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Point of caution! Noticed the battery pigtail has bare wires exposed probably when stripping outer insulation. Could short if wires twisted. Easy to fix however .
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Hi there I was one of the first ordering the zbitx. Impressive little thing. I fact interesting using a RPI at the heart of the radio. With a RPI there also comes challenges in that on can break things of not doing things/updates the right way. With them video:s describing updates to RPI and display-controller one would belive that all is nice and dandy. And for most folks it is. Nevertheless, out of a sudden im not able to do a sw update to the RPI in my radio beyond version 3.021. The display controller is on 1.05 Occasionally the WLAN-interface is not getting a IP-address from my DHCP. And even when it gets the IP-address the DNS-settings are not always ok for name resolution. For all of you that want to say that I should be checking my router - NO, there is nothing wrong with that. Works fine for all my other 25 odd devices in my LAN. So Im at a point where my zbitx is not bricked, but useless. I would need a fresh image that I can put onto the SD-card for the RPI. This has been addressed. Maybe the root cause is that the SD-card is somewhat corrupted after all the hard power outages ?? Im not used to doing a hard power outage/shutdown to a UNIX/LINUX system like one does with the zbitx. Any ideas ?? -- Tilman D. Thulesius SM0JZT / Sweden
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#zbitx Getting started and more cheat sheet
#zbitx
All, I have been working on a summary document for my own reference. My radio has not shipped yet so I get to read with a little bit of envy! I have a hard time digging through all the forum entries so my google doc is born. As things settle out I will also add more info to the Wiki here. 73 KE9A Zbitx Quickstart
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Video: Timing problems with zBitx internal keyer
5
https://ae5x.blogspot.com/2025/04/timing-issues-remain-with-latest.html 73, John AE5X
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VFO Knob replacement for zBitx posted
2
Hello All, I wanted a dimpled knob for the front of my zBitx, so I turned to Thingiverse to find a suitable knob and adjust the size to what I wanted and 3D printed my own in black PLA. The knob I've remixed is 10mm tall and 30mm in diameter, and will sit low to the front panel of the radio if you [very carefully] trim the length of the rotary encoder shaft. Please be careful to not bend the shaft of the encoder as you are doing this. I've shared the files and full trimming instructions here https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6998700 73 de VE6LK
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1) does or could the transmit frequency show on the FT8 waterfall , currently only a red/orange line shows at the receive frequency. Maybe I am missing a setting? 2) Also on FT8, make the second “Call” button (F6) show on the display, I would edit the macro for “CQ POTA”. Now I have to access the keyboard to get to F6, a three step process. I use CQ, Call and CQ POTA often. I would suggest that REPEAT button could be lost, making it accessible only when connected to a HDMI display. Maybe there is a file that I could edit to accomplish this, any suggestions would be welcomed. Tim, W1WCI
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Can I Boot from USB
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Just for the sake of argument, let's say I do something stupid and my zbitx will no longer boot. But I have done a SD card copy to an external usb with new UUID. How do I boot from the USB so that I can copy the system back to the internal SD card thereby restoring my zbitx and making it bootable again? Leo, AI5II
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Good morning all, I have been interested in the SDR rig and finally picked one up yesterday. I looked up the manual, watched a few videos but cannot figure out a few things. #1 when i touch the KBD OFF button, the radio shuts off. #2 there is no SET button which should be next to WEB button. It appears that I have a full screen but the resolution is too large. I have no access to the settings menu to adjust. The main problem with this is the call sign and grid are not mine. Thanks for the help. 73, Dean/ N2TNN
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Z bitx when is the order page to re-open
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Wondering when it would be possible to order a z bitx ? Thanks
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Will this brick the Zbitx?
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Just curious. If after running ./update, if I run sudo apt update/upgrade will the zbit be bricked? I'd be interested in compiling hamlib 4.5.4 and wsjt-z on the zbitx. I do have wsjt-z running on my laptop using a raspian image but need to install all the dependencies to fo the compile on the sbitx. Leo, AI5II
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zBitx upgrading the firmware.
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The documentation should be here in the next 12 hours. But here is how you upgrade the firmware: 1. Go to https://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/zbitx/ 2. Download the uf2 file to your computer. 3. Unplug the zbitx power. 4. Keeping the knob button pressed, attach the supplied USB cable between the PC and the CAT USB port on the zbitx. 5. Remember, you have to attach to the CAT USB port, not the other. 6. Now, let go of the knob pressed. The zbitx front panel will light up with an all grey screen. The Pico controller will show up as a drive on your PC. 7. Copy the .uf2 file from the PC to the Pico controller. 8. You are done, remove the USB cable. Start up the zbitx. 9. The latest firmware should show up on the front panel.
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zBITX CW Keyer
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Hello Ashhar I've received my zBITX this morning and have been listening on the bands in different modes. So far all seems to work as expected and it is fun to use this little rig. But I'm lost by trying to send CW with the built in keyer. I'm not used to Lambic A after using Lambic B for 40+ years. When set to Lambic B you get a straight key. Is Lambic B not yet implemented or have I set something wrong? If not, will this be included in a firmware update? Taking an additional external electronic with Lambic B keying half the size of the zBITX for portable use was not my plan... Many thanks for this otherwise nice rig and for any info 73, Gerald - HB9CEY
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zBitX ft8 TX signal comes speaker
10
I got my zBitX this evening. Got it on my wifi to sync the time. I can see ft8 decodes. If I TX the sound comes out of the speaker instead of going to the radio. Zero output on a watt meter so no RF at all. I suspect the sbitx has the wrong input device configured, but I don't see a way to change it. Additionally, the insert that came with the radio has a url and a QR code instructing me to download the manual, but there is no manual at that url. Thanks, --ben
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I have updated the zbitx keyer with a minor update. the new software update version of sbitx is now 3.051 (moving from 3.05). Can the cw users try out this version and let me know? I could manage upto 25 wpm (my paddle skills are lousy) You have to just run ./update to get to the new version - f
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zBit 3404
In Cincinnati at the moment. Supposed to deliver today in "Winterpeg". We'll see if it makes it. Gerry
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Initial Impressions
Spent about an hour with the radio and so far I'm pretty impressed with what it can do for that price. Firstly, follow the videos on YouTube. Connect to your WiFi and then update all software, the process is simple and elegant versus some other radios I have. Fits my needs for how I operate. Did I mention the value versus cost? Getting out in the field tomorrow. Ed N2KVZ
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zbitx Power
5
What are other seeing with the power levels? I have a QRP Labs dummy load that I connect my volt meter to get a peak voltage reading. The voltage on the radio is 7.7v, drops down to about 6.8-6.9v when tx. The Driver is set to 100 on all of the tests, and the mode was 2TONE. When I tx into the dummy load. Based on the calculation its showing I'm outputting about: Band | DummyLoad | Radio 80m 2.5w 3w 40m 2.8w 3w 20m 2.4w 3w 17m 2.8w 3w 15m 2.2w 3w 10m 1.25w 2w I'm thinking that's on the lower power levels than I would have expected. Are others seeing the same thing ? https://qrp-labs.com/images/dummyload/dummyload.pdf
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LATEST .UF2 FILE
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Couldn't download zbitx_front_panel_sw.ino.uf2 from HFSIGNALS page. Downloaded code from zBitx page.- zbitx_front_panel_sw.ino.uf2 dated 3/30 9:15 AM. Xfer to zBitx - no response (stays on gray screen) Xfer v1.04 and zBitx reboots to 1.04.........
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I've been digging through all the schematics and I don't see anything for the rotary encoder board? While the board that's in there is functional, I'm not a fan of how bent the board is. Seems like a quick easy task for me to design a board that fits properly, but I need to know which encoders are used and if there's any other devices on that board.
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Back to basics - 20 meter SSB - all analog - all the way
2
Hi all - While everyone has been busy with s and the z I've gone back to basics with a bitx20 inspired, all-analog SSB rig. In a fit of "spontaneous construction" [(C) N2CQR] I put togeter the receiver over a couple of days. The VFO is a 9MHz rescue puppy from an FT-401 (thaks Pete, N6QW for the $35 eBay find). The Tx PA was already built - leftover from one of my revs of a homebrew sBitx. Audio amp and first mixer came out of a box I call "boards that could be rigs." Had to wait for 5Mhz crystals to arrive from Mosuser so I put most of the rest of the rig together including a crystal controlled BFO (with a junk box crystal). TIA IF amplifiers using boards from Todd at MostlyDIYRF. This rig has soul! Crystals arrived - built the ladder filter with help from the Dishal software, subbed out the junk box crystal in the BFO for one of the extra 5MHz crystals and the rig received great first thing. Something that has never happened to me before, ever. KK4DAS - Amateur Radio Explorations - ham radio blog: KK4DAS MB 20 Transceiver - now Receiving on 20 meters This has been so much fun..... the transmitter should be done this weekend - if my luck continues I will brand this the Miracle 20! 73, Dean KK4DAS
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Sat 8:39am
Sat 8:39am