Re: Power output on 20 meters.
On Sat, Nov 18, 2017 at 01:56 pm, G0DZB wrote:
Are you not concerned that your passive filter seems to have gain ?
I was going to write those exact words, then scrolled down to discover that you had beaten me to it. 73 de Andy
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Hi all,
Received my #913 today, 11/18/17 shipped on 11/8/17.
73, John WA6YSY
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Re: QCX No clock RF to IC3
After finaly deciding IC1 was dead, I decided to reset the firmware to factory defaults. The QCX now works fine. I don't know what caused the micro. to have a headache. My 40m unmodified version gives 5.8W@..., 4.3W@..., 3.0w@... and [email protected], This is the minimum voltage into the radio that will still maintain 5.0V nominal at the regulated output. Regards Alvey g4ksy
On 18/11/17 17:48, Alvey Street via Groups.Io wrote: I just decided to check OP power re supply voltage on my QCX. It has been working fine, but not now. Investigation shows RX clocks out of IC1 pins 9,10. There is no clock out of IC1 pin 6 on either TX or RX. There is a low level distorted sine wave at carrier frequency, on the 'frequency out' pin. this is about 20mvPP. It doesn't appear in pin6 IC1. I have broken the track between IC1 pin 6 and IC3. There is no change. Supply volts is approx 3.5V
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Re: QCX 30m initial tests
Hi Louis,
The back of the Hammond box has on the LHS (as viewed in the photo) a DB9 PC male socket for the GPS antenna. I use a 5m DB9 shielded cable to a small plastic box housing the GPS board and antenna. Placing another DB9 socket on the GPS plastic box was a bit of a fiddle. Next to this socket is the power socket.? On its right is a fuse holder. Then a stereo jack socket for the paddle key. This is followed by a binding post for earth connection. On the right is a BNC socket. The RX gain control is on the left of the front panel and the rotary encoder on the right of the LCD. The encoder is mounted on a piece of Vero board to hold the shielded cable end.
I have a U3 in an old box and the LCD is also mounted on the front panel and two switches to remove power from the PA and a choice of two PA voltages (13.8V and 5V).
Regards, Robin HB9DEF
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Re: 40m - too much gain of whole RX chain
Bruce, your modification certainly tamed the audio gain, however I found the decode capability no longer worked satisfactorily.
On 18 November 2017 at 01:14, Bruce Beford N1RX <n1rx@...> wrote: Completed the construction of my 40M QCX today. No problems, aligned nicely. As has been stated, too much overall RX gain for 40M. I added a 12K resistor across the original 120K at R38 (similar to what Jim K8IQY did, but I just added a 12K on hand across the original, on the back of the board. Gain is now reasonable, and plenty enough for 40M. Initial impressions are favorable, and I will bring it to the New England QRP Club meeting tomorrow for "show and tell".
Thanks Hans (and all involved for qrp-labs), for a very enjoyable build, and an outstanding value!
72/73,
Bruce, N1RX
-- 73 de Nigel Evans M0NDE QTH Burnham on Sea, Somerset GEO Shop shop@...------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Re: QCX 30m initial tests
Hi Alve, Thanks for the prompt reply about R25 / R19 being reversed. Yes, R27 is at the end of its track. I will put these two resistors back in their correct places when I have bought some MPS751s to replace the MPS2907. As R48 is normally underneath the LCD, its temperature may go unnoticed.
regards,
Robin HB9DEF
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Re: QCX - more Power Output
Why wait? Please share!
--
Regards/73,
Enno, PF5X
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Well, I got my 20 Meter kit the other day and started building it. All parts were there and I now have the Board about 2/3 done.? It is a quality board and the manual while taking a lot of paper, is top notch. I plan to mount in a case that I picked up at
a hamfest a few years ago. It is retro in that it looks like a Heathkit SB series in color and shape but almost perfect size for the QCX.
I will Pic up when I get done.
73 and THANKS
Barry
NF1O
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Hi all,
to get more power output - about 5 ... 6 watts with Vb = 12 ...13.5 Volt from your
QCX you have to change some components in the TX part of the TRX.
I have tested it with my 2-band version QCX40/80m and also with my own
QRP-TRX "ELBC-3" ---> qrz.com.
I will describe it perhaps next week in this forum but you may also read the
Tribander Manual by Steve Weber, "Melting Solder", KD1JV.
vy 72
Fred, DJ3KK --------------------------------
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Re: Power output on 20 meters.
On Sat, 2017-11-18 at 13:36 -0800, Wolf DL1GWW wrote: Hi Anatoly, thanks for reply!
The first picture shows the sweep with C29 on board, in the picture
below with C29 removed: Are you not concerned that your passive filter seems to have gain ? PeterO G0DZB
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Re: Updating QCX Firmware
Hi Roger.
Hmmm, in that case I'd suggest that there isn't any connection on the six way header on the QCX.
The reason that I say this is that if you plug in your Tiny to your PC and don't connect the other end to the QCX then the same error message applies.
I'm right with you on wanting to solve the issue too. It must a Ham radio thing Hi Hi.
It's just annoying when you know you're trying everything you know.
Regards, James.
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Re: Power output on 20 meters.
Hi Anatoly, thanks for reply!
The first picture shows the sweep with C29 on board, in the picture below with C29 removed:
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QCX 40 no sidetone - RX overloaded on TX
Now that I have my QCX #943 working (mostly properly), I've run into a couple of other issues that Hans might chime in on.
It aligned with the built in TE just fine, got really great sideband suppression, good sensitivity (not quite as good as my K3S but awful bloody close!? I can hear weak signals on the QCX using a much poorer antenna than I have on the K3S so it really isn't a fair test and those signals are also barely readable on the big rig.? That's not the problem though.? Even on a really good precision dummy load (Microwave Associates MA44001, 20 watt, 50 ohm termination good from DC to well over 500 MHz, I get a lot of thumping and no sidetone when keying the QCX - either in keyer mode (Iambic B) or hand key mode using both internal microswitch and an external hand key.?
It sounds like the receiver isn't being muted during key down.? I'm only getting 1.6 watts out so I know for sure I need to tweek the LPF.? I'm wondering if this may also be the reason I'm getting the thumping & no sidetone?? Anyone know for sure?
Jim - W0EB
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Re: Updating QCX Firmware
James, Thanks, but I have tried it both ways thinking that I may have had it wrong. Same error message back either way around that's why I wondered if I had damaged the chip! I have wasted hours on this problem over several weeks and I have no problem ordering an updated version from Hans, BUT it is one of those things I want to solve!!! Regards, Roger G4IUP
On 18 Nov 2017 21:09, "James Anderson" < james21170@...> wrote: Hello.
Turn the 6 way header that connects to the QCX the other way around.
Or put another way, the keyed side of the 6 way connector needs to be pointing towards the LCD screen.
I've just connected mine the incorrect way around and got that error. Or should i say with the 6 way header "keyed" side facing out or towards the edge of the PCB.
Give that ago.
I've done this several times and have to say that the kit and Atmega chip are pretty robust. I've even powered it up with the chip the wrong way around just to see f it can withstand this sort of abuse..
Hope it helps.
Kind regards, James.?
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Re: Updating QCX Firmware
Hello.
Turn the 6 way header that connects to the QCX the other way around.
Or put another way, the keyed side of the 6 way connector needs to be pointing towards the LCD screen.
I've just connected mine the incorrect way around and got that error. Or should i say with the 6 way header "keyed" side facing out or towards the edge of the PCB.
Give that ago.
I've done this several times and have to say that the kit and Atmega chip are pretty robust. I've even powered it up with the chip the wrong way around just to see f it can withstand this sort of abuse..
Hope it helps.
Kind regards, James.?
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Re: Updating QCX Firmware
Hi James, Spot on exactly that!
On 18 Nov 2017 21:02, "James Anderson" < james21170@...> wrote: Hello Roger.
Is it showing this error message as below.
initialization failed, rc=-1
? ? ? ? ? ? ?Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
? ? ? ? ? ? ?this check.
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On Sat, Oct 7, 2017 at 12:23 pm, Hans Summers wrote:
Guys
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Menu 8.13 "GPS Data" is for display and informational purposes only, to check your GPS satellite reception. If it calibrates, sets the time etc., then nothing else matters. But I agree it would be nice to know why it puts these dashes. So I will check that too and find the answer.
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The QCX firmware always does the checksum validation. There is no way to switch off checksum validation. I could provide that feature but I am not sure it is wise to do so anyway. And I'm not sure that it is related to the dashes in the display either.
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It's another thing which requires investigation to find the answer. But it's not critical at all to QCX primary functionality.?
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73 Hans G0UPL?
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Hans, I realize that you have a very busy schedule and probably have not had time to do further investigation into this problem with the QLG1 when used with the QCX (and also U3S).? A workaround exists for the U3S by turning off checksum checking. Since you have not been able to duplicate this problem, I would be more than willing to test a version of the QCX firmware with checksum checking disabled if that will help. 73, Warren K2GQT
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Re: Updating QCX Firmware
Hello Roger. Is it showing this error message as below.
initialization failed, rc=-1
? ? ? ? ? ? ?Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
? ? ? ? ? ? ?this check.
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On 19/11/2017 6:13 AM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote:
>>Thanks, interesting 4 relays, wonder what they do.
Listening to the relay clicks and when they happen along with the
information on the display at the time,? it seems for the zeroing
(internal calibration) and auto ranging functions of the MLC500.
73, Bob? ZL1RS
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Hello Tim.
No problem and I'm glad that it helped.
All the best with the build.
Kind regards, James.
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John, WA6YSY
Nigel Evans M0NDE
Enno Korma, PF5X
barry NF1O
Jim Sheldon