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uBITX V6 Expanded System

 

Hi Gang:
Well I asked a few questions last week and got enough info to prompt me to order the mother board and display with Nano. Four days from India is certainly worth $10,00.
I published a video of the R&D and testing and all the ancillary parts, IE; tee-tuner, SWR/Power meters, 120VAC power and a decent audio section.

Additionally, I've been looking through the files section and perusing the schematic for a place to tap off an S-Meter voltage. Any suggestions appreciated.

Stay safe and good signals to all,
Bob, N1KPR

Here's the vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHj6_ta_43k
 

that would be at the output of the audio pre-amp or the hot end of the volume control. You could feed bias the A7 and couple the audio to A7. With some gee-whiz coding you could get a very accurate S meter going.
- f

On Sun, Jul 26, 2020 at 10:44 PM Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:
Hi Gang:
Well I asked a few questions last week and got enough info to prompt me to order the mother board and display with Nano. Four days from India is certainly worth $10,00.
I published a video of the R&D and testing and all the ancillary parts, IE; tee-tuner, SWR/Power meters, 120VAC power and a decent audio section.

Additionally, I've been looking through the files section and perusing the schematic for a place to tap off an S-Meter voltage. Any suggestions appreciated.

Stay safe and good signals to all,
Bob, N1KPR

Here's the vid:
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Thank you for that information it is appreciated. I am really not a software person although I have spent 53 years in Hardware design. Maybe it's time I learn how to do some of this stuff. But as a hardware guy I'm always looking for an AGC voltage that I can convert for a logarithmic meter. I will look into this further.



Sent from my Sprint Phone.
 

Bob N1KPR

In today's equipment much of what we used to do with hardware is now being done
with software.? This makes things more flexible because software is much easier to
change than hardware.? There are many on-line examples of good, and bad, software
that can be used as examples to learn from.

AGC sources for driving an S-Meter circuit might not be available in the BITX series,
but you can rectify some of the RF in IF circuits and use that to drive an S-Meter
circuit.? However, with the Arduino having analog inputs, which it converts to a digital
signal, you can use software to make various conversions and displays, including
very accurate S-meters.? Since the BITX designs use fixed-gain amplification your
software can be based on that to determine the actual RF level arriving at the antenna
input.? There is no built-in AGC to make the IF levels inaccurate.?

If an old geezer like me can do it, you definitely can.?

Arv? K7HKL
_._





On Sun, Jul 26, 2020 at 12:57 PM Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:
Thank you for that information it is appreciated. I am really not a software person although I have spent 53 years in Hardware design. Maybe it's time I learn how to do some of this stuff. But as a hardware guy I'm always looking for an AGC voltage that I can convert for a logarithmic meter. I will look into this further.



Sent from my Sprint Phone.
 

Thanks Arv:
I'm no stranger to SDR radios. I have built and serviced dozens of them. I have reloaded the operating systems and firmware, debugged problems with CAT systems, etc.
But I have never played with arduino before...that's what I meant. Writing code for that would be a learning experience for me. I've dabbled with COBAL, Fortran, Basic and C++, but right now I really don't have the free time to become un-terrified of this new language...LOL.
But then, who knows what the future holds.

Thanks for your comments.
Bob, N1KPR




NOTE Pls add backup address to your phone book: rwbetts@...

http://www.bobsamerica.com? http://www.youtube.com/n1kpr

Engineering: Where Enigma meets Paradox


On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 4:45:17 PM EDT, Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:


Bob N1KPR

In today's equipment much of what we used to do with hardware is now being done
with software.? This makes things more flexible because software is much easier to
change than hardware.? There are many on-line examples of good, and bad, software
that can be used as examples to learn from.

AGC sources for driving an S-Meter circuit might not be available in the BITX series,
but you can rectify some of the RF in IF circuits and use that to drive an S-Meter
circuit.? However, with the Arduino having analog inputs, which it converts to a digital
signal, you can use software to make various conversions and displays, including
very accurate S-meters.? Since the BITX designs use fixed-gain amplification your
software can be based on that to determine the actual RF level arriving at the antenna
input.? There is no built-in AGC to make the IF levels inaccurate.?

If an old geezer like me can do it, you definitely can.?

Arv? K7HKL
_._





On Sun, Jul 26, 2020 at 12:57 PM Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:
Thank you for that information it is appreciated. I am really not a software person although I have spent 53 years in Hardware design. Maybe it's time I learn how to do some of this stuff. But as a hardware guy I'm always looking for an AGC voltage that I can convert for a logarithmic meter. I will look into this further.



Sent from my Sprint Phone.
 

Hi Bob,

The "Arduino Language" is really just C++ with a new "standard library" of sorts. If you're already familiar with C++, you should have no trouble with it :)


Reed
Jack, W8TEE
 

Reed:

I would say most of the development work done for the libraries is C++, but most of the sample programs and Open Source code are straight C. I think anyone who knows C will do just fine.

Jack, W8TEE

On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 8:04:25 PM EDT, Reed N <greenkid336600+groupsio@...> wrote:


Hi Bob,

The "Arduino Language" is really just C++ with a new "standard library" of sorts. If you're already familiar with C++, you should have no trouble with it :)


Reed

--
Jack, W8TEE
 

Bob

The arduino or raduino is programmed using C and C++, so you are nearly there.? You will need the arduino IDE for the easiest way to work on an arduino nano.

Arduino code layout is in two sections, the setup part that runs once, and a loop that runs constantly.? This allows setting up fixed variables in startup and then dynamic operations in the loop section.? The IDE provides a library (arduino.h) for? various versions of arduino hardware.? The arduino/raduino uses an arduino nano.

Good luck, and ask here if you get stuck on something.? There are some real experts on this forum.??

Arv
_-_

On Sun, Jul 26, 2020, 5:06 PM Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:
Thanks Arv:
I'm no stranger to SDR radios. I have built and serviced dozens of them. I have reloaded the operating systems and firmware, debugged problems with CAT systems, etc.
But I have never played with arduino before...that's what I meant. Writing code for that would be a learning experience for me. I've dabbled with COBAL, Fortran, Basic and C++, but right now I really don't have the free time to become un-terrified of this new language...LOL.
But then, who knows what the future holds.

Thanks for your comments.
Bob, N1KPR




NOTE Pls add backup address to your phone book: rwbetts@...

?

Engineering: Where Enigma meets Paradox


On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 4:45:17 PM EDT, Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:


Bob N1KPR

In today's equipment much of what we used to do with hardware is now being done
with software.? This makes things more flexible because software is much easier to
change than hardware.? There are many on-line examples of good, and bad, software
that can be used as examples to learn from.

AGC sources for driving an S-Meter circuit might not be available in the BITX series,
but you can rectify some of the RF in IF circuits and use that to drive an S-Meter
circuit.? However, with the Arduino having analog inputs, which it converts to a digital
signal, you can use software to make various conversions and displays, including
very accurate S-meters.? Since the BITX designs use fixed-gain amplification your
software can be based on that to determine the actual RF level arriving at the antenna
input.? There is no built-in AGC to make the IF levels inaccurate.?

If an old geezer like me can do it, you definitely can.?

Arv? K7HKL
_._





On Sun, Jul 26, 2020 at 12:57 PM Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:
Thank you for that information it is appreciated. I am really not a software person although I have spent 53 years in Hardware design. Maybe it's time I learn how to do some of this stuff. But as a hardware guy I'm always looking for an AGC voltage that I can convert for a logarithmic meter. I will look into this further.



Sent from my Sprint Phone.
 

Thanks Arv:
I'm really resisting the s/w route b/c this unit will be handled by club members. I want to keep the reliance on s/w confined to the original ver. The guys at the club can handle hardware, physical components, mods and repairs, but who knows what software capable club members may try or NOT try in the future. This way, if there's any probs, they can just refresh the original firmware and be done.
Anyhow, today I played with a couple of S-Meter circuits and where to tap the signal. I reasoned that since there is no AM carrier (dead air) to contend with that I could just calibrate a meter to the SSB and CW analog signals. Anyway, I got the meter to work very nicely and it behaves just like a regular Ham xceiver while receiving SSB. I'm using a high impedance input amp to get gain from the H side of the audio pot. That drives a 1N914 to a 10uF filter cap, then a 20K trim pot to the 500uA meter. It works perfectly. I played it side-by-side with a communications receiver to calibrate the trim pot. I'm happy and life is good. While I was at it, I added red and green LEDs thru a differential amp that indicate 'dead air' or 'signal present'. Now, when the rig is in the field I can tell if someone is calling...visually. Like when you take the headphones off to talk to your assistant (EmComm logger), or are just physically away from the radio. Flashing green means someone is calling.
Next step is adding another T/R relay to use the Preamp/Attenuator on receive.
Thanks everyone for your interest in helping us with this project.
Bob, N1KPR
 

Well, yesterday I posted a Youtube vid of the radio and some of the added components, which included the tuner, power supply, SWR meter, etc.
I've been discussing the S-Meter with a few guys here. Wanting to keep the circuitry analog for future users, I didn't want to learn (and expect them to learn) the software code.? So, here's how I did it within the analog domain.
Thanks to all for your suggestions,
Bob, N1KPR









NOTE Pls add backup address to your phone book: rwbetts@...

http://www.bobsamerica.com? http://www.youtube.com/n1kpr

Engineering: Where Enigma meets Paradox


On Monday, July 27, 2020, 10:54:47 AM EDT, Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:


Thanks Arv:
I'm really resisting the s/w route b/c this unit will be handled by club members. I want to keep the reliance on s/w confined to the original ver. The guys at the club can handle hardware, physical components, mods and repairs, but who knows what software capable club members may try or NOT try in the future. This way, if there's any probs, they can just refresh the original firmware and be done.
Anyhow, today I played with a couple of S-Meter circuits and where to tap the signal. I reasoned that since there is no AM carrier (dead air) to contend with that I could just calibrate a meter to the SSB and CW analog signals. Anyway, I got the meter to work very nicely and it behaves just like a regular Ham xceiver while receiving SSB. I'm using a high impedance input amp to get gain from the H side of the audio pot. That drives a 1N914 to a 10uF filter cap, then a 20K trim pot to the 500uA meter. It works perfectly. I played it side-by-side with a communications receiver to calibrate the trim pot. I'm happy and life is good. While I was at it, I added red and green LEDs thru a differential amp that indicate 'dead air' or 'signal present'. Now, when the rig is in the field I can tell if someone is calling...visually. Like when you take the headphones off to talk to your assistant (EmComm logger), or are just physically away from the radio. Flashing green means someone is calling.
Next step is adding another T/R relay to use the Preamp/Attenuator on receive.
Thanks everyone for your interest in helping us with this project.
Bob, N1KPR

 

I finally got around to adding the external T/R relay switch so i can use a Preamp and Attenuator during receive and bypass it during transmit. I have determined that both are really nice additions to the receiver in the uBITX V6. Strong sigs will overload it and weak ones can be pulled out of the mud with a little preamplification. More to come as I machine the front panel and chassis.
Here's the latest Youtube.
Enjoy your weekend,
Bob
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Very nice work ¡®Bob!


On Aug 2, 2020, at 13:47, Bob, N1KPR <rwbetts@...> wrote:

?I finally got around to adding the external T/R relay switch so i can use a Preamp and Attenuator during receive and bypass it during transmit. I have determined that both are really nice additions to the receiver in the uBITX V6. Strong sigs will overload it and weak ones can be pulled out of the mud with a little preamplification. More to come as I machine the front panel and chassis.
Here's the latest Youtube.
Enjoy your weekend,
Bob

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