Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
Thank you, Kurt, excellent work!
Mirek
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Re: New FW release: Add SAVE STATE and LOAD DEFAULTS to PRESET menu
On Sat, Dec 10, 2022 at 05:07 PM, Toni Ciscar wrote:
If the difficulty is the memory needed, these last state settings could be saved in the startup memory locations.
This will kill the tinySA very quickly, sorry, otherwise I would have do this. ? --
For more info on the tinySA go to https://tinysa.org/wiki/
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Jorge The current tinySA Ultra has the option to be serial line controlled. CONFIG/MORE/CONNECTION/SERIAL The serial port connections are 0-3.3V and are located at the PCB edge clearly marked as GND, RX and TX Just open the case and solder the wires. For the serial commands look here:? Curious to hear how these units will go into space --
For more info on the tinySA go to https://tinysa.org/wiki/
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I require serial port control to stack three (3) TinySA Ultra while controlling them from a PIC32 featuring 3 serial ports
?
Obviously, there is no native option unless someone knows something I do not.
?
I will pay for three ‘custom’ TinySA Ultra units if anyone knows the how-to of discarding the USB, while offering a serial port at N81, 115Kb.? ?USB is NOT an option
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I will ‘sniff’ the serial commands from a PC to the TinySA Ultra to understand how to set them up in real-time, before launch unless the serial inbound and outbound traffic is documented someplace. Is it?
?
Yes, I wrote 'launch'. Did I mention these three units stacked together might find their way to space?
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Re: Attenuators, distance and overload
#tinysa
The wiki says " For best measurements keep input power below -25dBm" for both the original tinySA and the Ultra. But you also don't want to go much lower because the noise floor of the tinySA will limit the dynamic range of your results, so you should aim to be near that number. The Ultra has an LNA, which is useful for testing weak signals like you might find in the front end of a receiver, but you don't want to use the LNA for most tests of a transmitter.
Maintaining high dynamic range in testing is important when you are testing a VHF or UHF transmitter. FCC (and other regulatory agencies outside the US) require 60 dB suppression of harmonics and spurs on those bands; you want the primary signal to be at least that far above the noise floor "grass" so you can see all non-compliant signals.
I get there by using a combination of one or two fixed attenuators (I use a 30dB 20W attenuator for QRP and QRP-adjacent rigs, and add a 20dB 150W attenuator to the chain for rigs with output power higher than 20W) and a step attenuator for testing transmitters. For lower power things like local oscillators the step attenuator alone is enough. The step attenuator can be set in 1 dB steps, allowing the signal level to the tinySA to be set right at the target level.
You can sometimes find attenuators for sale at good prices at hamfests; all of mine were bought that way. You often can't determine the power rating of a surplus step attenuator; I choose to treat them as handling a maximum of?+20 dBm, aka 100 milliwatts, which may be overly conservative but does serve to keep them from getting out of spec over time because of overheating the resistors. Small fixed attenuators like the ones commonly used by cable TV systems have the same issue. Higher power fixed attenuators are usually clearly marked with their maximum power. Some also specify which end is the input; pay attention!
Hello, all. I just received my Tinysa yesterday. I spent several hours playing with it. I’m not an EE, just a ham radio operator. I plan to use the Tiny mostly for:?
* Checking my transmissions for harmonics and spurs. My power levels are always 100w or less on HF, or 1-25 watts on 2m and 70cm.
* “Sniffing” electronic devices for RFI (e.g. wall warts, LED light bulbs)
* Adjusting, troubleshooting and aligning radios.
A couple of practical questions. I have RTFMed, but it's a lot to take in in a day.
* What are best practices to minimize internal spurs in the Tinysa? Keep the signal being measured below how many dBm?
* What is/are the most useful value(s) of attenuator to have around? Known good brands on Amazon, where itks hard to discern between OK stuff and junk?
* Best practices for measuring transmitter harmonics, etc.? For example, is going out in the backyard as far as possible ?from the radio and antenna sufficient? I noticed that when near the radio, even when transmitting into a dummy load, readings appeared contaminated by coupling between the radio itself and the Tiny (using the supplied sma antenna). Ridiculously high harmonics appeared that went away if I reduced power to a couple of watts, or moved the Tiny to another room.
Just trying to get a feel for what is real and what’s not. Thanks in advance.?
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Re: TinySA Ultra and TinySA App
Erik,
? If no quick fix is forth coming for the receive timeout issue, how about updating the "tiny Spectrum Analyzer" application as a temporary solution for those user's that require a long-term PC connection?
? Looks like it would primarily require expanding the application frequency limits, making the LO selectable (tinySA or tinySA Ultra), and making the zero-offset selectable (-128/-174).
? I've run Python automation scripts connected to the tinySA Ultra for hours without interruption, so the timeout issue is related to tinySA-App.
Herb
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Re: TinySA Ultra and TinySA App
My Ultra disconnects after 4 or 5 minutes: ‘RC link timeout .. disconnecting’. (1000 pts/scan & Win 10).
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On Dec 10, 2022, at 7:20 AM, Erik Kaashoek <erik@...> wrote:
?Can you guys connect tinySA-App, open the VNA comms window (click on the USB symbol) and click on "un-paused" so the text becomes "paused" and try if continuous sweep will still hang? --
For more info on the tinySA go to https://tinysa.org/wiki/
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Re: Attenuators, distance and overload
#tinysa
Got it. Thanks to you both.?
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Re: TinySA Ultra - Hardware version "unknown"
Haven't really followed all of this thread, but my tinySA Ultra with
Version: tinySA_v1.3-512-gd99d679 shows HW Version:0.4.5.1
73
Stan
KM4HQE
On 12/10/22 08:45, Erik Kaashoek wrote:
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I've updated the latest release just a few minutes ago. Can you
update and report the value between ()?
--
For more info on the tinySA go to
_._,_._,_
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Re: New FW release: Add SAVE STATE and LOAD DEFAULTS to PRESET menu
-last version 1.3512, it is very useful to be able to select SAVE STATE, thanks Erik, but to works accurate when selected, all the settings of the last state should be saved, like when saving a preset. If the difficulty is the memory needed, these last state settings could be saved in the startup memory locations.
Toni
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
Hi Herb, MirekD and others It is correct I have the facilities to create correction tables beyond 6GHz actually to 18GHz. I am presently working on all the correction tables now the TinySA ULTRA is produced on pick and place machines and not hand soldered as the prototypes was, which has improved some characteristics.
I think it just is a matter of the ULTRA receive correction table and it takes just a split second to swap the original correction table specific for ULTRA (after a prior backup) with a new Ultra trial correction table. It is simply done in the terminal command screen of a terminal emulator program like KiTTY and first read the embedded Ultra correction table (and copy paste it to a text editor as a backup) and then copy paste the new experimental Ultra correction table delivered as a *-txt file Kind regards Kurt ? ? ? On Sat, Dec 10, 2022 at 01:14 PM, Erik Kaashoek wrote: You can change the frequencies in the correction table any way you like, up to any frequency?
? ?The tinySA Ultra is a great platform for experimentation as Erik allows the user access to the correction tables to improve its measurement level and frequency if the user has the prerequisite equipment and technical skill to do so.
? ?Erik is pretty much limited to 6GHz in his home lab, but Kurt Poulsen has a microwave set-up that is to die for and lent his time and expertise in developing the correction tables that are used in the production tinySA Ultra.
? My guess is that ham operators and electronic enthusiasts will see the potential in the tinySA Ultra and articles will start appearing that extend the capability of the tinySA Ultra to 12GHz and above.? The software is an area where a guru could definitely fill a void and build a multi-platform application, such as nanoVNA-Saver, for the tinySA Ultra. Erik has done a fine job modifying Cathy's nanoVNA-App program for the tinySA, but his real expertise is hardware and firmware.? That is the main reason tinySA-App is not as robust as the hardware.
Herb
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
OK, I understand, thanks for the information. I'm sure the TinySA Ultra is an excellent device for HF, UHF and SHF enthusiasts. Certainly something to look forward to!
Mirek
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
On Sat, Dec 10, 2022 at 01:14 PM, Erik Kaashoek wrote:
You can change the frequencies in the correction table any way you like, up to any frequency?
? ?The tinySA Ultra is a great platform for experimentation as Erik allows the user access to the correction tables to improve its measurement level and frequency if the user has the prerequisite equipment and technical skill to do so. ? ?Erik is pretty much limited to 6GHz in his home lab, but Kurt Poulsen has a microwave set-up that is to die for and lent his time and expertise in developing the correction tables that are used in the production tinySA Ultra. ? My guess is that ham operators and electronic enthusiasts will see the potential in the tinySA Ultra and articles will start appearing that extend the capability of the tinySA Ultra to 12GHz and above.? The software is an area where a guru could definitely fill a void and build a multi-platform application, such as nanoVNA-Saver, for the tinySA Ultra. Erik has done a fine job modifying Cathy's nanoVNA-App program for the tinySA, but his real expertise is hardware and firmware.? That is the main reason tinySA-App is not as robust as the hardware. Herb
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I use a USB-A 3.2 Gen1 port. I used the same USB port tonight for upgrading the iinySA Ultra, in the order of 30 seconds, then it was really much faster than updating the tinySA?
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
I would argue for the possibility to calibrate the level directly in the calibration procedure (CONFIG...LEVEL CAL...) with the connection of an RF signal of known level. The correction table would then serve to respect the connected equipment, (cable, amplifier etc).
Mirek
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
Gracias Herb
--
EA1AWY? Javier Muriedas? (Gijón, Asturias, Spain)
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
You can change the frequencies in the correction table any way you like, up to any frequency? --
For more info on the tinySA go to https://tinysa.org/wiki/
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
I would appreciate the ability to calibrate the level to at least 12 GHz, this would take the possibility of using TinySA up a level. At least some users would use it.
Mirek
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Re: Invitation: How high will your tinySA Ultra go?
I agree that caution is needed, but for those who know what they are doing, TinySa Ultra is a good tool for checking frequency multipliers etc. You need to have a broadband power meter in addition to the tinySA. But that is part of the basic equipment of an amateur microwave lab. The same way to work with professional harmonic mixers.
Mirek
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And you may use the 5th harmonic at 150 MHz --
For more info on the tinySA go to https://tinysa.org/wiki/
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Jorge Sanguinetti
Shirley Dulcey KE1L
Peter Klein - KD7MW
Kurt Poulsen