Flex'in

[WA4JK]

I got the SDR up and running. I have a question though, I'm using a FA-66. WHere do you connect your speakers? I connected mine to the speaker connection on the FA-66 and I'm gettine some speaker clicks. Other than that all is fine, great receiver.

[WA4JK]

I'm having great frustration with the SDR1000's audio and receive. I'm still getting irregular speaker clicks which are coming from the receiver. I can see them on the pandadapture scope. I set up the transmitter as the before mentioned paper and I have almost no modulation. As I increase modulation I get hashy. I'm not sure this form of technology is my bag of tea. Anyone want to trade a ft-102 reburbed with a NE602 modulator for a SDR1000 and fa-66 with all of the cables??

[flintstone mop]

The FA 66 needs a firewire connection.......another problem might be the sampling rate. The switch on the FA 66 set for 192000?? If not turn off FA 66 and set the sampling switch and turn back on. Then check your settings in the Power SDR software. All is not lost........These things do work.....You are getting into the VAC's and COMM-O-COMM too?? oh boy.....
OUT PUT 1 or 2 will give you the audio from the SDR 1000. They are line level and need an amplifier....they are not speaker outputs.......
Three things....FireWire and the sampling rate......
Also setup in the Power SDR software.....
If you're trying to wing it and hope it accidentally starts working, it won't. You will have to burn a little midnight oil and download the PDF"s from the FLEX knowledge base. They have nice setup procedures for the FA 66 sound card, and the initial setup for the Power SDR software.
Just another thought.............Do you have a LPB parallel port connected to the  SDR??
You'll get through this.............
Fred

[WA4JK]

Hey Phred, output 1 or 2?? I just connected teh speakers to the front speaker jack?? Is that the wrong point to do so? I have the speed set at 192K. on the FA and in PSDr. I wounder if a slower speed would work as well, I'm not a fan of the broad pan look as I thought. It would be great for chasing but I'm a sitter. As far as the ausio goes, it would be necessary to sit on a freq. with a discerning ear to adjust it until it's right. I'm thinking I need to use the 3 band eq. instead of the 10 band. I've been told I need more mids and highs.

[flintstone mop]

OK Jerry,
The PHONES jack on the front of the FA 66 should also work. I have my monitor amp on output 2, my wireless headphones on output 1. (on the back)
Going by the paper from FLEX, I am using the 192000 sampling....going down different roads from what is recommended starts the frustration level using computers.
Do you have any way to monitor yourself for the EQ adjustments??
You are using what microphone? Plugged in the FA 66?? Any way to monitor the waveform to see that you are correct polarity?? Wrong polarity, will give you overmodulation on the negative peaks and make the neighbors unhappy.
I tried a Marshall ($99) condenture mic right into the FA 66....turn on the phantom power. And it was very decent, but not the 'sound' I wanted on the air.
Tell us more about progress. Seems like it is transmitting and there is audio. 25 watt carrier, just like a Yaewood transceiver in the AM mode and you should be cookin. You can set up audio bandwidth limitations in the setup menu. Mine is 0 for low and 7kc for the high.
Fred or Phred as the Derb used to call me............miss Derb 

[WA4JK]

Mic is a B2, now as for phase looking??? Band is set 100 low and 4999 high. EQ is most likely an issue right now. Where do you set your sense at?  do you have the mono button in or out and digital in or out??

[flintstone mop]

Hey Jerry
B2 .......nice mic.....phasing, you need a 'scope to see your modulation.

Look at the FLEX radio knowledge base for FA 66 set up.
http://kc.flexradio.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50180.aspx?Keywords=FA+66

The link above is a PDF and gives all the switch positions and settings.
Sounds like you're almost there.
fred

[WA4JK]

Need some help with audio drop outs. I can't seem to get them to stop. Right now I'm not a big fan od SDR dommmm..

[flintstone mop]

That's not goodness.
I think I had a similar trouble. The firewire card was not working or hiccuping. Bought another one (different seller) and everything was great.
The computer you mentioned, seems like it has enough horsepower for the task.
My Flex 1000 is doing well with the very latest software version and the FA 66.
I assume that the 'sound card' is good, new? as-is? Generally there's not much one can do to hurt these things.
AND here's the big one...........hit me in the head. And FLEX radio was astonished about my discovery. Do you  have an EDIROL FA 66 card or a ROLAND? The pull-down menu in POWER SDR, lists EDIROL!!!!!!! A ROLAND will not work........same looking box but totally different drivers.
I hope you have Edirol. I'll look at your first posts. The previous owner may have had the same problem.
Edit::: I looked at previous pages and nothing mentioned about an Edirol or Roland FA 66......so what say OM??
Fred

[WA4JK]

It's a EDIROL FA 66 card. But this is just not for me... It's takes to much time and fiddling with to get on the air. I think I'll sell it and go back to something with tube finals. Thanks for the help Fred.

[flintstone mop]

No problem ...I understand about computer battles........some folks have fun and others, like me, are running out of cuss words, sometimes. I still have a number of words never used so, I'm good for a while.

Fred

[KF1Z]

Audio dropouts directly related to the buffer size and latency settings in audio ( soundcard setup) in psdr.


You guys that just LOVE the Edirol FA-66....

Well, that USED to be me too..

But it's a VERY outdated and expensive 'card'.

If you're into weak signal work at all, you need a card that will drop your noise floor by about 12db.

The new cards spec the SNR at around 118db
Compared to the Edirol at 102db.

Even the little EMU-0202 ( 0204, 0404 ) beat the pants of the old edirol these days, and are only about $110 new.


The best by far is a kit, called the "SDR-Widget"  A little limited in sample rate running in windows, but is by far the BEST RX "soundcard" out there.

The best PCIe card so far is the Xonar Essence STX.  Awsome card for the price.
EMU-1212 very close behind.


If you haven't tried a GOOD soundcard... well, you'll never know what you're missing!
:-)

[flintstone mop]

OK Bruce
That's interesting about newer sound cards. I agree the Edirol is over priced, even used. But those few extra dB less of noise would show better on the VHF and UHF bands.
I remember the 432 band and getting into the fatter coax and long runs and losses and pre-amps with 1dB of noise.
DX chaser using CW might appreciate the 12 dB.
Unfortunately I think our bud, Jerry 'A4JK gave up on his Flex.
I'm finished upgrading and supporting the economy. HA!

Fred

[KF1Z]

Yeah Fred,

Well, it isn't for everyone, especially once frustration sets in....  :-)

I do this literally every day.

I'm involved with SDR kits.
I'm building, testing and repairing them nearly every day.

So I'm used to setting up with different cards, setting in software, drivers... all that jazz..

The thing about the Edirol, or Delta 44 etc....
They WERE among the best audio cap devices on the market, 10-15 years ago... absolutely..
But like most things, newer technology, better ICs etc have brought out some really cool, inexpensive toys.

BTW, the SDR-Widget, and EMU-1212 devices use the same ADC IC as the Flex 5000. ( AK5394a)

It will be fun when more builders can step away from using soundcards ( or even built in ADC like flex) and step into full band sampling like QS1R etc...
So much better than soundcard and low frequency ADC s!!