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Re: [TenTec] Virtual Serial Port recommendation

To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Virtual Serial Port recommendation
From: "K7TXO Radio" <k7txoradio@gmail.com>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2014 07:52:05 -0700
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Yes, HDSDR is the software. Ultra busy at work this time of year so I haven't been on the air or puttering with the SDR much right now. Just catching up on some of the messages, and thanks everyone for the excellent input.

HDSDR was recommended for use with the Peaberry V2 SDR I built and references to this software is used to test and bring up the radio during construction process. Kudo's to the designer of this radio and his excellent step by step instructions. You are working with SMD parts when you build this radio and my older eyes make it a bit tougher but got it done. I did get the processor chip slightly skewed on the PCB but everything else was perfect. The tough part was removing the chip since the PCB pads for that chip are closely spaced. I decided to cut the chip legs and then clean up the pads which worked fine. I got a replacement chip and after installing it, realized that the chip is more than just a processor; it contains instructions that are pre-loaded into the chip by the Peaberry designer in the chip he ships in the kit. Ooops. A raw chip has no clue for example, that a USB port exists so you cannot just flip new firmware into the chip without the initial programming that is not done through the USB port. Actually this kind of goof is a good thing; you learn a lot although if I had studied this chip a bit more to begin with, I would have bought a pre-programmed replacement, not a raw chip. Anyway...

So I had to purchase a "PSC" Programming kit to make my raw chip smart enough to recognize among other things, the USB port. Any subsequent firmware updates can be completed through the USB port now. I already tried that just to make sure and it works fine. All of this great fun really and learned a lot.

I have since used some other SDR software. Just like our "hardware" radios, each program has it's pros and cons but ultimately I have stayed with HDSDR which also operates the QRP power transmitter on the Peaberry just fine too although I am only using the receiver. You can disable the transmit function through software as I have done. I just connect this SDR radio to the IF tap in the Orion via a CLIFTON LAB buffer interface that is easy to build, easy to mount and easy to tap into the Orion. If I recall correctly, I set the operational amplifier on this board with a resistor to provide zero (unity) gain and the output from the Orion to the Peaberry is just fine.

I tried installing K5FR's version of virtual serial port on my Windows 7 OS and ran into an error with the Registry. I am sure I could have fixed that but since both versions of his software did not want to work unless I got into tweaking permissions in registry, I decided to de-install and then installed the ELTIMA VSP software which is licensed software you purchase to see what happens when it installed. This installed and runs perfectly although I haven't configured virtual ports to work with any of my ham programs yet but I see no problem doing that.

Having a blast with my modified and adapted 565 Orion and looking forward to the next generation of radio that comes out. As long as it still has knobs and buttons, hi hi.

Gene  /  K7TXO



-----Original Message----- From: Reed Krenn
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 5:03 AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Cc: k5gak@powerc.net
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Virtual Serial Port recommendation

The software is called HDSDR. First time I had heard of it.

http://www.hdsdr.de/screenshots.html

Reed / WW3A




On Tue, Jun 3, 2014 at 7:38 AM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX <RMcGraw@blomand.net>
wrote:

Anyone figure out what software he is running on the computer?  For some
reason I didn't catch it.

73
Bob, K4TAX


----- Original Message ----- From: "Spencer" <k5gak@powerc.net>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 2:58 PM
Subject: [TenTec] Virtual Serial Port recommendation



 look at this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tshlXgarnBQ

Spencer W1GAK
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