Has anyone seen measurements of this TCVR on a spectrum analyzer? I was wondering if it can handle a PA connection as well. Somehow, despite the expansion of this TCVR (including RS-918, RS-928,..), I haven't found this. TNX
mcHF IMD and signal purity
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OM0AAO (OM0A) dňa 29. decembra 2018 o 15:04 #11500ReplyReply
Problem je, ze existuje viacero revizii mchf, viacero uprav koncoveho stupna, budenia, viacero druhov cipov v „spinaci“ , niekolko druhov rx/tx prepinania a dalsich zmien. Taktiez treba spravne nastavit IQ pre TX, vykon, kludove prudy a sparovat tranzistory…. A nakoniec, co pasmo, to ine vysledky, ma to „len“ 4 BPF /LPF a teda vysledky budu ine na warcoch a ine na „klasike“. Radijko mam, uprav desiatky (povodna verzia 0.4) a pri porovnavani na antenach 35m od seba to je na urovni FT-817, PA do 50W z portable by to znieslo, ale nieco silnejsie a z lepsich anten uz koser asi nebude. Meranie filtrov a upravy mam tu https://sites.google.com/site/om1aeg/mchf
OM0AAO (OM0A) dňa 31. decembra 2018 o 13:14 #15083ReplyTNX, Tóno! I have already looked at the measurements on your page and also the experiences of OM6IN http://om6in.blogspot.com/ (also Tulip). Probably yes, but it would be interesting to take a look at it.
I have uBITX (also with modifications) and there were practically 3 significant adjustments in the TX path (modification/change of amplifiers, filtering of unwanted products behind them, and finally replacing LPF relays with types with greater isolation between contacts).
ReplyVilo, snr 2019.
You know Lubo's pages, on one link there are measurements of the output signal (even if only the main signal, not harmonics), http://om6in.blogspot.com/2017/02/uprava-obvodu-vysielania.html?m=1 As you can see, what version, adjustments, and settings, that's another signal 😉
I plan to make adjustments around 'bias' for switches, add chokes to the microphone input (at 80m under the antenna on sota it caused interference at 15W) and also measure what comes out of it. However, I only have the option to measure above 21MHz with an airspy mini key, I need to add an output with attenuation to the kv artificial load. I will finish the 'project' Zello and Echolink for OM0OUB and RX Zello OM0OVV and I will focus on that.
ReplySo I added a -50dB output to the KV artificial load. Connected airspy mini, test with SDRSharp and SpectrumSpy SW. Unfortunately, SpectrumSpy works only from 25MHz.
Test at 29.5MHz, FM, set to 5W, without modulation, but with the microphone connected. Power supply LiPo.
MCHF according to the wattmeter during the test 4.3W
FT-817 according to the wattmeter during the test 4.1W
Results: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7Znrf8ioxgHmYJV9AThe third harmonic is a problem on FT-817
On MCHF, the spectral purity is around, I will play and try to improve it.My MCHF is definitely not suitable for PA at the moment 🙁
OM0AAO (OM0A) dňa 6. januára 2019 o 17:52 #15086ReplyWow, that's definitely not a very nice signal 🙁 Could it just be some setting?
ReplyI will look for where the betrayal is, I already have a high-impedance VF probe with a 50R output for SDR / VNA, so I will check where the problem is. Until now, I didn't measure the output, so I lived contentedly 🙂 I only use MCHF from a portable, in 2018 it was used 5 times for tens of minutes, so maybe I didn't make such a pass from a compromise stretched dipole. Anyway, I was going to adjust the "bias" for the switches and the RX preamp, so there will be more reason to disassemble it.
OM0AAO (OM0A) dňa 10. januára 2019 o 17:03 #15088ReplyI was interested, because I think the receiver is excellent + the possibilities that SDR provides (filters, spectroscope) are certainly welcome. If it were clean, I could imagine supplementing the mcHF with PA, which would create a very competitive TCVR with conventional devices.
I don't know if it's the specifics of the setting or the features of the construction...
ReplyOn April 4, 2020, I rewired the TX path of the mcHF TRX and changing the modulation method from a 4-switch to a dual-switch significantly helped. Before the modification, the suppression of the first 'parasite' was only 20dB against the 'carrier' and another parasite 42dB @28MHz. After modification, the suppression of the strongest 'parasite' is 44dB against the 'carrier'. The schematic and measurements at https://photos.app.goo.gl/5hZW7GWuWJUHqFev5
ReplyWouldn't it be more appropriate to measure it with a two-tone test? https://om0a.cq.sk/amaterske-radio/ubitx-imd-modifications/
Because if I look, I see a strong carrier in the middle, that won't be 'TX Carrier suppression' and the others may also be generated by an oscillator at some clock, which may be related to FM.