I own two Ultra units.? Both measured the same level of -36.0 dBm on a Siglent scope in FFT spectrum analyzer mode.?

Measured -34.8dBm on an old HP-8553B after calibration using the 30MHz CAL output from the HP-8552B IF section.

On Wed, Dec 27, 2023 at 11:14 AM, Hans Boon wrote:

Erik,
I like the way in which the SD card is accessible on the Lite_VNA64.
No need for touching the card in the device.

Hope you may be able to implement the function.

? ?DiSlord re-wrote the original operating system used by the liteVNA64 over a period of months. The revised operating system allows a PC to see the liteVNA64 SD card as an external drive. You might notice that he did not do the same for the NanoVNA-H4, which shares an operating system similar to the Ultra.? The Ultra certainly has enough memory to accommodate the required change in operating systems, but the required time and effort is daunting and would require a long period of beta testing to ensure it didn't introduce bugs that break legacy operation.? Erik's current high level of support for the tinySA, Ultra, and any current development on future products most likely does not leave time for an operating system re-write.

Herb

Erik,
I like the way in which the SD card is accessible on the Lite_VNA64.
No need for touching the card in the device.

Hope you may be able to implement the function.

Regards,

Hans, pa2hbn

Herb, that is wishful thinking! Ya know that in practice you usually find issues, some can be fixed and some others just can't... For example: "stupid"....

I recorded -36.2 dBm on my Anritsu MS2720T. TinySA Ultra was just charged and green LED was showing.

On Wed, Dec 27, 2023 at 09:59 AM, Prawlin wrote:

But TBH that post might as well have been written in Klingon speak for me. I have no idea about such stuff.
For me it would have to be plug and play, click and drag etc.?

Python is a great language to learn for both hobby and business use.? I didn't learn Python until I purchased my first tinySA and now I can at least run any provided script without too much trouble.? At 69 years of age, if I can pick up the basics then I suspect anyone can.

Herb

On Wed, Dec 27, 2023 at 09:48 AM, Stuart Landau wrote:

?

I just measured the calibrator at 30 MHz on my mini ultra using my Mini-Circuits Pwr sens 4GHS USB power meter. Using averaging, it reads -33.32 dBm.

?

This is a very accurate meter. I did not use a cable between the Ultra and the sensor, just one microwave-type N to SMA adapter. I will cross-check against an HP sensor later in the day.?

?

?

Stuart,
? In order to perform level calibration at much higher frequencies, the 30MHz calibration output is rich in harmonics and therefore a power meter will not provide an accurate reading for 30MHz ( the power sensor will integrate 30MHz and all other harmonics ).? You could try using a 30MHz LPF between the calibrator output and the Ultra input and you should get a reading closer to -35dBm.

Herb

Thanks Herb. But TBH that post might as well have been written in Klingon speak for me. I have no idea about such stuff.
For me it would have to be plug and play, click and drag etc. ?Cheers. Peter.?

On Wed, Dec 27, 2023 at 06:57 AM, Prawlin wrote:

.... Whilst on this topic, I don’t like constantly pulling micro SD cards. Is there a way to read out the card files via the USB C

The Ultra provides the following console commands for managing files on the SD card from a PC:

sd_delete? ? ??usage: sd_delete {filename}

sd_list? ? ??? ? ? ? usage: sd_list

sd_read? ? ??usage: sd_read {filename}

An example of using "sd_list" from a serial terminal on my computer (The number after the file names is the file size in bytes):

Sd_list

SA_000101_023819.bmp 307270

SA_230113_123131.csv 12079

WIFI.bnd 76

3-27-2023.cfg 2664

31MAR23_ANTENNA.csv 12079

01APR23_ANTENNA.csv 12087

TRACE1_LIMIT-LINES.bmp 307322

CISPR.bnd 106

4-30-2023.cfg 2672

5-11-23.cfg 2672

TEST.cfg 2672

?

5-11-2023.cfg 2672

Using the attached Python script for?the Ultra, provided by Erik as an elementary example class library, a plot can be transferred from the Ultra to a PC without removing the SD card. The following examples list all the bmp files on the Ultra SD card and save "1.bmp" to "C:\Temp" on my PC.? The script is a quick re-write of tinysa.py, and as such, is not well commented and does not provide error checking.? There are Python experts in the group who can probably answer any questions you might have about running the scripts.? Martin may have already added the SD management features to his GitHub utility application.?

[C:\tinySA4\Scripts]python tinysa4.py -l *.bmp

0.bmp 307322

1.bmp 307322

?

?

[C:\tinySA4\Scripts]python tinysa4.py -r 1.bmp C:\Temp\1.bmp

307322

Herb

Thanks Erik. I’m certain it would be a popular feature if it could ever be developed. As said, micro SD cards are pretty fragile and frequently pulling them isn’t a pleasant experience even when it all works.?

Thanks for everything you do (and have clearly done!). The TInySA Ultra is truly amazing. Peter.?

Thanks all for the feedback.

I guess that even if you don't have an Android phone then it might pay to purchase
a cheap used one just to use it as an SDCARD formatter ?

Useful not only for our Tiny SA's but for other stuff too.

Unrelated, I did my 2nd firmware upgrade today.

No problems using DFU util on my Linux box.

I've cobbled together a webpage today reviewing the Tiny SA Ultra.



That should be enough to get users started or interested in these excellent devices.

73 de Andy

On Wed, Dec 27, 2023 at 06:57 AM, Prawlin wrote:

Whilst on this topic, I don’t like constantly pulling micro SD cards. Is there a way to read out the card files via the USB C?

Not yet
?
--

Thanks Andy. A Novel tip, however I’m on Apple phones here ?(no memory card functionality) ?.
I do have an old android Lenovo tablet that I rarely use so I might try that? (If I can figure out how…. I really struggle doing anything on Android as I’m too utterly brainwashed on decades of Apple ?)

Anyway the main thing is my great new toy doesn’t appear to be damaged. I can soon buy spare SDs if needed. Not worried about the few files I lost. I can re capture fairly easily.?

Thanks and regards. Peter.?

开云体育

Yes Andy, my experience too. Not so much with reformatting in a phone, but with Windows. Windows reads the read only flags on the SD and obeys.
Phones, Linux, Media boxes with DVR etc all seem to reformat and play nicely.
I also use HPUSB-4-WIN.exe in windows which sometimes plays nicely, and Gnome-disk-utility in Linux to delete partitions and rewrite them.
hth, 73 es HNY

Thanks Martin. Luckily I did have a spare uSD 32GB (Kingston make) card lying around. Also it is already formatted as FAT.
So I deleted all the files from it, then put it in the TInySA Ultra. Phew! It seems to function normally again. I saved a test capture and can view it on PC as expected. So it looks like the original card is simply faulty.?

I tried formatting the original card in PC but all format attempts fail. I also tried using the famous SD Formatter app which is supposed to be the best, but zilch. So the supplied SD is toast seemingly. I’ll leave the Kingston SD in the SA now.

Whilst on this topic, I don’t like constantly pulling micro SD cards. Is there a way to read out the card files via the USB C?

Again I could just try it but would rather know before I mess anything else up. It might be super easy that way?

And finally are there any specific sizes or types or formats of micro SD card required in Tiny SA Ultra for future use, or will it just take anything? ?Thanks again. Peter.?

I think we have all experienced SD card problems over the years.

Sometimes I find reformatting or recovery tools work, but it's still a bit
hit and miss if they work.

However I have been discovering that the best way to sort out a corrupt
SD CARD is actually your cell phone ;-)

I'm no expert but I'm convinced that the reformatters in my Android phones
appear to be able to write to certain hidden memory areas or reset hidden
flags somehow.

I guess there might be some collusion between phone makers and sd card
manufacturers for this stuff, since the industry relies heavily on the two
working together, and that if there were too many failures then it would
soon get a bad reputation / bad for business. Well that's my theory.

When all my other utils fail, I end up shoving the bad sd cards in my phone
and reformat them in the phone.

So far it's been quite revealing how much more reliable this method has been.

YMMV.

73 de Andy

I'd try a different card.

Unfortunately, uSD cards tend to be pretty fragile and can easily become corrupted.

There are various SD card recovery tools (normally used for digital photos), if you want to try and save some of your previous captures.

Reformatting may make the card usable again, but you will lose the existing data.

Regards,

Martin

Hi. Help please.

I’ve had my genuine Tiny CT Ultra for a couple of weeks now. All going extremely well until today.
I have been saving/loading settings and captures to the supplied SD card from the start with no problems.

Today I wanted to copy a capture shot to my pc. So put the SD into my PC and it was recognised normally (I am used to inserting micro SD cards regularly so I know the card reader is good). Yet if look onto the card in W10 there’s no files visible except a uupd.bin 32,768 KB dated 10/12/2012

It was apparently working fine and there was a few captures etc saved and visible on the card until before I pulled it out of the TInySA. (Yes I did shut down the TInySA BEFORE pulling the card)
Now when I put it back into the Tiny SA the SD symbol lower left goes green as is normal but if I try to load or save it comes up with No Card.?

If I view the card properties in W10 it shows File system FAT. Free space 1.86GB
I tried saving a small file to the SD on my PC. It appeared to save ok, but when I reinserted the SD into PC the file was gone.

So it looks like the few files I had on the card are lost unfortunately. What should I do now? Format the card? Try another SD card? If so what format file system should I use to prepare the new SD card. Is there a card format command on the Tiny SA Ultra?

Any advice welcome please. I don’t want to experiment blindly and risk making things any worse. TINY SA Ultra appears to be working normally, but now refuses to see the card.

Thanks and regards Peter.