Hello all,
I am Ben Cherry AD8AW. I have picked up the torch and will be assuming the inventory and IP of Five dash. The new website is www.softrock40.com. I will be working on it and hope to have it operational in a couple of weeks. Inventory will be transferred this week and it will take me a couple of weeks to inventory and store/reorder parts. First order of business will be to have rxtx boards made and put kits together. Please make a post and let me know if you have requests/suggestions.
Ben ?D8AW
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Re: Older SoftRock Kits Available
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I buy version 5 , any condition
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Tony,
I would like to thank you and wish you a happy retirement. I built several of the SoftRock 40 packages, first to see if I could handle the SMS products. I found that to be easy. Since then, I have built a couple of 30/40 transceivers, added Softrock receivers to The Twofer (QRP, 1-watt, transmitters) along with SKS keyer chip and sidetone monitor, and also built the Peaberry transceiver for 20/30/40 meter bands. Greatest DX was Rodriguez Island (3B9FR) for greater than 10K miles/watt!
The Flex Radio's PowerSDR software that was modified for the SoftRocks impressed me with the many features available in the little receivers.
Again, thanks for producing the SDR receivers and transceivers with amazing performance at very low prices. I commend for your effort in making SDRs available to the Ham radio population.
My main rig is a FlexRradio 6400M. You can take part of the "blame" for me buying the Flex.
Thanks again,
Jack W5WQQ, ( Licensed since 1952)
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Congratulations Tony! I would be willing to "pick up the torch" and carry it forward. Email me at satman39@... if you would consider selling five dash.
Ben Cherry
AD8AW
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Hi,
My congratulations to Tony. Maybe he will pass the pass the torch to somebody else who wants to keep it going.
73,
Bill KU8H
bark less - wag more
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On 7/20/22 02:47, Adam Jacobs wrote: Hi Tony,
Thank you for your SoftRock radio designs. I have built your kits, gifted
your kits to friends in Japan, and purchased your pre-built boards. My
father (WV7F) has the most recent pre-built board I purchased from you.
This is a solid design. PLEASE open-source everything?
-73 KB9YIG DE W7QI KN
On Fri, Jul 15, 2022, 5:47 AM Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote:
The message below has been posted on the fivedash.com home page.
I want to thank everyone who has built or used SoftRock radios, all of
those who have helped others in the group troubleshoot their builds or
software setups, and those who contributed to the design in the early
years. I especially want to thank those who made firmware and software
contributions so that the SoftRock hardware would do a useful function.
It has made my day each time I read one of your messages of success with
or enjoyment from your SoftRock Radio.
I currently have 48 SoftRock RX Ensemble II HF kits and two built RX
Ensemble II HF boards listed for sale on the fivedash.com web site. These
are the last SoftRock boards I have available, and once they are sold, Five
Dash will close. Unfortunately, due to changes in customs rules over the
past few years, I am only able to ship to addresses in the United States.
Thank you again for your support of the SoftRock radio kits over the years.
Tony Parks, KB9YIG
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Hi Tony,
Thank you for your SoftRock radio designs. I have built your kits, gifted
your kits to friends in Japan, and purchased your pre-built boards. My
father (WV7F) has the most recent pre-built board I purchased from you.
This is a solid design. PLEASE open-source everything?
-73 KB9YIG DE W7QI KN
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On Fri, Jul 15, 2022, 5:47 AM Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote: The message below has been posted on the fivedash.com home page.
I want to thank everyone who has built or used SoftRock radios, all of
those who have helped others in the group troubleshoot their builds or
software setups, and those who contributed to the design in the early
years. I especially want to thank those who made firmware and software
contributions so that the SoftRock hardware would do a useful function.
It has made my day each time I read one of your messages of success with
or enjoyment from your SoftRock Radio.
I currently have 48 SoftRock RX Ensemble II HF kits and two built RX
Ensemble II HF boards listed for sale on the fivedash.com web site. These
are the last SoftRock boards I have available, and once they are sold, Five
Dash will close. Unfortunately, due to changes in customs rules over the
past few years, I am only able to ship to addresses in the United States.
Thank you again for your support of the SoftRock radio kits over the years.
Tony Parks, KB9YIG
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Re: Looking to buy a 630m SoftRock RXTX transceiver
Good Day Tony,
Thanks for clarifying that for Randy and everyone. I had not known that you had made some 630m RXTX's. I had, of course, used one of your little divide by 16 boards and the chips you provided to me for my modified RXTX that continues to provide good service, including last night's WSPR receptions on 630m.
As with all the many folks who have sent you heartfelt notes of appreciation recently, for myself also your dedication in making the SoftRocks available has provided me years of pleasure and learning while working with the original SoftRocks you built for me, and while devising modifications and add-ons. The Softrock40 help and support community, with you as the wise presence behind it all, has also been a valued source of friendship and camaraderie. The whole involvement has been a great highlight of my ham radio hobby life, with benefits far beyond just that.
Thank you Tony, and all best wishes to you and yours,
Roger
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On Jul 19, 2022, at 2:44 AM, Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote:
?Good Morning Roger,
I did do a little divide by 16 board that mounts just above the RXTX board in the left back corner of the RXTX board. The /16 board carries RXTX board components R12, R13, R14 and C3 along with two 74AC74 ICs and a couple 0.1uF SMT capacitors. The extended leads of the resistors provide the means of mounting the little /16 board to the RXTX board. One 74AC74 can be soldered to the /16 board along with a wire jumper to give a /4 function so that the clock function on the RXTX board is an overall /16.
To then get a 630m RXTX it is “JUST” a mater of winding the inductors and transformers for 630m operation and changing a few capacitors.
In recent years, on special order, I have built several 630m RXTX boards. My built 630m RXTX boards worked OK except the TX output was not quite one watt.
Best regards to you Roger.
Tony, kb9yig
On Jul 18, 2022, at 1:40 PM, Roger <ve7vv@...> wrote:
?Hello Randy,
Did you mean a LF receiver, the LF Ensemble, or a transceiver, the RXTX. There was never a LF version of the RXTX sold.
If you are interesting in modifying a HF RXTX to work on LF/MF, you can find instructions on
scroll down to the "Articles" section.
73,
Roger
On Jul 18, 2022, at 5:35 AM, Randy K7RAN <k7ran@...> wrote:
If anyone has a spare 630m "Low Frequency SoftRock RXTX" transceiver they no longer need, I would be very interested in a purchase.
Thanks, 73,
Randy K7RAN
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Thanks for all of your efforts to bring something unique and special to the ham community. I always think of you as a true gentleman.
It was a pleasure to work with you in the early days. I wish you all the best in the future.
73
Tom KM5H
Sent from my iPhone XR
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On Jul 17, 2022, at 9:23 AM, Brent DeWitt <bdewitt@...> wrote:
?As many have said: Thank you Tony!
When I had the opportunity to do the harmonic measurements on the early RXTX Ensemble for you about 10 years ago, I was totally hooked! To this day, the RXTX (three of them) is my staple BPSK31 radio. With it and a wire antenna, I have worked ZL3TRR in Rolleston, NZ, from MA, which has been the biggest thrill of my QRP life.
Like so many clever things in the world of engineering: "the solution is obvious, after the fact". You pioneered what hobbyists could achieve for pocket change.
That contribution is truly worth a note in the history of ham radio.
Brent DeWitt, AB1LF
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I must also add a little word. I built my first SDR over ten years ago. It was based on the SoftRock plans (One oscillator, a 74AC74, a 4066 and a PC with a sound card).
I couldn't count the hours listening to the VLF and the HF bottom end. I then bought and assembled two official kits (a SoftRock RX Ensemble II HF and a SoftRock RXTX Ensemble Transceiver wired for the Citizen Band as I am only a SWL). I have to admit that even if the 11M band is more or less closed these days, I realized real little feats using the Watt of my SoftRock, JS8Call, ROS and a simple hand cut dipole!
Today I'm trying to develop a SDR receiver similar to the SoftRock but autonomous (ARM ?P, 16 bit ADC & touch LCD). All the signal processing is written and gives results similar to those obtained with a computer. I have to finish the assembly and it is not an easy task. It will probably remain a personal project, I would probably need some help to make something serious out of it. I'm also trying (with relative success) to write modulators and demodulators (RTTY, PSK, Hellschreiber ...) and you know what ? I always start by testing them with the help of my SoftRocks as signal source. Nothing easier than opening a sound card and getting the samples!
It's strange, I remember when this all started more than ten years ago. It's totally amazing what you can do with a handful of judiciously assembled components to receive radio signals. Life is Weird.
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Tony,
I want to add my voice with all the others with a big thank you for all you've done to advance amateur radio. My first adventure into the world of HF was a Softrock RXTX kit. I'm in SE VA near the coast and thought if I can make a contact?across the state, or maybe one or two states away, I'd be more than happy. Little did I know in 2014 I'd make a confirmed FT8 contact over 5300 miles away half-way between the Black and Caspian Seas! Not too shabby for 1W with a homemade dipole.
Once again, Sir, thank you and congratulations on your retirement. 73.
JimKV4JM
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Re: Looking to buy a 630m SoftRock RXTX transceiver
?
?Good Morning Roger,
I did do a little divide by 16 board that mounts just above the RXTX board in the left back corner of the RXTX board. The /16 board carries RXTX board components R12, R13, R14 and C3 along with two 74AC74 ICs and a couple 0.1uF SMT capacitors. The extended leads of the resistors provide the means of mounting the little /16 board to the RXTX board. One 74AC74 can be soldered to the /16 board along with a wire jumper to give a /4 function so that the clock function on the RXTX board is an overall /16.
To then get a 630m RXTX it is “JUST” a mater of winding the inductors and transformers for 630m operation and changing a few capacitors.
In recent years, on special order, I have built several 630m RXTX boards. My built 630m RXTX boards worked OK except the TX output was not quite one watt.
Best regards to you Roger.
Tony, kb9yig
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On Jul 18, 2022, at 1:40 PM, Roger <ve7vv@...> wrote:
?Hello Randy,
Did you mean a LF receiver, the LF Ensemble, or a transceiver, the RXTX. There was never a LF version of the RXTX sold.
If you are interesting in modifying a HF RXTX to work on LF/MF, you can find instructions on
scroll down to the "Articles" section.
73,
Roger
On Jul 18, 2022, at 5:35 AM, Randy K7RAN <k7ran@...> wrote:
If anyone has a spare 630m "Low Frequency SoftRock RXTX" transceiver they no longer need, I would be very interested in a purchase.
Thanks, 73,
Randy K7RAN
|
Re: Looking to buy a 630m SoftRock RXTX transceiver
Hello Randy,
Did you mean a LF receiver, the LF Ensemble, or a transceiver, the RXTX. There was never a LF version of the RXTX sold.
If you are interesting in modifying a HF RXTX to work on LF/MF, you can find instructions on
scroll down to the "Articles" section.
73,
Roger
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Jul 18, 2022, at 5:35 AM, Randy K7RAN <k7ran@...> wrote:
If anyone has a spare 630m "Low Frequency SoftRock RXTX" transceiver they no longer need, I would be very interested in a purchase.
Thanks, 73,
Randy K7RAN
|
Looking to buy a 630m SoftRock RXTX transceiver
If anyone has a spare 630m "Low Frequency SoftRock RXTX" transceiver they no longer need, I would be very interested in a purchase.
Thanks, 73,
Randy K7RAN
|
Happy Retirement? Tony.
I was thinking Flex 1000 but also taking my time considering the cost.
When googling to find out all about the Flex I came across the Softrock and that started a pleasant and more affordable journey.
Although I've moved on to DDC/DUC SDR's there is still a happy rememberance of SR's.
I built the SRv6.3, RXTX kits and spin-offs such as the SR63ng and UHFSR and currently testing a SR63ng + Mobo v4.3.4 I haven't used in may be a decade and it's still live.
73 ... Sid.
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On 15/07/2022 13:46, Tony Parks wrote: The message below has been posted on the fivedash.com home page.
I want to thank everyone who has built or used SoftRock radios, all of those who have helped others in the group troubleshoot their builds or software setups, and those who contributed to the design in the early years. I especially want to thank those who made firmware and software contributions so that the SoftRock hardware would do a useful function.
It has made my day each time I read one of your messages of success with or enjoyment from your SoftRock Radio.
I currently have 48 SoftRock RX Ensemble II HF kits and two built RX Ensemble II HF boards listed for sale on the fivedash.com web site. These are the last SoftRock boards I have available, and once they are sold, Five Dash will close. Unfortunately, due to changes in customs rules over the past few years, I am only able to ship to addresses in the United States.
Thank you again for your support of the SoftRock radio kits over the years.
Tony Parks, KB9YIG
-- Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot Emeritus IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support Senior Staff Specialist, Cricket Coach Microsoft Windows Free Zone - Linux used for all Computing Tasks
--
Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot
Emeritus IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support
Senior Staff Specialist, Cricket Coach
Microsoft Windows Free Zone - Linux used for all Computing Tasks
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Hi Tony,
In 2015 it was fivedash.com site that returned me to radio amateur after a 20 years of QRT. I spent a year to build a construction with 3 RxTx, PA 10W, 2 tranfrormer PS units, switched LPFs, switched USB hub, 2 soundcards and a speaker module. I made thousands of QSOs with it, tried to work /M with it (added a 13.V power supply board). Even took part in RDA contest in 2017 as R1CF/P with this homemade transceiver.
It is still operational, and can be used if necessary.
Thank you very much - your kits brought me back to HAM life. You did a great job, created a community that helped me a lot in building the first RxTx.
73!
Andrey R1CF
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-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected]] On Behalf Of Tony Parks Sent: Friday, July 15, 2022 3:47 PM To: [email protected]Subject: [softrock40] kb9yig retirement The message below has been posted on the fivedash.com home page. I want to thank everyone who has built or used SoftRock radios, all of those who have helped others in the group troubleshoot their builds or software setups, and those who contributed to the design in the early years. I especially want to thank those who made firmware and software contributions so that the SoftRock hardware would do a useful function. It has made my day each time I read one of your messages of success with or enjoyment from your SoftRock Radio. I currently have 48 SoftRock RX Ensemble II HF kits and two built RX Ensemble II HF boards listed for sale on the fivedash.com web site. These are the last SoftRock boards I have available, and once they are sold, Five Dash will close. Unfortunately, due to changes in customs rules over the past few years, I am only able to ship to addresses in the United States. Thank you again for your support of the SoftRock radio kits over the years. Tony Parks, KB9YIG -- Это сообщение проверено на вирусы антивирусом Avast.
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As many have said: Thank you Tony!
When I had the opportunity to do the harmonic measurements on the early RXTX Ensemble for you about 10 years ago, I was totally hooked! To this day, the RXTX (three of them) is my staple BPSK31 radio. With it and a wire antenna, I have worked ZL3TRR in Rolleston, NZ, from MA, which has been the biggest thrill of my QRP life.
Like so many clever things in the world of engineering: "the solution is obvious, after the fact". You pioneered what hobbyists could achieve for pocket change.
That contribution is truly worth a note in the history of ham radio.
Brent DeWitt, AB1LF
|
Tony,
Thank you for all that you have done. Your kits introduced me to SDR. It
was real thrill to work a guy in Greece with my RXTX 6.3 using PSK31 and a
vertical made out of electrical conduit. Enjoy retirement.
Dave
W2IJL
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On Fri, Jul 15, 2022 at 8:47 AM Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote: The message below has been posted on the fivedash.com home page.
I want to thank everyone who has built or used SoftRock radios, all of
those who have helped others in the group troubleshoot their builds or
software setups, and those who contributed to the design in the early
years. I especially want to thank those who made firmware and software
contributions so that the SoftRock hardware would do a useful function.
It has made my day each time I read one of your messages of success with
or enjoyment from your SoftRock Radio.
I currently have 48 SoftRock RX Ensemble II HF kits and two built RX
Ensemble II HF boards listed for sale on the fivedash.com web site. These
are the last SoftRock boards I have available, and once they are sold, Five
Dash will close. Unfortunately, due to changes in customs rules over the
past few years, I am only able to ship to addresses in the United States.
Thank you again for your support of the SoftRock radio kits over the years.
Tony Parks, KB9YIG
|
?? To, ALL,
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On Jul 16, 2022, at 12:22 PM, Jan Verduyn <Jan.Verduyn@...> wrote:
?Dear Tony,
I like to add our very best wishes to you for producing the many successful softrock designs over the years.
As SDR-Kits we enjoyed contributing to your softrock design, first of all withthe QRP2000 Si570 VFO, making the softrock RX full frequency and multiband, then followed by the very first design of the softrock RXTX transceiver kit.
I like to thank you for accepting these contributions into your product line.
I like to mention the contributors on this side of the pond; Tom Baier DG8SAQ for the first QRP2000 design and firmware, John Law G8BTR (sk) and Alan Rowe M0PUB for their work in the RXTX hardware and firmware. Special thanks to Fred Krom PE0FKO for providing Driver support including Amateur Radio Certificate for Driver installation and so many others!!
I am sure we all can say we had lots of fun and satisfaction!
As SDR-kits we finally retired the QRP2000 kit at end of 2021. Getting hold of si570 chips was becoming impossible, whilst the 570 has been completely overtaken by the newer Si5351 designs.
Tony, we wish you all the very best in retirement!
Jan G5BBL (ex G0BBL)
Jan & Tracy Verduyn SDR-Kits
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Tony,
Wishing you the best, a huge thank you for your job for the hobby, but not
only... i learned SDR software programming with your kits, more than 10
years ago.... and that is now my day job.
73
Sylvain f4gkr
IARU Region 1 President
SDR-Technologies founder and CTO
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Le ven. 15 juil. 2022 à 14:47, Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> a écrit : The message below has been posted on the fivedash.com home page.
I want to thank everyone who has built or used SoftRock radios, all of
those who have helped others in the group troubleshoot their builds or
software setups, and those who contributed to the design in the early
years. I especially want to thank those who made firmware and software
contributions so that the SoftRock hardware would do a useful function.
It has made my day each time I read one of your messages of success with
or enjoyment from your SoftRock Radio.
I currently have 48 SoftRock RX Ensemble II HF kits and two built RX
Ensemble II HF boards listed for sale on the fivedash.com web site. These
are the last SoftRock boards I have available, and once they are sold, Five
Dash will close. Unfortunately, due to changes in customs rules over the
past few years, I am only able to ship to addresses in the United States.
Thank you again for your support of the SoftRock radio kits over the years.
Tony Parks, KB9YIG
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Randy K7RAN
Andrey (R1CF)
Brent DeWitt