Re: QSX radio feature requests
Hi Ken,
As you took the time out to write directly
and spend time so nicely formatting it....
It's only correct I should take the time out to see if you ever
posted anything on the forum.
I did really.... I couldn't find anything?
Maybe you used a different user ID??
CC'd it to the forum anyway.
Gee, I'm not the QRP Labs "Police" but as
you point out:-
nothing more than a sanity check is sometimes in order.? :-)
?
?Alan
On 22/08/2018 17:27, Ken N9VV wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi
Alan,
*Thank you* for your note of "sanity" asking the group to back off
with all their requests for QSX "features" !!
Inside my head I am an "experimenter and early-adopter builder"
<LOL>
Here are some thoughts about my latest experimental feature set:
( )? There is no standard cable interface to my Espresso Maker
( )? The Earth continues to rotate bringing bright sunshine and
then darkness into my work-area on a 12hr cycle.
( )? My feet stink.
( )? The new YaeComWoodTek radio has 34 knobs and switches
( )? Future communication calls for 1m, 99.7m, and .03m bands
( )? With the success of FT8, we must be ready for FT9,
FT10...FT99
( )? GPS is 40 yrs old? - the new rig must prepare for Pulsar
timing
( )? Oh, did I mention that the new Terahertz bands are showing
great promise?
72/73 de Ken N9VV
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Re: QSX radio feature requests
I'll second that.
Paul DJ0CU
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Re: QSX radio feature requests
Hans:
FOCUS. Finish what you started, in the manner you intended.
All the other stuff can come later.
And, walk out of the corporate headquarters at 5 pm and spend time
with your wife and children!
Sincerely
Fred
WD9HNU
On 8/22/2018 10:56 AM, Hans Summers
wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Alan, all
I am enjoying the discussion on LF, VHF
proposals. All nice ideas and perhaps in time, some can be
made reality.
It is useful to remind ourselves that
designing and producing a 10-band 160 to 10m all-mode radio
kit is not exactly a trivial task. It is not easy even for a
large company with large teams of proper electronic
engineees at their disposal.?
The task does not become any easier when you
are planning to deliver very high performance and a long
list of functionality, and simultaneously at a very low
price.?
Nothing even CLOSE to this level of
perfomance-and-features to price ratio has EVER before been
offered. Nothing like this is available now, nor ever has
been.?
QSX will be a first. The task is very very
difficult already. If this was easy at least someone would
have done it already. So I'd like to keep it initially as
described, 160-10m.?
However, I have already designed in expansion
capabilities, both in hardware and in software; and there is
physical space available.?
Therefore whilst an all-in-one-box walking
talking 2200m to 2m all-mode transceiver with 7-inch graphic
OLED screen and a rear panel full of different connectors
and interfaces is not likely to be possible at this price...
I CAN imagine future expansion modules, and/or future QSX
variants, which do cover many of the requests and ideas.
73 Hans G0UPL?
?
On Wed, Aug 22, 2018, 16:03 Alan de G1FXB via
Groups.Io <g1fxb= [email protected]>
wrote:
Being mindful of Hans
statement in the QSX preliminary info thread.
I read that as:- LEAVE ME TO IT.....
Now even before the first Kit ships.... Perhaps we
should at least just see what the final specification is
actually stated to be?
Perhaps limit ourselves initially to Brain storming &
Feature request only for topics that CANNOT be otherwise
solved by other means ?
LF/ MF, VHF and beyond use. Chances are transverter
designs exist, suitable products are available cheaply off
ebay's shelves that will satisfy most and a
"standard" 10 Band HF QSX will make a potential exciter.
Exotic user interfaces and specific controls, via CAT
interface
The QRP Labs mantra is:-
???? Maximum
performance, for the least cost..
It's tempting to make the QSX? a swiss army knife
of radio's
We all have our own wish list, how does yours fit as being
a QRP Labs product....
(When the Jr. techs are old enough we can get them
interested in LF and +VHF operation
and they can kit some deluxe transverters that will work
with their fathers QSX design.
It will not be many years.....)
The Summers family will go down in radio history.
Alan
|
Re: QSX radio feature requests
Amen! +1
Ethernet please....?? ;-)
Alan
On 22/08/2018 15:58, Roy Appleton
wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Alan, all
I am enjoying the discussion on LF, VHF
proposals. All nice ideas and perhaps in time, some can
be made reality.
It is useful to remind ourselves that
designing and producing a 10-band 160 to 10m all-mode
radio kit is not exactly a trivial task. It is not easy
even for a large company with large teams of proper
electronic engineees at their disposal.?
The task does not become any easier when
you are planning to deliver very high performance and a
long list of functionality, and simultaneously at a very
low price.?
Nothing even CLOSE to this level of
perfomance-and-features to price ratio has EVER before
been offered. Nothing like this is available now, nor
ever has been.?
QSX will be a first. The task is very very
difficult already. If this was easy at least someone
would have done it already. So I'd like to keep it
initially as described, 160-10m.?
However, I have already designed in
expansion capabilities, both in hardware and in
software; and there is physical space available.?
Therefore whilst an all-in-one-box walking
talking 2200m to 2m all-mode transceiver with 7-inch
graphic OLED screen and a rear panel full of different
connectors and interfaces is not likely to be possible
at this price... I CAN imagine future expansion modules,
and/or future QSX variants, which do cover many of the
requests and ideas.
73 Hans G0UPL?
?
On Wed, Aug 22, 2018, 16:03 Alan de G1FXB
via Groups.Io <g1fxb= [email protected]>
wrote:
Being mindful of
Hans statement in the QSX preliminary info thread.
I read that as:- LEAVE ME TO IT.....
Now even before the first Kit ships.... Perhaps we
should at least just see what the final
specification is actually stated to be?
Perhaps limit ourselves initially to Brain storming
& Feature request only for topics that CANNOT be
otherwise solved by other means ?
LF/ MF, VHF and beyond use. Chances are transverter
designs exist, suitable products are available cheaply
off ebay's shelves that will satisfy most and
a "standard" 10 Band HF QSX will make a potential
exciter.
Exotic user interfaces and specific controls, via CAT
interface
The QRP Labs mantra is:-
???? Maximum performance, for the least
cost..
It's tempting to make the QSX? a swiss army
knife of radio's
We all have our own wish list, how does yours fit as
being a QRP Labs product....
(When the Jr. techs are old enough we can get them
interested in LF and +VHF operation
and they can kit some deluxe transverters that will
work with their fathers QSX design.
It will not be many years.....)
The Summers family will go down in radio history.
Alan
|
Re: QSX radio feature requests
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Alan, all
I am enjoying the discussion on LF, VHF proposals. All nice ideas and perhaps in time, some can be made reality.
It is useful to remind ourselves that designing and producing a 10-band 160 to 10m all-mode radio kit is not exactly a trivial task. It is not easy even for a large company with large teams of proper electronic engineees at their disposal.?
The task does not become any easier when you are planning to deliver very high performance and a long list of functionality, and simultaneously at a very low price.?
Nothing even CLOSE to this level of perfomance-and-features to price ratio has EVER before been offered. Nothing like this is available now, nor ever has been.?
QSX will be a first. The task is very very difficult already. If this was easy at least someone would have done it already. So I'd like to keep it initially as described, 160-10m.?
However, I have already designed in expansion capabilities, both in hardware and in software; and there is physical space available.?
Therefore whilst an all-in-one-box walking talking 2200m to 2m all-mode transceiver with 7-inch graphic OLED screen and a rear panel full of different connectors and interfaces is not likely to be possible at this price... I CAN imagine future expansion modules, and/or future QSX variants, which do cover many of the requests and ideas.
73 Hans G0UPL? ? On Wed, Aug 22, 2018, 16:03 Alan de G1FXB via Groups.Io <g1fxb= [email protected]> wrote:
Being mindful of Hans statement in the QSX preliminary info thread.
I read that as:- LEAVE ME TO IT.....
Now even before the first Kit ships.... Perhaps we should at
least just see what the final specification is actually stated to
be?
Perhaps limit ourselves initially to Brain storming & Feature
request only for topics that CANNOT be otherwise solved by other
means ?
LF/ MF, VHF and beyond use. Chances are transverter designs exist,
suitable products are available cheaply off ebay's shelves that will
satisfy most and a "standard" 10 Band HF QSX will make a
potential exciter.
Exotic user interfaces and specific controls, via CAT interface
The QRP Labs mantra is:-
???? Maximum
performance, for the least cost..
It's tempting to make the QSX? a swiss army knife of radio's
We all have our own wish list, how does yours fit as being a QRP
Labs product....
(When the Jr. techs are old enough we can get them interested in LF
and +VHF operation
and they can kit some deluxe transverters that will work with their
fathers QSX design.
It will not be many years.....)
The Summers family will go down in radio history.
Alan
|
Re: QSX radio feature requests
Hi Alan, all
I am enjoying the discussion on LF, VHF proposals. All nice ideas and perhaps in time, some can be made reality.
It is useful to remind ourselves that designing and producing a 10-band 160 to 10m all-mode radio kit is not exactly a trivial task. It is not easy even for a large company with large teams of proper electronic engineees at their disposal.?
The task does not become any easier when you are planning to deliver very high performance and a long list of functionality, and simultaneously at a very low price.?
Nothing even CLOSE to this level of perfomance-and-features to price ratio has EVER before been offered. Nothing like this is available now, nor ever has been.?
QSX will be a first. The task is very very difficult already. If this was easy at least someone would have done it already. So I'd like to keep it initially as described, 160-10m.?
However, I have already designed in expansion capabilities, both in hardware and in software; and there is physical space available.?
Therefore whilst an all-in-one-box walking talking 2200m to 2m all-mode transceiver with 7-inch graphic OLED screen and a rear panel full of different connectors and interfaces is not likely to be possible at this price... I CAN imagine future expansion modules, and/or future QSX variants, which do cover many of the requests and ideas.
73 Hans G0UPL? ?
On Wed, Aug 22, 2018, 16:03 Alan de G1FXB via Groups.Io <g1fxb= [email protected]> wrote:
Being mindful of Hans statement in the QSX preliminary info thread.
I read that as:- LEAVE ME TO IT.....
Now even before the first Kit ships.... Perhaps we should at
least just see what the final specification is actually stated to
be?
Perhaps limit ourselves initially to Brain storming & Feature
request only for topics that CANNOT be otherwise solved by other
means ?
LF/ MF, VHF and beyond use. Chances are transverter designs exist,
suitable products are available cheaply off ebay's shelves that will
satisfy most and a "standard" 10 Band HF QSX will make a
potential exciter.
Exotic user interfaces and specific controls, via CAT interface
The QRP Labs mantra is:-
???? Maximum
performance, for the least cost..
It's tempting to make the QSX? a swiss army knife of radio's
We all have our own wish list, how does yours fit as being a QRP
Labs product....
(When the Jr. techs are old enough we can get them interested in LF
and +VHF operation
and they can kit some deluxe transverters that will work with their
fathers QSX design.
It will not be many years.....)
The Summers family will go down in radio history.
Alan
|
Finally got the oscillator running. Not only was Q4 dud but so was the 27mhz crystal.?
I had to remove 3 of the transistors to remove the crystal because they sit on top of the crystal lip.
Board looks a little battle scarred but luckily not damaged electrically, here's hoping that the rest of the build goes ok, unusual to have dud components like this from QRP Labs.?
|
Constantly sending dashes-Problem solved.
After many hours troubleshooting with a DVM, I changed out the IC. All
problems fixed, the problem was with the IC not the board. Thanks
everyone for your suggestions.
73
Tom??? KS5X
---
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Re: QCX constantly transmitting dashes
OK Think I'll post a separate posting listing what I found.
On 8/22/2018 6:21 AM, Al Holt wrote:
Oops, didn't see your reply soon enough. Glad you've got it fixed!
--Al
--
Have a GREAT Day
Tom KS5X@...
|
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Re: QSX - 6 and 4 meters expansion?
Curt,
Tnx for your reply. I Surely understand that some modifications might be necessary ¨C among those the PA and filters, but also that the price will go up. It was just a thought for making it perfect for mobile or portable use ¨C all in one box (except maybe a tuner). Anyway - I still want the QSX. The sooner the better! J ?
Allan ? Fra: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] P? vegne af wb8yyy via Groups.Io
Sendt: 22. august 2018 14:23
Til: [email protected]
Emne: Re: [QRPLabs] QSX - 6 and 4 meters expansion? ? Allan
Do read Hans message on his team efforts to enhance 10m performance,? really stretching the irf510 up to 28 MHz with attention to layout detail. It may have something on the higher bands, but more expensive PA devices might he needed. I sense the filters and Rx are more likely to ge supported. Now how many filters may fit into the relay board or degree of conservatism here. Note the ubitx only uses 4 LPFs, and I see debate on spurs and harmonics over there. With fewer they need to be more precisely tweaked. I imagine your wish is possible to some degree.
Curt
|
On Tue, Aug 21, 2018 at 06:14 PM, Tim wrote:
This! - a QSX descendant.
As per one of my previous emails, we need a simple entry point into operation on those bands if we are to boost utilization.
Exactly! I've used several methods of rx-only, tx-only and transceive on 630m and they all include compromises that I believe would be alleviated in a stand-alone xcvr - a cousin to the QSX? I believe a market exists for such a kit and it would go a long way toward further activating 630 and/or 2200m. 73, John AE5X
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Re: QCX constantly transmitting dashes
Oops, didn't see your reply soon enough. Glad you've got it fixed!
--Al
|
Re: QCX constantly transmitting dashes
Thanks for your suggestions, I've been checking all possible causes with a DVM and found everything OK. After much frustration I changed out the IC, fortunately I had a spare and everything cleared up. Thanks again for your input.
On 8/22/2018 2:32 AM, Alan de G1FXB via Groups.Io wrote:
Tom, That's not good...
( This is now in addition to low tx power, & inoperative in-built watt meter?? )
Assuming you have not got anything connected to the GPS header & the plug on the end of any key plugged into the QCX is a stereo TRS type
I don't think you are going to get any more information other than what's in the build manual. schematic, and write up of theory of operation.
Dot & Dash share the GPS interface pins and straight into IC2 MCU, but you need do your own fault-finding to prove it's
NOT something external to the MCU before you finally order !
It's almost* guaranteed not to cure the low power issue.....
report back on what you find
Alan
On 22/08/2018 01:11, Tom Gundlach wrote:
Need a schematic of dash wiring.
--
Have a GREAT Day
Tom KS5X@...
|
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|
|
Re: QCX constantly transmitting dashes
Thanks and I have been using the schematic in the installation instructions only used screen magnification. Any way thanks to trouble I had in the past I had a spare IC handy replaces the one sending constant dashes and everything now works OK! Will bookmark
the HiRes site just the same. Have a great day.
Tom
On 8/22/2018 3:53 AM, Al Holt wrote:
A high resolution schematic is available on QRP Labs' site:?
A screen grab of the paddle jack and connections taken from the lower-right section of that image:
--Al
--
Have a GREAT Day
Tom KS5X@...
|
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|
|
Re: QCX constantly transmitting dashes
Thanks for your suggestions, that is what I have been doing and everything seemed OK. In desperation I tried replacing the 14 pin IC, guess what ?
Everything works normal, problem solved, thanks again for your advice.
Tom
On 8/22/2018 5:27 AM, wb8yyy via Groups.Io wrote:
Tom
You may need to use your dvm to relate schematic to the board. It may also confirm where a short may be. Look and check continuity carefully. I can't remember which project I experienced this, it happens.
Curt
--
Have a GREAT Day
Tom KS5X@...
|
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|
|
Re: QSX radio feature requests
Being mindful of Hans statement in the QSX preliminary info thread.
I read that as:- LEAVE ME TO IT.....
Now even before the first Kit ships.... Perhaps we should at
least just see what the final specification is actually stated to
be?
Perhaps limit ourselves initially to Brain storming & Feature
request only for topics that CANNOT be otherwise solved by other
means ?
LF/ MF, VHF and beyond use. Chances are transverter designs exist,
suitable products are available cheaply off ebay's shelves that will
satisfy most and a "standard" 10 Band HF QSX will make a
potential exciter.
Exotic user interfaces and specific controls, via CAT interface
The QRP Labs mantra is:-
???? Maximum
performance, for the least cost..
It's tempting to make the QSX? a swiss army knife of radio's
We all have our own wish list, how does yours fit as being a QRP
Labs product....
(When the Jr. techs are old enough we can get them interested in LF
and +VHF operation
and they can kit some deluxe transverters that will work with their
fathers QSX design.
It will not be many years.....)
The Summers family will go down in radio history.
Alan
|
Re: QCX constantly transmitting dashes
Tom
You may need to use your dvm to relate schematic to the board. It may also confirm where a short may be. Look and check continuity carefully. I can't remember which project I experienced this, it happens.
Curt
|
Re: QSX - 6 and 4 meters expansion?
Allan
Do read Hans message on his team efforts to enhance 10m performance,? really stretching the irf510 up to 28 MHz with attention to layout detail. It may have something on the higher bands, but more expensive PA devices might he needed. I sense the filters and Rx are more likely to ge supported. Now how many filters may fit into the relay board or degree of conservatism here. Note the ubitx only uses 4 LPFs, and I see debate on spurs and harmonics over there. With fewer they need to be more precisely tweaked. I imagine your wish is possible to some degree.
Curt
|
One possible problem with an LF version of the QSX is that there is a
lower limit to frequencies where you can use the Si5351A to generate
quadrature signals. Hans previously reported that the lower frequency
limit for the method is about 3.2 MHz, which would appear to preclude
using it even on 160 meters, let alone the LF bands. It's possible he
found away to extend the range down by another factor of two, but that
certainly wouldn't work for LF. Or he may have designed a flip-flop
divider and quadrature generator into the QSX; that method would work
fine for 630 and 2200 meters.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Wed, Aug 22, 2018 at 6:32 AM, Chris Wilson <chris@...> wrote: Hello James,
2200 meters is a fascinating band and even us relatively lowly 2E0's
can run 1kW plus so long as ERP is at or below 1 Watt! To show what
can be achieved this is from last night's WSPR session where I heard
N1BUG in Maine USA here in north Shropshire. N1BUG and I both use U3S
for exciters, Paul usually uses a modded Softrock Lite for RX, and I
use either my TS-590, another Softrock Lite or my Red Pitaya. Last
night the RP did the honours. Antenna here for RX and TX is a big
horizontal quad loop with the corner feed ladderline strapped together
at ground level for LF, so the loop acts as a top hat. Home made
loading coil, home made matching transformer, and a home made band
pass filter into a broadband Ebay ?4 preamp then the RP.
For Tx I use the same antenna, a U3S with output taken direct from
CLK0 on the Si chip into a 1kW Class D home brew amp based on a W1VD
design. Paul N1BUG and I have regular contact on 2200m across the
ocean, and I easily get into all of Europe and as far as Asiatic
Russia and the Canary Islands. Heard and been heard by several US
stations on 2200m.
Many use an active mini whip or active loop for RX. I have tried an
active mini whip but got nowhere with it, others have great results.
Larger active loops seem also to work well G0LUJ runs a Kiwi Web SDR off
one and it hears well as you can see for yourself.
Paul from last night:
2018-08-22 03:44 N1BUG 0.137437 -34 0 FN55mf 1 2E0ILY IO82qv 4731 55
2018-08-22 03:50 N1BUG 0.137437 -32 0 FN55mf 1 2E0ILY IO82qv 4731 55
Weak but definitely there!
and at
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Hello to all.
Does anybody have any information as to how to build an antenna for these bands.?
I¡¯m assuming mag loops.?
Also I¡¯m looking very much forward to the new rig kit.
Congratulations to all that have an input to its design, testing and building.
Keep up the tremendous work.
It really is going to be a very exciting few months/years for us all.
Kindest. James 2E0MUA
--
2E0ILY
Best regards,
Chris mailto:chris@...
--
Best regards, Chris Wilson (2E0ILY)
|
Re: QCX constantly transmitting dashes
A high resolution schematic is available on QRP Labs' site:?
A screen grab of the paddle jack and connections taken from the lower-right section of that image:
--Al
|
Alan de G1FXB
Fred Piering WD9HNU
M0RON
Shirley Dulcey KE1L