourage experimentation.... it is what I do, both for a living and for fun. But this is getting ridiculous.

We have here a platform that literally does nothing well. Nothing. Its only claims to fame are 1) It is inexpensive and 2) it is software configurable. The uBitx is a horrible transmitter, perhaps a worse receiver, bereft of simple operating niceties like AGC, ALC, preselection filtering, etc. As it comes out of the box it is illegal for air operations in most countries in the world. Its receiver has no front end, no filtering, miserly overall gain, and lousy audio. The transmitter cannot be put on the air legally and maintained without thousands of dollars of lab grade test equipment. Even as a core SSB generator it is 1960's technology executed badly.

And all of that would not be so bad if it were not for the fact that it IS put on the air, in the vast majority of cases, without the necessary lab equipment and testing simply because it does a lot of bands very inexpensively. This is the Twinkie offered to a starving child, the shipping container begging to become a multimillion dollar condominium,? the tricycle with dreams of winning the Indy 500. All possible..... but all ultimately futile for all but a persistent, doggedly stubborn few. And the others who try will simply add to the noise and junk that has become HF around the world.

Even the narrative that this represents employment for needy women in a third world country.... even that does not justify foisting this on amateur radio operators around the world. Producing garbage does not lift a segment out of poverty..... it just makes more garbage. It is very, very disappointing to see the hobby I have loved for 50 years be reduced to this.

If there was ever an electronic analogue for "Stone Soup", it is uBitx.

WA8TOD

-- 
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID  "MotDog@..."
Mike@...

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Warren;

I've seen collaboration. learning, strangers supporting each other, the funds helping women in India, all sorts of amazing modification, an inexpensive WORKING radio. Simply, a lot of people world wide having fun. Pretty good for amateur radio. Far from garbage.

You may want to re-read stone soup.

Gabe VE3SLJ.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion,? no matter how dumb they may sound.

And that's my opinion.
--
Lee - N9LO? "I Void Warranties"

?

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My position is its got bugs.? So what.

Fix the worst ones.? The low pass filter issue has several fixes.??

Spurs if you stay under 20mhz they are generally not a big deal.
So you didn't get 10M big deal, if you need it add a band pass filter
where the current 9 element low pass filter is. But you loose the
low bands if you don't figure out switching.? Figure it out ask questions.

Some of the other bugs are minor compared to those.

Bottom line its not a FT817, never will be.? Most cases its worth more
than the price of it.? Education is usually far more costly and not near
as much fun.? If you became a ham to learn more about electronics
and radio here you are.? Learn as you don't need my permission.

Allison

On 9/3/18 6:42 PM, Kees T wrote:

...
If "in the old days", enough people had access to Rigol DSA815-TG (Spectrum Analyzer and Tracking Generator) test equipment, NONE of us would have successfully built anything to get on the air and we'd all be "appliance operators".
...

We probably shouldn't feed the trolls, but...

I agree. I remember the 60's and 70's gear (I was first licensed in 1961 as a Novice). I'm sure those WWII surplus ARC-5 transmitters weren't very clean (I had one). All those T-60's (still have mine), DX-20's, etc, not to mention all the homebrew rigs built with scrapped TV parts on pine boards, weren't very clean either. I remember all the chirpy drifty stuff on the air (some of it relatively expensive commercial gear). I can't imagine that a bunch of uBitXs can be any worse. HF is probably more screwed up by the millions of non-compliant electronic devices we all have...CFLs, LEDs, multi-speed furnace blowers, leaky power lines, etc...than by all the ham gear put together.

That's not say we shouldn't try to be strictly legal but you gotta be realistic about it (FWIW, I have a set of QRP Labs LFPs that I'm planning to graft into the uBitX).

The uBitX got me back on the air...I've been on more since I got it than in the two years, not to mention starting to build stuff again. It's probably the most radio fun I've had since I built my last Heathkit. I've learned a lot from the folks on this forum, too.

Anyway, my $0.02 worth. As always, YMMV...

Mark AA7TA (WN9CJE in 1961)

On Tue, Sep 4, 2018 at 01:04 PM, ajparent1/KB1GMX wrote:

Most cases its worth more
than the price of it.? Education is usually far more costly and not near
as much fun.?

Hi all, This to me is the mos important. I have learnt SO much in the last 12 months from the uBitx. More than my FT-450D could ever have thought me.
You know, and I'll make a board the fits on top of the ubitx to help alleviate the bugs, so those less inclined to experiment can enjoy the benefits of the whole community contributing and working together, again, at cost price. Why because thats what I believe the ham spirit is all about.

I might call it the uBitx Anti-Stone Soup add-on board. ;-P

I'm also working on a way to measure spur and harmonics using an RTL-SDR, might work, might not, point is, I'm trying and learning.

What have you done today to progress the hobby?

73 and happy hacking.
Nick VK4PP

On Mon, Sep 3, 2018 at 08:10 PM, Mark M wrote:

On 9/3/18 6:42 PM, Kees T wrote:

...
If "in the old days", enough people had access to Rigol DSA815-TG (Spectrum Analyzer and Tracking Generator) test equipment, NONE of us would have successfully built anything to get on the air and we'd all be "appliance operators".

nasty to quote a quote....? But hell why not.? I need to vent a little.

Seriously?? before I had an SA at all, I did measurements.? Things got built to a high standard
that I set and reflected industry standards I was well acquainted with.? ?The only thing the
RIgol or my other HP8568B did for me is make those measurements easier.

What I don't get is people will spend a kilobuck or more on a radio but same for a piece
of instrumentation "ACK! terrible expensive" is what I hear.? ? I also described how to
use a radio and attenuators to do it and that was "too haard!" and "you can't use that"
to do this.? ?Hey its your foot, shooting it is fine by me.? I also don't recommend it as
there is no need to.

The old joke is its not rocket science has a grain of truth.? It is not, its methods and
procedures and application of basic tools and a little putting ones back into it.
If you got into ham radio to learn, well get to it.? Want to lean how ask!??

I figure about 75% of what written here goes in the bit bucket anyway except
when someone has a problem is then suddenly HELP!? ?Hey we here have been
all along and the web version has archives.?

We should wire up the wiki as there is a great amount of knowledge and none
of its handy or there.

Allison
Every day, is there just one magik fix?

Hi Allison,

Unless I win the lotto (and probably not even then) there won't be a day when I spend a kilobuck on a radio. There might be a day when I buy a Spectrum analyzer (or make one). But there have been times when I did plod through the steps to make the graphical presentations of filter curves and etc. For a while I had a homebrew sweeper but it was assembled with duct tape and chewing gum and eventually fell apart :) I'm considering converting an old Heathkit sweeper to solid state using real terminals and solder:)

In my early teens I built a V-O-M in a cigar box with all scrap parts. There was no range or function switch. I plugged-unplugged series and shunt resistors in a couple of old tube sockets for the functions and ranges. I used it for three or four years. Bragging? No way. I'm trying to encourage others (is that hopeless?). If I could do it *anybody* can. It really isn't rocket science.

73,

Bill KU8H

--
bark less - wag more

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This thread reminds me of something I've been told by hams at least three or four times in the last 38 years - and it brings up an issue that I've faced throughout those years.? Some of the posts have been OK (even encouraging), but others...

When I got my tech ticket in 1980, I scrimped and saved until I put together $300.? I was looking for a used rig of my own, to get on the air on HF (I had an ancient crystal mobile for 2m).? One ham told me he had a radio I could buy - and when I got to his house offered me a KW linear with a fried transformer, for the full $300 (tube condition unknown).? I told him it was useless without a radio and I wasn't interested in power like that anyway.? He was furious for me 'wasting his time' - and told me "If you cannot afford to buy new, you don't belong in amateur radio".? He said if I could dig up a couple hundred more dollars, he had a nice used tube only rig (that needed repair) he'd sell me.? I walked out on him and never spoke to him again.? He and his buddies were, shall we say, not welcoming at the local club - where they dominated.

That almost killed all interest.? Finally, a few years later I got interested again, and was very much into homebrew, especially antennas.? The problem was, I still didn't have a decent radio (my hf radio was an old tube rig - that didn't work too well and had a problem I couldn't figure out).? When I mentioned my frustration with the radio, I was told "What do you expect?? If you can't afford to buy new, you should consider getting out of amateur radio!"? My radio activity went downhill again - FAST.

I have a BITX20 V2 (or version B) - that's my newest hf rig as far as the age of the radio.? My "good" radio is an Alinco DX-70, bought used years ago - and it was the only working radio within my price range (had a very small inheritance come through), although I had my heart set on a IC-706mk2G.? I also have a softrock ensemble kit, but haven't put it together, because I have minimal interest in the hobby anymore.?

The sort of thing I consider true fun - trying to make the longest contact possible with the minimum power (over 600 miles on less than 10mw on HF) for instance, or VHF sideband, or even 6m AM (cheap and fun), not to mention homebrew... well, that doesn't seem as important in the hobby as more and more and MORE POWER.? I've been stomped on enough times by the "get a gallon to get out" club, thank you (you have that happen time after time after time - you end up shutting off the radio in frustration).? Funny thing, because the problems mentioned with the BITX are made far worse by attempts at increasing the power.? Maybe people should think about LESS power???

If I do anything amateur radio-wise, I may try to convert the BITX20 to 40m and fix the VFO so it doesn't drift.? I've always wanted a small, low to moderate power 40m monobander for mobile use.? That might raise some interest again.? (I bought the BITX kit unfinished and completed it - it was sold on the proviso that I actually finish the radio and use it.)? Something with a few watts on 40 would be nice - if the low-power/mobile section of the band hasn't been taken over by the kilowatt motormouths.

The moral of the story:? The BITX series of radios may be the BEST radio a ham can afford - and being poor does NOT mean being stupid or incapable.? Having one's rig run down is disheartening AT BEST, and buying the latest and greatest?? Out of the question for people with little money, even if they have brains and ability.? Reading things like I have on this thread brings back some of the not-so-pleasant memories - and those memories are why I've only used a few pages in a single logbook over the last 38 years.

My 2 cents worth...

Bob
N4FBZ

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?Robert -- i see that you are in Lakeland.? ?Isn't that somewhat in Sumter county?? ?I thik there are a bunch of folks into emergency ham radio commuications down there.? ?Anyway, that Alnico HF radio looks pretty good!!? ?I hadn't heard of it but one of my friends has an Alnico for HF and he is happy with it.

Yes, I think while we want to get correct information out there, different societies may have different "baselines" for what they consider "good" or "poor" and it doesn't do a lot of good to criticize some one elses radio or work..? ?Rather, the more useful parts of this group have been the identification of problems and then the IMPROVEMENT of those problems.? ?I've learned a lot, but I think some people don't grasp how their words can wound.? ?In print it is difficult to judge the heart of the person making the keystrokes.?

Keep up the good work!!!? ? Ham radio has a zillion different facets and not all of them will appeal to everyone, but we all may find something interesting next year, that we didn't, THIS year.

cheers,

gordon