Re: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception
Wow, thanks guys -- Lloyd, Chuck, Darrin, Duane, Gary, and Andrew -- for your quick and helpful responses on this subject! 73, Kevin, WB4AIO. ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz To opt out of the Reflector: http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz
[Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception
Both the SDR-1000 and the Flex 5000 suffer from poor AM broadcast and longwave reception, with images of BC stations breaking through in many inappropriate places, especially below 1 MHz. I have been wondering what others have done to remedy this. I have considered 1) a preselector/antenna tuner to greatly narrow the spectrum bandwidth seen by the front end, using my existing inverted L antenna; 2) a tunable narrow loop antenna; or 3) an upconverter to tune longwave and AM broadcast at, say, 4 MHz. I wonder if anyone on the reflector has any wisdom to impart on this subject. Thanks, Kevin. ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz To opt out of the Reflector: http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz
Re: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception
Hi Kevin! I use filters made by Jack Smith at http://www.cliftonlaboratories.com/current_products.htm. Great filters at a reasonable price. 73 Lloyd - N9LB -Original Message- From: FlexRadio [mailto:flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz]On Behalf Of ke...@3950.net Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 7:36 PM To: FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz Subject: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception Both the SDR-1000 and the Flex 5000 suffer from poor AM broadcast and longwave reception, with images of BC stations breaking through in many inappropriate places, especially below 1 MHz. I have been wondering what others have done to remedy this. I have considered 1) a preselector/antenna tuner to greatly narrow the spectrum bandwidth seen by the front end, using my existing inverted L antenna; 2) a tunable narrow loop antenna; or 3) an upconverter to tune longwave and AM broadcast at, say, 4 MHz. I wonder if anyone on the reflector has any wisdom to impart on this subject. Thanks, Kevin. ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz To opt out of the Reflector: http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz To opt out of the Reflector: http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz
Re: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception
If your local RF environment is not challenging, then this may be a good low cost solution for $14 plus shipping: http://www.wb9kzy.com/lfconv.htm I built one several years ago setup with the 10 MHz IF crystal. Performs very well at my location with just a 40/80M parallel dipole. It completely outperforms the Flex-5K natively below the AM BCB. And it actually rivals my HPSDR Mercury and Hermes for what it can hear below the AM BCB on that same antenna as well. It may not be a good solution though if you have some high powered AM BCB transmitters close by. Though I have never run into any overload problems with mine. It is built around the SA612 mixer, so it will ultimately be limited performance wise by that. Duane N9DG On Wed, 11/19/14, Chuck ONeal cdon...@comcast.net wrote: Subject: Re: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception To: ke...@3950.net, FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz flexradio@flex-radio.biz Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 7:54 PM Hi Folks, To get complete BC band reception I had Clifton Labs build a custom 800 KHz low pass filter which I switch in when I tune below 800 KHz. Here is a link to his web page with a BC band reject filter. I believe he still does special filters. BTW, I bought the BC band reject filter and it cleans up my Flex 5000A on 160M. http://www.cliftonlaboratories.com/z10020_am_medium_wave_band_reject_filter.htm For below the BC band I use this: http://www.herostechnology.co.uk/pages/VLF_LF_Converter.html When I run the 800 KHz low pass filter and the BC band reject filter in series, the 5000A work very well down to about 350 KHz. Then the images start showing up. Either switch in the LF converter or buy a couple more low pass filters, depending on how low you want to receive. Chuck K1KW - Original Message - From: ke...@3950.net To: FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz flexradio@flex-radio.biz Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 8:35 PM Subject: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception Both the SDR-1000 and the Flex 5000 suffer from poor AM broadcast and longwave reception, with images of BC stations breaking through in many inappropriate places, especially below 1 MHz. I have been wondering what others have done to remedy this. I have considered 1) a preselector/antenna tuner to greatly narrow the spectrum bandwidth seen by the front end, using my existing inverted L antenna; 2) a tunable narrow loop antenna; or 3) an upconverter to tune longwave and AM broadcast at, say, 4 MHz. I wonder if anyone on the reflector has any wisdom to impart on this subject. Thanks, Kevin. ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz To opt out of the Reflector: http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz
Re: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception
I live within sight of WLW which presents serious reception problems. The answer for me has been the high pass filter made by Clifton Labs. It's worth every penny. http://www.cliftonlaboratories.com/z10023a_elliptic_high_pass_filter.htm Gary - W8SDR (WB8BFW) -Original Message- From: FlexRadio [mailto:flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz] On Behalf Of ke...@3950.net Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 8:36 PM To: FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz Subject: [Flexradio] Better broadcast band and longwave reception Both the SDR-1000 and the Flex 5000 suffer from poor AM broadcast and longwave reception, with images of BC stations breaking through in many inappropriate places, especially below 1 MHz. I have been wondering what others have done to remedy this. I have considered 1) a preselector/antenna tuner to greatly narrow the spectrum bandwidth seen by the front end, using my existing inverted L antenna; 2) a tunable narrow loop antenna; or 3) an upconverter to tune longwave and AM broadcast at, say, 4 MHz. I wonder if anyone on the reflector has any wisdom to impart on this subject. Thanks, Kevin. ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz To opt out of the Reflector: http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz To opt out of the Reflector: http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz
Re: [Flexradio] No Broadcast band? (Tim Ellison)
Here is one guess: Go to setup: display: spectrum grid: and adjust the min and the max until you can see the noise floor on the broadcast band then look for stations. These settings seem to get out of whack easily and need to be checked if the spectrum display starts to act strangely. This happened to me. Edwin M. Higginbotham edw...@bellsouth.net ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] No Broadcast band?
How are you changing frequencies and from what frequency were you on before selecting a BCB frequency? Tim Ellison On 5/6/2013 5:44 PM, David Land wrote: More info, should have mentioned, this is a F3K so no antenna selection to worry about. I've been messing with it more this afternoon. I discovered that if I turn the preamp to 'attn' it starts to work! Then back to 'off' and they are still there! Shutdown PSDR and start it back up, same issue, no receive on most of the AM band until I turn the 'attn' on and back 'off'. I don't know if this is related but with the preamp 'off' I have a noise level of -112 dBm (S3), with the 'attn' ON I have a noise level of -95 dBm (S5+)? Shouldn't the noise level be LOWER with the attenuator ON? At least I can hear AM Broadcast now but must always do the attn/off routine each time I re-start PSDR. 73, Dave On Mon, May 6, 2013 at 10:22 AM, David Land land.d...@gmail.com wrote: Just upgraded to v2.6.4 a week or so ago, tuned down to the AM Broadcast band for the first time today. I'm not getting much there on AM or any other mode. I get a weak signal on 1460, 1520, and 1590 but NO other signals. I live near Houston and I know in the past I was picking up AM stations all over the band. Preamp is off, AGC-T is at 75. What am I missing? Normal signals from 1.8 to 2.0 MHz but almost nothing on either side of that. Thanks 73, Dave ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/ ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
[Flexradio] No Broadcast band?
Just upgraded to v2.6.4 a week or so ago, tuned down to the AM Broadcast band for the first time today. I'm not getting much there on AM or any other mode. I get a weak signal on 1460, 1520, and 1590 but NO other signals. I live near Houston and I know in the past I was picking up AM stations all over the band. Preamp is off, AGC-T is at 75. What am I missing? Normal signals from 1.8 to 2.0 MHz but almost nothing on either side of that. Thanks 73, Dave ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] No Broadcast band?
I am also running 2.6.4 and just tuned across the AM BC band. I'm getting all of the stations I should, including a number ow weak ones. 73, Bill Tynan, W3XO Kerrville, TX -- From: David Land land.d...@gmail.com Sent: Monday, May 06, 2013 10:22 AM To: flexradio@flex-radio.biz Subject: [Flexradio] No Broadcast band? Just upgraded to v2.6.4 a week or so ago, tuned down to the AM Broadcast band for the first time today. I'm not getting much there on AM or any other mode. I get a weak signal on 1460, 1520, and 1590 but NO other signals. I live near Houston and I know in the past I was picking up AM stations all over the band. Preamp is off, AGC-T is at 75. What am I missing? Normal signals from 1.8 to 2.0 MHz but almost nothing on either side of that. Thanks 73, Dave ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/ ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] No Broadcast band?
Go to Antenna menu and uncheck Use RX1 out to RX1 in loop. Dave, W5UN At 03:22 PM 5/6/2013, you wrote: Just upgraded to v2.6.4 a week or so ago, tuned down to the AM Broadcast band for the first time today. I'm not getting much there on AM or any other mode. I get a weak signal on 1460, 1520, and 1590 but NO other signals. I live near Houston and I know in the past I was picking up AM stations all over the band. Preamp is off, AGC-T is at 75. What am I missing? Normal signals from 1.8 to 2.0 MHz but almost nothing on either side of that. Thanks 73, Dave ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/ ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] No Broadcast band?
More info, should have mentioned, this is a F3K so no antenna selection to worry about. I've been messing with it more this afternoon. I discovered that if I turn the preamp to 'attn' it starts to work! Then back to 'off' and they are still there! Shutdown PSDR and start it back up, same issue, no receive on most of the AM band until I turn the 'attn' on and back 'off'. I don't know if this is related but with the preamp 'off' I have a noise level of -112 dBm (S3), with the 'attn' ON I have a noise level of -95 dBm (S5+)? Shouldn't the noise level be LOWER with the attenuator ON? At least I can hear AM Broadcast now but must always do the attn/off routine each time I re-start PSDR. 73, Dave On Mon, May 6, 2013 at 10:22 AM, David Land land.d...@gmail.com wrote: Just upgraded to v2.6.4 a week or so ago, tuned down to the AM Broadcast band for the first time today. I'm not getting much there on AM or any other mode. I get a weak signal on 1460, 1520, and 1590 but NO other signals. I live near Houston and I know in the past I was picking up AM stations all over the band. Preamp is off, AGC-T is at 75. What am I missing? Normal signals from 1.8 to 2.0 MHz but almost nothing on either side of that. Thanks 73, Dave ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
