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Date

Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

I found the dissipating shielding material to work better than reflective shielding when using this type of application. I use the nickle version (lossy)and it works surprisingly well. Expensive but works.You don't want to use highly reflective spray like the copper spray since you don't want to create cavity effects inside the case. That said, you still have to work with the big opening of the display. There are some commercial display screens that I am aware of, but you lose the touch screen function.
?
John


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

Hi, this is my good old idea.
I've been trying to? test for over a year. What do you think about applying a layer of copper inside the case, copper coatining.
How much better is that? Has it been tried before? If it is better, how much more expensive would the product be for this improvement?

I heave this spray:
843AR-340G
Conductive Coating, Silver Coated Copper, EMI/RFI/EMF/EMC Shielding, Brown, Aerosol,

On Wed, Dec 25, 2024, 5:46?PM §³§Ó§ñ§ä§à§ã§Ý§Ñ§Ó §®§Ñ§ç§Ñ§ß§î§Ü§à§Ó via <svyatoslavx=[email protected]> wrote:

glue the case with copper foil and don't forget about the display. I have cells with aluminum foil, I didn't have copper at hand, but the result is not very good, in half a meter everything leaks evenly.


§ã§â, 25 §Õ§Ö§Ü. 2024 §Ô., 19:40 Donald Kirk via <wd8dsb=[email protected]>:
Hi Ted (and Erik),
?
I repeated my test and I do notice if I¡¯m close to my wireless router (like 10 feet from it) my TinySA Ultra does pick up my wireless router signals even with my 50 ohm termination on the RF port.? What¡¯s interesting is that my Ultra does not pick up my wireless router signals if I wrap the Ultra in aluminum foil with the aluminum foil in contact with the outside of the RF jack with or without my 50 ohm termination connected and I¡¯m not covering the end (center pin area) of the RF jack with the aluminum foil.? This test indicates that RF is not entering via the RF antenna jack (terminated or unterminated) but rather via the plastic case or screen.

My Ultra was purchased from R&L and totally happy with its performance but this is an interesting issue/topic.

Just FYI,
Don


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

Don
The tinySA shielding is a balance between cost and performance?
Above 1 GHz it is very difficult to have? "perfect" shielding
Feel free to open the case and have a look at the current shielding and feel free to improve the shielding
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

glue the case with copper foil and don't forget about the display. I have cells with aluminum foil, I didn't have copper at hand, but the result is not very good, in half a meter everything leaks evenly.


§ã§â, 25 §Õ§Ö§Ü. 2024 §Ô., 19:40 Donald Kirk via <wd8dsb=[email protected]>:

Hi Ted (and Erik),
?
I repeated my test and I do notice if I¡¯m close to my wireless router (like 10 feet from it) my TinySA Ultra does pick up my wireless router signals even with my 50 ohm termination on the RF port.? What¡¯s interesting is that my Ultra does not pick up my wireless router signals if I wrap the Ultra in aluminum foil with the aluminum foil in contact with the outside of the RF jack with or without my 50 ohm termination connected and I¡¯m not covering the end (center pin area) of the RF jack with the aluminum foil.? This test indicates that RF is not entering via the RF antenna jack (terminated or unterminated) but rather via the plastic case or screen.

My Ultra was purchased from R&L and totally happy with its performance but this is an interesting issue/topic.

Just FYI,
Don


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

Hi Ted (and Erik),
?
I repeated my test and I do notice if I¡¯m close to my wireless router (like 10 feet from it) my TinySA Ultra does pick up my wireless router signals even with my 50 ohm termination on the RF port. ?What¡¯s interesting is that my Ultra does not pick up my wireless router signals if I wrap the Ultra in aluminum foil with the aluminum foil in contact with the outside of the RF jack with or without my 50 ohm termination connected and I¡¯m not covering the end (center pin area) of the RF jack with the aluminum foil. ?This test indicates that RF is not entering via the RF antenna jack (terminated or unterminated) but rather via the plastic case or screen.

My Ultra was purchased from R&L and totally happy with its performance but this is an interesting issue/topic.

Just FYI,
Don


Re: Password required in some wiki Ultra/Ultra+ "Menu details" items

 

The menu details pages still require a lot of maintenance.
When a link is broken you get the "password required" message
?
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to


Password required in some wiki Ultra/Ultra+ "Menu details" items

 

On the wiki, trying to access "menu details" / STORAGE and certain "menu details" /CONFIG items of the tinySA Ultra/Ultra+, leads to password required screen.
It also happens when trying to see the drawings of https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=TinySA4.ATTENUATION
(and maybe somewhere else in the "menu details")
?
Could it be that they are items pending update or editing?
?
Merry Christmas,
Toni


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

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Hello Ted,

This may seem like a long shot, but I would open up the offending TinySA and check the shields are properly located in their clips.
Either way, I would remove any shields, clean their edges with isopropyl alcohol, metho, deoxit, etc then reseat the shields making sure the clips on the pcb engage properly with the edges of the shields. It might pay to take the case off your good unit to use as a visual reference.

I noticed signals in the WiFi band in your photos. I suspect the shield is not properly fitted and the shield and pcb are acting as a slot antenna. Hence the frequency selectiveness.

Like said, a long shot, but worth a try.

HTH...Bob VK2ZRE


On 25/12/2024 3:39 pm, Ted Chesley wrote:

THX for the quick reply Eric and Don. I have done a bit more testing with the units on batt and separated (actually one under test is on and the other off). As in my earlier post one unit has no issues as you describe yours Don, and with the antenna does show a couple bands of traffic within the spectrum under test but at low levels. The other questionable unit shows excessive what looks like ingress that appears to be traffic of some kind in the commercial wifi licensed band in 3ghz. This with a terminated input. Testing with a test reference carrier at 4056GHz, transmitted at -10dbm from 6feet away, both units show it normally in the spectrum under test with the antenna input, and the test carrier is not visible with terminated inputs on either unit. But the traffic still is visible on the one questionable unit.?

Very interesting issue!. Also, in a wide band view, the spikes I called spurs are actually ambient wifi from the close proximity routers, they are always picked up and not any problem.

I have a few more tests to make and plots to take which I¡¯ll report back with Thursday.


On Dec 24, 2024, at 10:55 AM, Erik Kaashoek <erik@...> wrote:

?
The LO of one tinySA will cause spurs on the other tinySA.
Can you test if they are far apart
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

THX for the quick reply Eric and Don. I have done a bit more testing with the units on batt and separated (actually one under test is on and the other off). As in my earlier post one unit has no issues as you describe yours Don, and with the antenna does show a couple bands of traffic within the spectrum under test but at low levels. The other questionable unit shows excessive what looks like ingress that appears to be traffic of some kind in the commercial wifi licensed band in 3ghz. This with a terminated input. Testing with a test reference carrier at 4056GHz, transmitted at -10dbm from 6feet away, both units show it normally in the spectrum under test with the antenna input, and the test carrier is not visible with terminated inputs on either unit. But the traffic still is visible on the one questionable unit.?

Very interesting issue!. Also, in a wide band view, the spikes I called spurs are actually ambient wifi from the close proximity routers, they are always picked up and not any problem.

I have a few more tests to make and plots to take which I¡¯ll report back with Thursday.


On Dec 24, 2024, at 10:55 AM, Erik Kaashoek <erik@...> wrote:

?
The LO of one tinySA will cause spurs on the other tinySA.
Can you test if they are far apart
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

The LO of one tinySA will cause spurs on the other tinySA.
Can you test if they are far apart
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to


Re: What is the rise/fall time of the calibration output

 

For your purposes it will be better suited a avalanche pulse generator.


Re: Internal Spurs in Ultras

 

Hi Ted,
?
I just tested my TinySA Ultra using same setup parameters that you used and mine shows no spurs. ?I have the RF port terminated with my 50 ohm calibration load.
?
My unit is running old software 1.4083. ?My unit is running on batteries, no USB cable connected to it.
?
Just FYI,
Don


Re: What is the rise/fall time of the calibration output

 

Yes
At least within the spec constant?
?
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to


Re: What is the rise/fall time of the calibration output

 

Ah ok, it's a single point calibration. Any slope from 30MHz to 6GHZ is assumed to be constant?


Re: What is the rise/fall time of the calibration output

 

The rise/fall time of the CAL output is unspecif
As only the known power level of the fundamental is used in the calibration process the variation in harmonic levels is not relevant
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to


What is the rise/fall time of the calibration output

 

I want to use the square wave signal from the cal output to measure my scope's risetime. When I loop back the calibration signal (30MHz) and measure the harmonics with SA ultra, I see some deviation from the expected 1/N amplitude. Since this output is used as level calibration, there must be some correction done during selftest to correct the limited bandwidth.
I don't have any RF measurement equipment other that the TinySA Ultra, hence the question :-)


Re: Tiny Ultra fail in signal generator mode

 

?
?
On Tue, Dec 24, 2024 at 09:32 AM, Bob Goodrich wrote:

Cable is good.
Is this the switch??? Is there a U number? What is part number?
Did I kill it by sending -18.5 dbm into a 50 ohm load?
Thank you for your help.
?
?


Re: Tiny Ultra fail in signal generator mode

 

I believe the culprit behind your TinySA's failure is the Y-capacitor in the USB power supply.


Re: Tiny Ultra fail in signal generator mode

 

Cable is good.
Is this the switch??? Is there a U number? What is part number?
Did I kill it by sending -18.5 dbm into a 50 ohm load?
Thank you for your help.
?
?


Re: Tiny Ultra fail in signal generator mode

 

Please check that the cable is working properly, otherwise the RF switch on the RF port has been damaged.