RX performance...

[Dan Compton]

Anyone lend their experience with RX on the HFIQ? I have mine and set everything up, but i can hear exacty nothing but noise. I’ve tried the HF beacons, AM radio stations, I even used a shortwave station finder to show currently transmitting frequencies. Nothin’. I am using an efha and when i connect my TH-D74A, I can hear some of the stations from the shortwave finder website. Any clues? I knew it would be challenging getting out, but I figured with a wire I should at least be able to RX something. I’m using HSDR until my PI-SDRIQ+ gets here.

[jcve...@gmail.com]

Hi,

The RX on the RS-HFIQ if it's working, is very sensitive. Here are some things to check:

1. Two green lights on the front indicate both 12V and 5V (from the Nano) are present, both must be lit for RX to work.
2. Unplug the antenna while observing the spectrum. No change indicates signals are not coming through the radio for some reason.
3. Leave the antenna plugged in and unplug the IQ OUT (RX) plug. No change indicated that the problem is in the sound card, PC, drivers and or software (this is where 90% if the issues are)
4. With Omni-Ring, you can use the RS-HFIQ control panel to turn on the Built-In Test (BIT) oscillator and see if it appears on the spectrum

Also have a look at the troubleshooting page and see if anything relevant is there:

https://sites.google.com/site/rshfiqtransceiver/home/faq-and-troubleshooting

73,

Jim WA2EUJ

[IZ3HRM]

as per my experience RS-HFIQ  is  a good receiver. I did my own version with some modifications (attenuator and some else) and it's working well also witha simple wire hanged to a tree in my garden.

In my precedent prototype I've only noticed that the MMIC (MMG3H21NT1) used both as rx preamplifier and tx driver was susceptible to breakdowns. In my last design I've opted for two separated and different devices.

73

Mauro IZ3HRM

[Dan Compton]

Jim,
I have had the chance to troubleshoot today. I am of the opinion that either I don’t have a grasp on how to operate HDSDR or I have something set up incorrectly.
Unplugging the antenna and the IQ OUT individually did affect the display. I then used the HFIQ BIT as you suggested. I played with it quite a bit and took some photos. I set the BIT to 7.290 and centered LO at 7.280 so I could watch as I turned on the tone. The waterfall did indeed show the BIT tone but not on 7.290 where I set it to generate. It showed up as two symmetrical targets mirrored about the center axis offset out to about 7.265 and 7.925. When I clicked the signal to tune to one of the tones, the tones moved on the display. I could move them all over by clicking on them. It was not until I manually tuned LO to 7.290 and then TUNE to 7.290 that I could hear the tones. Then, once I could hear the tones, I could move the tune freq and still hear them. All the while moving the signal all over the waterfall. I’ll try and attach a few screen shots. I’m lost at this point.

[jcve...@gmail.com]

When you see a mirrored spectrum, it means that the information on the I and Q channels are the same. This is usually cause by the soundcard. What type of soundcard do you have connected to the IQ out of the receiver?

[Dan Compton]

It is a Creative Labs Soundblaster Play 3.