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Re: [Knightsqrss] Argo V1 build 137
"George Allgood"
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Re: [Knightsqrss] Argo V1 build 137
Stephen Farthing
Colin,
Thanks for this. I have been meaning to try it out. But I cannot extract files from archives with a .rar extension using Windows 7. What tool did you use. 73s Steve Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful. E. F. Schumacher
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[Knightsqrss] Argo V1 build 137
Colin J Thomson
Hi,
For those who are not members of the Knights QRSS group may find this of interest: ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Subject: [Knightsqrss] Argo V1 build 137 Date: Monday 12 Mar 2012, 21:55:50 From: Alberto I2PHD Good evening all, I updated my old program Argo, producing V1 build 137. I still have some changes in mind, but before implementing them, I would like to have some feedback on how it works now. It has been so far thoroughly tested by Vernon VE1VDM, Laurence KL7UK and Claudio I2NDT, who greatly helped me in ironing out some quirks it had. But feedback from a larger audience could be of even greater help. Some of the enhancements wrt the old version are : - Larger window, more suitable to modern PCs - Sampling rate fixed at 48 kHz. The 5512 Hz of the old version more often than not caused errors. - Optional WOLA processing of the FFT, to trade time resolution for frequency resolution. - Selectable UTC or Local Time display. - Selectable input sound card - Optional auto uploading of each capture taken to an FTP server - Additional QRSS modes, i.e. QRSS-600 and QRSS-1200 - Field on the panel for info about the call sign and locator of the user - Can be configured to auto start when loaded, auto capture when started, and auto upload when started - A couple of errors were corrected - Other things that I do not recall now.... The updated User Guide has not been completed yet. I intend to do it not too far in the future... :-) If you want to test it, the download place is Reports welcome, thanks -- /*73 Alberto I2PHD*/ ----------------------------------------- 73 Colin - G6AVK -- Fedora release 16 (Verne) Registered Linux user number #342953 |
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Re: KD8DVY QRSS Beacon
Stephen Farthing
OM,
Thats brilliant. I think you will be the first person to put a QRSS beacon from one of our kits aloft. I'll be very interested to find out what the results are.? 73s Steve G0XAR Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful. E. F. Schumacher
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KD8DVY QRSS Beacon
"kd8dvy@..."
After a group purchase of the QRSS Beacon I put the build off for several months and within the last few months I have built it up.
After building and making sure that the kit is TX properly and that it is on the proper frequency. I did not have any idea what I was going with my beacon. I watched the reflector for several months and noticed that most of the posts were about sending beacons out and tracking them. Well my idea for a beacon came while watching a balloon launch and so I proceeded to build my own balloon beacon. Here is what I came up with: Purchased Items QRSS Beacon Hans Sumners $15 DC-DC Boost Buck Converter 3.5v-28v input 1.25v-26v output (1A in; 1A out: 3A max in/out) Ebay $11.30 9v battery 2pk Dollar Store $1.06 Machine Screws Radio Shack #64-3011 4-40 $2.19 Machine nuts Radio Shack #64-3018 4-40 $2.19 3 Helium Balloons from Kroger $6.00 total Junk Box Items 10oz Altoids tin (space for cooling and big enough for all parts) BNC Female Bulkhead Connector Slide switch for power 12 position Rotary Switch for speed control Battery Holder (modified large paperclip) 2 Eye bolts for balloon and retrieval line Coffee stir cut to act as standoffs/spacers Silicon and rubber cement for water proofing Deep Sea Rod and Reel with 100yrds of line (300') See Pictures in photo section |
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Starting QRSS on 30 m
"sp5twa"
Hello Dear Friends
I've just completed my 30 m QRSS kit. There was no problem with freq adjustment and I started the beacon. For TX power adjusting I've used a simple field meter on to germanic diodes. I've looked on to V/m near the kit and found a proper position of trimmer. The signal should be possibile to grab around 10.140.032 Mhz. Your reports are welcome I have several newbie questions. If you would be so kind to help....... 1. Atiny keying problem - Beacon is workinh in 6 s mode. It's ok for QRSS, but I didn't make any conection on pin 7 (S2) of Atiny. Is it possible to have a "normal" function of the keyer. 2. The R1 in kit was 47K (should be 470K). I've put to 1M resistors in parrarel and finally got about 490 K. Does it have any influence on the performance of the beacon. 3. I plan to make the beacon solar powered as I have a small solar instalation. The 13,8 V from AKU is much to high. I know that some of you use voltage regulator. Could you provide me with the any idea how yo bult it and connect with the beacon Best regards Michal |
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Re: Keyer Speed
Stephen Farthing
Hi Harold,
The microcontroller (ATTiny13 chip) contains a computer program which sets the keying speed by looking at the state of pins 5,6, and 7 of the AT Tiny and setting the speed accordingly. So to set the speed by switch you really need to be able to switch all three of these pins, independently, ?to the 5 volt line (if the look at the schematic and the table of switch settings in section 7 all should, I hope, be clear - an "X" in the table means the pin is connected to the 5 volt line).
You can do this in the following ways :- 1. Use a Dual-In-Line switch wired to the board. You can salvage one of these from an old PCB or buy one form Radio Shack.... 2. Use 3 on off (not momentary) switches wired to the board. You will need to have a case for the project to mount the switch on.? 3. Install 2 x female headers on the board and jumper wires between them - this is the easiest and cheapest method.?
I don't think there is a solution using a rotary switch (but I am willing to be proved wrong!).... So glad that you guys are experimenting with the kits...... 73s Steve G0XAR - The man who packs the kits and sends them out and occasionally screws up your orders :-( Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful. E. F. Schumacher
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Keyer Speed
"kd8dvy@..."
GD all,
My last post was about power and alignment well I have that covered now it's time to set the keyer speed. I was able to find a 11 position rotatory switch that I will like to experiment with. I am kinda confused about which pins to connect for what speeds. I do have the manual however it is not very clear for one of my knowledge. Is there a better chart of pin configuration that I can view? Thank you, Harold/KD8DVY |
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Re: No joy...yet
"pa0tab-Johan"
Hi Steve
Did you make a an announcing in the Knightsqrss mail group? for info Do you know the grabber compendium Propagation is better the last day so try to find a grabber within 400 miles Be sure of the frequency The band is only 100Hz '73 Johan- PA0TAB ----- Oorspronkelijk bericht ----- Van: kc2siz Aan: QRPLabs@... Verzonden: vrijdag 27 januari 2012 11:10 Onderwerp: [QRPLabs] No joy...yet Over the course of the last couple of days, I've had my transmitter on the air for a combined total of about 18 hours. Yet I haven't been "grabbed" yet, so far as I know. Is this typical? I know a big part of this is patience and I want to manage my expectations. Steve |
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Re: No joy...yet
Stephen Farthing
Steve,
It can take a while to be picked up by a grabber. Things to check :- Your beacon is transmitting within the 100 Hz QRSS sub band of the ham band you have built the beacon for. I guess 30 meters is your band. The deviation should be set for about 4 Hz.?
You are not loosing power by transmitting into an inefficient antenna/tuner arrangement. I have had good results connecting my QRSS Labs kits into 50 ohm coax then onward into to a horizontal half wave dipole in the garden.?
There may not be grabbers on-line for your band, they tend to come and go as people change operating modes. Also propagation conditions might not be good.? QRSS is a bit like fly fishing....you have to be patient!
73s Steve G0XAR Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful. E. F. Schumacher
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Re: Testing/Battery
Stephen Farthing
Hi Harold,
Congratulations on your build.....well done Yes you can use the 7.2 volt NiMH battery but you will need to reduce the voltage to 5 volts.? Take a look at this Make magazine on how to make one :-
You should be able to source the parts from Radio Shack. If you have any difficulties let me know. I have a bunch of the regulator chips doing nothing in my shack.?
The key thing is to keep the regulator apart from the transmitter because the regulator generates heat and the heat will cause the crystal oscillator to drift out of band. A piece of styrofoam will do if you are wanting to mount them close together.
On my beacon builds I use some header sockets soldered into the holes where the jumper wires go. Then I can use jumper wires between the sockets. The sort of wires you use for solderless breadboards are fine.?
Measuring the power without a scope or a power meter is not really possible. When ?you see your elmer with the RX you might ask him if he has a scope or another way of measuring power. Most amateurs have a power meter so you should be OK. If not the main thing is to avoid destroying the 2N7000. If it is hot to the touch you need to back off the power.?
Making your own power meter is not difficult or expensive.? takes you to an excellent design for a meter called the NogaWatt. I think they still do kits. The design, like our beacon kits are "Altoids compliant" ie they fit in to a mint tin!
Hope this helps, Steve G0XAR - The man who packs and posts the beacon kits - if there is a screw up it's all down to me!
-- Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful. E. F. Schumacher
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Testing/Battery
"kd8dvy@..."
GD All,
I have finished my kit, I know it is working but at what freq. is unknown, I do know that I can find out by using another receiver. I will do this as soon as I can make a sched with a close elmer to me. Is there a to tweak the power out without a scope? I was also wondering if I could use a 7.2v 1100mah Nimh rechargeable battery from an old RC model? Last question in this post is; has any one developed or know of a switch that I can get so that I can change the CW speed without solder/de-solder the jumper. I plan on using my beacon as a stationary balloon, where I plan to vary the height to see how many from this group and various amateurs can report my beacon. Harold/KD8DVY |
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Re: Hello all
"kc2siz"
My apologies. A typo. I meant to say 10140.05, not 10140.5. Thanks for catching that.
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Steve --- In QRPLabs@..., Arv Evans <arvid.evans@...> wrote:
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Re: Hello all
Arv Evans
开云体育Steve KC2SIZMost grabber receivers are watching 10.140,000 to 10.140,100 MHz. A few are looking at 10.139,900 to 10.140,100 MHz. If you are transmitting on 10.140,500 MHz you may not get seen unless it is by special arrangement.? Do you have capability to move to the range where most QRSS receivers are looking? Arv K7HKL _._ On 01/25/2012 02:27 PM, kc2siz wrote: ? |
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Hello all
"kc2siz"
Just wanted to introduce myself to the group. I just built a small QRSS transmitter, which I'm trying out for the first time right now on 30 meters (just about spot on 10140.5). I hope I pop up on some grabbers somewhere! I may leave it on overnight as well.
I look forward to learning from everyone here. Thanks and 73! Steve KC2SIZ |
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Keyer code for TI LaunchPad
Cash Olsen
Knights:
If anyone would be interested in the c source code for a simple keyer written for the TI Launch Pad, I'd be willing to share it with you. If you needed just the hex code with your call sign programmed in I could also provide that. Right now it is very basic. The red LED blinks out what ever you put in the string variable. I currently have it testing with 3 second dit but that is simply a constant change, the rest of the timing follows according to Morse code convention. Also for testing I have it set to repeat every 5 minutes, but that too can be changed with a single constant. I have some future plans for added features and modes. The reason I'm playing with the TI Launch Pad is that it is just so darn cheap, USD $4.30 that's not just the chip but the entire development system on a board almost exactly the same size as the QRP Labs QRSS Transmitter. Just three wire interface to the transmitter. I'll publish details at later today. Cash KD5SSJ |
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Re: QRSS grabber network?
Cash Olsen
Clayton,
I'm just getting on the air and joining the group but I have a great interest in your suggestions. I would encourage you to right the article for CC (I've been a subscriber for a decade or more) and if you'd like to have some read it before submission I'd be interested. Watch for my signal, I have been into ZK / ZL territory every day since commissioning the transmitter on New Years Eve. I do not have a receiving station at the present time but there is likely a reciprocal path at the same time from your QTH. There are so many local transmitters in my area (15 QRSS 30m) that I'm told that there is a lot of QRM and a local grabber may be a big challenge. Charlie Welch, N5CWW, and I had a conversation very much along these lines just the other night. Cash Olsen KD5SSJ ARRL Technical Specialist |
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Re: would like a dialog on packaging of qrss high stability transmitters
Cash Olsen
Stan,
I put my QRPlabs kit in a sandwich of 1' styrofoam. I first cut three pieces 4" x 5" Then I cut a 2" x 2.5" rectangular hole for one sheet. I used aluminum duct tape on the edges and turned the radiant barrier film to the outside. I made a little grove for the antenna lead to exit and then one of the other pieces on each side and taped the thing together. See picture at My suggestion is don't make it to complicated. A secondary value of the method that I used is that it is very light tight. Incident light on the LED will change your frequency, perhaps as much as small temperature changes. I power the transmitter from only 5 volts and have had excellent frequency stability. It very quickly came to temperature of equilibrium. My power out is 220mA and I'm operating at 10139955Hz, from DM62pj New Mexico. Cash Olsen KD5SSJ ARRL Technical Specialist |
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