Dollar store glasses?
that¡¯s $3
(you may be able to get by with 2)
short focal length and you still need good lighting
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Guys
Thanks for the feedback, very helpful. Think I'll stick with the head magnifiers.
73 Paul w2eck
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Re: Repeatable crash on QDX - touch case with static charge
I thought maybe a small springy metal clip could be attached to the rear panel that would make contact with the USB connector shell. This is similar to how many PC case I/O shields work. Finding the right springy clip might be the challenge...?
Al
WD4AH
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Re: QDX No transmit output power
#qdx
I had my QDX do this today, while I had it connected to a battery and a dummy load.? I wasn't running any software besides a terminal since I powered it up to check my BPF alignment.
I'm running firmware 1.01c, built the QDX for 12v with no build variations, and my computer is a laptop running Ubuntu Linux.
The audio filter test showed no sideband suppression like others have seen.? I also saw that all of the RF filter tests looked like random noise instead of the normal BPF graphs.? I then opened up WSJT-X and saw strong noise across all audio frequencies and the meter on the left side at about 80 and red.? A couple power cycles did not fix it.
What could cause all of those issues?
-- Rob Campbell KG6HUM
I think it's easy to tell if QDX hasn't booted correctly because in WSJT-X the audio meter on the bottom left is red and around 80dB. Isn't this a reliable way to know?? -------- Original message -------- From: Alan G4ZFQ < alan4alan@...> Date: Fri, Nov 19, 2021, 11:03 AM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [QRPLabs] QDX No transmit output power #qdx > I had just short time early this evening between activities to do some
> checking.
? Ken,
From your description it is clear that like some others, Evan included,
your QDX is not always booting correctly.
To save yourself time maybe wait till after the weekend. Hans has said
he will look at the problem, maybe alter the firmware.
As Evan has said the only way to be certain the QDX has booted correctly
is to connect a dummy load and do an audio sweep in terminal mode.
73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: Repeatable crash on QDX - touch case with static charge
I soldered a piece of braid to the DC power jack ground terminal, brought it outside the case, scraped the paint off a small section of case, and screwed the back panel on.
Now I can give it a shock that I can hear "snap", and it doesn't reboot.
73, Willie N1JBJ
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On Nov 21, 2021, at 1:28 AM, Alan G4ZFQ <alan4alan@...> wrote:
Is there a preferred method for grounding the case? DC input jack to a small wire to one of the screws holding the back on? Willie,
As far as I know you are the first to mention this.
The effect you mention has not been reported before.
I wonder if there is some other reason other than the case noy being grounded?
I was looking at the grounding of this case, it is metal and I feel it should be grounded. The best way of doing this well is not obvious, all I've done so far is to drill a small hole in the edge of one of the shells insert a screw and use a clip lead.
Most will not want to do do it this way but I do not see any other way of making an efficient permanent contact without drilling.
73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: QDX: Section 2.16 ¡°replace 47uH inductors¡±
Jason,
That is exciting. ?When I first built my QRP Guys FT8 rig I had turned it on, then turned around to look for something on the other side of the shack and VOILA when I turned back I had already made a contact. ?It was exciting but after a while the excitement and fun wore off and so it and the Midnight Designs Phaser I built later sit there unused. ?Too many other fun aspects to this great radio hobby. ?
Dave K8WPE? David J. Wilcox¡¯s iPad
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On Nov 20, 2021, at 10:34 PM, Jason K7JWN <jnoreen.jn@...> wrote:
? Update:
?Replaced the damaged surface mount capacitor today. Powered up this awesome QDX. My first contact was Completed while hunting POTA!
?Before the bands closed I made a contact with Japan.?
?Thanks again to The awesome hams that commented and left links.?
73!?
?
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Re: QDX just stopped receiving
My current info:
1 - Windows 11 Pro 21H2 22000.318
? ? WSJT-X v2.5.2? ?Poll Interval:10s
2 - QDX version v1_01c
3 - Built for 12 volts
4 - Power supply 3to14V 1.5A Linear Mode type
5 - Rev 1 PCBs
?
73? syuji ota? JH3AQQ
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Re: QDX just stopped receiving
On 21/11/2021 07:47, syuji ota wrote: My QDX is in the same state.
When RX stops, TX also stops. Is this when you are using WSJT-X? I think this may help Hans when he sees it. 73 Alan G4ZFQ Test CAT is normal.
Changing band then changing back, RX and TX will be normal.
I took a Logfile.
MD; MD3;
FW; FW3200;
IF; IF00007074000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
FA; FA00007074000;
MD; MD3;
FW; FW3200;
IF; IF00007074000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
VFO.A 0
FAFFA;
ERR: Band
FA; FA00000000000;
MD; MD3;
FW; FW3200;
IF; IF00000000000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
IF; IF00000000000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
FA; FA00000000000;
This is the moment when RX stops.
The frequency is Zero.
Is there any way to improve this?
?73¡¡ syuji ota
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Re: QDX just stopped receiving
Just for curiosity's sake, what is your Poll Interval set to in WSJT-X?
NOTE:? The above is NOT my QDX setup.? It is the one I use with my Hermes Light 2.
73
Evan
AC9TU
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Re: QDX just stopped receiving
My QDX is in the same state.
When RX stops, TX also stops.
Test CAT is normal.
Changing band then changing back, RX and TX will be normal.
I took a Logfile.
?
MD; MD3;
FW; FW3200;
IF; IF00007074000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
FA; FA00007074000;
MD; MD3;
FW; FW3200;
IF; IF00007074000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
VFO.A 0
FAFFA;
ERR: Band
FA; FA00000000000;
MD; MD3;
FW; FW3200;
IF; IF00000000000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
IF; IF00000000000? ? ?+00000000003000000 ;
FA; FA00000000000;
?
This is the moment when RX stops.
The frequency is Zero.
Is there any way to improve this?
?
?73¡¡ syuji ota? JH3AQQ
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Re: RD15HVF1 source
#5wPA
There are people selling these as? pulls on? Alibaba.? I have no idea why they are pulls but they are very cheap as they obviously have to be.? I'll send you a PM on this.? Another poss is? Mini Kits in Adelaide,? Australia.? he used to sell them and they were bought directly from major suppliers so they are sure to be original mafr.? Perhaps he has a few knocking around still for use as spares for his kits.? You can find him on the internet.? He lists the? RD16HH? but not the RD15 as available for purchase under semi conductors.? It's worth a go.? ?The SDR Radio outfit in the UK? that someone suggested - no dice - out of stock .? Because this part has such specialised uses It's hardly surprising that? they are a bit hard to find.? Every 15 to 20W SSB commercial tcvr in production at the moment seems to use the RD16 or similar but?VHF handhelds? generally want to use a 7.2 V device so the RD15Vhf1 is a a bad fit.?
TEF?
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Re: QDX just stopped receiving
What's the best way to debug this? Willie, I and others have observed this but not yet investigated. You could set the log to ALL and see if there are any clues there. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: Repeatable crash on QDX - touch case with static charge
Is there a preferred method for grounding the case? DC input jack to a small wire to one of the screws holding the back on? Willie, As far as I know you are the first to mention this. The effect you mention has not been reported before. I wonder if there is some other reason other than the case noy being grounded? I was looking at the grounding of this case, it is metal and I feel it should be grounded. The best way of doing this well is not obvious, all I've done so far is to drill a small hole in the edge of one of the shells insert a screw and use a clip lead. Most will not want to do do it this way but I do not see any other way of making an efficient permanent contact without drilling. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: QDX just stopped receiving
Hi William,
Take a look at the incoming audio meter on wsjtx/jtdx. On some power cyles my qdx is showing 90+ dbm and the bar goes red. In that case it does not hear anything. And then I do another power cycle and see if it is back to 30-50 dbm and I start to see data on waterwall. Sometimes it tooks me 3-4 powercycles to get there. (Raspberry pi 4 2gb with raspian os)
Br.
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vfo/signal-generator 5v power supply recomendation
#supply
I bought one of the vfo/signal-gen kits, which by the way is pretty great, for use as a signal source and wonder what others have done for a low-noise 5vdc supply. I was about to stick a 7805 (to-220) in there with some caps and call it a day but am curious what other may have done.
Thanks - Mark
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Re: VSWR meter sized for QDX?
If you get any information on the Barb a watt please let us know.
Thanks. 73, Tim KB2MFS
Hi Willie,
Contact Barb via his callsign (WB2CBA) at .
On Sat, Nov 20, 2021 at 11:59 AM William Smith < w_smith@...> wrote: Hey Bob,
Do uyou have any more info on the BARB-A-WATT meter?? My Good Friend Google is unable to find anything other than a couple of links pointing at a uSDX...
73, Willie N1JBJ On Nov 20, 2021, at 12:32 PM, Bob Benedict, KD8CGH < rkayakr@...> wrote:
I'm using the BARB-A-WATT meter/dummy load which works well and inserts no loss when kept inline. /g/ucx/message/9745-- ? 73 ??? KD8CGH
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Repeatable crash on QDX - touch case with static charge
Just discovered by accident that I can cause the QDX to restart by getting up from my chair and touching the case of the QDX. Even without a noticeable static shock, the QDX will reboot and flash the LED quickly for 5 seconds.
This does NOT happen if I first touch the ground of the BNC connector.
Is there a preferred method for grounding the case? DC input jack to a small wire to one of the screws holding the back on?
BTW: This little thing is scary good, making contacts over 3K miles into a 40M dipole not far above the roof of my house!
73, Willie N1JBJ
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QDX Lowpass filters toroid turns adjustment
Hi All,
Maybe I missed it, but what¡¯s the best way to tweak these for best performance??
For the QCX Hans made a video showing how to peak the toroids in that kit by adjusting the turns to optimize transmitted power. And the manual says you can use the terminal program to RF Sweep the bandpass filter to adjust L12, if you want. But I don¡¯t see how to check the lowpass filters and I am sure that this toroids could be adjusted and are probably not currently optimal. Can one assume they are 50 ohms in and 50 ohms out? Can they be swept with an HF Siigs Antuino or a NanoVNA or a tinySA?
I am concerned that I might be injecting too much power with one of those, and that it might fry something connected up or downstream from the lowpass filters in the QDX if I just try to tap into both ends of the filters.
I am still building and have not tried to operate yet, but am getting close.
I did my best to measure ?the inductance before installing, but in the past, despite doing that, I have still needed to make significant adjustments to get things peaked, spreading some and compressing others.
Tnx and 73
jer aa1of
franconia NH
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If you order the QCX+ and add a Dummy Load to the order, there are two important things to note:
1.) In your QCX+ kit there are now two very similar looking black diodes.? One is for the dummy load and one is for the radio.? Even though the QCX+ instructions say there is only one black diode, double check the part number carefully so you don't solder in the wrong one like I did.? ?
2.) This may seem obvious, but you need to get yourself a male-male BNC coupler to connect the dummy load to your radio.? Order it right away so you're not waiting a week for it to arrive before you can align your radio (like I did)
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Re: QDX: Section 2.16 ¡°replace 47uH inductors¡±
Update:
?Replaced the damaged surface mount capacitor today. Powered up this awesome QDX. My first contact was Completed while hunting POTA!
?Before the bands closed I made a contact with Japan.?
?Thanks again to The awesome hams that commented and left links.?
73!?
?
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David Wilcox K8WPE
Timothy Fidler
Jason K7JWN