Curt,
Please give a complete description on this whole thing..I am not
familiar with the SDR stuff at all.
73,
Lee
-----Original Message-----
From: Curt <cptc...@flash.net>
To: drakelist <drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Sent: Thu, Feb 9, 2012 3:25 pm
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] pan adapter
Hi Henry:
It will do exactly as you described...perfect for viewing the nearby
part of the band. The SDR will show much more than 20Khz. I think the
preselector in my a version was not very sharp, and the SDR was plenty
sensitive.
It takes very little coupling to make it work. I never did even take
the time to put in any active isolation..ie a FET isolator, and just
used a couple of twisted turns of wire around one of the tube leads to
the IF input filter. I can show the exact spot later when I get home
if
nec.
Think I used only a couple of twists and a 10pf blocking cap.
Curt
On 2/9/2012 3:04 PM, kc9...@aol.com wrote:
Henry,
I for one...am interested in the outcome.
Time for a fun, inexpensive project here. Hi, Hi,
73,
Lee, KC9CDT
-----Original Message-----
From: Henry Vredegoor <henry.vredeg...@gmail.com>
To: Drakelist <Drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Sent: Thu, Feb 9, 2012 2:51 pm
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] pan adapter
Hi Garey, Curt,All,
I was thinking to do the same, assuming the preselector would have a
(much) wider pass-band!
Is it really that narrow, only 20 kHz ?
In that case I think it could be that the reception in the Softrock
would benefit a lot from such good preselection! ;-D
But that's not the goal here, it's main function would be a
panadapter
/ spectrum display.
Although it may be only 20 kHz wide, I think it could give you useful
visual info as an extra on the "surrounding" signals wrt. QRM etc.,
the radio function as an extra.
I will do an experiment tonight, tapping the first IF with my
OpenHPSDR Mercury SDR receiver.
Curious how this works in my temporary QRM swamped (24/7 S9+ dB! )
QTH.
I think the Softrock Ensemble is overkill in this application as a
panorama adapter.
The now "reissued", very cheap ($19), very small Softrock 40, adapted
for 5.645 MHz would be adequate to function as a spectrum display.
http://www.kb9yig.com/images/srlite2.jpg
Good tip about the isolation between the Softrock and the Drake-IF.
Regards,
Henry - PA0HJA.
On 2/9/2012 4:56 PM, Garey Barrell wrote:
Curt -
OK. Nothing wrong with FUN!! :-)
If you're only looking for a 5 - 10 kHz window, then the Preselector
won't be a problem except perhaps on 80 / 40M. It's not a steep
skirt, so would still be useful further out.
The Ensemble really is a cool little receiver. Tony and the rest
have
done an outstanding job!
73, Garey - K4OAH
Glen Allen, VA
Drake 2-B, 2-C/2-NT, 4-A, 4-B, C-Line
and TR-4/C Service Supplement CDs
<www.k4oah.com>
Curt wrote:
Hi Garey:
Yes points well taken. In my case, I did this before the ensemble
was
available. Had I had that
availability, I would have chosen to go that way as well.
It does work well tho. I didn't see much of an issue at all with the
limitation from the
preselector. In practice, I was simply looking at perhaps +/- 5-10
KHz when in CW sprint mode.
I liked the filtering so well in the SDR, that I worked a couple of
CW
sprints using the output
only from the SDR instead of the Drake mother Rx. Issues there were
the delay and lack of a good
mute method.
Overall, it was a simple thing, no harm done to the Drake, a good
learning exercise, but the lack
of tracking ability for the center frequency really limits the real
Panadapter concept.
Mine was in an external, diecast shield box, so I did not have any
issues with radiation from the
SDR.
All over again, would just build the Ensemble like you suggest.
Fun tho.
Curt
KU8L
On 2/9/2012 9:44 AM, Garey Barrell wrote:
Curt -
I guess I'm missing the objective here. I have several SoftRocks,
Ensemble, etc., and the
biggest 'feature' they offer is the ability to see large chunks ( 48,
96 or 192 kHz ) at a time.
If you tap off in front of the roofing filter, 5.645 MHz 1st IF, all
you are gaining is an RF
stage and mechanically tuned LO. Your widest 'window' is 20 kHz
because of the PreSelector
bandwidth.
It makes sense with one of the modern radios with octave filtering in
the front end so you CAN
see the entire 48 or 96 kHz capability of the SR. I just can't see
the advantage of putting a
state-of-the-art, computer controlled receiver BEHIND a mechanically
tuned, 50 year old front end.
I guess I just don't understand the objective unless it's just all
the
IF bandwidths, etc. Seems
to me a much better option is to just go with the Ensemble and get 1-
30 MHz continuous coverage,
tunable from the PowerSDR or other screen. I can't hear anything on
any of the Drakes that I
can't hear on the Ensemble, being limited by 'atmospherics' rather
than noise figure.
The Ensemble in it's little QSL sized case just sits there and
receives everything, all under the
computer control. ??????
73, Garey - K4OAH
Glen Allen, VA
Drake 2-B, 2-C/2-NT, 4-A, 4-B, C-Line
and TR-4/C Service Supplement CDs
<www.k4oah.com>
Curt wrote:
Hi Carey:
I did exactly that a few years ago with my a version. It works
really
well and is a excellent
way to get involved with SDR, the Software, and get a panadapter
along
the way.
You need to get the proper IF version softrock. The SDR needs to be
tapped off of the 1st IF
before the filtering. The SDR needs to be able to see unfiltered RF
at the IF frequency.
You need as good a Soundcard as you can afford. The Delta44 is one
of
the ones widely used.
The connection to the main Rx is a bit touchy. I used a gimmick and
a
small cap but that is
less than ideal. Clifton Labs offers a isolator on a small board
that
is the real answer.
The Softrock for the IF will be different. The coils are different
as
is the crystal. Tony
Parks was good about answering questions and providing info. He can
probaly supply the stuff
you need to convert the 40M kit since I don't think the IF kit
currently being done includes the
Drake IF freq.
Hope this helps
Curt
KU8L
On 2/8/2012 10:34 PM, Carey Lockhart, KC5GTT wrote:
Hello Gang,
i have a 13 tube r4a i would like to set up on powersdr or another
sdr
app. is there a website
or can someone point me in the right direction to what i need to do.
i
do have so 40m softrock
and a flex 1500. either should d the job i would think.
Thanks
Carey, kc5gtt
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