I took some time to measure the actual performance of my uBitx with its original calibration against a dummy load. The instruments used are not lab calibrated. I did check my wattmeter against my recently factory calibrated K3 and found the power reported to be about 5% high. The power supply is rated as 25 amps and set at 13.7 volts. I tested by simply pressing the PTT (no audio input, power out 0) and keying CW.
Receive current: .25 A

	PTT	CW	CW
f kHz	I amp	I amp	P watt
3,530	0.74	1.8	8
3,970	0.74	2.1	9
7,030	0.73	1.57	5
7,270	0.7	1.6	5
10,113	0.72	1.22	3
14,030	0.71	1.34	3
14,320	0.71	1.37	3
21,170	0.69	0.96	1
28,900	0.69	0.83	0.5

The results agreed in general with Dave's (WI6R) post https://groups.io/g/BITX20/message/39578, although his results start a bit higher and end even lower.
Although my current draw with PTT down agrees with the value specified on the Tune-up page, I never quite see 10 watts out. The 80 meter power isn't too bad, but the 14 MHz is half and 28 MHz is 1/4 of that mentioned on the uBitx web page.

What TX performance have others seen?
Any fixes for higher frequencies?

     Bob   KD8CGH

The Rigol I got had about 17 hrs. on the meter.  It still was running all the options they turn off after 30 Hrs.

Then they want you to pay!

At the time they were $299 new, I bid $260 on eBay.  What a deal, and you get 4 new probes!  No tax and just a little shipping.

There are tons of information out there on the DS1054Z.    Lots of reviews.  Only big complaints are too much on the screen and it is very small.  The encoders have small knobs, and you have to push just right or the encoder might move?  There is a hack out in the wild to change the options yourself, so you get 100 Mhz and special triggering functions, and deep memory.   You do it at your own risk.  You can find info on lots of sites.  I doubt if their newer models have this "feature"?

I just wish it was a little bigger.  I hope it stays working now that I am bragging about it!

I really hated my $65 PC connected scope mentioned to start this thread.  Hantek had NO support and no Firmware

updates.  I had to carry a big 600V 1uf cap to AC couple it.  The triggering options were very minimal.

Like you I really like Real Analog scopes, but their day is gone.

73's

Mike, WA6ISP

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-Digital-Oscilloscopes-Bandwidth-50-Mhz-Channels-4/331941742120?epid=2254681137&hash=item4d49450628:g:EHYAAOSwUoNaA4By

On 1/24/2018 9:12 AM, Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io wrote:

I've always had a soft spot for a good analog scope,
and John's post had me prowling around ebay some.
Anything moderately cheap is "parts only", refurbished you spend about
as much as you would for a new Rigol.

Unless you get a really good deal on one you know works,
I can't recommend an old used scope to the typical hobbyist.
Fixing those old scopes with all their custom parts can be non-trivial.

Jerry, KE7ER 


On Wed, Jan 24, 2018 at 08:24 am, Michael Hagen wrote:

So, I gave up, if it is not a simple fix, they seemed to consume all my time.

 

-- 
Mike Hagen, WA6ISP
10917 Bryant Street
Yucaipa, Ca. 92399
(909) 918-0058
PayPal ID  "MotDog@..."
Mike@...

Do you feel that is easier than, say, doing a Muppet board and etching it yourself?

Jack, W8TEE

---

From: Ashhar Farhan <farhanbox@...>
To: BITX20@groups.io
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2018 12:04 AM

Subject: Re: [BITX20] SMD Group Build

I use double side, plain copper clad. Then, with a sharp knife (i use a glass cutter), i score off an island of 3x2 to 5x2 squares of about 0.25inch to a side. I use all around for the ground plane, and solder the 1206 betweeb the pads. The sot23 transistors are soldered at a corner of three squares. If the ground planing ia crucial, i drill a number of holes around the top ground plane and solder small pieces of wire to connect to the Bottom ground

On 25 Jan 2018 10:24 am, "William R Maxwell" <wrmaxwell@...> wrote:

0805 is a happy medium.

Bill, VK7MX

On 25/01/2018 3:20 PM, Jack Purdum via Groups.Io wrote:

I can barely see a 0603! I would prefer 1206 if I can find them and am not too worried about the cost differential.

Jack, W8TEE

---

From: Clark Martin <kk6isp@...>
To: BITX20@groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 9:15 PM
Subject: Re: [BITX20] SMD Group Build

Clark Martin

KK6ISP

On Jan 24, 2018, at 5:56 PM, Diver Martin <diver.martin@...> wrote:

Mouser & Digikey are my go-to for SMT parts.  They carry just about everything.  If you have other oddball SMT stuff, and either one are out, head to findchips.com.  There are alternate suppliers, but those two always have what I need, either in the exact specified part number, or an equivalent.  Other places will source 1206's and stuff, but might only sell by the full reel (which I have yet to need, except maybe 0.01uF caps or 0.1uF caps across multiple, multiple projects).

SMD resistors/caps (0603, 5% in my case) are usually cheap enough that I buy them in 1000-piece quantity, because $2 of parts for life or $0.5 for the parts I need for the project, and to always have them on hand, is easy.

I’ve only bought from Digikey a few times but I use Mouser all the time.  Also there are Newark and Allied for such supplies.

I bought a set of 0805 resistors (from 0 ohm through several Mohms) and a set of 0805 caps (10s of pF through 1µF).  They came on cards that fit a day planner binder.  There are between 1 and four strips of 25 each for each value (depending on expected usage levels).  I have little trouble working with 0805 parts and they  fit nicely on .1” grid perfboard (with plated through holes).  

When I use up a strip I buy a new strip of 25 at a local electronics shop (Silicon Valley still has a few).

I haven’t done any PCB fabricating yet but that is in the plans.

SMD diodes and transistors of most any size are easily soldered to perfboard.

I’ve also soldered up to 8 pin SOICss buy putting alternate pins on the perfboard pads and tack soldering leads to the other pins.

It definitely makes for smaller boards.

Found this long time ago at http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35392
Enjoy!!!
==================================================
Hot Rod Oscilloscope   

by Dennis L. Feucht

 

With apologies to the '60s hit tune, "Hot Rod Lincoln"

 

You've heard the story of the bandwidth race,

Where 'scopes and counters were setting the pace;

Well that story is true, I'm here to say;

I was using a 545A.

 

It's got a graticule, all lit up,

That front-panel claptrap makes it look tough.

It's got plug-ins, uses 'em all;

It's got good risetime, and also fall.

 

With a dual-trace display at reasonable cost,

And forty-eleven knobs, you can really get lost;

It's got a dual-delayed timebase, but I ain't scared,

The trace is sharp; the probes are fair.

 

Pulled out a new project late one night,

The test equipment was burning bright,

I started driving a wideband amp,

To see which stage I needed to damp.

 

When all of a sudden in the blink of an eye,

A series of waveforms passed me by,

And I said, "Wow, that's a marvel to me!"

Pretty soon a square-wave was all I could see.

 

Now the boss was ribbing me for being behind,

So I thought I'd make the probes unwind,

Took the volts per div knob, and man alive!

I turned it up to a setting of 5.

 

Powered the wideband amp again,

And drove it with a function gen,

Set the amplitude knob to three or four,

The levels were hitting the ceiling and floor.

 

Now the transient response made no sense,

The scope display looked like a picket fence.

I slowed it down and was glad to know,

That it wouldn't alias like a DSO.

 

I tweaked the circuit here and there,

Replaced a cap and transistor pair;

Got the speed I needed with room to go;

Manufacturing would be glad to know.

 

Smoke was coming from out of the load

When I set the trigger to hf mode;

The power bandwidth was looking right;

Nearly approaching the speed of light.

 

The task was finished, the specs first-rate,

The customers called, said the amp worked great;

I got a promotion, moved out of L.A.,

And I credit success to that '45A!

 

======================================

I can barely see a 0603! I would prefer 1206 if I can find them and am not too worried about the cost differential.

Jack, W8TEE

---

From: Clark Martin <kk6isp@...>
To: BITX20@groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 9:15 PM
Subject: Re: [BITX20] SMD Group Build

Clark Martin

KK6ISP

On Jan 24, 2018, at 5:56 PM, Diver Martin <diver.martin@...> wrote:

Mouser & Digikey are my go-to for SMT parts.  They carry just about everything.  If you have other oddball SMT stuff, and either one are out, head to findchips.com.  There are alternate suppliers, but those two always have what I need, either in the exact specified part number, or an equivalent.  Other places will source 1206's and stuff, but might only sell by the full reel (which I have yet to need, except maybe 0.01uF caps or 0.1uF caps across multiple, multiple projects).

SMD resistors/caps (0603, 5% in my case) are usually cheap enough that I buy them in 1000-piece quantity, because $2 of parts for life or $0.5 for the parts I need for the project, and to always have them on hand, is easy.

I’ve only bought from Digikey a few times but I use Mouser all the time.  Also there are Newark and Allied for such supplies.

I bought a set of 0805 resistors (from 0 ohm through several Mohms) and a set of 0805 caps (10s of pF through 1µF).  They came on cards that fit a day planner binder.  There are between 1 and four strips of 25 each for each value (depending on expected usage levels).  I have little trouble working with 0805 parts and they  fit nicely on .1” grid perfboard (with plated through holes).  

When I use up a strip I buy a new strip of 25 at a local electronics shop (Silicon Valley still has a few).

I haven’t done any PCB fabricating yet but that is in the plans.

SMD diodes and transistors of most any size are easily soldered to perfboard.

I’ve also soldered up to 8 pin SOICss buy putting alternate pins on the perfboard pads and tack soldering leads to the other pins.

It definitely makes for smaller boards.

0805 is a happy medium.

Bill, VK7MX

On 25/01/2018 3:20 PM, Jack Purdum via Groups.Io wrote:

I can barely see a 0603! I would prefer 1206 if I can find them and am not too worried about the cost differential.

Jack, W8TEE

---

From: Clark Martin <kk6isp@...>
To: BITX20@groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 9:15 PM
Subject: Re: [BITX20] SMD Group Build

Clark Martin

KK6ISP

On Jan 24, 2018, at 5:56 PM, Diver Martin <diver.martin@...> wrote:

Mouser & Digikey are my go-to for SMT parts.  They carry just about everything.  If you have other oddball SMT stuff, and either one are out, head to findchips.com.  There are alternate suppliers, but those two always have what I need, either in the exact specified part number, or an equivalent.  Other places will source 1206's and stuff, but might only sell by the full reel (which I have yet to need, except maybe 0.01uF caps or 0.1uF caps across multiple, multiple projects).

SMD resistors/caps (0603, 5% in my case) are usually cheap enough that I buy them in 1000-piece quantity, because $2 of parts for life or $0.5 for the parts I need for the project, and to always have them on hand, is easy.

I’ve only bought from Digikey a few times but I use Mouser all the time.  Also there are Newark and Allied for such supplies.

I bought a set of 0805 resistors (from 0 ohm through several Mohms) and a set of 0805 caps (10s of pF through 1µF).  They came on cards that fit a day planner binder.  There are between 1 and four strips of 25 each for each value (depending on expected usage levels).  I have little trouble working with 0805 parts and they  fit nicely on .1” grid perfboard (with plated through holes).  

When I use up a strip I buy a new strip of 25 at a local electronics shop (Silicon Valley still has a few).

I haven’t done any PCB fabricating yet but that is in the plans.

SMD diodes and transistors of most any size are easily soldered to perfboard.

I’ve also soldered up to 8 pin SOICss buy putting alternate pins on the perfboard pads and tack soldering leads to the other pins.

It definitely makes for smaller boards.

Dirty DC made for striplights (led`s) noisy as hell I would guess !
Dave

On 21/01/2018 18:10, Rob Snow wrote:

I'm looking at this 12v 30a/360w power supply that was suggested by someone recently.  It has adustable output and runs a whopping $21.49 delivered from Amazon.  If it doesn't suck, it'll be handy to have around.

http://a.co/7wEG4ZH

AM Phone would require a significant redesign. 
Start by ripping out the 12mhz crystal filter at X1-8
and the balanced modulator at T7/D5
Have at it!

Jerry, KE7ER


On Wed, Jan 24, 2018 at 07:56 pm, Nelson wrote:

Can the transceiver be modified for AM Phone operation?  If so what would be involved?