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Two Tone signal input ?

2

Answers

  • LarryF
    LarryF Member ✭✭
    edited August 2019
    Hi Rich, I'm sure you have the Lp-500 grounded? Try and put a second ground wire with the first, only make it about 9-12 inches longer. So you will have 2 (two). Ground wires coming from LP-500 Larry ke2yc
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Thanks Howard.  I talked to Julius (W2IHY) about feeding it into the back of my iPlus. He suggested I feed it into my EQplus which will go through the iPlus. The bumpiness went away but my IMD looked awful. The 3rd harmonic was less than 10db down from the fundamental.  I was able to drop the gain level down on the EQplus to help the IMD but then I could not get much drive on the radio.

    So without sticking my neck out too far it appears the isolation in the iPlus helps the bumpy issue.


  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Larry, I do. You can see the braided strap in the pictures.  I get what you are saying about the length but it looks exactly the same on every band. So I don't think its related to the length of the wire. I assume that is what you were getting at?


  • LarryF
    LarryF Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Rich, yes that is what I was suggesting. Changing frequency would not change the harmonic frequently the LP-500 was putting out. Adding second ground would make sure that harmonics are not causing a problem. The harmonic will not change on band change Larry ke2yc
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    I unhooked the ground with no change and tried another wire about 18" longer. Exact same results. But worth a shot :) Also tried running a wire from the LP-500 tot he Flex and no change.

    I have Julius sending me an iBox as I think the isolation of my iPlus took care of the bumps. The iBox will also give me attenuation so I can properly use the 8 pin foster connector.
  • Larry _ NY8T
    Larry _ NY8T Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    What was the highest output power you achieved without the bumps in the wave form?
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2017
    Mine starts to get bumps at 1 watt.   The iBox should be here this week. Julius shipped it this morning. I think there is a good chance this will fix the issue.

    Any of you LP-500/700 guys have interest in joining a group on this product?  Larry has a Yahoo Group for the LP-100 but not the 500/700.  I was thinking about starting one on Yahoo so we don't take over the forum here.  I am not a fan of Yahoo but figured we should stick to the same format as the LP-100 in case Larry decides to take ownership of it.
  • WK2Y
    WK2Y Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    I am on the waiting list for an LP unit and would definitely be interested in a group.
    73, Bob WK2Y
  • Roy Laufer
    Roy Laufer Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    That’s odd. I’ve been on that Yahoo Group for years and I never noticed that it doesn’t exist … But seriously it pre-dates the idea of the LP-700, so it was called just LP-500. Just make a quick search on the Yahoo Groups and you’ll find it! Vy 73, Roy AC2GS
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Search for LP-500?  I could not find it.
  • Roy Laufer
    Roy Laufer Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Try:
    https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/LP-500/info
    Or perhaps I am the victim of delusions...
    It could explain a lot about the present political world.
    <grin>
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Awesome.  If I go to Yahoo Groups and search for LP-500 it does not come up.  Wonder if one he created the group he did not list it??
  • Roy Laufer
    Roy Laufer Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Perhaps Yahoo! broke something?
    I searched for it a long long long time ago using the usual method and found it without a problem, when I went on the waiting list (only took me 3-1/2 years, and as our cousins across the pond have said, "it's my favorite piece of 'kit'!"
    (You have to be VERY careful with your spell check algorithm when you use that English phrase...<grin>)
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    I have been trying for a couple weeks to find it so not sure what the deal is. Larry has added me now so I have access. If I log out of Yahoo and search its not there! 

    As far as Yahoo being broke, I think they are broke even on a good day.

    Thanks again for the link Roy.
  • Roy Laufer
    Roy Laufer Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    You are quite welcome!
    Yes, Yahoo! works in mysterious ways. They would not be the first company that wouldn't mind "killing" services that cannot be monetized well.
    Larry's LP-500 group has been very useful in the past. Larry has "threatened" to offer a switching audio input box, just for this purpose after he finishes up on all those non-HF couplers that were announced for "any day now"...
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    So how long have the VHF couplers been listed as coming soon?

    And it took you 3 1/2 years?  I thought my 11 1/2 months was bad since it was only supposed to be as much as 6 months. 
  • Roy Laufer
    Roy Laufer Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    In a way, I have been waiting for those couplers since my earliest days of hearing about the planned LP-500!

    Before the LP-500 was even announced I had emailed Larry to ask if there was any future where the LP-100 would be able to work with a UHF/VHF coupler. He was kind enough to explain to me that the LP-100 had inherent limitations, which would make this impossible.

    When the LP-500 was just an idea in Larry's mind, I asked him whether the LP-500 would be designed with UHF/VHF sensing in mind as well as HF, and he told me that this was one of the many features he had "baked in the cake".  I put my name on the waiting list shortly thereafter, and began my great wait...

    It was well worth it - I REALLY like my LP-500!

    I regret that Larry has decided to keep this project totally in-house - he is so busy building and calibrating all those LP-500/700's that he is selling that he has far less time to design and test the accessories that he planned years ago...

    Still, I remain optimistic and I have the shack wired up with barrel N connectors to be replaced with Larry's couplers "any day now"...

    If this hobby has taught me anything, more than electronics, it is patience.
  • Larry _ NY8T
    Larry _ NY8T Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    image
  • Larry _ NY8T
    Larry _ NY8T Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2018

    The post above was from Craig K0CF on the yahoo group.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUDIO-ISOLATION-TRANSFORMERS-3-1-1-600-OHM-EI14-CORE-US-SELLER-/361445183649...


  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Well in my case I have concluded the Flex ACC port (Pin1) is not an option if I want it to work properly. The signal out of the LP-500 will not drive it properly.  The 8 PIN foster connector is going to need attenuation and the balanced input seems about right.

    Regardless of what type if input I use it is going to need some sort of line isolator. The iBox will be here in a few days so will see how it works.  The nice thing about the iBox is it also has an attenuation adjustment so I should be able to dial that in.
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Roy, patience is not something I am good at.  I normally wont wait 15 minutes in a restaurant for a table. Being on the list for a LP-500 and 6600m has been a major challenge for me :)

    That said, I am happy with the LP-500 and Larry is top notch for support and products.

    And I agree, his desire to build in house is limiting his ability to further develop the products.
  • Larry _ NY8T
    Larry _ NY8T Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    When i get the transformers i will experiment, i am thinking with the 600 ohm transformer in place the line in on the assy port and the processor on may give a large and clean enough signal, we will see
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    I will check it again when I get mine connected but using the processor caused me nothing but grief.

    Course I tried so many setups not knowing if its was a cabling issue or operator error that everything I tested is now a blur.
  • Larry _ NY8T
    Larry _ NY8T Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2018

    OK, so I received the 600 to 600 ohm audio isolation transformers and it solved the ripple in the wave form problem. This is inputting the 2 tone test signal into the accessory  plug. I am using the processor in order to have close to 70 watts output with the 2 tone signal.


    image

    image

    image
  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    Thats good. My ibox is out for delivery today so should know if it works in a little bit.  I am going in the balanced line.

    I wish Larry would build the isolation transformer into the LP unit !
  • Chris DL5NAM
    Chris DL5NAM Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Maybe it help a bit:

    http://www.ab4oj.com/sdr/flex/6700notes.pdf
  • Chris DL5NAM
    Chris DL5NAM Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2020
    ... and also

    There is a tiny tool you can download  a 2 Tone Generator
    It's easy to change audio source in SmartSDR

    Not any ripple problems

    http://dl6iak.etonlein.de/projects/2001-04-28.htm

    73 Chris

  • W5XZ - dan
    W5XZ - dan Member ✭✭
    edited June 2019
    it's really too bad we don't have 'built in test equipment' ( BITE ) in SmartSDR like we had
     in PowerSDR...under the 'Tests' tab....two tone generator, signal generator...

    nothing else was needed...and, early on, we even got a hint BITE might be available
     in SmartSDR....but, it never happened...

    'just sayin...'    73, w5xz, dan

  • Larry _ NY8T
    Larry _ NY8T Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017

    I just put another isolator transformer in line with the front mic plug (foster) and it works just as good, this time turning off the processor when using the 2 tone as its not needed.

    Larry talks about eventually creating an isolator transformer to use with these meters when time allows.

  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Well unfortunately as Roy mentioned Larry is so busy building production units he doesn't have time to further develop stuff.

    So not going to hold my breath on an isolation transformer :)

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