At 09:53 PM 10/8/2005, Chris wrote:
* As described in the configure and Use part of the Softrock manual under item #5, I went in and set the frequency tab to 7.040 Mhz and -60 dBm (this is what my generator was set to). Do I have to click on the start buttons to the right of the fields to calibrate or just Apply and OK? This computer reads -70 dBm for the test signal, and the computer in our office read -60 dBm which is correct but I couldn't remember if I had clicked Start before and now that almost everything is right I don't want to hose up anything else. I was able to null the image way down there to where it was almost undetectable, much lower with this really old 1999 vintage desktop than with my wife's new laptop. Less noise I guess.
You need to press the start button to get it to calibrate.
* I checked my generator 's display against a recently calibrated frequency counter and it is 7.040 on the dot. But when I tune to 7.040 with VFO A on the SDR console I hear and see nothing. I have to tune to 7.042 to hear the signal and the signal is over near -800. I have found that the signal peak must be within the green box on the panadapter to be heard. How does one zero beat a signal with this- is the frequency listed under VFO A at the extreme right or left of the screen?
The green box on the panadapter shows the current passband. You can change it with the filter controls on the lower right of the screen, There are some presets there, as well as a width and shift slider, or you can set the upper/lower limits of the pass band. We do not lack for filter setting flexibility.
As to the VFO display, it depends on the mode you are in. The VFO reads the center of the Panadapter display when in non CW modes. In CW mode it will read 600 hz (actually whatever the CW offset is set to) above/below depending in if you're in CWU or CWL. To zero beat a sig put the Panadapter display in Avg mode and press the 0 beat button. For CW it will center the sig at the CW offset value. For AM it will center the peak at 0, for SSB modes it will put the peak in the center of the passband (the green area in the Panadpater). Admittedly not very useful for SSB modes --
I'd really like to find some time to do automatic tuning of an SSB signal -- would be a nice demo of the capabilities of an SDR.
* When installing the program with the various 3 computers I used for this installation experience I have had to go in and change things like PTT disable , Audio-Direct vs MME and enabling the Softrock board and entering the LO frequency. I have had to uninstall the program a few times, and I do so using the Add/Remove programs icon under Windows control panel. When I went back to reinstall the programs, these options were already selected for me. How did the new install know these things? Did teh Add/remove programs not remove everything? I was just curious on this one in case I ever needed to do a clean uninstall?
I believe Add/Remove Programs will remove everything but the PowerSDR.mdb file. If you want to remove with extreme prejudice, do Add/Remove programs and then remove the directory PowerSDR was installed to. As far as I know I does not scribble any magic registry values.
Thanks again for such a neat little rig and all the help.
Chris
KD4PBJ
Raleigh, NC
Regards,
Bill (kd5tfd)
