Release the KrakenSDR!

Posted date: October 15, 2021in: Equipment

KrakenSDR is now available for crowdfunding on Crowd Supply. Thank you to all interested parties for your patience while we navigated recent pandemic-related delays. KrakenSDR is a five-channel, RX-only software-defined radio (SDR) based on the RTL-SDR and designed for phase-coherent applications and experiments. Phase-coherent SDR opens the door to some very interesting applications, including radio […] Read more

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XPA125 Tuner – Any good?

Posted date: October 13, 2021in: Equipment

Today I take the XPA125 Tuner and put it through its paces with a 9:1 EFRW Random Wire Antenna Read more

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Xiegu X6100 HF/50MHz Portable SDR Transceiver

Posted date: October 10, 2021in: Equipment

Xiegu X6100 is a revolutionary self-contained 10 watt HF and 6m SDR transceiver with a large color display, automatic antenna tuner and a built-in high capacity battery. Xiegu X6100 is an ultra-portable SDR transceiver (Software Defined Radio) for HF and 6m. High performance and rich functionality is provided by a direct down-conversion and sampling architecture. With its compact size and smart form factor X6100 brings you a […] Read more

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QDX 4-band 5W Digi transceiver

Posted date: October 09, 2021in: Equipment

The “QDX” (QRP Labs Digital Xcvr): a feature-packed, high performance, four-band (80, 40, 30, 20m) 5W Digi-modes transceiver kit, including embedded SDR receiver, 24-bit 48 ksps USB sound card, CAT control, synthesized VFO with TCXO reference. QDX transmits a SINGLE SIGNAL, it is not an SSB modulator with associated unwanted sideband and residual carrier, or intermodulation due to amplifier non-linearity. [... Read more

Tech-out of the Xiegu XPA125B Auto Tuner + Amplifier

Posted date: September 29, 2021in: Equipment

Today we take a look at the Xiegu XPA125B QRP Amplifier and Auto Tuner hooked up to the Icom IC-705. This amp will work with a variety of QRP rigs including the new Lab599 TX500, Xiegu G90, Elecraft and Yaesu Rigs. Does it do the thing? The Xiegu XPA125B (new version) is a 100 watts […] Read more

YAESU M-90D Desktop Microphone: UNBOXING

Posted date: September 28, 2021in: Equipment

Yaesu M-90D Desktop Microphones utilize a finely tuned dynamic element to deliver rich low to mid frequency response, desirable for a clear and concise conversational sound that is pleasing to the ear of the listener. The oversize dynamic microphone element and windscreen of the M-90D is designed to accentuate voice input from the front and […] Read more

Choosing Lightning Arresters

Posted date: September 22, 2021in: Equipment

Robert, KG5BJF, is getting ready to set up his station and his question is “How do you determine which lightning arresters are the correct ones to use?” Read more

DMX-40 Transceiver

Posted date: September 20, 2021in: Equipment

The Premier Morse Translator/Transceiver Tired of trying to learn Morse code? Searching for a state-of-the-art decoder/encoder companion for your station that keeps right on working when the band gets noisy, and doubles as a portable QRP transceiver? Stop looking! It’s here! The DMX-40 is revolutionizing amateur radio CW communications with its extraordinary ability to decode […] Read more

Download IC-705 Exterior Case 3D Data and Create Your Own Accessories

Posted date: September 17, 2021in: Equipment

Icom is allowing the download of 3D data of the exterior case of the IC-705 HF/VHF/UHF Mobile Transceiver allowing customers to create their own related accessories. The 3D data that will be made available will be compatible with several free 3D modelling softwares and 3D applications and will allow individual users to create their own IC-705 related […] Read more

RS-HFIQ 5 Watt HF SDR Transceiver by HobbyPCB

Posted date: September 05, 2021in: Equipment

Here we take a look at the RS-HFIQ 5 Watt HF SDR Transceiver by HobbyPCB.

The RS-HFIQ is an open-source HF transceiver project designed to translate I and Q baseband signals to RF in the 80/60/40/30/20/17/15/12/10M Amateur Radio bands. The I and Q signals must be provided/processed by external signal processing which could be a PC running Software Defined Radio software or a stand-alone digital signal processor

The receiver in the RS-HFIQ consists of 5 band-pass filters to reject out-of-band signals, an LNA with frequency dependent gain and a conventional quadrature down-converter.

The transmitter in the RS-HFIQ uses a Quatrature up-converter followed by the same band-pass filters used by the receivers, a 5W power chain and a low-pass filter bank.

The Local Oscillator is based on a Silicon Labs SI5351 chip that can product up to 3 RF outputs, the LO signal for the up/down-converter, a built-in test signal for calibrating I and Q offsets and an external signal.

The control of the SI5351 and all switching functions is provided by an Arduino Nano running open-source software and programmed with the Arduino IDE.

Special care has been taken to insure noise and ground-loop set-up. The RS-HFIQ has three separate DC isolated ground planes; RF/Chassis ground, Baseband/Audio ground and Digital ground. This allows the same PC to be connected to the audio in/out and the USB port on the Arduino Nano without creating noise/grounding issues.

5W not enough power? Add a HARDROCK-50 to your station to boost up to 50W. The RS-HFIQ and HARDROCK-50 seamlessly integrate together for a powerful base station!

Specifications

Frequency Range – 3-30MHz (performance guaranteed on 80/60/40/30/20/17/15/12/10M ham bands)
Sensitivity – MDS < -128 dBm on 80M dropping to < -135 on 10M (depending on processing bandwidth and sound card performance)
Noise Figure –
TX Power 5W typical, 4W minimum
LO Feed-thru < -50 dBc @ 5W output
Spurious and Harmonics < -50 dBc typical
DC Power 13.8VDC, 2 amp max plus USB power for the Arduino Nano
Size – 100MM x 160MM

Requirements

The RS-HFIQ is NOT a stand-alone transceiver, it is a part of a Software Defined Radio system. The SDR system consists of:

Radio front-end – The RS-HFIQ
Data conversion – Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog typically provided by a high-quality sound card
Computer hardware – A digital signal processor or high speed general purpose processor.
SDR Software – to process TX and RX signals

While many different configurations are possible and even encouraged, we have developed a ‘standard’ configuration that will help users new to SDR’s go up and running quickly. To get on the air with the RS-HFIQ in the standard configuration you will need:

RS-HFIQ
StarTech – 96 KSPS sound card
Windows PC – running Windows 7, 8 or 10 with speakers and two available USB ports
13.8V 3A power supply
Microphone
Various USB and audio cables
HDSDR and Omni-Rig software
A valid Amateur Radio license is required for transmitting
Antenna system

Visit the RS-HFIQ Transceiver Wiki for more information.