Showing posts with label SDR. Show all posts

Teensy SDR Update (video)



I know this will have some of you thinking that I have been kidnapped or drugged or brain-washed (by N6QW!) or something, but the truth is I'm just being drawn in by that fascinating little color screen.  This is the beautiful work of Rich, VE3MKC.  He has also updated his blog and provided a very nice diagram and written description of all the I and Q action: http://rheslip.blogspot.ca/  Thanks Rich!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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REALLY AMAZING! The Portable SDR Project! 42 Hours Left To Save It!



Holy cow!  Look at that rig.   The whole HF spectrum.  AM,  CW,  SSB,  Digital Modes, Waterfall display,  GPS.  It may even have a Vector Network Analyzer!   (Deep breaths Pete Juliano, deep breaths!)

Michael KE7HIA is trying to get this project going via a Kickstarter campaign.  He needs to get to $60,000   He currently has about $47,000 pledged.  There are only 42 hours to go:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1703258614/psdr-pocket-hf-sdr-transceiver-with-vna-and-gps   

Wow, this rig would have been great for my Double A DR DX-pedition! 

Features:

  • Coverage from 0 to 35MHz
  • Waterfall display that lets you see radio signals
  • Receives AM, USB (Upper Side Band), LSB (Lower Side Band), and Morse code (CW)
  • Modulates USB and LSB signals
  • Variable bandpass filter

Hardware:

  • Powerful ARM processor
  • Color LCD display
  • Dual DDS frequency Synthesizers
  • Quadrature Sampling Detector & Exciter
  • Digitally controllable instrumentation amplifiers
  • Morse Code key (the "Giblet" on the bottom right corner of the enclosure)
  • Magnitude & Phase measurement chip (for VNA and antenna analysis functions) with Impedance Bridge
  • Dual SMA connectors, smartphone style earphone/microphone connector, and USB port
  • GPS
  • Built in Microphone and Speaker
  • Internal Lithium Polymer battery with charger and high efficiency switching regulator
  • MicroSD slot
  • Pads for grabbing raw I/Q signals, both in and out.

Things it will be able to do with your help:

I designed the hardware to be capable of the following, but I can't write all the software myself. Please note that I can't guarantee when or if these functions will be added, or that they will work as desired.
  • Work as a full Vector Network Analyzer (VNA)
  • Work as a spectrum analyzer
  • Cover more modes, including digital modes and image modes
  • Work as an emergency location beacon
  • Antenna Analyzer
  • Frequency Synthesizer
  • Media player
  • E Reader / Picture viewer
  • Have improved audio
  • GPS Mapping navigation device
  • High end ARM development board
  • USB control of any features, including the possibility to operate the PSDR remotely. The USB port supports USB On-the-Go, making it possible to connect keyboards or other devices. Firmware updates will also be possible over USB.

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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VE3MKC's Teensy Si5351 SDR Receiver with a Tiny Color Screen (video)




From: Rich 
To: "soldersmoke@yahoo.com"  
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2015 9:22 AM
Subject: Cheap, open source Arduino SDR project
Bill
First, thanks for Soldersmoke and all you do for us QRP hackers around the world. I'm a big fan!
I've detected you are getting sucked into the world of microcontrollers of late. I know you are not really that excited about SDR but this is a radio that combines Arduino, the currently popular SI5351 and a Softrock to make a very functional SDR. I started this project last year which uses the fabulous Teensy 3.1 and companion audio shield. I recently packaged it all up and it looks like a QRP radio now. Still doesn't transmit but as I like to say thats "just a small matter of software".
There are several posts about it on my blog. The most recent:
There's a link to a video and a link to the code in that post.
Rock on Bill!
73, Rich Heslip
VE3MKC


Sent: Friday, January 23, 2015 4:09 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: Cheap, open source Arduino SDR project
Wow Rich that is really beautiful.  Amazing!   I am also sending this to Pete Juliano, but I was at first hesitant about this because I feared that your combination of Si5351 and TFT display might be TOO exciting for him. Deep breaths Pete...  
73 and Thanks,  Bill 


From: jessystems@verizon.net
To: soldersmoke@yahoo.com; 
Subject: Re: Cheap, open source Arduino SDR project
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 06:03:40 -0800
Hi Rich & Bill,
Wow –really exciting project Rich! Congratulations and Bravo!
This is so exciting, for all hams, as this just shows the power of the available low cost technology that is now on the market. Your project is really tempting as I have a V6.2 15M softrock sitting in a box (somewhere). I was somewhat put off with the Power SDR as the opposite sideband rejection is not too good –it is clear you have cracked that nut.
Thanks for sharing Rich and yes Bill I am taking very deep breaths.
73’s
Pete N6QW
  



Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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All of the Shortwave Spectrum LIVE on Web Waterfall Display


It's been a while since I checked in with this site.  They have made a lot of improvements.  It is very impressive.  I had trouble with it using Internet Explorer, but it worked right away using the Google Chrome browser.   Play with it a bit.  Zoom in on 40 meters.  Listen to the LSB contacts.  Very nice. 

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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VK5FJ's Open SDR Rig (Arduino and SI5351)


Morning OM's,

I've amassed the parts for my 12v Regen Rx inspired by a projects from VK3YE and an audio amp, using a pair of 12AU7's. I'll publish more about that soon on my blog.

In the mean time, I'd like to thank you guys for inspiration on the si5351 VFO in use with various projects.  After we found the first articles by NT7S, we discussed that there are a lot of possibilities.

I've just finished my build of an Arduino controlled SDR transceiver prototype using the Si5351A.

See attached images. Lots of collaboration with Mark VK5QI and David VK5DGR. More at; http://openradio.net.au/index.php/OpenRadio_SDR

This week I'm tinkering with the LPF for 20meters. Puts out a whopping 20mW.

Everything is on schedule for the presentation using this SDR at Linux.Conf.Au next year. Got some coding to do to add I&Q for the SDR side over the summer break.

72, Kim VK5FJ


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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Kiwi Lunchbox Sideband: The Tucker Tin Two

Pete Eaton sent us links to an old article from the New Zealand magazine "Break-In."   So many good, simple rigs come to us from New Zealand!  Who can forget ZL2BMI's DSB rig?  This one is the work of Fred Johnson ZL2AMJ.  It is especially interesting and is in some ways similar to Peter Parker's "Knobless Wonder."

It uses the phasing method of sideband generation.  No crystal filters in this one.  You need TWO balanced modulators.  You have a 90 degree phase shift network for the RF (from the carrier oscillator) and a second 90 degree phase shift network for the AF from the mic amplifier.  When you combine the signals from the two balanced modulators -- viola! -- one of the sidebands disappears.  The balanced modulators take care of the carrier, and an SSB signal is launched.  That is how my old HT-37 works, and similar ideas seem to be at work in modern SDR rigs.  

G3TXQ has the complete set of Break-In articles (it includes a VFO): 
http://www.karinya.net/g3txq/temp/tucker_tin/   

Here is a Canadian article on the rig.   A "Tucker Tin" is apparently what the Kiwis call a lunch boxes (shades of Benton Harbor...).  


Thanks Pete!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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University of Twente's Online Receiver


Wow, I played with this on-line SDR receiver a few years ago and thought it was fantastic.   It is now even better.  I'm sitting here listening to 40 meters in the Netherlands.  Great stuff.   Check it out.  It is really amazing:

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

Thanks to Bob, KD4EBM for letting me know about the updates. 

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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Simple Homebrew SDR



I know that "simple" and "homebrew" aren't the words that come to mind when we think of Software Defined Radios, but minimalist guru Peter Parker, VK3YE, reminds us that with little more than an antenna, a diode, a crystal oscillator and a connection to the computer soundcard, you can dive into the world of SDR. 

I've been doing this for some time now, but my receiver uses a 40673 dual gate MOSFET and a universal VXO from George Dobbs, G3RJV.  I've been running mine with the FLDIGI and JT-65 HF programs.  Peter's video alerted me to the charms of SDRadio from Alberto, I2PHD.  This is a very nice program.  Of course, I'm always happy to add a dash of Italy to my operations.  Thanks Peter!  Thanks Alberto! Thanks George!


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
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