Another use for the excellent softrock 9.0 BFP SDR. – it serves as an
exceptional RFI sniffer.

I did not think of this use initially but sort of stumbled onto it
today. Here’s the story… Hope it's of some use to others.

My daughter had a DVD player that created a ton of noise on 40m when it
was powered on. My s-meter would jump up on 20m a couple of s-units when
that thing was on so we were always at odds on its use. Today I thought
that I would take a look inside and see what’s up.

As it turns out the internal 5V switching PS was the source – no
surprise there…. But I got lucky in that the PS was a single-voltage
5V/1A module. Bypassing that module with an external 5V linear regulated
supply cleaned up the noise very nicely. Checked the baseline s-meter
noise level with the DVD player off – as measured by the rig’s s-meter.
Powered on the DVD player, and looked at the s-meter level which jumped
up a couple of s-units. After replacing the PS with the linear one, the
s-meter values power-on and power-off were unchanged. Mission accomplished.

With this success, I got to thinking about the rest of the house. Would
the SDR work for other potential noise sources in the house… The prior
way I had used to track down the RFI sources in the house is to run the
rig off a battery. Power off the house mains. Observe the rig s-meter
for a baseline v reading on each band. 80/40/20 seems enough. Then
repowering each breaker, one by one, and looking for significant moves
as observed on the s-meter to indicate the region in the house to give
attention to – then by process of elimination, finding the electrical
appliance responsible.

It works but the s-meter is a bit subjective. And unless you have a very
patient observer as a helper jumping band-to-band as you go along, it
involves quite a bit running back & forth from rig to room. In the past,
I had found several badly behaving gadgets with this method. But that
was a year ago. Time to take another look - but its a lot of work so
I've been delaying...

With the SDR sitting on the bench - it occurred to me I could simply put
a pigtail antenna on the SDR and take the entire setup of SDR/PC to each
room. Eliminates the legwork!

And the PowerSDR s-meter response is adjustable (peak, average, etc and
with adjustable hold times). It gives a direct numerical reading instead
of requiring meter interpretation.

Another handy feature of this method is that the type of noise can be
visually observed. Narrow band spurs are not much of a concern for me.
It’s the wider band “hash” type of noise that I am looking to kill off.
So I picked a 5khz BW in the CW part of 80/40/20 – observing the s-meter
level on each band.

So I lugged the laptop/sdr/pigtail antenna into each room. Repeated the
process in each room – positioning the antenna in the center of the
room. And then going to each outlet disconnecting/reconnecting each
electrical gadget.

The search yielded another noisy DVD player and two more switching PS.

73/jeff/ac0c

Clive Lorton wrote:
>
>
>
> Sid Boyce wrote:
>> I shall do my bit, but you have to be cynical over here as what the
>> industry wants, the industry gets. So if there is a chance for the power
>> and associated companies to make money, we stand as much chance of
>> stopping it happening as saving a person from a falling building with
>> wet paper towels.
>> Shamocracy rules!
>> 73 ... Sid.
> There was another similar petition see for Number 10's responce.
> http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19025.
> <http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19025.>
>
> I'll make no comment on it. Just judge for your self.
>
> 73 Clive G8POC
>
Thanks for the pointer - I'm not aware of any manufacturer or importer
being subjected to the kind of EMC scrutiny as has long been established
by Deutche PTT e.g. As a matter of fact where UK entities asked for EMC
specs, we always supplied the document produced by Deutche PTT testers
who certified our products at source before they were allowed into Germany.
When I first started using a BBC Micro in its UK plastic livery for
RTTY, the noise generated was incredible and I had to had to coat the
inside of the case with aluminium foil and graphite to quieten it to a
reasonable level + some ferrites on cables.
My local supplier then opened up a BBC Micro built for the German
market, it was as if it was made to be bomb proof and many times heavier
than our specimens.
Even with PC's in metal cases, I found my Spectrum Analyser module is
useless for other than connecting directly to a TX output via a switched
attenuator box.
73 ... Sid.
--
Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot
Emeritus IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support
Specialist, Cricket Coach
Microsoft Windows Free Zone - Linux used for all Computing Tasks

Neat!

de Paul, W8AEF

ZF2JI/ZF2TA  FO8DX/FO8PLA  8Q7AA  XZ0A  VU7RG  TX5C


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Blaine" <keepwalking188@...>

Subject: [softrock40] Softrock v9.0 w/BPF - Use as an RFI sniffer


> Another use for the excellent softrock 9.0 BFP SDR. – it serves as an
> exceptional RFI sniffer.
>

Hi tony
Do you have one for me...
Tell me and send to money via paypal
The cost is 20 Usd for dx?
tnx
lw3ewz
Gus Andrada

--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "kb9yig" <kb9yig@...> wrote:
>
> Good Afternoon All,
>
> I have a built/tested 40m v6.2 Lite receiver that is extra to my needs. The receiver has a 40m center frequency of about 7.056 MHz and has cables attached to the board. Attached cables include a 3 foot long audio cable with a 1/8 stereo plug on one end for plugging into the line-in jack of a soundcard. Also attached to the board are DC power leads and a short length of RG 174 coax for the 50 ohm antenna connection.
>
> If anyone would like to have the built 40m SDR receiver, I would ask for $20 which would cover the cost of the unit and postage. I would be willing to include with the receiver a second crystal to give a center frequency of about 7.014 MHz.
>
> Thanks and 73,
>
> Tony KB9YIG
>

hi Tony
7055 is good for me
Im aprecdiated your work and effort
tell me the cost
best regards
Gus andrada
lw3ewz

--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Gus,
>
> I could build up a Lite II receiver board for you for 40m.  What center
> frequency would you like, 7.055 MHz or 7.014 MHz?
>
> Thanks and 73,
> Tony Parks
> kb9yig@...
>
>
> On Sat, 2009-05-02 at 13:18 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> >
> >
> > Hi tony
> > Do you have one for me...
> > Tell me and send to money via paypal
> > The cost is 20 Usd for dx?
> > tnx
> > lw3ewz
> > Gus Andrada
> >
> > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "kb9yig" <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Good Afternoon All,
> > >
> > > I have a built/tested 40m v6.2 Lite receiver that is extra to my
> > needs. The receiver has a 40m center frequency of about 7.056 MHz and
> > has cables attached to the board. Attached cables include a 3 foot
> > long audio cable with a 1/8 stereo plug on one end for plugging into
> > the line-in jack of a soundcard. Also attached to the board are DC
> > power leads and a short length of RG 174 coax for the 50 ohm antenna
> > connection.
> > >
> > > If anyone would like to have the built 40m SDR receiver, I would ask
> > for $20 which would cover the cost of the unit and postage. I would be
> > willing to include with the receiver a second crystal to give a center
> > frequency of about 7.014 MHz.
> > >
> > > Thanks and 73,
> > >
> > > Tony KB9YIG
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

hi Tony
7055 is good for me
Im aprecdiated your work and effort
tell me the cost
best regards
Gus andrada
lw3ewz

--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Gus,
>
> I could build up a Lite II receiver board for you for 40m. What center
> frequency would you like, 7.055 MHz or 7.014 MHz?
>
> Thanks and 73,
> Tony Parks
> kb9yig@...
>
>
> On Sat, 2009-05-02 at 13:18 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> >
> >
> > Hi tony
> > Do you have one for me...
> > Tell me and send to money via paypal
> > The cost is 20 Usd for dx?
> > tnx
> > lw3ewz
> > Gus Andrada
> >
> > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "kb9yig" <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Good Afternoon All,
> > >
> > > I have a built/tested 40m v6.2 Lite receiver that is extra to my
> > needs. The receiver has a 40m center frequency of about 7.056 MHz and
> > has cables attached to the board. Attached cables include a 3 foot
> > long audio cable with a 1/8 stereo plug on one end for plugging into
> > the line-in jack of a soundcard. Also attached to the board are DC
> > power leads and a short length of RG 174 coax for the 50 ohm antenna
> > connection.
> > >
> > > If anyone would like to have the built 40m SDR receiver, I would ask
> > for $20 which would cover the cost of the unit and postage. I would be
> > willing to include with the receiver a second crystal to give a center
> > frequency of about 7.014 MHz.
> > >
> > > Thanks and 73,
> > >
> > > Tony KB9YIG
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

J.Melis wrote:
> Dear Tony, As I shall be absent a lot during the summer will you please put me
on NO MAIL

Dear Jan,

You are able to do this yourself by logging into your Yahoo Group, going
to 'Manage My Groups' and then setting the message delivery option to
be no mail.  When you get back, just log back in to 'Manage My Groups'
and turn the mail back on again.

You will be able to do this for all Yahoo Groups that you are a member
of and there is an option to set all of the groups on a screen to the
same option, which saves clicking through all of them.

Hope this helps.

Regards - Dave (G0DJA)

I have been asked to do a Softrock talk again at Central States VHF
Conference in Chicago at the end of July. I have done a number of
these in the past. I have always built Tony's latest and greatest,
applied it to my VHF/UHF station and reported on the results. A
result is a shack full of SoftRocks.

   What "I need from my friends", is your results using Softrocks with
analog receivers watching the receiver IF freq. What analog rig?
What IF freq? What Softrock? Buffer amp used? etc

   In the end, I would like to be able to have several examples of the
Softrocks being used as a panadaptor with analog radios. This is the
easiest way to to integrate a SDR into many VHF/UHF stations.

   You may email me off site (directly) or share. In the end I will
want to contact some of you with requests for photos (screen shots)
etc to be included in the presentation.

   I am using 10m Ver6.2, V6.3, and Ver7 Softrocks with the 28/144 Mhz
IF gear, but nothing with the analog radios IF freq here since my
Collins 75A4 and a WW2 surplus 455kc panadaptor back in the 1960s.


   THANK YOU .. Bill K0AWU EN37ed

--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Sid Boyce <sboyce@...> wrote:
> Linrad seem the closest thing, but setting it up is the problem. I tried
> it yesterday, but I think the problem is the inability to tune the Si570
> via e.g, the UBW.

I might be able to help here. I'm looking at setting up a netbook with dttsp and
encountering the same issues with the software. I've previously written code for
Mac OS X to interface with Tony's I2C board and I'll look at porting this in a
command line utility form to linux.

As for GUIs and tying things together - that's a far longer term project but one
which I've got some thoughts on. Too many projects, so little time!

Dttsp is being developed for performance, one of the recent versions uses only
12-13% cpu on my MSI Wind (Atom N270) so the potential for a portable setup
exists. The key issue seems to be the GUI performance, especially with these
netbooks.

Andrew vk6jbl

hi tony
i have sen pay via paypal
please confirm the recive your pay
thanks very much
73´s
lw3ewz
Gus Andrada
--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Gus,
>
> PayPal $20 to kb9yig@... to get a built/tested 40m Lite II mailed
> within a few days.  The $20 will include the DX postage.
>
> Thanks and 73,
> Tony Parks
> kb9yig@...
>
>
> On Sun, 2009-05-03 at 02:38 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > hi Tony
> > 7055 is good for me
> > Im aprecdiated your work and effort
> > tell me the cost
> > best regards
> > Gus andrada
> > lw3ewz
> >
> > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Gus,
> > >
> > > I could build up a Lite II receiver board for you for 40m. What
> > center
> > > frequency would you like, 7.055 MHz or 7.014 MHz?
> > >
> > > Thanks and 73,
> > > Tony Parks
> > > kb9yig@
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sat, 2009-05-02 at 13:18 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Hi tony
> > > > Do you have one for me...
> > > > Tell me and send to money via paypal
> > > > The cost is 20 Usd for dx?
> > > > tnx
> > > > lw3ewz
> > > > Gus Andrada
> > > >
> > > > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "kb9yig" <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Good Afternoon All,
> > > > >
> > > > > I have a built/tested 40m v6.2 Lite receiver that is extra to my
> > > > needs. The receiver has a 40m center frequency of about 7.056 MHz
> > and
> > > > has cables attached to the board. Attached cables include a 3 foot
> > > > long audio cable with a 1/8 stereo plug on one end for plugging
> > into
> > > > the line-in jack of a soundcard. Also attached to the board are DC
> > > > power leads and a short length of RG 174 coax for the 50 ohm
> > antenna
> > > > connection.
> > > > >
> > > > > If anyone would like to have the built 40m SDR receiver, I would
> > ask
> > > > for $20 which would cover the cost of the unit and postage. I
> > would be
> > > > willing to include with the receiver a second crystal to give a
> > center
> > > > frequency of about 7.014 MHz.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks and 73,
> > > > >
> > > > > Tony KB9YIG
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

hi tony
i have sen pay via paypal
please confirm the recive your pay
thanks very much
73´s
lw3ewz
Gus Andrada
--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Gus,
>
> PayPal $20 to kb9yig@... to get a built/tested 40m Lite II mailed
> within a few days.  The $20 will include the DX postage.
>
> Thanks and 73,
> Tony Parks
> kb9yig@...
>
>
> On Sun, 2009-05-03 at 02:38 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > hi Tony
> > 7055 is good for me
> > Im aprecdiated your work and effort
> > tell me the cost
> > best regards
> > Gus andrada
> > lw3ewz
> >
> > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Gus,
> > >
> > > I could build up a Lite II receiver board for you for 40m. What
> > center
> > > frequency would you like, 7.055 MHz or 7.014 MHz?
> > >
> > > Thanks and 73,
> > > Tony Parks
> > > kb9yig@
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sat, 2009-05-02 at 13:18 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Hi tony
> > > > Do you have one for me...
> > > > Tell me and send to money via paypal
> > > > The cost is 20 Usd for dx?
> > > > tnx
> > > > lw3ewz
> > > > Gus Andrada
> > > >
> > > > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "kb9yig" <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Good Afternoon All,
> > > > >
> > > > > I have a built/tested 40m v6.2 Lite receiver that is extra to my
> > > > needs. The receiver has a 40m center frequency of about 7.056 MHz
> > and
> > > > has cables attached to the board. Attached cables include a 3 foot
> > > > long audio cable with a 1/8 stereo plug on one end for plugging
> > into
> > > > the line-in jack of a soundcard. Also attached to the board are DC
> > > > power leads and a short length of RG 174 coax for the 50 ohm
> > antenna
> > > > connection.
> > > > >
> > > > > If anyone would like to have the built 40m SDR receiver, I would
> > ask
> > > > for $20 which would cover the cost of the unit and postage. I
> > would be
> > > > willing to include with the receiver a second crystal to give a
> > center
> > > > frequency of about 7.014 MHz.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks and 73,
> > > > >
> > > > > Tony KB9YIG
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

In looking at the schematic for this kit, I'm puzzled by the N2PK daughter
board.  It shows two crystals - 28.06 mHz and 28.224 mHz.  The implication is
that the circuit is tuned to an overtone and the resulting output then gets
divided either by 4 or 8 to get down to the required LO frequency.  But I can't
come up with any multiple of these two crystal freqs that when divided gets me
into either the 15m or 17m band.  Can someone help me out here?

Rod, KQ6F

rodbrink15 wrote:
> In looking at the schematic for this kit, I'm puzzled by the N2PK daughter
board.  It shows two crystals - 28.06 mHz and 28.224 mHz.  The implication is
that the circuit is tuned to an overtone and the resulting output then gets
divided either by 4 or 8 to get down to the required LO frequency.  But I can't
come up with any multiple of these two crystal freqs that when divided gets me
into either the 15m or 17m band.  Can someone help me out here?
>
> Rod, KQ6F
>
>
>
Rod:
    The QSD in the Softrock responds to the 3rd harmonic of the LO.
28.06/4*3 = 21.045
    That's also why you need a bpf to filter out the 7 MHz fundamental.

Dave - WB6DHW
<http://wb6dhw.com>

hi tony
i have sen pay via paypal
please confirm the recive your pay
thanks very much
73´s
lw3ewz
Gus Andrada
--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Gus,
>
> PayPal $20 to kb9yig@... to get a built/tested 40m Lite II mailed
> within a few days. The $20 will include the DX postage.
>
> Thanks and 73,
> Tony Parks
> kb9yig@...
>
>
> On Sun, 2009-05-03 at 02:38 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > hi Tony
> > 7055 is good for me
> > Im aprecdiated your work and effort
> > tell me the cost
> > best regards
> > Gus andrada
> > lw3ewz
> >
> > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, Tony Parks <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Gus,
> > >
> > > I could build up a Lite II receiver board for you for 40m. What
> > center
> > > frequency would you like, 7.055 MHz or 7.014 MHz?
> > >
> > > Thanks and 73,
> > > Tony Parks
> > > kb9yig@
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sat, 2009-05-02 at 13:18 +0000, lw3ewz wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Hi tony
> > > > Do you have one for me...
> > > > Tell me and send to money via paypal
> > > > The cost is 20 Usd for dx?
> > > > tnx
> > > > lw3ewz
> > > > Gus Andrada
> > > >
> > > > --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "kb9yig" <kb9yig@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Good Afternoon All,
> > > > >
> > > > > I have a built/tested 40m v6.2 Lite receiver that is extra to my
> > > > needs. The receiver has a 40m center frequency of about 7.056 MHz
> > and
> > > > has cables attached to the board. Attached cables include a 3 foot
> > > > long audio cable with a 1/8 stereo plug on one end for plugging
> > into
> > > > the line-in jack of a soundcard. Also attached to the board are DC
> > > > power leads and a short length of RG 174 coax for the 50 ohm
> > antenna
> > > > connection.
> > > > >
> > > > > If anyone would like to have the built 40m SDR receiver, I would
> > ask
> > > > for $20 which would cover the cost of the unit and postage. I
> > would be
> > > > willing to include with the receiver a second crystal to give a
> > center
> > > > frequency of about 7.014 MHz.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks and 73,
> > > > >
> > > > > Tony KB9YIG
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

----- Original Message -----

From: patbilldavis

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 11:10 AM

Subject: [softrock40] A little help from my friends?

I have been asked to do a Softrock talk again at Central States VHF
Conference in Chicago at the end of July. I have done a number of
these in the past. I have always built Tony's latest and greatest,
applied it to my VHF/UHF station and reported on the results. A
result is a shack full of SoftRocks.

What "I need from my friends", is your results using Softrocks with
analog receivers watching the receiver IF freq. What analog rig?
What IF freq? What Softrock? Buffer amp used? etc

In the end, I would like to be able to have several examples of the
Softrocks being used as a panadaptor with analog radios. This is the
easiest way to to integrate a SDR into many VHF/UHF stations.

You may email me off site (directly) or share. In the end I will
want to contact some of you with requests for photos (screen shots)
etc to be included in the presentation.

I am using 10m Ver6.2, V6.3, and Ver7 Softrocks with the 28/144 Mhz
IF gear, but nothing with the analog radios IF freq here since my
Collins 75A4 and a WW2 surplus 455kc panadaptor back in the 1960s.

THANK YOU .. Bill K0AWU EN37ed

---

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.15/2093 - Release Date: 05/02/09 14:23:00

----- Original Message -----

From: Randall family

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 5:49 PM

Subject: Re: [softrock40] A little help from my friends? To K0AWU

Hello Bill,

I used a Softrock Lite V6.2 with Elecraft K2 IF.  This was used with 2 meter through 1296MHz converters

Modified 40 meter V6.2 model as follows:

    C3 = 120pF

    C4 = 100pF

    C21 = 200pF

    C22 = 3000pF

    JP1 = set for divide by 4

    L1 = stock 40 meter coil.  C21 change makes OK at 4.915 MHz

    T1 = stock 40 meter xfmr.  C22 change makes OK at 4.915 MHz

    X1 = Digikey X984-ND  19.6608 MHz 20 pF crystal.

   L99 = added inductor T25-6 core.   Between 10 and 15 turns of magnet wire as needed. 

 

This crystal caused a weak signal in passband, so I added small L in series with X1 to move frequency down.  Use just enough turns so that you don't here xtal/4 in IF.

 

To tap off signal I used a 220 ohm resistor in series at the input to the noise blanker module.  This resistor fed a 1:1 isolation transformer which fed an MAR3 MMIC.  The MAR3 drives the Softrock board.  I mounted softrock board inside K2 and put 2 RCA jacks on rear panel for IQ "audio" signals.

 

I used an old Dell 500MHz laptop with it's internal sound board, Win98, and WinRad version for Win98.  This worked well although my image rejection in the softtrock was only 15dB or so.  This is good enough to find signals as panadaptor.  The 500MHz computer is not quite fast enough and leaves holes in softrock audio.  It is still a very useful panadaptor!  I can detect beacon signals that I can't hear in K2.  This was easy to setup and just works when you start it up.

 

I later changed to a 2.2GHz win XP machine with Creative Audigy SE sound board.  This allows 96 kHz sample rate instead of 48kHz.  Unfortunately every time I get it working XP kills sound card settings on power down and up & I start alll over again.  Demodulated softrock audio is very good; when it works! 

 

I am one of the stone age people who would like to stay with Win 98, but the modern world won't let me!!!

 

73's & good luck on presentation

Bruce Randall WD4JQV  EM94LV

----- Original Message -----

From: patbilldavis

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 11:10 AM

Subject: [softrock40] A little help from my friends?

I have been asked to do a Softrock talk again at Central States VHF
Conference in Chicago at the end of July. I have done a number of
these in the past. I have always built Tony's latest and greatest,
applied it to my VHF/UHF station and reported on the results. A
result is a shack full of SoftRocks.

What "I need from my friends", is your results using Softrocks with
analog receivers watching the receiver IF freq. What analog rig?
What IF freq? What Softrock? Buffer amp used? etc

In the end, I would like to be able to have several examples of the
Softrocks being used as a panadaptor with analog radios. This is the
easiest way to to integrate a SDR into many VHF/UHF stations.

You may email me off site (directly) or share. In the end I will
want to contact some of you with requests for photos (screen shots)
etc to be included in the presentation.

I am using 10m Ver6.2, V6.3, and Ver7 Softrocks with the 28/144 Mhz
IF gear, but nothing with the analog radios IF freq here since my
Collins 75A4 and a WW2 surplus 455kc panadaptor back in the 1960s.

THANK YOU .. Bill K0AWU EN37ed

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----- Original Message -----

From: Paul Radge

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 12:41 AM

Subject: Re: [softrock40] rxtx v6.1 80/40

an amendment to this post of mine,,

 

i've adjusted the D44 consol panel and now have my 2.5w output there to using PSDRsr40 and a friend of mine can here it several kilometres away at s7 so i'm happy about that.

 

i still can not pass any audio through the system,,,,i have a heil mic connected to the D44 breakout board input which works on my SDR1000 ok but no audio passing through the PSDRsr40.On receive i'm picking up the audio from the speaker output of the breakout board and the pdf set up file for PSDRsr40 suggests i should use the head phones out from the softrock but there's no audio there.

 When i use Rocky audio does come from there though and not the breakout board.

 

another question ,,,

     when i press mox the RTS line does not go high,,,,??,,when i change software to WSJT and press tx RTS does go high so i'm a little lost why PSDR sr40 will not find the com port,,,from using WSJT i know it's com port 1 and i do have that configuration within set up of PSDRsr40 tab ,,,,

 

i also need to know how to do a rx image rejection on the PSDRsr40 as listening tonight on 40m i can see i have a image problem also,,,

 

hoping someone else has already been through this and can help me with these final hurdles

regards

Paul

vk3ddu

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Paul Radge

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, May 02, 2009 5:52 PM

Subject: [softrock40] rxtx v6.1 80/40

Hi all,

          I've recently pulled my v6.1 rxtx back out of the draw for another attempt to get it working,This time i'm using a D44 sound card with Tony's breakout card.The kit is still in test mode ie stting on the bench with cables and wires running here n there ,,i've not connected any audio transformers or 1:1 transformers on the antenna as yet.

 

With Rocky 3.6

It recieves very well and when i put the kit into psk31 mode and with tx activated i can measure over 2 watts on the output so the D44 is a major improvement of where i was at a couple of years ago.

 

The transmitted signal is not on the rx frequency though and is at the LO ,,7.056 on 40m.Wonder if anyone has any helpfull comment son that ????

 

Using SDR v1.9.0 sr40

 Receive is ok ,,only ok as there's another image ie when listenning to a station on 40m i can see an image on the panadapter of the station i'm listenning to,,,when i move to that image it sounds like the upper sideband.

 

When i press tune button i can measure only 1/2 watt on my meter but it is on the frequency i'm listenning to when monitored on a second radio,,,,tune power is set to 100 and drive is set to 100.When i try SSB i can hear my own whistle on the second receiver but thats all.

I have VAC4.09 and com0com so later int he weekend i will a 3rd party digital program,

 

I seem to be stuck as Rocky will give me full power but only on the LO and SDRsr40 will give me very little power at the right frequency.I'd like to think that i've got software issues to resolve and not hardware with the V6.1 rxtx.

 

Any advice more than welcome,,,my CW ears fell off sometime ago so my main goal at the moment is to use the kit on SSB or psk.

 

regards

Paul

vk3ddu

 

 

andrew.nilsson wrote:
>
>
>
> --- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com <mailto:softrock40%40yahoogroups.com>,
> Sid Boyce <sboyce@...> wrote:
>> Linrad seem the closest thing, but setting it up is the problem. I tried
>> it yesterday, but I think the problem is the inability to tune the Si570
>> via e.g, the UBW.
>
> I might be able to help here. I'm looking at setting up a netbook with
> dttsp and encountering the same issues with the software. I've
> previously written code for Mac OS X to interface with Tony's I2C board
> and I'll look at porting this in a command line utility form to linux.
>
> As for GUIs and tying things together - that's a far longer term project
> but one which I've got some thoughts on. Too many projects, so little time!
>
> Dttsp is being developed for performance, one of the recent versions
> uses only 12-13% cpu on my MSI Wind (Atom N270) so the potential for a
> portable setup exists. The key issue seems to be the GUI performance,
> especially with these netbooks.
>
> Andrew vk6jbl
>

That would be very helpful as there is an array of software around, just
getting things to work following a clear route is what's needed. Most
software seems to be HPSDR centric.
Getting jack/qjackctl to work on openSUSE is problematical and I am
thinking of setting up a Kubuntu box soon.
Thanks
73 ... Sid.
--
Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot
Emeritus IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support
Specialist, Cricket Coach
Microsoft Windows Free Zone - Linux used for all Computing Tasks

----- Original Message -----

From: Bill Davis Jr

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 6:24 PM

Subject: RE: [softrock40] A little help from my friends? To K0AWU

THANK YOU Bruce for your email and great details! Do you use Rocky or PowerSDR or Winrad? Any chance you could send me a screen shot or two when in use at VHF/UHF?

Good DX .. 6m open here today,

73  Bill  K0AWU  EN37ed

---

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com
From: brandall@comporium.net
Date: Sun, 3 May 2009 17:51:29 -0400

----- Original Message -----

From: Randall family

To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 5:49 PM

Subject: Re: [softrock40] A little help from my friends? To K0AWU

Hello Bill,

--- K2 IF is 4.915MHz. ---

I used a Softrock Lite V6.2 with Elecraft K2 IF.  This was used with 2 meter through 1296MHz converters

Modified 40 meter V6.2 model as follows:

    C3 = 120pF

    C4 = 100pF

    C21 = 200pF

    C22 = 3000pF

    JP1 = set for divide by 4

    L1 = stock 40 meter coil.  C21 change makes OK at 4.915 MHz

    T1 = stock 40 meter xfmr.  C22 change makes OK at 4.915 MHz

    X1 = Digikey X984-ND  19.6608 MHz 20 pF crystal.

   L99 = added inductor T25-6 core.   Between 10 and 15 turns of magnet wire as needed. 

 

This crystal caused a weak signal in passband, so I added small L in series with X1 to move frequency down.  Use just enough turns so that you don't here xtal/4 in IF.

 

To tap off signal I used a 220 ohm resistor in series at the input to the noise blanker module.  This resistor fed a 1:1 isolation transformer which fed an MAR3 MMIC.  The MAR3 drives the Softrock board.  I mounted softrock board inside K2 and put 2 RCA jacks on rear panel for IQ "audio" signals.

 

I used an old Dell 500MHz laptop with it's internal sound board, Win98, and WinRad version for Win98.  This worked well although my image rejection in the softtrock was only 15dB or so.  This is good enough to find signals as panadaptor.  The 500MHz computer is not quite fast enough and leaves holes in softrock audio.  It is still a very useful panadaptor!  I can detect beacon signals that I can't hear in K2.  This was easy to setup and just works when you start it up.

 

I later changed to a 2.2GHz win XP machine with Creative Audigy SE sound board.  This allows 96 kHz sample rate instead of 48kHz.  Unfortunately every time I get it working XP kills sound card settings on power down and up & I start alll over again.  Demodulated softrock audio is very good; when it works! 

 

I am one of the stone age people who would like to stay with Win 98, but the modern world won't let me!!!

 

73's & good luck on presentation

Bruce Randall WD4JQV  EM94LV

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Hi all,

I was wondering whats the best way to increase the output level of a si570 CMOS
version, I am planning to use it as the VFO in a receiver that has a SBL-1
mixer.

The output level of the CMOS version is not enough to drive the mixer, would a
simple transistor amp work or would it be better to use something else. The
input needs to be around 4v.

Thanks
Kelvin

----- Original Message -----
From: "kcmuthumani" <kelvinm@...>
To: <softrock40@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 5:27 AM
Subject: [softrock40] Si570 CMOS version output voltage level


> Hi all,
>
> I was wondering whats the best way to increase the output level of a si570
> CMOS version, I am planning to use it as the VFO in a receiver that has a
> SBL-1 mixer.
>
> The output level of the CMOS version is not enough to drive the mixer,
> would a simple transistor amp work or would it be better to use something
> else. The input needs to be around 4v.

I'd use an MMIC; an MAR-1 or ERA-1.

Leon
--
Leon Heller
Amateur radio call-sign  G1HSM
Yaesu FT-817ND transceiver
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
leon355@...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "J.Melis" <jan.melis@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Tony, As I shall be absent a lot during the summer will you please put me
on NO MAIL to prevent my mailbox from overflowing. I shall email you when I
return. Regards Jan
>

A transistor would be fine.

73 Kees K5BCQ

---------- Original Message ----------
From: "kcmuthumani" <kelvinm@...>
To: softrock40@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [softrock40] Si570 CMOS version  output voltage level
Date: Mon, 04 May 2009 04:27:25 -0000

Hi all,

I was wondering whats the best way to increase the output level of a si570 CMOS version, I am planning to use it as the VFO in a receiver that has a SBL-1 mixer.

The output level of the CMOS version is not enough to drive the mixer, would a simple transistor amp work or would it be better to use something else. The input needs to be around 4v.

Thanks
Kelvin




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I'm hoping the start SWL after many years - last listened seriously in late
1950's using BC348  so I'm keen to see how things have changed.

I have ordered,as a  self-present for my 70th birthday,from Radioworld UK, kits
for SOFTROCKS SOFTROCK-80-LITE v6.2  and the Software Defined Radio 80m
SOFTROCK-HF-LITE-USB 1.8-30MHz receiver. I could not find a source here in
France ( Nr Brest in Brittany).


Anyhow to get started before the kits arrive I have tried to install Rocky. I
have an HP Media Centre PC with Windows Vista Premium which I would prefer to
use as I can have the Windows menus in both French and English. I downloaded
Rocky zip and it unzipped OK. The programme apppeared to install (desktop icon
OK) but closes during or just after start up.

My installation of Rocky on  an older machine using Windows XP seems to work
fine  but the machine its slower and its Windows menus are only in French -
c'est la vie

Power SDR will load under Vista and appears to work.

Should I stick with it or try to sort Rocky out  - if so any ideas?

Thanks to all of you who have made such progress in ham SDR possible.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Welcome back!

It is unfortunate that you have already ordered the kits from that source, they
are considerably cheaper purchasing directly from Tony, KB9YIG, who produces the
kits.

As far as Rocky and Vista go, I have not tried it myself (Vista free zone here),
but there have been a lot of reported problems concerning sound cards failing to
be recognised by Rocky. Do a 'search' and look back through the older postings
and you should see how others have overcome this.

Rocky is the simplest SDR program to get running, and the one used for testing
during the kit build. Once you find your feet, programs like Winrad and PowerSRD
do offer a lot more facilities. Everyone has their own favourites!

Hope you have as much fun as I have had once you get the kits built,

73, GL, Bob G8VOI




--- In softrock40@yahoogroups.com, "oxleydavid38" <oxley.david@...> wrote:
>
> I'm hoping the start SWL after many years - last listened seriously in late
1950's using BC348  so I'm keen to see how things have changed.
>
> I have ordered,as a  self-present for my 70th birthday,from Radioworld UK,
kits for SOFTROCKS SOFTROCK-80-LITE v6.2  and the Software Defined Radio 80m
SOFTROCK-HF-LITE-USB 1.8-30MHz receiver. I could not find a source here in
France ( Nr Brest in Brittany).
>
>
> Anyhow to get started before the kits arrive I have tried to install Rocky. I
have an HP Media Centre PC with Windows Vista Premium which I would prefer to
use as I can have the Windows menus in both French and English. I downloaded
Rocky zip and it unzipped OK. The programme apppeared to install (desktop icon
OK) but closes during or just after start up.
>
> My installation of Rocky on  an older machine using Windows XP seems to work
fine  but the machine its slower and its Windows menus are only in French -
c'est la vie
>
> Power SDR will load under Vista and appears to work.
>
> Should I stick with it or try to sort Rocky out  - if so any ideas?
>
> Thanks to all of you who have made such progress in ham SDR possible.
>
> Dave
>