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b492 WaterFall speed lacks ?

ic8pof
 

GE SImon and All.
Till now the console b492 works on my "ol"AMDs.
But cannot find a speed control for the WaterFall. It is too slow now.
Still using the b472 server.
73
Phil@IC8POF
Re: Build 492 - Find That Crash (XP etc.)

Bruce Tanner
 

Simon here is an animated screen shot of the new version... no problems so far in use on a Windows 7 64 bit system. Not sure what caused the AM distortion on the 15 MHz WWV signal. I like the improved fonts on the Audio Spectrum.  Not much of a work out yet but just wanted say thanks again for your work on behalf of the amateur community.

Happy Holidays!

Bruce, K2BET
---

On 12/2/2010 6:05 AM, Simon HB9DRV wrote:

 

Hi All,

 

http://www.ham-radio.ch/kits/sdr-radio.com/InternalOnly/SDR-RADIO_v1.1b492.exe

 

This is designed to help me find where this stupid software crashes / hangs with XP etc. Please see http://www.sdr-radio.com/Support/CrashesLockupsMore/tabid/351/language/en-GB/Default.aspx for information about the logfiles. If (when) the console (or server) crashes send me the logfile, best of all post here with the logfile as an attachment. If the software runs at 100% follow the instructions to create a crash dump.

 

I will need to talk with someone (anyone) with a crash so that I can send executables to find exactly where things are blowing up.

 

- - - -

 

Otherwise a lot of work has gone into the IQ Analysis (more to do still) and a few other areas to keep Pieter quiet for a while.

 

Simon Brown, HB9DRV, http://sdr-radio.com

 



__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 5667 (20101202) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com
Re: Spur in the middle of the spectrum...

Leif Asbrink
 

Hello Henk,


At the moment I am using a M-Audio Delta44 as my soundcard, but
also this soundcard has some kind of noise in the middle of the spectrum. I
tried also yesterday my onboard soundcard. The result was poor. Much worse
than the M-audio Delta44.
(from your first posting on this thread)

In my case I have some spur in the middle of the bandpass of my SDR. Simon
has got an option to reduce this. It is a little better, but it is still
present and it is anoying me a little.

Does someone know why this is present there and what a solution is to reduce
this? Is it something about the adjustment of my SDR on the hardware side?
(from your second posting on this thread)

It is non-trivial to get rid of the center spur in a direct conversion
radio that uses a PC soundcard.

The spur is caused by several different mechanisms in the hardware.
The way to remove the spur is to first reduce it to a modest
level and then apply front end RF gain that rises the antenna noise
level well above the spur level.

I can not judge from your image what the dominating problem
might be because the resolution is too low and I can not read
the frequency scales. As a first step I suggest that you
replace the antenna with a dummy load. Then look at the
spectrum and you should see the spur but no other signals.
In cas this simple test shows an improvement you suffer
from ground loop problems. Try to connect the antenna
ground to the dummy load ground. If that affets the spur
level you can eliminate that problem with an RF transformer
at the input.

The Delta 44 suffers from design errors so it has a rather
strong enter spur even if nothing is connected to it.
This link shows how you can modify the card to eliminate
the errors:
http://www.sm5bsz.com/linuxdsp/hware/delta44a.htm
Figure 1 shows the card in its original shape with
nothing connected to the input. The center spur is symmetric
and consists of two peaks separated by 10 to 20 Hz.
(Different in the two hannels)

The spur is 1/F noise that would cause a very high level
at frequency zero, but there is a digital high pass filter
in the Delta 44 that starts to attenuate at 20 Hz or
so (I do not remember the exact response) The high
pass filter attenuates 0Hz infinitely an that causes
the double peak.

The dominating source of 1/F noise is poor decoupling
of the 5V DC supply lines to the A/D converters. See
figure 4.

The modifications lower the center spur by about 20 dB
as you can see here:
http://www.sm5bsz.com/linuxdsp/hware/delta44.htm
Figures 1 and 2 have the center spur at 48 kHz.
The modifications clean up the spectrum in several other
ways too.

I suggest that you disconnect the cable from the Delta 44
and look at the spectrum. Then connect only the ground
pin(s) from your radio hardware. In case you see a difference
you suffer from the ground loop error. Step 1 here:
http://www.sm5bsz.com/linuxdsp/hware/d44step.htm

Your mixer is likely to produce 1/F noise and there might
be pick up of magnetic fields and many other things. They
can all be mastered and give you nice spectra like these:
http://www.sm5bsz.com/linuxdsp/run/pmmx266.htm

There is an infinitely deep notch at the enter but it is so
narrow that it is unlikely to cause any problems. If the
carrier of an AM station would fall exactly on it a normal
AM detector would fail however.

73

Leif / SM5BSZ
What's Happening

Simon HB9DRV <simon@...>
 

Hi,

 

Writing User Manaul and attacking these XP crashes. Plenty of requests still outstanding, everything will happen...

 

Simon Brown, HB9DRV, http://sdr-radio.com

 
Build 492 - Find That Crash (XP etc.)

Simon HB9DRV <simon@...>
 

Hi All,

 

http://www.ham-radio.ch/kits/sdr-radio.com/InternalOnly/SDR-RADIO_v1.1b492.exe

 

This is designed to help me find where this stupid software crashes / hangs with XP etc. Please see http://www.sdr-radio.com/Support/CrashesLockupsMore/tabid/351/language/en-GB/Default.aspx for information about the logfiles. If (when) the console (or server) crashes send me the logfile, best of all post here with the logfile as an attachment. If the software runs at 100% follow the instructions to create a crash dump.

 

I will need to talk with someone (anyone) with a crash so that I can send executables to find exactly where things are blowing up.

 

- - - -

 

Otherwise a lot of work has gone into the IQ Analysis (more to do still) and a few other areas to keep Pieter quiet for a while.

 

Simon Brown, HB9DRV, http://sdr-radio.com

 
Re: AM Demod

Paul
 

The point is there's no really telling what each individual
station is doing for pre-emphasis, other than 'lots'.
I understand.
Fill every drop of available spectrum, forget the content ;-)

Thanks for all the info Steve!

73
Paul
PD0PSB
Re: AM Demod

Steve Dove
 

Hi Paul,

The 'official' pre-emphasis is actually only a starting point in practice. The NRSC spec came about because of egregious, huge amounts of HF equalisation being applied by individual stations to not only overcome IF-strip/car-radio speaker etc. rolloffs, but to beat out the other guys in town in the 'loudness' stakes. The NRSC took the heat out of that scene for a while, but nowadays stations STILL use massive HF eq above and beyond the 'official' for the same reasons. Plus ca change...

Looking at the old IBA spec (UK local radio as once was) which was assuredly influenced by BBC, there is a 4.5kHz LPF with a rising curve leading up to it which looks suspiciously 50uS-ish. I'll have to find the CCIR (Euro) spec.

The point is there's no really telling what each individual station is doing for pre-emphasis, other than 'lots'.

Cheers,

Steve


pd0psb@... wrote:

I always thought 75uS was for WFM, but now I see it in the AES papers. AM a well.
Anybody knows what "official" pre-emphasis is transmitted in other countries?
Some attenuation of the 50/60 Hz hum fundamental sometimes is handy, but already possible with Simon's EQ A/B/C
73
Paul
PD0PSB

The 'official' AM pre-emphasis here in the US (the rising part of the NRSC curve) is 75uS; how about having that de-emphasis selectable as an option?

73,

Steve
Re: Help: need IQ recording from 1850z Nov 27 40 meters

RFSPACE
 

Thanks. I need IQ recording not audio from a speaker :)

Pieter

Sent from my iPhone 4

On Dec 1, 2010, at 4:19 PM, Ian Wade G3NRW <g3nrw@...> wrote:

 

From: RFSPACE <rfspace@...>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 Time: 11:31:07

>Hi guys,
>
>I know this is a long shot, but I am looking for anyone that might have
>recorded the 40 meter band during the CQWW CW contest. I am most
>interested in the time around 18:50 and 19:30 UTC on November 27th.
>There has been reports or long delayed echos of up to 46 seconds that
>occured during that time around Germany. HB9DRV recorded the 20
>meter band, but I don't have that recording yet. I want to go through the
>files and see if I see anything out of the ordinary. 
>
>Thanks,
>
>Pieter
>

See hier from DK6NP: http://brogl.net/Audio/

--
73
Ian, G3NRW
Re: Help: need IQ recording from 1850z Nov 27 40 meters

Ian Wade G3NRW <g3nrw@...>
 

From: RFSPACE <rfspace@...>
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 Time: 11:31:07


Hi guys,

I know this is a long shot, but I am looking for anyone that might have
recorded the 40 meter band during the CQWW CW contest. I am most
interested in the time around 18:50 and 19:30 UTC on November 27th.
There has been reports or long delayed echos of up to 46 seconds that
occured during that time around Germany. HB9DRV recorded the 20
meter band, but I don't have that recording yet. I want to go through the
files and see if I see anything out of the ordinary. 

Thanks,

Pieter

See hier from DK6NP: http://brogl.net/Audio/

--
73
Ian, G3NRW
Re: Help: need IQ recording from 1850z Nov 27 40 meters

Bruce Tanner
 

Pieter, in case you did not see this article... it may point you to some other data by using the embedded addresses.
http://spaceweather.com/
bet
---

On 12/1/2010 11:31 AM, RFSPACE wrote:

 
Hi guys,

I know this is a long shot, but I am looking for anyone that might have recorded the 40 meter band during the CQWW CW contest. I am most interested in the time around 18:50 and 19:30 UTC on November 27th. There has been reports or long delayed echos of up to 46 seconds that occured during that time around Germany. HB9DRV recorded the 20 meter band, but I don't have that recording yet. I want to go through the files and see if I see anything out of the ordinary. 

Thanks,

Pieter


__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 5664 (20101201) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com
Help: need IQ recording from 1850z Nov 27 40 meters

RFSPACE
 

Hi guys,

I know this is a long shot, but I am looking for anyone that might have recorded the 40 meter band during the CQWW CW contest. I am most interested in the time around 18:50 and 19:30 UTC on November 27th. There has been reports or long delayed echos of up to 46 seconds that occured during that time around Germany. HB9DRV recorded the 20 meter band, but I don't have that recording yet. I want to go through the files and see if I see anything out of the ordinary. 

Thanks,

Pieter
Re: My spectrum

Paul
 

Hi Henk,

Definitely not "The Spur" :-)

Looks more like a groundloop with hum/noise from PSU or USB.
Try seperating the different grounds of your system (psu/computer/ rf ground) and see if this makes a difference.

Also a common-mode choke seperating the antenna line often helps to keep the crud out of RF inputs.

73
Paul
PD0PSB

--- In sdr-radio-com@..., "Henk [pd5dp]" <henkpit@...> wrote:

Hello members,



I was not sure if I am talking about spur in the middle of my spectrum. So I
posted a screenshot in the groups Photo section. TNX for the reply Alan.
Maybe now you can give me some information of what I am seeing on that
picture?



In the middle you can see that my spectrum seems more sensitive than on the
sides there. Is this spur? Do I have to live with that or can this be
reduced in any way? Maybe I am picking up other interference. On Youtube
there are better results (it seems) with the SpektrumSkop.



I tried Simon's option and sometimes during tuning of the spur I can see
some difference, but at the end it seems that the best result is not saved.



Again I have here a device from www.box73.de which is connected to my First
IF of the Yaesu FT-2000 . It is converted to 5.5mHz. and converted suitable
for the soundcard input.



Best wishes,



73 de Henk [pd5dp]
My spectrum

Henk [pd5dp] <henkpit@...>
 

Hello members,

 

I was not sure if I am talking about spur in the middle of my spectrum. So I posted a screenshot in the groups Photo section. TNX for the reply Alan. Maybe now you can give me some information of what I am seeing on that picture?

 

In the middle you can see that my spectrum seems more sensitive than on the sides there. Is this spur? Do I have to live with that or can this be reduced in any way? Maybe I am picking up other interference. On Youtube there are better results (it seems) with the SpektrumSkop.

 

I tried Simon’s option and sometimes during tuning of the spur I can see some difference, but at the end it seems that the best result is not saved.

 

Again I have here a device from www.box73.de which is connected to my First IF of the Yaesu FT-2000 . It is converted to 5.5mHz. and converted suitable for the soundcard input.

 

Best wishes,

 

73 de Henk [pd5dp]
Re: CPU goes to 100% with Build 472

Simon HB9DRV <simon@...>
 

Roger,

 

Just install 417, should be OK. I will be attacking the XP SP3 problems this evening with (any luck) a new kit. Maybe you can wait a few hours?

 

Simon Brown, HB9DRV, http://sdr-radio.com

 

From: sdr-radio-com@... [mailto:sdr-radio-com@...] On Behalf Of wa1nvc
Sent: 01 December 2010 14:05
To: sdr-radio-com@...
Subject: [sdr-radio-com] Re: CPU goes to 100% with Build 472

 

 

Simon,

I've thought more about this problem of SDR-radio Build 472 and Build 417 on WXP SP3.

Build 417 worked OK for months but then failed just like Build 472 after being re-installed on one of my laptops.

I would like to remove SDR-radio, SpectraVue and ALL the USB drivers and anything else that was installed by SDR-radio or SpectraVue.

How do I remove all traces of SDR-radio and SpectraVue including the USB drivers? I suspect add/remove programs does not remove the USB drivers.

I hope a fresh install of Build 417 will work again after all pieces of SDR-radio are removed. If this works then the problem with WXP SP3 is not in SDR-radio but some interaction with the USB drivers.

Roger
WA1NVC

--- In sdr-radio-com@..., "wa1nvc" wrote:
>
>
> I had been running SDR-radio build 417 and the SDR-IQ for over a month on my laptop with great results. I had also used it with remote servers. It was working great.
>
> I uninstalled SDR-radio build 417 and installed build 472. After starting SDR-radio the main screen and the splash screen appear and the CPU usage goes to 100%. The splash screen does not go away and the only way to stop it is with a kill from the task manager. I tried deleting all the XML files with no success. I even removed build 472 and reinstalled build 417. Build 417 then exhibited the same 100% CPU usage and hang.
>
> How can I fix this problem? What caused SDR-radio to suddenly stop working correctly on this laptop? I have a similar desktop where I did the exact same thing and build 472 works great.
>
> The laptop and desktop are both running Windows XP SP3 with all Microsoft updates installed. Both use AVG anti-virus and Comodo firewall. The laptop is a 2+ GHz Pentium m and the desktop is a 2+ GHz Pentium IV.
>
> Roger
> WA1NVC
>
Re: CPU goes to 100% with Build 472

wa1nvc
 

Simon,

I've thought more about this problem of SDR-radio Build 472 and Build 417 on WXP SP3.

Build 417 worked OK for months but then failed just like Build 472 after being re-installed on one of my laptops.

I would like to remove SDR-radio, SpectraVue and ALL the USB drivers and anything else that was installed by SDR-radio or SpectraVue.

How do I remove all traces of SDR-radio and SpectraVue including the USB drivers? I suspect add/remove programs does not remove the USB drivers.

I hope a fresh install of Build 417 will work again after all pieces of SDR-radio are removed. If this works then the problem with WXP SP3 is not in SDR-radio but some interaction with the USB drivers.

Roger
WA1NVC

--- In sdr-radio-com@..., "wa1nvc" <wa1nvc@...> wrote:


I had been running SDR-radio build 417 and the SDR-IQ for over a month on my laptop with great results. I had also used it with remote servers. It was working great.

I uninstalled SDR-radio build 417 and installed build 472. After starting SDR-radio the main screen and the splash screen appear and the CPU usage goes to 100%. The splash screen does not go away and the only way to stop it is with a kill from the task manager. I tried deleting all the XML files with no success. I even removed build 472 and reinstalled build 417. Build 417 then exhibited the same 100% CPU usage and hang.

How can I fix this problem? What caused SDR-radio to suddenly stop working correctly on this laptop? I have a similar desktop where I did the exact same thing and build 472 works great.

The laptop and desktop are both running Windows XP SP3 with all Microsoft updates installed. Both use AVG anti-virus and Comodo firewall. The laptop is a 2+ GHz Pentium m and the desktop is a 2+ GHz Pentium IV.

Roger
WA1NVC
Re: AM Demod

Simon HB9DRV <simon@...>
 

Hi,

 

I was talking with Pieter last night (as always) and I think I'll add custom demod modes via a user DLL.

 

I'll drop my cut-off frequency as suggested and add optional de-emphasis.

 

Simon Brown, HB9DRV, http://sdr-radio.com

 

From: sdr-radio-com@... [mailto:sdr-radio-com@...] On Behalf Of Steve Dove
Sent: 01 December 2010 06:08
To: sdr-radio-com@...
Subject: Re: [sdr-radio-com] AM Demod

 

 

Hi Simon,

Any specified 'lowest' frequency for AM broadcast is a historical
artifact. When Men were Men, dinosaurs roamed the bands and AM was made
using big lumps of iron, there was good reason for not driving
transmitters too hard (or at all) at low frequencies; they didn't do
well. But nowadays with modern switching transmitters which will
respond to DC (sometimes used to deliberately shift carrier level up or
down in the presence or absence of modulation) there is no practical
limit. We have customers who cheerfully send 25-30Hz 'bumps' with their
hippy-hoppy-rappy stuff. It's out there, on the air.

I would suggest 25Hz, simply because that would get rid of the beating
between multiple carriers on a channel - they're always adrift to some
degree. Yes, I know this places tough constraints on your filter, and
it might well be 'soft', but I'd rather not see the radio be a limiting
factor in this regard.

As regards pre-emphasis, there is a lot of it(!) applied in transmission
to compensate for normal radio IF's rolling off mercilessly. Your SDR
won't roll off, and be flat, and will sound very bright as a result.
The 'official' AM pre-emphasis here in the US (the rising part of the
NRSC curve) is 75uS; how about having that de-emphasis selectable as an
option?

73,

Steve

Simon HB9DRV wrote:

>
> 1) As far as I can find out the minimum AM audio frequency is either
> 40Hz or 50Hz so I now use a low pass filter to knock out 50Hz and below.
> Due to the design it's quite round...
>
> 2) I don't think any pre-emphasis or similar is required with AM - just
> linear response.

> Simon Brown, HB9DRV, http://sdr-radio.com
>
>

Re: Spur in the middle of the spectrum...

Alan <alan4alan@...>
 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Henk [pd5dp]"
Subject: RE: [sdr-radio-com] Re: Spur in the middle of the spectrum...




TNX Terry. I am looking forward to that. I am still a novice regarding the
SDR thing. At the moment I am using a M-Audio Delta44 as my soundcard, but
also this soundcard has some kind of noise in the middle of the spectrum. I
tried also yesterday my onboard soundcard. The result was poor. Much worse
than the M-audio Delta44.
The Delta 44 series does not usually have a spike at the zero Hz position.
Anything round the centre is usually due to ground loops that should be reduced by careful attention to grounding and ground paths.
In any case it is best to avoid this area for reception, in fact a spike helps remind you of where it is!
I'm not sure about spur reduction, are these actually spurs? What is the purpose of spur reduction? I thought it was associated with some DDS.

73 Alan G4ZFQ
Re: AM Demod

Paul
 

I always thought 75uS was for WFM, but now I see it in the AES papers. AM a well.
Anybody knows what "official" pre-emphasis is transmitted in other countries?

Some attenuation of the 50/60 Hz hum fundamental sometimes is handy, but already possible with Simon's EQ A/B/C

73
Paul
PD0PSB

The 'official' AM pre-emphasis here in the US (the rising part of the
NRSC curve) is 75uS; how about having that de-emphasis selectable as an
option?

73,

Steve


Simon HB9DRV wrote:


1) As far as I can find out the minimum AM audio frequency is either
40Hz or 50Hz so I now use a low pass filter to knock out 50Hz and below.
Due to the design it's quite round...

2) I don't think any pre-emphasis or similar is required with AM - just
linear response.
Simon Brown, HB9DRV, http://sdr-radio.com
Re: Spur in the middle of the spectrum...

Henk [pd5dp] <henkpit@...>
 

HI,

 

TNX Terry. I am looking forward to that. I am still a novice regarding the SDR thing. At the moment I am using a M-Audio Delta44 as my soundcard, but also this soundcard has some kind of noise in the middle of the spectrum. I tried also yesterday my onboard soundcard. The result was poor. Much worse than the M-audio Delta44.

 

Another matter. Is the maximum SSB bandwidth limited to 4kHz.? If this is the case, Simon, could you make this wider? Let’s say a limit of 10kHz.? Sometimes there are ESSB stations with an audio of 6-8kHz. In SSB.

 

Best wishes for 2011 and a merry Christmas…

 

73 de Henk [pd5dp]

Van: sdr-radio-com@... [mailto:sdr-radio-com@...] Namens terry_genes
Verzonden: woensdag 1 december 2010 7:06
Aan: sdr-radio-com@...
Onderwerp: [sdr-radio-com] Re: Spur in the middle of the spectrum...

 

 

I have been asking Simon to implement automatic spur reduction for some time and he has promised to get round to it!

Terry G4POP
Re: Spur in the middle of the spectrum...

terry_genes <tgenes@...>
 

I have been asking Simon to implement automatic spur reduction for some time and he has promised to get round to it!

Terry G4POP

--- In sdr-radio-com@..., pd0psb@... wrote:

Hi Henk,
(thanks for the ar5000 file :-)

The spur is a small imbalance between the I and Q signal, common to this type of SDR.

I can reduce it to zero with Simons spur reduction.
However, the spur is frequency and gain settings dependant, so after some QSY'ing you regularly have to de-spur again.

Taking away the spur works best on an empty noise without stations around.

73
Any snow over there yet?
Paul
PD0PSB



--- In sdr-radio-com@..., "Henk [pd5dp]" <henkpit@> wrote:

HI,



Still enjoying the SDR program. Just a question and a suggestion.



In my case I have some spur in the middle of the bandpass of my SDR. Simon
has got an option to reduce this. It is a little better, but it is still
present and it is anoying me a little.



Does someone know why this is present there and what a solution is to reduce
this? Is it something about the adjustment of my SDR on the hardware side?



Maybe is it possible to program a filter to reduce this in the middle of the
passband. A variable filter in bandwidth and gain?



73 de Henk [pd5dp]



By-the-way: still did not manage to connect this program to HRD J



www.pd5dp.nl (soon some info about my SDR)
67761 - 67780 of 70230