Re: longshot, but hoping someone can help with this
Hi Jon,
You might considerghpsdr3-alex using QtRadio. <>
73,
Rob
KL7NA
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On 5/31/21 7:28 AM, JonI via groups.io wrote: CAUTION: This email originated from outside the Walla Walla University email system.
Because the Softrock and associated PC are in an isolated room in the
house, to keep everything in close proximity to the antenna, my radio
servicing lab, etc etc, I have been trying to form a remote connection
between where I use my laptop and the desktop where the SDR is. The
Softrock desktop has Win 7 and my laptops have Ubuntu 18.04. Yesterday,
I found a Ubuntu program that allowed the link called Remmina.? It
allows use of RDP (remote desktop protocol) that Win uses and, after a
few hours, got the link made between the laptop and desktop. However,
there's one thing missing: sound.? While I can remotely play a sound
file on the Win desktop and hear it through the laptop, as well as any
Win made sounds, I am unable to transfer any sound from HDSDR. It's not
a complete deal breaker as I could run an extended speaker wire out to
where I use the laptop, but I would rather avoid it if possible.
Any ideas as to how to transfer the sound would be welcome and thanks in
advance.
Jon
--
Rob Frohne, Ph.D. P.E.
E. F. Cross School of Engineering
Walla Walla University
100 SW 4th Street
College Place, WA 99362
(509) 527-2075
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longshot, but hoping someone can help with this
Because the Softrock and associated PC are in an isolated room in the house, to keep everything in close proximity to the antenna, my radio servicing lab, etc etc, I have been trying to form a remote connection between where I use my laptop and the desktop where the SDR is.? The Softrock desktop has Win 7 and my laptops have Ubuntu 18.04.? Yesterday, I found a Ubuntu program that allowed the link called Remmina.? It allows use of RDP (remote desktop protocol) that Win uses and, after a few hours, got the link made between the laptop and desktop.? However, there's one thing missing: sound.? While I can remotely play a sound file on the Win desktop and hear it through the laptop, as well as any Win made sounds, I am unable to transfer any sound from HDSDR.? It's not a complete deal breaker as I could run an extended speaker wire out to where I use the laptop, but I would rather avoid it if possible.
Any ideas as to how to transfer the sound would be welcome and thanks in advance.
Jon
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Re: Softrock power supply
The transformer wall warts are not regulated and will output circa 1.4X the rated voltage at no load, so “12V” has 16V output at the very low current draw of a Softrock Ensemble RX. A “9V” wall wart has circa 12V output at low current. I had to try several before finding one that had relatively clean output, then added a 1000uF cap on the output to reduce the ripple, and a common mode toroid choke on the DC wire to reduce RF coming from the power line. After that, it worked fine.
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On May 29, 2021, at 6:58 PM, JonI via groups.io <ji425bt@...> wrote:
Guys, I probably should have asked this years ago, but what power supply do you use for your Softrock? I have both "wall wart" switching units and transformer type. Right now, I've been using a heavily filtered 12V switching "wall wart", but I'd like to switch that out to a transformer type. Problem is that most of the transformer wall warts in my arsenal put out way more than their marked voltage. Is there something on the market maybe that's cheap and would do the job? The unit doesn't use much current so no sense in overkill supplies like my ham transceiver uses. Thanks!
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Guys, I probably should have asked this years ago, but what power supply do you use for your Softrock?? I have both "wall wart" switching units and transformer type.? Right now, I've been using a heavily filtered 12V switching "wall wart", but I'd like to switch that out to a transformer type.? Problem is that most of the transformer wall warts in my arsenal put out way more than their marked voltage.? Is there something on the market maybe that's cheap and would do the job?? The unit doesn't use much current so no sense in overkill supplies like my ham transceiver uses.? Thanks!
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Softrock Ensemble and uBtix
I wanted to make my Softrock ensemble cover all HF bands and increase the power output. I modified the Softrock so it could be used on all HF bands, and connected it to a uBitx that I was no longer using, using the uBitx RF output stage LPFs and retaining the uBtix Arduino to control the uBitx. The way the uBitx is designed, it is easy to have a different supply voltage (keep it under 25 volts unless you want to change the aluminum bypass caps). I changed the IRF510s in the uBitx RF output stage to IRF520s and increased the output amplifier supply voltage to 19 volts. With this configuration, I have up to 52 watts rms output. I have attached my schematics and design notes. More work can be done to get a more uniform (and higher) power across the bands, but I am moving on to other projects now. Maybe I will get back to this project later. I will upload my schematics and design notes for those who are interested.
73 Howard, W2HFF
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Re: Soft rock 30/20 v. 6.2 - PTT question
What plugs into the PTT line on the Softrock 30/20 v6.2 board? A +ve signal from a COM port. Controlled by the SDR software. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Soft rock 30/20 v. 6.2 - PTT question
What plugs into the PTT line on the Softrock 30/20 v6.2 board?
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Re: lightning protection suggestions?
Some kind of choke or balun at the bnc that has dc ground will be protective to static and is a minimum. Lightning protection is difficult but you might look at various lightning protection like arc protection like Alpha Delta coax switches provide.
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Re: please help me with Softrock Ensemble RX II interference source
Hi Alan,
No, stereo mix/ mic, etc are not active.? I've turned off everything except what the card and SDR use.? Next step will be to switch out the SDRs since I have an identical one here.? See if it has these areas of interference too.
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On 5/23/21 12:07 PM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote: it seems like an echo or reverb effect of some kind. If I unplug the one of the audio into connections into the SDR and tap, it's like I can hear the taps echoing on whatever frequency where the interference appears.? Thus, I've been trying to see if there's some sort of audio processing enabled somewhere in the audio software,
Jon,
This seems like you have a microphone active?
Or, I wonder if you have "Stereo Mix" or, "Listen to this Device" set in Sound Properties or somewhere. This gives an echo effect.
It will not change with SDR software, certainly there is no way to make HDSDR produce this effect.
73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: please help me with Softrock Ensemble RX II interference source
it seems like an echo or reverb effect of some kind. If I unplug the one of the audio into connections into the SDR and tap, it's like I can hear the taps echoing on whatever frequency where the interference appears.? Thus, I've been trying to see if there's some sort of audio processing enabled somewhere in the audio software, Jon, This seems like you have a microphone active? Or, I wonder if you have "Stereo Mix" or, "Listen to this Device" set in Sound Properties or somewhere. This gives an echo effect. It will not change with SDR software, certainly there is no way to make HDSDR produce this effect. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: please help me with Softrock Ensemble RX II interference source
I tried to tackle the remaining interference today.? So far, no success.? It of course disappears if I unplug the connection from the sound card to the SDR.
When I tune into those frequency spans where I am hearing it, I noticed something today: it seems like an echo or reverb effect of some kind.? If I unplug the one of the audio into connections into the SDR and tap, it's like I can hear the taps echoing on whatever frequency where the interference appears.? Thus, I've been trying to see if there's some sort of audio processing enabled somewhere in the audio software, but so far nothing seems out of the ordinary.? Plus the fact that this behavior is only happening at certain frequencies.
Two things I'm going to try today are to update the audio card drivers and maybe try something other than HDSDR.? It all runs under Win 7 and looks like some of the other programs need NET frameworks higher than the one I have for HDSDR.
Jon
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On 5/21/21 3:20 PM, vbifyz wrote: The important connection where the ground loop current is transformed into the interference voltage is from the SR audio output to the soundcard input.
Try using a VERY short audio cable, with good ground connection. I ended up using a separate short thick ground wire going in parallel with the audio connection.
As for the QRM in the video, looks like the PC power supply to me.
I only use linear wall warts with Softrock, it is difficult to find a quiet 12V small switching supply.
73, Mike AF7KR
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lightning protection suggestions?
A few weeks ago, I finally put up a random wire for the Softrock. It has made a big difference in reception over both a simple passive indoor loop and an attic dipole.? It is made with thin magnet wire, #26 or so. ? However, with warming temps here now comes the possibility of thunderstorms.? I basically have the end of the wire coming up to a BNC and soldered to the center.? To take off strain, the wire is first taped to the RG58 coax.? The BNC has the center random wire and the ground goes to the closest ground rod with a thick copper wire.? I'm wondering how to protect this simple system against static/ lightning?? Thanks!
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Re: have not been able to get the LF Ensemble RX II working correctly in HDSDR
Actually, I figured it out.? All this time, it appears I've had the HF and not the LF second unit.? A simple counting of the turns of the bandpass filters was the answer.
Sorry to waste folks time here as I thought I really had the LF, but must have ordered two HF versions at the time.
Jon
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On 5/22/21 8:54 AM, JonI via groups.io wrote: Hi Alan,
It was a Tony Parks build.? Ordered it probably a decade ago.? I was supposed to have two units, one for HF the other LF.? Here's an image of the components if that's any help:
Thanks,
Jon
On 5/22/21 2:36 AM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote:
I changed this value to 4 for both and now AM broadcast seems right on frequency... except I can't tune below like the upper 700 Khz range. Jon,
Then it is constructed as a normal HF Ensemble.
Has it the extra chip? If so then there must be a link to make or break.
73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: have not been able to get the LF Ensemble RX II working correctly in HDSDR
I changed this value to 4 for both and now AM broadcast seems right on frequency... except I can't tune below like the upper 700 Khz range. Jon, Then it is constructed as a normal HF Ensemble. Has it the extra chip? If so then there must be a link to make or break. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: Softrock on Raspberry Pi
That's not unusual ...? the name is from the
What's important is that lsusb shows its correct VID/PID of 16c0:05dc
------------------------------------------------------------------- CUT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copy and paste the next to /etc/udev/rules.d/99-softrock.rules
----------------------------------------------------------------- CUT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ACTION=="add", ATTR{idVendor}=="16c0", ATTR{idProduct}=="05dc", MODE="0666", GROUP="dialout", SYMLINK+="softrock"
---------------------------------------------------------------- CUT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
73 ... Sid.
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On 20/05/2021 22:59, Charles Webb via groups.io wrote: I apologize to all.
On a raspberry pi in a shell type "lsusb" and you should see this when the softrock is plugged in:
"Van Ooijen Technische Informatica shared ID for use with libusb"
This is what I see on my Raspberry Pi 4b.
This will be an interesting path for me to explore.
-- 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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Re: please help me with Softrock Ensemble RX II interference source
Much of that interference has been reduced, but not all.? Big step was making sure to place ferrite snap cores around all the cables.? I tried both a linear based power supply and switching with no difference as each has the two ferrite cores.? What might be done about the PC supply (other than changing it as I don't have? a spare)?
I'll see if I can give the short audio cord a try.
Thanks,
Jon
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On 5/21/21 3:20 PM, vbifyz wrote: The important connection where the ground loop current is transformed into the interference voltage is from the SR audio output to the soundcard input.
Try using a VERY short audio cable, with good ground connection. I ended up using a separate short thick ground wire going in parallel with the audio connection.
As for the QRM in the video, looks like the PC power supply to me.
I only use linear wall warts with Softrock, it is difficult to find a quiet 12V small switching supply.
73, Mike AF7KR
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Re: please help me with Softrock Ensemble RX II interference source
The important connection where the ground loop current is transformed into the interference voltage is from the SR audio output to the soundcard input.
Try using a VERY short audio cable, with good ground connection. I ended up using a separate short thick ground wire going in parallel with the audio connection.
As for the QRM in the video, looks like the PC power supply to me.
I only use linear wall warts with Softrock, it is difficult to find a quiet 12V small switching supply.
73, Mike AF7KR
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Re: have not been able to get the LF Ensemble RX II working correctly in HDSDR
I have been using the LF, HF and VHF (built for 144 MHz) versions of the
Ensemble II receiver. They all work well. But I have been using mostly SDR#
(SDR Sharp) as the program. I'll check what settings I am using for LF and
HF later.
73, Zack W9SZ
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On Fri, May 21, 2021 at 12:50 PM Alan G4ZFQ <alan4alan@...> wrote: . I also just set the LO multipliers to 16 (both of them), butI
think this made the tune way more sensitive,not sure. Here's a videoof
what I see:
Thanks,
Jon,
I can not see clearly but somehow you have an extra /4.
The ABPF tab appears to have a figure in the Calculation column. It
should be none.
73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: have not been able to get the LF Ensemble RX II working correctly in HDSDR
.? I also just set the LO multipliers to 16 (both of them), butI think this made the tune way more sensitive,not sure.? Here's a videoof what I see:
Thanks,
Jon, I can not see clearly but somehow you have an extra /4. The ABPF tab appears to have a figure in the Calculation column. It should be none. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Re: Softrock Ensemble II and Raspberry Pi
Bob
Although I didn't? get the transmit working properly on the Raspberry Pi I used the same setup? and procedure on a laptop with a Startech usb soundcard? and Linux? Mint and that appeared to? be successful. I do get? an annoying peak in the centre of? the display with Quisk, I'm not sure if it can be eliminated.
I'll have to? set it up? again and check it out.
Don m5aky
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Rob Frohne (KL7NA)
oobie doobie
Chuck ke9uw