SDR for Amateur Radio

Procedure for SoftRock SDR Receiver Start Up

2011-03-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Here is W4BXI's account of starting up a SoftRock Ensemble RX II SDR receiver from KE4ID at his station.

Version 1.0 March 23, 2011

1. USB Line is NOT connected.
2. Barker & Williamson Folded Dipole Antenna connected to Receiver Saver. No antenna tuner.
(B&W FD is the default antenna (no DC power) on the RCS4).
3. Turn all units ON (PC, power speakers, Receiver Saver, and SDR Black Box)
4. Receiver Saver is fully connected with PTT and power wall wart.
Beware: This protects the SDR receiver ONLY if the PTT is closed during Transmit! ... it must be connected!
5. NOW -- Plug USB cable into one of the FRONT USB sockets of this Dell PC; not the rear USB sockets. (Apparently the rear USB sockets are bad),
6. At this point I did hear faint amateur CW from the Va QSO Party! No other receivers or transmitters are on! I promise.
I guess this was the case because the software, or a version of it, was installed in the PC since the last power up.
7. NOW Screen Click ON the PowerSDR v2.0
8. I still hear faint amateur CW.
9. START the Power SDR now...from the software menu.
10. I do NOT hear the amateur CW now!.
(I presume the newer version of the Software/Drivers is now resident)
11. In Power SDR go Setup/Import Database/import/OK
12. Push START button on Power SDR.

Additional from KE4ID

1. After doing this, go to the PowerSDR toolbar and choose --->Setup--->General.
2. Under SDR-1000 config, be sure that the USBtoI2C box is checked. If not, click it to check that box and click okay. Did that do it?
3. Now, if it tunes, but you don't hear anything: Go to Windows "Volume Control" and open it.
4. Choose--->Options--->Properties--->SoundMax Digital Audio--->Recording
5. Choose "Line In" and be sure that is checked. Choose it and close the window.

=============
It works!
===============
DO use Stereo out of the PC audio!
=================================
Other comments from KE4ID
I have seen the SDR-1000 operating manual in at least a couple of places.
Here is one: http://www.nitehawk.com/w3sz/SDR-1000_Operating_Manual_v1.8.0.pdf
Here is another: http://support.flexradio.com/Downloads.aspx?fr=1
=============

Earlier Problem - Results:
The freq display seems not to resemble what I am hearing.
At times I have faintly heard WWV, but not today.
I can input a freq, but it does not change what I hear.

I tried the Setup/Calibrate/Freq. It tells me "Peak is outside valid range"
"This value is outside of the specs of the osc. Do you want to try to use this value? YES/NO"
I have tried both...

(To be honest, I am only using one speaker out of the PC. Your pair of speakers are low volume. It appears I do get the same audio)

John
W4BXI

Reflow soldering for SDR kits

2011-03-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice rundown with copious links that Phil wrote for our appreciation of this SDR build option. Thanks, Phil!

All right, SDR and SMD (topics of discussion on 3740 kHz lately) fans, let’s burn some daylight…

Sharing what I thought was an interesting video that I stumbled upon… featuring a Softrock SDR kit and an interesting variation of the ‘reflow’ technique for installing surface mounted components. The video makes it look easy… although Jack says forget-about-it and just use a narrow (conical?) tip soldering iron.

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of the Amateur Logic series of videos produced sporadically (lately, about every 2 or 3 months) by a couple of good ‘ole boy hams from Mississippi. I’ve followed ‘em for several years.

Episode 15 is an older video made in August 2007, so, given the speed at which things change nowadays, some of the references are outdated . The SDR board featured is the ‘Softrock 6’ which must have been an earlier version of the Softrock ‘Lite II’ kit available today. In the video, George/W5JDX installs SMD components using a beverage mug warmer (to warm-up the board), some soldering paste and a hot air embossing gun. The SDR/SMD segment starts about 9 minutes into this video . (If your DSL’s too slow to play the streaming video, you can download it here.) Hard for me to believe that the SMD components don’t blow off before the solder paste melts… maybe because the “hot air embossing gun” he’s using is a lot smaller/lower CFM than my heat gun (perhaps something like this?)

The soldering paste is available in small quantities and reasonable prices from Cash Olsen/KD5SSJ); he has a tutorial on the ‘reflow’ technique on his website.

In the video, George promises a follow-up report on how it worked when completed. The closest thing I could find to that (but not with the Softrock) was in the October 2007 (episode 16) video… starting about +47 minutes.

Building SoftRock SDR kits

2011-03-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Here are some helpful links for building and testing SoftRock SDR kits. Thanks, Jack!

Build instructions for latest SoftRock monoband radio

Build-a-thon showing the equipment you need

Rocky software (use this first to test the radio)

Older version of PowerSDR-IQ v1.12.20 that works well

Tony Parks SDR ordering site

SoftRock SDR receiver with Kenwood TS-850s

2011-03-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a report from Jack about use of a SoftRock SDR receiver kit working in tandem with his Kenwood TS-850s. Click on the thumbnail below for a larger view. Also included below are two Youtube video links. Thanks, Jack!

Good evening,

The CAT interface cable for my TS-850s came in today. I also have finished a monoband SoftRock SDR for the Kenwood 8.830 MHz IF. I used the PowerSDR/IQ software from here:

http://wu2x.com/sdr.html#powersdr

The software now works directly with some Kenwood radios and with the K3. It can also link up with Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD). Here are a couple of vides:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tjKQ1g4X0I&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qecPMzZjyQg&feature=related

The software is superb. By interfacing the $20 SoftRock to the TS-850s, I get the following:

A pandapter
The SDR receiver with an additional sub-receiver. This includes DSP filters and noise reduction.
The SDR is muted automatically when transmitting through the Kenwood.
Software control of the combo as well as control via the radio knobs.
Interconnection with HRD

This is an impressive and inexpensive combo.

73,

Jack

Dual SDR Receivers

2011-03-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

This is an earlier report from Jack about his success running dual SDR receivers controlled by a single PC. Click on the thumbnail for a larger view.

12/16/10
Good evening,
Last night I began running two SDRs: a general coverage unit connected to the Beverage antennas, and an IF unit connected to the TS-850S. Each goes to a separate outboard sound card, but to the same PC.

The wrinkle was how to manage the audio going from the sound cards to the amplified sound system. I decided to take a hint from W4BXI's approach to audio, and I hooked up a six channel Behringer mixer. It works great! It also looks like the PC will handle both SDRs okay.

Now if I can just get two monitors working like W4UOA...

Regards,
Jack

SoftRock SDR Transceiver

2011-03-23T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some low-quality PDA photos that I captured of two
different SoftRock kit SDR products displayed at the Thursday lunch
meetings of the Birmingham Crystal Radio Group:

The first four photos shows the SDR transceiver that KE4ID has been
using on recent mornings on 3740 kHz.

For more information about these kits, see:
http://kb9yig.com/
http://www.wb5rvz.com/sdr/

Assorted SDR Links

2011-03-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of web sites that provide SDR kits. The list was compiled by K9VV.

http://http://www.sdr-cube.com/ (Transceiver)

http://www.crosscountryradio.co.uk/sdr_receiver.htm

http://www.elektor.com/magazines/2007/may/software-defined-radio.91527.lynkx

http://www.fernempfangsradio.de/start.html

http://www.pappradio.de/typo3/ (Starsite)

http://o28.sischa.net/fifisdr/trac (German FIFI project)

http://www.darc.de/distrikte/l/02/sdr/ (German LIMA-SDR project)

http://www.yoyodyneconsulting.ca/pages/SDR-Widget-lite.html (Transceiver)

http://www.kb9yig.com/

http://www.genesisradio.com.au/ (Transceiver)

http://www.nt7v.com/index.html

http://zao.jp/radio/soft66ad/ (Japan)

http://www.lazydogengineering.com (Transceiver)

http://www.sdr-kits.net/

http://py2wm.qsl.br/SDR/SDRZero-2.html

http://www.qrz.lt/ly1gp/SDR/

http://www.rfsystem.it/shop/ (Transceiver)

http://www.comsistel.com/Ciao%20Radio.htm

http://www.nti-online.de/edirabox.htm

http://wb6dhw.com/For_Sale.html UHF SDR

http://www.wb5rvz.com/sdr/ensemble/ (Transceiver)

http://users.skynet.be/myspace/mdsr

http://www.iw3aut.altervista.org/

http://www.wb5rvz.com/sdr/mobo43/

http://www.dh1tw.de/fa-sdr-trx-funkamateur-allband-sdr (Transceiver)

DXZone web page about SDR

2009-09-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

The DXZone has a nice page about SDR, including many links to product information, technical information, and other relevant sites.

QuickSilver QS1R

2009-04-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here's another SDR receiver that covers the HF radio spectrum and more:
"15 kHz through 55 MHz in its standard configuration and can be used in undersampling applications to 500 MHz"

A Youtube video shows it in action using SDR Max III software.

SoftRock SDR videos

2009-04-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

IK1NPP has posted 5 Youtube videos that feature a SoftRock SDR receiver kit.

Modular Receiver for LF/VLF Bands

2008-12-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

Larry Coyle, K1QW, published a 2-part article in QST (Nov & Dec 2008) that presents a high performance LF/VLF receiver design. The December portion of this article describes the use of a software defined radio I-Q detector module as part of the overall design. Larry gives a good high-level explanation of how the detector works, and also highlights the versatile DDS-60 that serves as the receiver's software-controlled VFO.

Perseus Receiver

2008-11-30T07:42:00.000-08:00

The December 2008 issue of QST has a product review of the Microtelecom Perseus Software Defined Receiver. Its frequency range is 10 kHz to 30 MHz, and reception modes are SSB, CW, AM, FM. Since this receiver uses a high-speed ADC to convert the received RF signal to data, and derives the I and Q signal streams internally, it is able to interface with a PC via USB interface, rather than a sound card interface.

The Perseus is available from SSB Electronic USA.

SDR - Contesting & Bandscope

2008-07-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

The DH1TW web site covers two topic areas that may be of interest to hams interested in exploiting SDR capabilities.

- A presentation about the applications of SDR for contesting incorporates a nice high-level summary of the technologies and SDR products that may facilitate contest activity.

- The implementation a 20 kHz wide bandscope using an inexpensive SDR kit connected to an IF stage of the FT-1000MP transceiver is documented.

The latter application is discussed regularly in Yahoo's Softrock-40 Interest Group for various receiver / transceiver brands and IF ranges.

SDR-14 Receiver

2008-07-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

This receiver is the "big brother" of the SDR-IQ. It also samples directly the RF band of 500 Hz to 30 MHz using a 66.6 MHz ADC, but includes a direct input port to also allow sampling of signals up to 230 MHz. Like the SDR-IQ, it converts the digitized signal data to I and Q format for transfer to a PC via USB 2.0 interface.

It provides a spectrum display of up to 30 MHz wide and uses SpectraVue (proprietary) software. Software drivers are available for Windows and Linux for use by developers. The SDR-14 web page provides additional details and indicates that it works with I2PHD WINRAD, SM5BSZ LINRAD, HOKA and DRM software.

The SDR-14 was reviewed in the December 2005 issue of QST. Its price class as of this writing was $1099.

SDR-IQ Receiver

2008-07-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

This receiver covers the range of 500 Hz to 30 MHz using a 14-bit A/D converter running at 66.6 MHz. The signal data are converted to I and Q format for interface to a connected PC via USB 2.0 rather than the commonly used sound card interface.

It provides a spectrum display 190 kHz wide and uses SpectraVue (proprietary) software. Software drivers are available for Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems for use by developers.

More details are here. The price class at this writing is $499.

Applications of the SDR-IQ and SDR-14 are described at the RFSPACE NEWS BLOG.

Perseus SDR Receiver

2008-06-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

Several SDR receivers are available as commercial products. Among them is the Perseus, which can tune and display an 800 kHz segment in the range of 10 kHz to 30 MHz.

FlexRadio Transceiver

2008-06-25T17:24:00.000-07:00

A well-known example of an SDR transceiver is the FlexRadio FLEX-5000. This transceiver covers the HF and 6-meter ham bands with 100 W output, and general coverage receive. Reviews were published in the February 2008 issue of CQ Magazine and in the July 2008 issue of QST. A review on eHam.net is available here.

Introduction

2008-06-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

Software Defined Radio has a wide range of implementation in HF amateur radio today. Available applications range from commercially-produced full-powered transceivers and receivers costing thousands of dollars to simple QRP transceivers and receivers in kit form that are priced in the tens of dollars. The selected links on this blog provide SDR background information and views of current activity.