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Re: Excessive Noise

 

Hi Mark,
V12 hardware has lots more gain than V11. You may need to reduce the RF Gain to -10 or -15db.
See if that helps.
Al
AC8GY


Re: Display driver kits shortly

 






On Thu, Feb 6, 2025 at 8:06 AM, Tom Clifton via groups.io
<kc0vsj@...> wrote:
Check Amazon 25 for $7 " Brand Pro"

25-Pack 10P 2.54mm 0.1" Pitch PCB Female Pin Headers 2x5 Dual Rows 10 Pins Female Sockets to Male Straight PCB DIP, Double Rows PC Board Through-Board Strip (2x5-10P-25PK)


On Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 11:24 PM, K9HZ
<bill@...> wrote:

With one or two exceptions¡­ I¡¯ll put together kits for the display driver.? I can even have a few of them built for those who want a finish product (my daughter-in-law is a stay at home EE who needs something to do.? She has built stuff for me before).

?

One thing¡­ I need some help finding the part in the attached diagram at a reasonable price (like it should be about $0.15 max each)¡­ it¡¯s a 10 pin female socket, 2x5, PCB mount.? Tayda has 2x4 and 2x6 but not 2x5 for whatever reason.? Digikey and Mouser are sky high.

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?


Re: Display driver kits shortly

 

Check Amazon 25 for $7 " Brand Pro"

25-Pack 10P 2.54mm 0.1" Pitch PCB Female Pin Headers 2x5 Dual Rows 10 Pins Female Sockets to Male Straight PCB DIP, Double Rows PC Board Through-Board Strip (2x5-10P-25PK)


On Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 11:24 PM, K9HZ
<bill@...> wrote:

With one or two exceptions¡­ I¡¯ll put together kits for the display driver.? I can even have a few of them built for those who want a finish product (my daughter-in-law is a stay at home EE who needs something to do.? She has built stuff for me before).

?

One thing¡­ I need some help finding the part in the attached diagram at a reasonable price (like it should be about $0.15 max each)¡­ it¡¯s a 10 pin female socket, 2x5, PCB mount.? Tayda has 2x4 and 2x6 but not 2x5 for whatever reason.? Digikey and Mouser are sky high.

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?


Display driver kits shortly

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

With one or two exceptions¡­ I¡¯ll put together kits for the display driver.? I can even have a few of them built for those who want a finish product (my daughter-in-law is a stay at home EE who needs something to do.? She has built stuff for me before).

?

One thing¡­ I need some help finding the part in the attached diagram at a reasonable price (like it should be about $0.15 max each)¡­ it¡¯s a 10 pin female socket, 2x5, PCB mount.? Tayda has 2x4 and 2x6 but not 2x5 for whatever reason.? Digikey and Mouser are sky high.

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Yeah it doesn¡¯t work very well for Capacitors or Inductors because the test frequency is so low¡­ but I like the size¡­

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Phil Taylor via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 10:09 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

?

[Edited Message Follows]

I ended up buying the FNRISI tweezers also.

?

A note of caution.? Some capacitors read quite low from auto. When I played with the measurement frequency, things were better.

?

--

Regards
Phil VK2KKZ


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 
Edited

I ended up buying the FNRISI tweezers also.
?
A note of caution.? Some capacitors read quite low from auto. When I played with the measurement frequency, things were better.
?
--
Regards
Phil VK2KKZ


Re: TFT_eSPI Library with STM32F4x1 (STM32F401 or STM32F411) boards i.e Blackpill boards and TFT ILI9341 displays #arduino #bluepill #display #stm32

 

Dave,
I tried the same several years ago.?
To my understanding the TFT_eSPI library is highly optimized. It uses the DMA mechanism of the STM32F103. The STM32F401 has a different DMA and appropriate changes will need to be done in the library code.?
I refrained from that and was hoping, that F401 support would come over time, but this does not seem to be the case.?
--
73, Joerg - DB2OO


Re: TFT_eSPI Library with STM32F4x1 (STM32F401 or STM32F411) boards i.e Blackpill boards and TFT ILI9341 displays #arduino #bluepill #display #stm32

 

Thanks - a good suggestion I will put my oscilloscope on the clock lines of both boards and then try the fequencies you suggest - will post soon to say how it goes.
73
Dave
GM4NFI


Re: Excessive Noise

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Mark, just remember, for troubleshooting¡­ all you need is the Main board, the RF board, and the display¡­ you can take everything else out of the chain (eg RX antenna straight to the RF-in on the RF board¡­ and TX antenna or dummy load on the TX OUT of the RF board.??

?

Once calibrated, I do recommend removing JP4 from the RF board¡­ no need for it being there except for calibration.

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of epif18 via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 9:36 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] Excessive Noise

?

Hey yall,

I've built my boards and have them all hooked up.? I've started with receiver checkout, and unlike my V11 which was amazing !, I have a lot of noise, specially on 40M.? I'm not in an ideal environment yet, but the behavior is so different than V11.? I can pick up very strong CW signals (one!) and a spanish AM broadcast at 7.35 something.? So in the process of checking things out, I hooked up my SA to TX out on the RF board and TXed SSB, which looked fine.? Then I switched to CW, and the freq was good but when I released the key and the RX returned, I got this.? 25MHZ, and 3x, probably higher harmonics too.? Square wave!? These pop up after the first time I key the TX and remain.

I'm running V50.2, metal chassis.? This appears in slightly different forms forms all bands, 160M-6M, but the spurs always appear at 25MHz ....

I have other integration issues I have to resolve in the mean time, but what's up with this?

Thanks

Mark

KU3O


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 

I have used the Atlas LCR for years to sort SMD parts. You can get Tweezer probes off Amazon (I think) and adapt to any LCR meter.?
Tim W4YN


Excessive Noise

 

Hey yall,
I've built my boards and have them all hooked up.? I've started with receiver checkout, and unlike my V11 which was amazing !, I have a lot of noise, specially on 40M.? I'm not in an ideal environment yet, but the behavior is so different than V11.? I can pick up very strong CW signals (one!) and a spanish AM broadcast at 7.35 something.? So in the process of checking things out, I hooked up my SA to TX out on the RF board and TXed SSB, which looked fine.? Then I switched to CW, and the freq was good but when I released the key and the RX returned, I got this.? 25MHZ, and 3x, probably higher harmonics too.? Square wave!? These pop up after the first time I key the TX and remain.
I'm running V50.2, metal chassis.? This appears in slightly different forms forms all bands, 160M-6M, but the spurs always appear at 25MHz ....
I have other integration issues I have to resolve in the mean time, but what's up with this?
Thanks
Mark
KU3O


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

I have one of these too¡­ makes removing SMD parts a snap (mine is a different model).? Soldering tweezers.

?

?

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of D Solt via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 8:57 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

?

Thanks Greg!? I've been looking for something to measure SMD parts.

dave, n3ds

?

On Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 7:50?AM Greg KF5N via <greg.electricity=[email protected]> wrote:

I have the FNIRSI tweezers:

?

Pretty good!? Nice to have on the bench during assembly to double-check things.

?

--

73 Greg KF5N


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 

Thanks Greg!? I've been looking for something to measure SMD parts.
dave, n3ds


On Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 7:50?AM Greg KF5N via <greg.electricity=[email protected]> wrote:
I have the FNIRSI tweezers:

?
Pretty good!? Nice to have on the bench during assembly to double-check things.
?
--
73 Greg KF5N


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Thanks!? Just bought one.? Looks like a reasonable tool.

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Greg KF5N via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 6:50 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

?

I have the FNIRSI tweezers:

?

Pretty good!? Nice to have on the bench during assembly to double-check things.

?

--

73 Greg KF5N


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 

I have the FNIRSI tweezers:

?
Pretty good!? Nice to have on the bench during assembly to double-check things.
?
--
73 Greg KF5N


Re: SMD Stencil/Reflow solution?

 
Edited

Sorry, missed your comment... from the usermanual in the Amazon link. They are what they are, but for a ball park figure, perfect.
I'm tempted to makeup a lead so I can use the tweezers with my rather wonderful Bryman BM869s
?
?
--
73
Chris M0YGH


Re: TFT_eSPI Library with STM32F4x1 (STM32F401 or STM32F411) boards i.e Blackpill boards and TFT ILI9341 displays #arduino #bluepill #display #stm32

 

The two boards have a different clock speed (84 vs 72MHz).? It appears the spi frequency for the board can't be set to the 36MHz as is being done at the bottom of Setup32_ILI9341_STM32F103.h. Try setting SPI_FREQUENCY to 42MHz.? I'd try 10.5MHz for SPI_READ_FREQUENCY and 1.3125MHz for SPI_TOUCH_FREQUENCY.


TFT_eSPI Library with STM32F4x1 (STM32F401 or STM32F411) boards i.e Blackpill boards and TFT ILI9341 displays #arduino #bluepill #display #stm32

 

I have been using STM32F103 BluePill boards for several years without any major issues and have them driving ILI9341 TFT displays OK.

I decided to try/experiment ?the STM32F401 and have a bought a Blackpill and a Nucleo64 STM32F401
Boards program fine in most respects except that I can't get any TFT display with a ILI9341 to work.
?
I just get a Grey Screen yet the same code works with a F103 Bluepill.
I have a test jig with a 40 pin ZIF socket so I can swap between a STM32F103 Blue Pill and a STMF401 BlackPill and keep the pin wiring the same to eliminate a wiring issue.
?
I am using https://github.com/stm32duino/BoardManagerFiles/raw/main/package_stmicroelectronics_index.json
and
stm32 mcu BASED BOARDS MANAGER v 2.9.0
I am testing with? the TFT_eSPI examples TFT_Print_Test
?
As there doesn't seem to be a User Setup specific for a STM32F401 and a ILI9341 I am using the closest I can find i.e. Setup32_ILI9341_STM32F103.h
Pin wiring to the default for above.? Bluepill and Blackpill have their SPI on the same pins.
This setup works fine with a BluePill when I select a F103 board.

All I do is change the Board in the Arduino IDE from an F103 to a F401 and re-compile and upload.
No display on the ILI9341 TFT but I also have blink running and its fine.
?
Its got me puzzled.
I also have the same TFT working fine with an ESP32 and on AVR Arduinos.
?
I also have a Nucleo64 STM32F401 board and it behaves exactly the same.

Issue seems to be relate to SPI on the F401 as the F103 is fine.
Anybody got any ideas?
I plan to put an oscilloscope onto the SPI pins and see if there is a difference.
Could the F401 be using a different SPI mode to the F103?
?
Any ideas?
?
73
Dave
GM4NFI


Re: T41 receive attenuator working?

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Ok thanks.? I see what went wrong¡­ that section was copied straight out of the BPF manual and unfortunately not updated.? I can fix that.

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of D Solt via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 10:49 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] T41 receive attenuator working?

?

The assembly manual T41_RF_Board_Assembly_Manual_V12_042324.docx was confusing in the following paragraph which I understood to say, use address "100":? Thanks for all you do on this project.? I am loving it!

?

"2. I2C addressing and switching.
The RF board is controlled via I2C communications from the V12 Main board.? An MCP23017 16 bit I/O expander is used to communicate with a central processor via SCL and ?SDA serial lines brought in through pins 7 and 5 of J3, the ¡°RF CONTROL¡± connector.? The I/O expander has hex address 0x24, and the user can select any of eight chip addresses from ¡°000¡± to ¡°111¡± shorting the solder switches provided (nb. the address of the expander for the T41 V12 primary receiver BPF address is ¡°100¡±¡­ so the solder switch on the board for A2 at JP4 should be filled and the rest left blank).? See the following for more information: ?"

?

On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 11:23?AM K9HZ via <bill=[email protected]> wrote:

You are quite welcome Dave¡­ For feedback, which documentation is lacking to help avoid a problem here?

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of D Solt via
Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 8:33 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] T41 receive attenuator working?

?

That was it!!!! Wrong address. Now all three boards work with varying receiver attenuation.? Now I'm on to calibration.? Thank you all for your help.

dave, n3ds

?

On Mon, Feb 3, 2025 at 6:27?PM K9HZ via <bill=[email protected]> wrote:

The primary RF board (that is the Primary RX and TX) should be set to 0x27 which means that the three address lines A0, A1, and A2 should be set to ¡°111¡± or no shorted jumpers (J15, J16, J17).

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Oliver KI3P via
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2025 4:49 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] T41 receive attenuator working?

?

Bill's right: you do not have the correct address for the MCP23017 chip. The I2C address is set by JP15, JP16 and JP17.

?

?

The command "#define RF_MCP23017_ADDR" sets the address that the code looks for -- make sure the address in software matches the address you set using the solder jumpers.


Re: T41 receive attenuator working?

 

The assembly manual T41_RF_Board_Assembly_Manual_V12_042324.docx was confusing in the following paragraph which I understood to say, use address "100":? Thanks for all you do on this project.? I am loving it!

"2. I2C addressing and switching.
The RF board is controlled via I2C communications from the V12 Main board.? An MCP23017 16 bit I/O expander is used to communicate with a central processor via SCL and ?SDA serial lines brought in through pins 7 and 5 of J3, the ¡°RF CONTROL¡± connector.? The I/O expander has hex address 0x24, and the user can select any of eight chip addresses from ¡°000¡± to ¡°111¡± shorting the solder switches provided (nb. the address of the expander for the T41 V12 primary receiver BPF address is ¡°100¡±¡­ so the solder switch on the board for A2 at JP4 should be filled and the rest left blank).? See the following for more information: ?"



On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 11:23?AM K9HZ via <bill=[email protected]> wrote:

You are quite welcome Dave¡­ For feedback, which documentation is lacking to help avoid a problem here?

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of D Solt via
Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 8:33 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] T41 receive attenuator working?

?

That was it!!!! Wrong address. Now all three boards work with varying receiver attenuation.? Now I'm on to calibration.? Thank you all for your help.

dave, n3ds

?

On Mon, Feb 3, 2025 at 6:27?PM K9HZ via <bill=[email protected]> wrote:

The primary RF board (that is the Primary RX and TX) should be set to 0x27 which means that the three address lines A0, A1, and A2 should be set to ¡°111¡± or no shorted jumpers (J15, J16, J17).

?

?

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ

?

Owner - Operator

Big Signal Ranch ¨C K9ZC

Staunton, Illinois

?

Owner ¨C Operator

Villa Grand Piton ¨C J68HZ

Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.

Rent it:

?

Moderator: North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

Moderator: Amateur Radio Builders Group at Groups.IO.

?

email:? bill@...

?

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Oliver KI3P via
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2025 4:49 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SoftwareControlledHamRadio] T41 receive attenuator working?

?

Bill's right: you do not have the correct address for the MCP23017 chip. The I2C address is set by JP15, JP16 and JP17.

?

?

The command "#define RF_MCP23017_ADDR" sets the address that the code looks for -- make sure the address in software matches the address you set using the solder jumpers.