[Skimmertalk] QS1R replacement

[Martin Rath]

Hi,

I would certainly be interested by a second 8-10 bands at this price
point.  While I'm sure there is a good reason for using 5V it would be much
more convenient if it could run off 12V like all my other ham gadgets. I
have wanted to take it with me to Europe during the summer when I go on
holidays but the idea of having to carry yet another power source turned me
off from doing so ..

Also and this may be more related to Skimmer Server than to the QS1R I
would welcome the option to be able to have a GPU do some off the hard work
rather than the computer main CPU. I still use an overclocked i2500k and
with CW and RTTY Skimmer running at the same time it becomes painful to use
this computer for another task at the same time. A device that could skim
more bands would push that even more (and I'm located in south East Asia
with small RX antennas so I can imagine how bad it would be in Europe /
US). I could certainly upgrade my PC but that would mean new CPU/Mobo/RAM.
Just adding a GPU card would me much easier.

73's de Martin 9V1RM





On Wed, Nov 11, 2015 at 7:59 AM, Rafael Peña <pinoleronica at hotmail.com>
wrote:

> It will be lovely to use, and I will buy an additional unit for, the QS1R
> with other SDR software, i.e., SDRConsole...currently only SDRMAX & HDSDR I
> am able to use.    My current setup is for CWSkimmer spotting.
>
> Rafael / NN3RP
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pcovington .
> Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 9:17 AM
> To: skimmertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [Skimmertalk] QS1R replacement
>
> Hello all,
>
> I am trying to get an idea of the demand for an updated QS1R I am working
> on.  The price target is $499.
>
> Here are the changes:
>
> 1. It will have the same size FPGA as the current QS1R, but the FPGA will
> be
> upgraded to a Cyclone IV instead of a Cyclone III.  This will reduce power
> demand, heat, and resolve some of the timing issues some people have had
> with the QS1R in Skimmer Server duty.
>
> 2. The ADC will be updated to a lower power version with the same SFDR as
> the current ADC. This will result in less heat production.
>
> 3. The regulators will be updated to a 3A version for the 1.2 volt supply
> and 2A versions for the rest of the supplies.  There is an issue in the
> current QS1R where the 1.2 V 800mA regulator goes into shutdown on some
> units when running Skimmer Server.  The heating of the 1.2 regulator will
> be
> much less also.
>
> 4. There will be a clock generator that generates the 125 MHz encode clock
> from an on board 10 MHz oscillator and the option to supply the clock
> generator with an external 10 MHz source without having to mess with any
> solder jumpers.  This eliminates the 125 MHz external clock requirement.
>
> 5. A preamp/ADC driver will be added with a ?11.5 dB to +20 dB gain range.
> This is the same part that is used in the Flex 6700.  This part was not
> available when the QS1R was designed in 2007.
>
> These changes are specifically for Skimmer Server use.  As some of you may
> know, Skimmer Server was developed after the QS1R was designed and
> in production, so the high power demand was not anticipated.   Alex,
> VE3NEA did an amazing job of fitting 7 receivers into the current FPGA.
> Skimmer Server taxes the voltage regulators (especially the 1.2 V
> regulator)
> and the FPGA in the current QS1R.
>
> Please let me if you have any interest in the updated QS1R (model
> number/name TBD).  I am trying to plan a production run.
>
> 73 Phil N8VB
> _______________________________________________
> Skimmertalk mailing list
> Skimmertalk at contesting.com
> http://dayton.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/skimmertalk
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2015 13:39:11 -0500
> From: Mack McCormick <w4ax.mack at gmail.com>
> To: Jeff AC0C <keepwalking188 at ac0c.com>
> Cc: "pcovington ." <p.covington at gmail.com>,     SkimmerTalk
>         <skimmertalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [Skimmertalk] QS1R replacement
> Message-ID:
>         <CAFzyUt6xCOgU8RH=
> ZGNAtGMG7PSiDD2PptOsogrGyfSJ57OnnQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Phil,
>
> I would purchase an updated QS1R right away. In fact I'll be pleased to pay
> for a pre-order.
>
> This is great news!
>
> Mack
> W4AX
>
>
> Mack
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 1:35 PM, Jeff AC0C <keepwalking188 at ac0c.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Phil,
> >
> > Guys who want to cover the 9 (or 10) HF bands 24x7 have to do some
> > gymnastics with the 7 available bands out of Server.
> >
> > To that end, I had talked to Alex a few years back regarding what it
> > would take to get to a 9 or 10-band skimmer solution working.  And if
> > I remember correctly, the gate count of the FPGA was the primary limiting
> factor.
> >
> > I would certainly be willing to pay a bit more if the gate count on
> > the next version could let us get another couple of bands added...
> >
> > 73/jeff/ac0c
> > www.ac0c.com
> > alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
> >
> > -----Original Message----- From: pcovington .
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 9:17 AM
> > To: skimmertalk at contesting.com
> > Subject: [Skimmertalk] QS1R replacement
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I am trying to get an idea of the demand for an updated QS1R I am
> > working on.  The price target is $499.
> >
> > Here are the changes:
> >
> > 1. It will have the same size FPGA as the current QS1R, but the FPGA
> > will be upgraded to a Cyclone IV instead of a Cyclone III.  This will
> > reduce power demand, heat, and resolve some of the timing issues some
> > people have had with the QS1R in Skimmer Server duty.
> >
> > 2. The ADC will be updated to a lower power version with the same SFDR
> > as the current ADC. This will result in less heat production.
> >
> > 3. The regulators will be updated to a 3A version for the 1.2 volt
> > supply and 2A versions for the rest of the supplies.  There is an
> > issue in the current QS1R where the 1.2 V 800mA regulator goes into
> > shutdown on some units when running Skimmer Server.  The heating of
> > the 1.2 regulator will be much less also.
> >
> > 4. There will be a clock generator that generates the 125 MHz encode
> > clock from an on board 10 MHz oscillator and the option to supply the
> > clock generator with an external 10 MHz source without having to mess
> > with any solder jumpers.  This eliminates the 125 MHz external clock
> > requirement.
> >
> > 5. A preamp/ADC driver will be added with a ?11.5 dB to +20 dB gain
> > range.  This is the same part that is used in the Flex 6700.  This
> > part was not available when the QS1R was designed in 2007.
> >
> > These changes are specifically for Skimmer Server use.  As some of you
> > may know, Skimmer Server was developed after the QS1R was designed and
> > in production, so the high power demand was not anticipated.   Alex,
> > VE3NEA did an amazing job of fitting 7 receivers into the current
> > FPGA.  Skimmer Server taxes the voltage regulators (especially the 1.2
> > V regulator) and the FPGA in the current QS1R.
> >
> > Please let me if you have any interest in the updated QS1R (model
> > number/name TBD).  I am trying to plan a production run.
> >
> > 73 Phil N8VB
> > _______________________________________________
> > Skimmertalk mailing list
> > Skimmertalk at contesting.com
> > http://dayton.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/skimmertalk
> > _______________________________________________
> > Skimmertalk mailing list
> > Skimmertalk at contesting.com
> > http://dayton.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/skimmertalk
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2015 10:41:36 -0800
> From: Rich Hallman <rich at n7tr.com>
> To: Jeff AC0C <keepwalking188 at ac0c.com>
> Cc: "pcovington ." <p.covington at gmail.com>, skimmertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Skimmertalk] QS1R replacement
> Message-ID: <AA9638CE-39E4-45DD-A9F3-33B643A68A27 at n7tr.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=utf-8
>
> Agree with Jeff.....the option of a 9 or 10 band driver would be awesome.
> Thanks....
>
> Rich Hallman N7TR
>
>
> > On Nov 10, 2015, at 10:35 AM, Jeff AC0C <keepwalking188 at ac0c.com> wrote:
> >
> > Phil,
> >
> > Guys who want to cover the 9 (or 10) HF bands 24x7 have to do some
> gymnastics with the 7 available bands out of Server.
> >
> > To that end, I had talked to Alex a few years back regarding what it
> would
> take to get to a 9 or 10-band skimmer solution working.  And if I remember
> correctly, the gate count of the FPGA was the primary limiting factor.
> >
> > I would certainly be willing to pay a bit more if the gate count on the
> next version could let us get another couple of bands added...
> >
> > 73/jeff/ac0c
> > www.ac0c.com
> > alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
> >
> > -----Original Message----- From: pcovington .
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 9:17 AM
> > To: skimmertalk at contesting.com
> > Subject: [Skimmertalk] QS1R replacement
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I am trying to get an idea of the demand for an updated QS1R I am
> > working on.  The price target is $499.
> >
> > Here are the changes:
> >
> > 1. It will have the same size FPGA as the current QS1R, but the FPGA
> > will be upgraded to a Cyclone IV instead of a Cyclone III.  This will
> > reduce power demand, heat, and resolve some of the timing issues some
> > people have had with the QS1R in Skimmer Server duty.
> >
> > 2. The ADC will be updated to a lower power version with the same SFDR
> > as the current ADC. This will result in less heat production.
> >
> > 3. The regulators will be updated to a 3A version for the 1.2 volt
> > supply and 2A versions for the rest of the supplies.  There is an
> > issue in the current QS1R where the 1.2 V 800mA regulator goes into
> > shutdown on some units when running Skimmer Server.  The heating of
> > the 1.2 regulator will be much less also.
> >
> > 4. There will be a clock generator that generates the 125 MHz encode
> > clock from an on board 10 MHz oscillator and the option to supply the
> > clock generator with an external 10 MHz source without having to mess
> > with any solder jumpers.  This eliminates the 125 MHz external clock
> > requirement.
> >
> > 5. A preamp/ADC driver will be added with a ?11.5 dB to +20 dB gain
> > range.  This is the same part that is used in the Flex 6700.  This
> > part was not available when the QS1R was designed in 2007.
> >
> > These changes are specifically for Skimmer Server use.  As some of you
> > may know, Skimmer Server was developed after the QS1R was designed and
> > in production, so the high power demand was not anticipated.   Alex,
> > VE3NEA did an amazing job of fitting 7 receivers into the current
> > FPGA.  Skimmer Server taxes the voltage regulators (especially the 1.2
> > V regulator) and the FPGA in the current QS1R.
> >
> > Please let me if you have any interest in the updated QS1R (model
> > number/name TBD).  I am trying to plan a production run.
> >
> > 73 Phil N8VB
> > _______________________________________________
> > Skimmertalk mailing list
> > Skimmertalk at contesting.com
> > http://dayton.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/skimmertalk
> > _______________________________________________
> > Skimmertalk mailing list
> > Skimmertalk at contesting.com
> > http://dayton.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/skimmertalk
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2015 18:47:29 +0000
> From: Ken Chandler <G0ORH at sky.com>
> To: skimmertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [Skimmertalk] QS1R
> Message-ID: <BAB45384-3FB5-484D-A1B2-5E7442BE5E7C at sky.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=us-ascii
>
> Phil
> Yes please, QTY 1 unit.
>
> Ken.. G0ORH
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2015 16:09:21 -0500
> From: Mark n2qt <n2qt.va at gmail.com>
> To: Pete Smith N4ZR <n4zr at contesting.com>
> Cc: skimmertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Skimmertalk] Skimmer Advice (K3 IF issues)
> Message-ID: <1E5B943C-DB95-4DEF-9366-445425F765A3 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=us-ascii
>
> If you want it is possible to bring out the IF on the K3 subrx.  You can
> then run this through
> an LP/CWskimer set up in fixed tune mode, allowing up to 192 kHz.  You must
> tell cwskimmer
> what the subrx is tuned to, +/- and offsets or mode adjustments.  Then
> don't
> tune the subrx,
> rather click through the cwskimmer waterfall display.  This way you can set
> the subrx
> to another band especially if using either a multiband antenna or if you
> use
> the separate
> antenna input for the sub RX.
>
> You do have to be careful to set everything correctly. I typically do this
> for either 6 or 160
> when I'm just interested in that one band.
>
> The if out mod was written up in NCJ but is available on line as well at
>
> http://www.pvrc.org/Newsletters/jun12.pdf
>
> Mark. N2QT
>
> > On Nov 10, 2015, at 9:12 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR <n4zr at contesting.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Pat - so long as you are using CW Skimmer in the Softrock-IF mode,
> there is no way that you can cover more than +/- 12 KHz from the center
> frequency.  This is a Skimmer software-imposed limitation, one for which I
> do not understand the rationale, because NaP3 on the output of LP-Pan
> definitely is not restricted. To get the coverage you want, you really need
> to listen with the Afedri to the RX out from your K3, probably with a
> splitter after the RC protector.  The Afedri can be set up to work this
> way,
> but only on one 192-KHz band at a time. You can use SkimScan to make it
> alternate between any two bands, or more.
> >
> > I think your issue with changing frequencies when you change filter
> bandwidths may be due to incorrect LP-Pan or
> > LP-Bridge settings, because I do not encounter this.
> >
> > One problem with using RX Out - I believe that the K3's bandpass
> filtering
> may preclude some 2-band combinations from working (40 and 20 for example).
> All in all, I think that a better solution may be to use a separate
> antenna,
> or to connect to a "retail" DX Cluster - either ARC V6 or VE7CC - and set
> up
> your filters so that you only get spots sent by RBN nodes that have
> approximately the same propagation that you do.  Of course, if you want to
> run as unassisted you can't do that.
> >
> > 73, Pete N4ZR
> > Download the new N1MM Logger+ at
> > <http://N1MM.hamdocs.com>. Check
> > out the Reverse Beacon Network at
> > <http://reversebeacon.net>, now
> > spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
> > For spots, please use your favorite
> > "retail" DX cluster.
> >
> >> On 11/9/2015 6:26 PM, Pat Rundall wrote:
> >> Skimmer Gurus...
> >>
> >> I'm looking for a bit of advice on how to improve my setup for CW
> contests.
> >> Namely, I'd like to avoid the 24khz limit of the k3/LP-Pan setup and
> issues
> >> with the output shifting frequencies when I change filter settings on
> the
> >> k3.
> >>
> >>
> >> The Goal:
> >> Aggregate useful skimmer spots -> N1MM+ for the current and adjacent
> bands.
> >> I'd prefer to have the skimmer running on the active antenna (ie a beam
> >> rather than a short vertical or loop)
> >>
> >>
> >> The Current Setup
> >>
> >>    - N1MM+ on a laptop
> >>    - K3/100 as the main rig w/RX2
> >>    - LP-Pan2 from IF-Output of K3
> >>    - USB sound card capable of 192khz
> >>    - Currently, I'm routing the RX output of the k3, through a
> >>    DX-Engineering RX-Guard and then into the RX input as a means of
> protecting
> >>    the front end in a SO2R environment (also using BPFs, etc.). (100w)
> >>    - Aggregating spots from a local packet node with wintelnetx
> >>
> >> Other HW available
> >>
> >>    - Afedri SDR
> >>    - Pixel RX loop
> >>
> >> The problem
> >> I noticed in Sweepstakes CW that the Skimmer is only decoding +/-12khz
> >> rather than the whole 192kHz at once. Also noticed that when I change
> >> filter settings on the k3, the frequency jumps on Skimmer. I've read
> where
> >> both of these issues are known and there really isn't a working solution
> >> apart from simply using other hardware. Unless I've missed it, I don't
> see
> >> a solution to these issues offered by the vendors
> (Elecraft/LP-Pan/VE3NEA)
> >>
> >> Options
> >>
> >>    1. Setup the Afedri SDR to be a standalone receiver by putting a
> >>    splitter after the RX-Guard on the RX-out/in loop. I may see a bit of
> >>    signal loss on that. I'd probably setup the Afedri on a separate PC
> running
> >>    an SDR app (HDSDR?) with Skimmer. Then when I change bands, manually
> change
> >>    that on the app. Not horribly inconvenient.
> >>    2. Setup the SDR on the RX loop with another RX Guard. (Even if there
> is
> >>    a fix to the K3 IF issues, I may setup another SDR on the loop to
> monitor
> >>    the adjacent band)
> >>
> >> Other thoughts?
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >>
> >> Pat N0HR
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Skimmertalk mailing list
> >> Skimmertalk at contesting.com
> >> http://dayton.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/skimmertalk
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Skimmertalk mailing list
> > Skimmertalk at contesting.com
> > http://dayton.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/skimmertalk
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Subject: Digest Footer
>
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>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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