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Michigan QRP Club Zoom meeting invite and report

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

We had eleven folks at the 2 January Michigan QRP Club weekly Zoom chat. Please join us Thursday January 9th (and every Thursday) at 4PM Eastern for the Michigan QRP Club weekly QRP Chat where the main topics will be QRP and other ham interests. New hams are encouraged to participate and ask questions. It's fun, it's easy, and it's free. You only need a computer, a smart phone, or a tablet that can connect to the Internet. OR if you can't be close to any of those you can join by audio with any standard phone. Just follow the directions below. No software needs be loaded or installed. Anyone can join and non members are welcome. Details are here:
Thursdays topics will be CW verses SSB for QRP and the Michigan Mighty Mite transmitter.

Pete WK8S
Ed AB8DF
Ernie W3ETE
Jacob N3JU
Frank KB4VU
Tom WW8LA
Stuart M0SGV
Larry AC8YE
Tony W8CDC
Casey KC9IH
Rick K8BMA

Pete is researching hydraulic masts. They cost a bunch but they are pretty cool.

Went over the list of contests coming up in 2025. Looked at serval that are fun QRPers.

Larry is in Florida doing POTA and QRP. Lots of QRP rigs. Has a KH1 and uses a bunch of different antennas. Pete asked about his experiences with the Elecraft whip antenna. Pete also picked Larry¡¯s brain on the set up he uses for his POTAs. Ernie asked Larry about the KH1 key. He has mixed feelings about the Elecraft KH1 key. N6ARA and K6ARK paddles.

Jacob just got parts for his Michigan Mighty Mite and there are more on the way but he needs to finish his QMX before doing any MMM building.

We talked a little bit about the Michigan Mighty Mite revival for the FDIM club night. Standby for an announcement about the event.

Ed has a new space heater in the basement shack. No more shivering while trying to send CW. The CW practice session he had today was rough because of the solar conditions. 40 meters was very noisy. He is going through his junk box looking for parts for his MMM. Thinking about using a T68-2 for the coil instead of a pill bottle. Hopes to improve the second harmonic output because of the higher Q. Casey said he sticking with the original design. He hates winding toroids. He would like to find some RF chokes he could use in place of the coil.

Tom fixed his FT8 feedback issue. He gets RF feedback when he uses his amplified speakers. The fix was to use earphones!

Rick got a JBL powered speaker that he uses with his QRP Labs rigs. He has no problems with RF feedback.

The topic for January 9th will be CW verses SSB for QRP and the Michigan Mighty Mite transmitter. Anyone can take the floor and ask questions. We will go one by one until all have had a chance to have the floor. Files, pictures and presentations can be shared if you have any. There will be time for comments and questions. Please try to stay muted when someone has the floor.

Thanks
Ed
AB8DF
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

Halil
 

On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 03:19 PM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote:
AlanHi Alan;

I will inform you after I have done the checks.

Thank you.
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

 

On 08/01/2025 08:19, Halil via groups.io wrote:
I opened the device and I can smell a burning smell inside, I think we burned something
Halil,

The QMX is trying to start, VDD comes on when you press the button and the processor starts.
Check whether this VDD (3.3 volts) reaches the MS5351.

Both sides of L201 should show 3.3 volts, this then goes to pins 1, 7 of the MS5351.

Possibly L201 is open circuit, this points to a short, possibly the MS5351.

73 Alan G4ZFQ
Re: Soldering Station Recommendations

 

I also recommend staying away from that Chinese solder. It is too thick. Thinner sized solder works better.
Ed
AB8DF
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

Halil
 

Hi Warren,
I get this error every time I turn it on and the device turns itself off after this error message.
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

Halil
 

There is no smoke now. However, I saw the first smoke at the bottom of the BNC socket but I couldn't see exactly where it was coming from. I think we need to focus on this area as well.
Re: The USB connection is not working.

 

If a device with virtual USB-COM interfaces has never been connected to the computer: if possible, repeat the test on a second computer
73 Reiner
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

 

I have seen this a couple of times when I have turned the QMX on.
No clear reason why at this time.
?
Warren.
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

 

Maybe too late, has the smoke stopped now?
?
It might be worth checking if CLK0 and CLK1 have signal.? Best place to check is IC403 pins 2 and 14 as these are bigger than the miniscule pins on the MM5351.
A multimeter should show 1/2 VDD, 1.5V roughly, or an oscilloscope show a squarish wave at the Rx frequency.
?
This isn't gospel, the check might not involve starting the clocks, Hans would know.
Re: The USB connection is not working.

 

The QMX connects to the computer via USB using a virtual COM interface.
To do this, it needs a driver that is usually included in Windows.
In November I bought a computer (ACE Magican, Windows 11 Pro) that was missing this driver (usbser.sys).
No virtual COM interfaces could be set up, and the computer showed no reaction, when the QMX (and some other devices with this technology) was connected.
Pure USB devices worked.
After installing the driver, everything was OK.
Functional test:
Connect QMX to computer
Open device manager in Windows.
Turn on QMX. An entry with USB Serial Device (COMn) must open.
If not, there is some USB problem (virtualCOM driver or hardware computer/QMX)
73 Reiner
?
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

Halil
 

Hi Chris;
?
There is no heat in IC204 right now.
Thanks.
Re: The USB connection is not working.

 

On Tue, Jan 7, 2025 at 07:34 PM, Sean [AK6BM] wrote:
never been able to use straight c to c... I think it's missing a resistor to tell the computer to just treat it like a basic USB device
This was a problem with the early QMX boards, as you say missing resistors.? It was fixed in later QMX board versions and the QMX+ and by a number of people who fitted the resistors.? When you do that you can use USB C to C cables.
?
The OP says QMX+ so this isn't the problem for him.
?
Chris, G5CTH
Re: PuTTY issue on Diagnostics screen

 

Did you hit enter when the initial blank screen appears?

Roger
8P6RX

Get
On 8 Jan 2025, at 05:17, "JohnD via " <gmail.com@groups.io target=_blank>[email protected]> wrote:

I can't get PuTTy to work when using the diagnostics screen on my newly built QMX+.
?
I've reloaded PuTTy twice, and I've reloaded v26 and v27 firmware as described above.?
?
When I go into the diagnostics screen PuTTy just locks up and nothing appears to work.?
?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
?
regards
John
Re: PuTTY issue on Diagnostics screen

 

I can't get PuTTy to work when using the diagnostics screen on my newly built QMX+.
?
I've reloaded PuTTy twice, and I've reloaded v26 and v27 firmware as described above.?
?
When I go into the diagnostics screen PuTTy just locks up and nothing appears to work.?
?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
?
regards
John
Re: [QMX] SMPS to linear regulator conversion tips

 

I used generic TO220 style linear regulators for my linear SMPS replacement, had to trim the tabs a bit but they are rated for 1A and while they get warm seem OK.
As Jerry says the ADC_* lines need to be a little high to keep the processor happy.? I added a 220k in parallel with the 22k resister on the high side or use 20k/22k for the potential divider. Or whatever you have to get a voltage that's a little high.
?
Running the 78M33 from the 5V line would reduce it's heat dissipation at the expense of increased dissipation in the 5V regulator.
?
Chris, G5CTH
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

 

It looks as if it failed initialising the Si5351, as the message says.? This is actually a MS5351M, IC204, does it look burnt or is it hot?
IC201, an EEPROM array uses the same I2C control so a failure there might show this error, is that burnt or hot?
?
If it's the MS5351 your mission, should you wish to accept it, is to replace it.
?
Chris, G5CTH
Re: QMX+ with ~1000 tone on 12M & 6M

 

Same problem here.....? QMX+
?
6 meters FT8 waterfall
?
Phil.? G4JVF
Re: Computer not connecting to newly built QDX

 

I could not find it at Amazon. Perhaps it is discontinued. Thanks anyway.

73!
de Bekir TA2RX

8 Oca 2025 ?ar 08:54 tarihinde Karl via <karlshumaker=[email protected]> ?unu yazd?:

I made it from parts from Amazon. The prototype printed circuit board is just a bunch of through-plated solder pads to mount and connect every type of USB receptacle. It is powered by a 5 volt wall adapter but a rechargeable cell could be used. All the receptacles are on break-out boards so the connections were easy.
--
73
Karl
KI4ZUQ
Re: Best QMX AGC settings?

 

Hello Chuck

Since there is absolutely nothing I can do to fix software
problems in my radio, I am hoping for band-aid solutions in
the AGC settings section.

Have you tried some of the settings people suggested in this forum???
?
OBTW, since some of the members of this group seem to be on
Hans' team, would it be too much to ask that they identify
themselves as such somehow in their posts?

I am not sure who you think is on the group who is on my team but I definitely assure you, no QRP Labs team (either? employees or less official) are active on this forum other than me.?

73 Hans G0UPL
Re: Initializing:Enable SI5351A

Halil
 

Hi Greg;
?
I opened the device and I can smell a burning smell inside, I think we burned something.
?
Thanks.
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