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CX2SA > SATDIG 11.02.10 22:06l 624 Lines 22235 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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From: CX2SA@CX2SA.LAV.URY.SA
To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR? (Owen B. Mehegan)
2. Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR? (Robert Liesenfeld)
3. Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR? (Mark L. Hammond)
4. A flight to near space this weekend (Graham Shirville)
5. Wanted: Bird "43" wattmeter "slugs" (jon)
6. Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR? (Sebastian)
7. Re: A flight to near space this weekend (GW1FKY@xxx.xxxx
8. Re: Wanted: Bird "43" wattmeter "slugs"
(n1jez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxx
9. Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR? (Jonathan Guthrie)
10. Falcon 9 Hardware Arrives At Cape Canaveral (B J)
11. Re: Soft66 board, etc.- other options, and the STS-130 Launch
(Steven Bienvenu)
12. ND9M Road Trip Update #8 (claryco@xxx.xxxx
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:38:51 -0800
From: "Owen B. Mehegan" <owen@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID:
<a1811e24c738075e99c96f1201fb4aec.squirrel@xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
> Message: 17
> Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:35:19 -0500
> From: "Mark L. Hammond" <marklhammond@xxxxx.xxx>
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
> To: Amsat - BBs <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
> Message-ID:
> <5d8cecfe1002101035x35f07d7dpc047e54cf120a4aa@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Found this today, look interesting. Prices are quite reasonable (if
> not cheap). Performance is the question.. I suppose the quality of
> the system sound card is a big issue.
>
> Anybody here own one or seen one in use?
>
> How about piping a 10.7 MHz IF into it for VHF/UHF?
>
> http://zao.jp/radio/soft66ad/
>
>
> --
> Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
A friend of mine just bought and assembled one. He said that the instructions
were pretty poor... the parts list and schematic didn't always match up and he
had to do a fair amount of head-scratching (and I think bang-head-on-desk-ing)
to get it built. He was not impressed with that aspect. I haven't yet heard
how well it's working as a radio. I'll ask him and let you know.
--
Owen B. Mehegan (KJ6AKQ)
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:24:54 -0800
From: Robert Liesenfeld <xunil@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID:
<4e589b571002101324m1b9438c8s82c617a76517e9c8@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Hi Mark-
I'm the friend Owen refers to; I just built a Soft66ADI. I keep meaning to
do a blog post about it, but I'll summarize here.
I really liked the form factor of the Soft66; the software-selectable BPFs
and the fact that the control software is open source really sealed the deal
for me. I ordered the unassembled kit, with the aluminum enclosure for
which it was intended.
The build instructions were baffling in parts, due to being written by a
native Japanese speaker (JA7TDO, the kit's creator). They're not
incomprehensible, but he chooses some strange words sometimes. Added to
this is the fact that the schematic lacks component values, IC labels, and
occasionally flat-out contradicts the PCB and parts supplied. For instance
on one of the BPFs, the schematic showed a capacitor, the PCB seemed to call
for a capacitor (e.g. C23), but the parts list had C23 as an inductor. I
emailed JA7TDO and asked him about this, he confirmed that the inductor was
the correct part. The voltage regulator IC was listed as one thing on the
PCB, and something else entirely on the parts list; if there had been more
than one device with a similar package this would have been a show-stopper.
Issues like this lead me to advise against ordering this as a kit. So far I
have not been able to get mine to work in xlinrad, Rocky, or any other SDR
software, but this might be due to the lack of a decent receive antenna. If
improving the antenna doesn't yield results, I'm afraid I'll have to haul
out the oscilloscope... I dread this because the schematic is worse than
useless, and requests to the author for advice have so far yielded very
terse replies, which left me with more questions than answers. Finally,
there's no indication of test points or any voltages or waveforms I should
see at certain points, so I'll have to puzzle it all out on my own.
I really ought to dig out that softrock rxtx kit and finish it... anyway,
hope this helps.
Robert AK6L
On Wed, Feb 10, 2010 at 11:38 AM, Owen B. Mehegan
<owen@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx>wrote:
> > Message: 17
> > Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:35:19 -0500
> > From: "Mark L. Hammond" <marklhammond@xxxxx.xxx>
> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
> > To: Amsat - BBs <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
> > Message-ID:
> > <5d8cecfe1002101035x35f07d7dpc047e54cf120a4aa@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> > Found this today, look interesting. Prices are quite reasonable (if
> > not cheap). Performance is the question.. I suppose the quality of
> > the system sound card is a big issue.
> >
> > Anybody here own one or seen one in use?
> >
> > How about piping a 10.7 MHz IF into it for VHF/UHF?
> >
> > http://zao.jp/radio/soft66ad/
> >
> >
> > --
> > Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
>
> A friend of mine just bought and assembled one. He said that the
> instructions
> were pretty poor... the parts list and schematic didn't always match up and
> he
> had to do a fair amount of head-scratching (and I think
> bang-head-on-desk-ing)
> to get it built. He was not impressed with that aspect. I haven't yet heard
> how well it's working as a radio. I'll ask him and let you know.
>
> --
> Owen B. Mehegan (KJ6AKQ)
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:49:17 -0500
From: "Mark L. Hammond" <marklhammond@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
To: Robert Liesenfeld <xunil@xxxxx.xxx>
Cc: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID:
<5d8cecfe1002101349y759e672bo288a9f42fc2cf7bc@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Hi Robert,
Thank you for your candid assessment. After looking over the website,
I decided that a kit form wouldn't be a good choice for me (and I love
to build!) So, the assembled unit does look like a good option.
I wish you had some performance reports!
On the other hand, maybe you just gave me one ;)
73 and I hope you get it going.
Mark N8MH
On Wed, Feb 10, 2010 at 4:24 PM, Robert Liesenfeld <xunil@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> Hi Mark-
>
> I'm the friend Owen refers to; I just built a Soft66ADI. ?I keep meaning to
> do a blog post about it, but I'll summarize here.
>
> I really liked the form factor of the Soft66; the software-selectable BPFs
> and the fact that the control software is open source really sealed the deal
> for me. ?I ordered the unassembled kit, with the aluminum enclosure for
> which it was intended.
>
> The build instructions were baffling in parts, due to being written by a
> native Japanese speaker (JA7TDO, the kit's creator). ?They're not
> incomprehensible, but he chooses some strange words sometimes. ?Added to
> this is the fact that the schematic lacks component values, IC labels, and
> occasionally flat-out contradicts the PCB and parts supplied. ?For instance
> on one of the BPFs, the schematic showed a capacitor, the PCB seemed to call
> for a capacitor (e.g. C23), but the parts list had C23 as an inductor. ?I
> emailed JA7TDO and asked him about this, he confirmed that the inductor was
> the correct part. ?The voltage regulator IC was listed as one thing on the
> PCB, and something else entirely on the parts list; if there had been more
> than one device with a similar package this would have been a show-stopper.
>
> Issues like this lead me to advise against ordering this as a kit. ?So far I
> have not been able to get mine to work in xlinrad, Rocky, or any other SDR
> software, but this might be due to the lack of a decent receive antenna. ?If
> improving the antenna doesn't yield results, I'm afraid I'll have to haul
> out the oscilloscope... I dread this because the schematic is worse than
> useless, and requests to the author for advice have so far yielded very
> terse replies, which left me with more questions than answers. ?Finally,
> there's no indication of test points or any voltages or waveforms I should
> see at certain points, so I'll have to puzzle it all out on my own.
>
> I really ought to dig out that softrock rxtx kit and finish it... ?anyway,
> hope this helps.
>
> Robert AK6L
>
> On Wed, Feb 10, 2010 at 11:38 AM, Owen B. Mehegan
<owen@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx>wrote:
>
>> > Message: 17
>> > Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:35:19 -0500
>> > From: "Mark L. Hammond" <marklhammond@xxxxx.xxx>
>> > Subject: [amsat-bb] ?Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
>> > To: Amsat - BBs <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
>> > Message-ID:
>> > ? ? ? <5d8cecfe1002101035x35f07d7dpc047e54cf120a4aa@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>> >
>> > Found this today, look interesting. ?Prices are quite reasonable (if
>> > not cheap). ?Performance is the question.. ?I suppose the quality of
>> > the system sound card is a big issue.
>> >
>> > Anybody here own one or seen one in use?
>> >
>> > How about piping a 10.7 MHz IF into it for VHF/UHF?
>> >
>> > http://zao.jp/radio/soft66ad/
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
>>
>> A friend of mine just bought and assembled one. He said that the
>> instructions
>> were pretty poor... the parts list and schematic didn't always match up and
>> he
>> had to do a fair amount of head-scratching (and I think
>> bang-head-on-desk-ing)
>> to get it built. He was not impressed with that aspect. I haven't yet heard
>> how well it's working as a radio. I'll ask him and let you know.
>>
>> --
>> Owen B. Mehegan (KJ6AKQ)
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
>> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
>> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
--
Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:54:36 -0000
From: "Graham Shirville" <g.shirville@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] A flight to near space this weekend
To: <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <42FB6A23573B41F9A3922D7DD0170499@xxxxxxx.xxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Hi all,
Check this page for details of a rare balloon flight from the UK this
Saturday!
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=01467ce8e3c05447a2d6ee6f01c169a
7&showtopic=6463&pid=155319&st=0&#entry155319
73
Graham
G3VZV
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:52:45 -0800 (PST)
From: jon <jon@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Wanted: Bird "43" wattmeter "slugs"
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.1002101552370.12523@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Thought I'd try the list first: I looking for 100-250 Mhz 100 Watt and
2-30Mhz 100 watt elements.
Thanks and 73s,
Jon Kenneke CBRE
K7PGB
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:18:36 -0500
From: Sebastian <w4as@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
To: AMSAT BB <AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <3F7D656F-1000-4B69-9F05-95EA08A032AE@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Robert, this looks like an interesting little device. I have an SDR-IQ
which is great, but expensive compared to this one.
I looked at the kit, and when I saw surface mount ICs, I said no way. Most
people don't have the equipment, eyesight or steady hands to solder a
surface mount IC. Maybe those parts are already soldered in the kit, I
really couldn't tell from the web site.
You mention that you haven't been able to get yours to work. What exactly
do you mean; can the software at least see the receiver and control it
(change frequencies etc.)?
Please let us know once you get it working.
73 de W4AS
On Feb 10, 2010, at 4:24 PM, Robert Liesenfeld wrote:
> Hi Mark-
>
> I'm the friend Owen refers to; I just built a Soft66ADI. I keep meaning to
> do a blog post about it, but I'll summarize here.
>
> I really liked the form factor of the Soft66; the software-selectable BPFs
> and the fact that the control software is open source really sealed the deal
> for me. I ordered the unassembled kit, with the aluminum enclosure for
> which it was intended.
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:06:53 EST
From: GW1FKY@xxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: A flight to near space this weekend
To: g.shirville@xxxxxxxxxx.xxxx amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <20893.15082f41.38a522ad@xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Hi Graham,
Thanks for posting this information - For others this is part of " PEGASUS
-HAB " project , and the planned
flight has been put out on a NOTAM.
Details can also be found on their web pages:
_http://www.pegasushabproject.org.uk/wiki/doku.php_
(http://www.pegasushabproject.org.uk/wiki/doku.php)
Cheers
Ken de GW1FKY
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:24:00 -0500
From: <n1jez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Wanted: Bird "43" wattmeter "slugs"
To: "jon" <jon@xxxxxxx.xxx>, <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <6784C2FE1D844DBE96CBEE83A6FD87B6@xxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Hi Jon,
If the list fails, try here:
http://www.nm3e.com/
73,
Mike, N1JEZ
AMSAT 29649
"A closed mouth gathers no feet"
----- Original Message -----
From: "jon" <jon@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Wanted: Bird "43" wattmeter "slugs"
>
> Thought I'd try the list first: I looking for 100-250 Mhz 100 Watt and
> 2-30Mhz 100 watt elements.
>
> Thanks and 73s,
>
> Jon Kenneke CBRE
> K7PGB
------------------------------
Message: 9
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:21:24 -0600
From: Jonathan Guthrie <ka8kpn@xxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Anybody use a Soft66ADD SDR?
To: Sebastian <w4as@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Cc: AMSAT BB <AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <4B741264.9070605@xxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Sebastian wrote:
> I looked at the kit, and when I saw surface mount ICs, I said no way.
> Most people don't have the equipment, eyesight or steady hands to solder
> a surface mount IC. Maybe those parts are already soldered in the kit, I
> really couldn't tell from the web site.
I started looking into this last year and it looks to me like the only
equipment absolutely needed to solder a surface mount IC is a
temperature-controlled soldering iron and a good magnifier. I can't
speak to the steady hands part, and there certainly is equipment that
can be purchased that helps make the job easier, but I would expect
anyone who does a lot of building to have a decent soldering iron, and
magnifiers are available various places.
I also think that the IC's would be a whole lot easier to see and work
with than the discrete components, or are you saying that the
surface-mount IC's imply surface-mount resistors, capacitors, etc?
The thing is, if you're going to build equipment, you'd best get used to
working with surface-mount parts, because that's the way the world is
going. While it is certainly possible for people to be physically
incapable of working with them, I'd hope that people would do some
research into the matter, and give it a shot before concluding that they
couldn't do it. Thereby psyching themselves out of doing something
they're perfectly capable of.
There are a number of on-line tutorials and surface-mount practice
projects that should allow anyone who wants to find out for themselves
whether or not they can do it, and without spending a lot of money.
People interested in finding out more should check out my links page:
http://www.ka8kpn.org/links.html
!DSPAM:195,4b741274187032112795933!
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:01:50 -0800 (PST)
From: B J <top_gun_canada@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Falcon 9 Hardware Arrives At Cape Canaveral
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <557867.4877.qm@xxxxxxxx.xxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20100211
73s
Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL
__________________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Canada Toolbar: Search from anywhere on the web, and bookmark your
favourite sites. Download it now
http://ca.toolbar.yahoo.com.
------------------------------
Message: 11
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:40:01 -0600
From: "Steven Bienvenu" <sbienv@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Soft66 board, etc.- other options, and the
STS-130 Launch
To: <AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <5E25B89F1AC74AE8AEA535DD39EA3FF1@xxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
I must agree with Johnathan that surface mount is not tough at all with
reasonable components...and to recommend considering the SoftRock
SDR boards for an IF receiver/display. I've no experience or info
concerning the Soft66 boards.
I'd had essentially no experience with surface mount before I ordered a
SoftRock kit for 10.7 IF (was $12 then, now maybe 15 or so).
So I bought a surface mount practice kit for 7 bucks, which came with a
number of different kinds of surface mount components one might need
to solder to a board, as well as a small working flasher circuit. Turns
out, with some bent tweezers, flux in a tube, small solder and small
soldering iron
tip (mine was already small enough)-all fairly cheap on the net, it was
absolutely no sweat, even fun, and maybe actually easier than through-hole
stuff. I used magnifier lenses that fit on my bifocals, and an old, cheap
magnifier lens/light combo at times, and had a great time. It's easier, in
that one need never strip wire, trim leads, or turn the board over to solder
the other side-nice. Then I tried the SoftRock board, and had zero
problems. A cheap plastic 30x handheld microscope is good for checking
questionable joints and connections. I wish someone had told me all this
years ago...
I turned 60 years old last week, and I shake like everyone else; rest your
hand or hands on something and go to it. I'd recommend getting one of these
practice
boards, then decide (available from sources like Ramsey kits, etc.).
The SoftRock worked well, was easy to build, and now provides me with a 96
kHz panadapter display with my old R7000 receiver, and various free
software. I use mine
to monitor the 10 meter beacon band, and it has provided a great deal of
interesting insight into 10 meter propagation, since one can "see" essentially
the entire domestic beacon band at once. With a better soundcard, it will
provide a 192 KHz display; transponder downlinks await...
This is not a project however small, for first-time builders, but excellent
instructions are available on the net for it, the board is only 2 1/2 inches
by
1 inch or less in size, and only some of the parts are surface mount. The
fellow who sells these kits offers them intermittently, and the IF board is
actually
just a few parts different item from his 40 meter receiver board.
I'd be interested in hearing about the SDR66.
'Just my experience. The other experience was watching the Shuttle launch
from the Nasa Causeway on Monday morning...it was absolutely awesome,
exceeded my expectations, and was well-worth traveling from Louisiana with
my family to witness. The amount of light produced by the boosters was just
incredible,
and seemed to illuminate the entire sky, clouds and earth. The SDO launched
this morning...delayed by the shuttle delay, then winds....almost got to see
two launches,
but I'll never complain!
73,
Steve W5ZA Shreveport, La.
------------------------------
Message: 12
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:08:11 -0500
From: claryco@xxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] ND9M Road Trip Update #8
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <8CC7953ECE1B69A-51F0-5F6F@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Today is scheduled as a day off for us while we do tourist stuff locally.
But depending on available time later in the afternoon, I may run back out
to the DM72 / DM82 line for either or both of the SO50 and AO51 passes;
SO50 rises here at 11/2307Z and AO51 pops up at 11/2357Z.
We'll head out tomorrow (Friday) and expect to be at the DM71 / DM81 line
for the AO27 passes that rise at 12/1950Z (east) and 12/2130Z (west).
The ambitious part will be getting to the DL79 / DM70 line for the AO51
pass at 12/2316Z which is quickly followed a few minutes later by SO50.
Road conditions permitting, we'll get to the line; otherwise, we'll stop
in either DM80 or DM70 for the back-to-back passes.
If the latter is what evolves, we'll stop in DL79 or on the DL79 / DM70
line for the AO51 pass at 13/0055Z. But it's only a 20-degree pass for
that area, so it won't be all that productive. We need to get down to Big
Bend (DL88) the next day, so we'll figure out when we can come back to
DL79 to give those who need that grid a reasonable shot at getting it.
73,
Jim, ND9M / VQ9JC
Carlsbad, NM / DM72
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Sent via amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 5, Issue 77
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