FlexRadio Systems SDR-1000 Operating Manual

Operating Manual  FlexRadio Systems 12100 Technology Boulevard • Austin, TX 78727 Phone: (512) 250-8595 • Fax: (512) 233-5143 Email: [email protected] Editor: Joe de Groot – AB1DO i FlexRadio Systems

PREFACE...................................................................................VIII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................ .X 1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION.............................................................1 2 SPECIFICATIONS................................................................. ........2 3 HARDWARE CONFIGURATION.....................................................3 STANDARD CONFIGURATION....................................................................................................... 3 High Performance Receiver Preamplifier...............................................................................................3 Fifth Order Low Pass Filters..................................................................................................................3 Enhanced 1W PEP Driver.....................................................................................................................4 28MHz Transverter IF Takeoff..............................................................................................................4 Experimental Impulse Generator........................................................................................................... 4 Enclosure..............................................................................................................................................4 UPGRADES.......................................................................................................................................... 5 2 Meter Transverter...............................................................................................................................5 100W Power Amplifier.........................................................................................................................5 Specifications........................................................................................................................ ........................5 Automatic Antenna Tuning Unit............................................................................................................6 Griffin PowerMateTM VFO Tuning Knob............................................................................................ 6 Contour Designs Shuttle Pro V.2...........................................................................................................6 External Clock Reference Option.......................................................................................................... 7 USB To Parallel Adapter.......................................................................................................................7 4 PLUG PINOUTS...........................................................................8 EXTERNAL CONTROL CONNECTOR (X2)....................................................................................8 Push To Talk (PTT) Input..................................................................................................................... 9 Mute Receiver...................................................................................................................................... 9 External Linear Amplifier Keying......................................................................................................... 9 ii FlexRadio Systems

Universal Controller Board for Antenna and Transverter Control............................................................9 ENCLOSURE MICROPHONE CONNECTOR............................................................................... 10 KEYER INPUT...................................................................................................................................11 5 HARDWARE SETUP...................................................................12 6 SOFTWARE INSTALLATION & SETUP........................................18 INSTALL LATEST SOUND CARD DRIVERS................................................................................19 UPGRADING FROM AN EARLIER VERSION..............................................................................19 POWERSDR EXECUTABLE INSTALLATION............................................................................. 19 POWERSDR SETUP WIZARD.........................................................................................................24 SOUND CARD SETUP.......................................................................................................................34 POWERSDR CALIBRATION...........................................................................................................35 Frequency Calibration – DDS Clock Adjustment................................................................................. 36 Auto Calibration............................................................................................................................ ..............36 Manual Calculation................................................................................................................. ....................36 Level Calibration – Spectrum & S-Meter.............................................................................................36 Image Null Calibration .......................................................................................................................37 Automatic Calibration .................................................................................................................... .............37 Manual Adjustment....................................................................................................................... ...............37 AUTOMATIC AMPLIFIER GAIN CALIBRATION.......................................................................37 7 FRONT CONSOLE......................................................................40 (1) VFO A............................................................................................................................................ 42 (2) TUNING CONTROLS.................................................................................................................. 42 (3) VFO B.............................................................................................................................................43 (4) MULTIMETER.............................................................................................................................43 RX Meters.......................................................................................................................................... 43 TX Meters.......................................................................................................................................... 44 (5) BAND SELECTION & BAND STACKING MEMORIES..........................................................45 (6) MODE SELECTION.....................................................................................................................47 (7) FILTER CONTROLS................................................................................................................... 48 Labeled Filter Buttons.........................................................................................................................48 Variable Filter Buttons........................................................................................................................ 49 (8) MODE SPECIFIC CONTROLS...................................................................................................50 Phone Controls ...................................................................................................................................50 CW Controls.......................................................................................................................................51 Digital Controls...................................................................................................................................53 (9) DISPLAY CONTROLS.................................................................................................................53 Panadapter View Controls...................................................................................................................54 Display Type Controls.........................................................................................................................55 Display Type Descriptions.................................................................................................................. 55 Spectrum..................................................................................................................................... ................56 Panadapter (Panoramic Adapter)................................................................................................. ................56 Histogram............................................................................................................................... ....................57 iii FlexRadio Systems

Waterfall..................................................................................................................................................... .58 Scope...................................................................................................................................... ....................58 Phase............................................................................................................................................. .............59 Off...................................................................................................................................... ........................59 Cursor and Peak Position........................................................................................................................ .....60 (10) SUB-RX CONTROLS..................................................................................................................61 (11) DSP CONTROLS.........................................................................................................................61 (12) VFO CONTROLS........................................................................................................................62 (13) CPU %..........................................................................................................................................63 (14) POWER (STANDBY/ON)........................................................................................................... 63 (15) MON (MONITOR)...................................................................................................................... 65 (16) MOX (MANUALLY OPERATED TRANSMIT).......................................................................65 (17) MUT (MUTE).............................................................................................................................. 65 (18) X2TR............................................................................................................................................ 65 (19) ATU MODES............................................................................................................................... 66 (20) TUN (TUNE)................................................................................................................................ 66 (21) AF (AUDIO FREQUENCY GAIN).............................................................................................66 (22) RF (RADIO FREQUENCY GAIN).............................................................................................67 (23) DRIVE (TRANSMITTER POWER OUTPUT/TUNE POWER).............................................. 67 (24) AGC (AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL)...................................................................................67 (25) PREAMP......................................................................................................................................69 (26) SQL (SQUELCH)........................................................................................................................ 69 (27) DATE/TIME DISPLAY...............................................................................................................70 (28) SETUP FORM............................................................................................................................. 70 (29) – (33) OPERATING FORMS..................................................................................................... 70 8 SETUP FORM.................................................................. ...........71 GENERAL TAB..................................................................................................................................72 Hardware Config Sub-Tab.................................................................................................................. 72 Radio Model................................................................................................................................................................72 Hardware Setup............................................................................................................................................................73 DDS.............................................................................................................................................................................74 Options Sub-Tab.................................................................................................................................75 Options........................................................................................................................................................................76 Process Priority............................................................................................................................................................76 Update Notification......................................................................................................................................................77 Click Tune Offsets (Hz)................................................................................................................................................77 Auto Mute....................................................................................................................................................................77 Main Console (Always On Top)...................................................................................................................................78 Keyboard.....................................................................................................................................................................78 Calibration Sub-Tab............................................................................................................................79 Freq Cal.......................................................................................................................................................................79 Level Cal.....................................................................................................................................................................79 RX Image Reject Cal...................................................................................................................................................80 Filters Sub-Tab................................................................................................................................... 80 AUDIO TAB........................................................................................................................................81 Sound Card Sub-Tab...........................................................................................................................81 Sound Card Selection...................................................................................................................................................81 iv FlexRadio Systems

Buffer Size...................................................................................................................................................................82 Sample Rate.................................................................................................................................................................82 Line In Gain.................................................................................................................................................................82 Mic In Gain..................................................................................................................................................................82 Latency........................................................................................................................................................................82 Output Voltage.............................................................................................................................................................82 Sound Card Setup Details.............................................................................................................................................83 VAC Sub-Tab.....................................................................................................................................84 Gain (dB).....................................................................................................................................................................85 Auto Enable.................................................................................................................................................................85 DISPLAY TAB....................................................................................................................................86 Spectrum Grid..............................................................................................................................................................86 Refresh Rates...............................................................................................................................................................87 Waterfall......................................................................................................................................................................88 Multimeter...................................................................................................................................................................89 Phase Resolution..........................................................................................................................................................89 Scope Time Base..........................................................................................................................................................89 Averaging....................................................................................................................................................................89 Polyphase FFT.............................................................................................................................................................90 DSP TAB............................................................................................................................................. 90 Options Sub-Tab.................................................................................................................................90 Noise Reduction...........................................................................................................................................................91 Automatic Notch Filter.................................................................................................................................................91 Buffer Size...................................................................................................................................................................92 Noise Blanker..............................................................................................................................................................92 Noise Blanker 2 ...........................................................................................................................................................93 Image Reject Sub-Tab.........................................................................................................................96 Receive Rejection........................................................................................................................................................96 Transmit Rejection.......................................................................................................................................................97 Keyer Sub-Tab....................................................................................................................................98 CW Pitch.....................................................................................................................................................................98 Connections...............................................................................................................................................................100 Options......................................................................................................................................................................100 Signal Shaping...........................................................................................................................................................101 Semi Break In............................................................................................................................................................101 AGC/ALC Sub-Tab.......................................................................................................................... 102 AGC..........................................................................................................................................................................102 Leveler.......................................................................................................................................................................103 ALC...........................................................................................................................................................................103 TRANSMIT TAB..............................................................................................................................104 TX Profiles................................................................................................................................................................105 Transmit Filter............................................................................................................................................................105 Noise Gate.................................................................................................................................................................106 VOX..........................................................................................................................................................................106 TX Monitor................................................................................................................................................................107 Compression..............................................................................................................................................................107 AM Carrier Level.......................................................................................................................................................108 PA SETTINGS TAB..........................................................................................................................109 Gain By Band (dB).....................................................................................................................................................109 EXT. CTRL TAB.............................................................................................................................. 110 APPEARANCE TAB ....................................................................................................................... 111 Display Sub-Tab............................................................................................................................... 111 v FlexRadio Systems

Overall Display..........................................................................................................................................................111 Cursor/Peak Readout..................................................................................................................................................112 Panadapter..................................................................................................................................................................112 General Sub-Tab...............................................................................................................................113 VFO...........................................................................................................................................................................114 Band Data..................................................................................................................................................................114 Meter Sub-Tab..................................................................................................................................115 Original Style.............................................................................................................................................................116 Edge Style..................................................................................................................................................................116 KEYBOARD TAB............................................................................................................................ 117 CAT CONTROL TAB...................................................................................................................... 118 Cat Control ................................................................................................................................................................119 PTT Control...............................................................................................................................................................120 Test............................................................................................................................................................................121 TESTS TAB.......................................................................................................................................122 TX IMD Text:............................................................................................................................................................122 Audio Balance Test....................................................................................................................................................122 X2..............................................................................................................................................................................123 Impulse Test...............................................................................................................................................................123 Signal Generator........................................................................................................................................................123 9 OPERATING FORMS............................................................. ....124 (29) MEMORY FORM..................................................................................................................... 125 Save… .............................................................................................................................................125 Recall…........................................................................................................................................... 126 (30) WAVE FORM............................................................................................................................127 Playback....................................................................................................................................................................127 Playlist.......................................................................................................................................................................129 Record.......................................................................................................................................................................129 TX Gain (dB).............................................................................................................................................................129 Record Options................................................................................................................................. 129 Receive......................................................................................................................................................................130 Transmit.....................................................................................................................................................................130 (31) EQUALIZER FORM.................................................................................................................130 (32) XVTRS FORM...........................................................................................................................131 (33) CWX FORM.............................................................................................................................. 132 Standard CWX Controls....................................................................................................................132 CWX Memories............................................................................................................. ............................133 Special Characters.......................................................................................................................... ...........133 Keyboard and Extended Controls.......................................................................................................134 Extended CWX Controls................................................................................................................ .............134 Morse Definition Editor......................................................................................................................... .....136 10 OPERATION...........................................................................137 POWER-UP PROCEDURE............................................................................................................. 138 POWER-DOWN PROCEDURE......................................................................................................138 TUNING METHODS........................................................................................................................140 Spectrum Drag and Click.................................................................................................. .........................140 vi FlexRadio Systems

Mouse Wheel............................................................................................................................. ................140 Mouse Wheel Hover....................................................................................................................... ............140 Spectrum Click Tuning..................................................................................................... ..........................140 Keyboard Keys........................................................................................................................................ ...141 USB Tuning Knob.................................................................................................................. ....................141 VOICE TRANSMISSION OPERATION........................................................................................ 142 CW TRANSMISSION OPERATION.............................................................................................. 145 Initial Settings................................................................................................................................... 146 Internal Keyer................................................................................................................................... 147 External Keyer..................................................................................................................................148 CWX Form.......................................................................................................................................149 Third Party Program..........................................................................................................................151 DIGITAL MODE OPERATION......................................................................................................154 CAT Control Setup........................................................................................................................... 158 Install VCOM..................................................................................................................... .......................158 Configure the VCOM Port Pairs............................................................................................... ..................164 Configure PowerSDR CAT Control........................................................................................... ..................166 Configure PowerSDR Keyer Connections........................................................................................... .........167 Virtual Sound Connection................................................................................................................. 168 Create the Virtual Audio Cables............................................................................................... ...................168 Setup VAC in PowerSDR........................................................................................................... .................169 Setting up Third Party Digital Programs.............................................................................................169 Using MixW with PowerSDR............................................................................................................. .........170 Programs Needing to Connect to the Default Sound Device........................................................... ...............175 ATU (ANTENNA TUNING UNIT) OPERATION..........................................................................177 11 TROUBLESHOOTING.............................................................179 The software is oscillating quickly between receive and transmit modes..............................................179 Relays do not click when starting the software or when cycling the software power button.................. 179 Relays click, but I have no audio........................................................................................................184 Relays click and I hear static, but no signals....................................................................................... 187 I hear signals, but they sound chopped up, like a motorboat................................................................ 187 I hear signals, but cannot null the image............................................................................................. 188 The signals are all off frequency........................................................................................................ 189 The noise hiss when no signals are present is fatiguing....................................................................... 189 Software does not respond to PTT signals.......................................................................................... 189 The receiver works great, but I am getting no output power................................................................ 191 I am getting some power out, but the power seems low (also, see above—no power issue).................. 191 I am getting signal reports that indicate echoing or distortion.............................................................. 192 I am getting signal reports that indicate I am transmitting DSB while in SSB modes............................192 I am getting an error message that says, “Error communicating with ATU.”........................................193 It seems like the ATU is not tuning correctly. Is there a way to check?................................................193 I get an error when I try to use my USB Adapter that says “USB Device not found. (-1)”.................... 194 I see a hump around 10kHz below the center line on the display, that doesn’t seem to go away............194 vii FlexRadio Systems

nature ever (rapidly) evolving. It is therefore unlike most other transceivers, which once acquired, rarely if ever change. Although the rapid development of the SDR-1000 can be exhilarating, it can also be somewhat daunting. When first confronted with an SDR-1000 and its PowerSDR™ 1 operating software, the sheer number of connections, controls, and settings can seem mind boggling even to the most seasoned Ham radio operator. This operating manual attempts to both guide a user step by step through the setup process (both hardware and software) and to act as a reference once the radio has been set up. Additionally, the freely downloadable PowerSDR software will install with default settings that, in most cases, will require little adjustment. Any adjustments that you make are automatically saved and can be imported into an updated version of the software. Due to the nature of the SDR-1000, the largest part of this operating manual, by far, will refer to software. The operating manual has numerous screenshots of windows and forms to detail the various steps. Although the manual describes the latest official release of the PowerSDR software, you may occasionally notice an earlier version identified in the title bar of a screenshot. This is because FlexRadio Systems™ 2 has decided to only update a screenshot if it changes. The first three chapters of this manual will give you an overview of the SDR-1000 radio. Chapters 4 and 5 will guide you through the hardware setup, which apart from the connections to the parallel (or USB) port and sound card of a computer, will not differ much from the transceivers to which you are most likely already acclimated. Chapter 6 details the installation of the PowerSDR software and calibration routines. Once completed, you should be able to engage in your first QSO. For additional guidance on operating the SDR-1000 in various modes, you may want to refer to chapter 10: Operation. This is especially recommended for operating digital modes and CW, as this may be somewhat different from what you are accustomed to. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 describe in detail the various controls on the Front Console, Setup Form and Operating Forms respectively. You may want to reference these chapters to familiarize yourself with the exact functioning of these controls and their often many options and settings. 1 PowerSDR is a trademark of Bronze Bear Communications, Inc. 2 FlexRadio Systems is a registered trademark of Bronze Bear Communications Inc. viii FlexRadio Systems

Finally, chapter 11 is a troubleshooting guide, which should help you through various issues you may face. If you cannot find an acceptable answer to an issue you may have, please do not hesitate to contact us either by email or by phone (both found on our website). You may also want to check out our website and its ever expanding Knowledge Base If you have any ideas on how to improve the SDR-1000, please feel free to contact us, or better still, to join our email reflector (see our website for details). Not only is the SDR-1000 a software defined radio; it is also a user defined radio. FlexRadio Systems is committed to ensuring that your experience with the SDR-1000 will be one of the most enjoyable you have with Ham radio. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] ix FlexRadio Systems

the many selfless contributions of our users all over the world. These contributions have spanned and continue to span improvements to our hardware and software, ranging from bug reports and feature requests to actual design and implementation of certain functionality. Identifying contributors by name would only risk leaving out others with equally valuable contributions. We therefore wish to suffice with a heartfelt thank you for your support and continued commitment. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] x FlexRadio Systems

transceiver providing general coverage receive operation with amateur radio band transmission between 12kHz and 60MHz. The FlexRadio SDR-1000 is a complete Software Defined Radio (SDR) transceiver designed for Amateur Radio use. It is the first fully open software transceiver that uses a personal computer (PC) for all Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and control functions of the radio. General coverage receiver operation is provided from 12kHz to 60MHz along with transmit capability on all licensed amateur bands within the coverage range. The theory behind the SDR-1000 is described in detail in a four part QEX magazine series entitled, “A Software Defined Radio for the Masses1.” The articles are available for download from the FlexRadio website at www.flex-radio.com. There are also links on the site to other excellent reference materials related to SDR and DSP theory. Since its introduction, additional hardware components have been added to further improve the functionality and performance of the SDR-1000. The PowerSDRTM software, written in C#.NET, provides a full featured transceiver interface and digital signal processing for the SDR-1000. It is continuously improved over time through open source enhancements supplied by both customers and FlexRadio Systems. The basic hardware consists of four boards in a stack within an enclosure. The hardware provides a LNA, filters, mixer, power, i/o interfacing and 1W PEP driver. Also provided is a standard interface to the optional Down East Microwave 2 meter low power transverter (intended for use in VHF, UHF, and Microwave systems), as well as an interface to the optional 100W power amplifier and the ATU (LDG Z- 100). Additionally available is an optional interface for an external, customer supplied 10 MHz reference clock oscillator that may provide precision frequency control. The Contour ShuttlePro v2 USB controller offers the ability to control the radio the way you want to without having to use a mouse or keyboard. With 15 programmable buttons and 2 concentric tuning dials (one spring loaded jog dial), this accessory offers an unparalleled level of programmable hardware control. 1 G. Youngblood, “A Software Defined Radio for the Masses: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4,” QEX Jul/Aug 2002, Sep/Oct 2002, Nov/Dec 2002, and Mar/Apr 2003 respectively. 1 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 1

Table 1: Specifications Receiver Receiver Frequency Range 12kHz-60MHz1 IP3 (2kHz Tone Spacing) +30.3dBm (Preamp MED), 19.3dBm (Preamp HIGH)2 IMD DR3 (2kHz Tone Spacing) 103.5dB (Preamp MED), 100.2dB (Preamp HIGH) 2 MDS -131dBm (Preamp HIGH), -121dBm (Preamp MED) 2 Minimum Tuning Step 1Hz (DDS down to µHz) DDS Clock 200MHz, <1ps RMS jitter Max. Receive Bandwidth 192kHz (Limited by sound card) Transmitter Transmitter Frequency Range 160-6m Bands (2m transverter IF optional) Transmit Power 100W HF 160-10m w/optional amp3, 500mW 6m Controls Control Interface PC Parallel Port (DB-25 connector) or optional USB Rear Panel Control Outputs 15 pin D-connector for external TR relay and band control relays Input Controls PTT foot switch, Code Key, Microphone Audio Interface Line In, Line Out, Speaker Out, Microphone In General Enclosure Dimensions 10" W x 9.5" D x 4.5" H (25.4cm x 24.1cm x 11.4cm) Power Supply Requirement 13.8VDC @ 1.25A (Max). 25A with optional 100W PA4 1 An optional filter bank is supplied that can be configured for bands below 160m. Requires external user supplied pre-selector for best operation below 160m 2 Sound Card: Edirol FA-66 @ 96kHz sampling rate. 3 40W continuous carrier (100% duty cycle) 4 We recommend the Astron SS-30 or SS-30M or equivalent power supply for the SDR-1000 2 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 2

The receiver front end incorporates a Sirenza Microdevices SGA-6286 SiGe HBT MMIC amplifier with a noise figure of less than 2dB. With the INA baseband gain of the SDR-1000 set to 26dB, the overall receiver noise figure is approximately 4dB. The TRX board also allows 0dB INA gain setting for large signal handling capability. A 10dB fixed attenuator may be switched in front of the LNA to increase IP3 when needed. Overall there are four gain settings done in hardware to allow you to optimize the front end for your needs.  The front end of the SDR-1000, provides the following key benefits:  Lower receiver noise figure  Reduces relative strength of DDS local oscillator spurs in relation to the signal of interest  Lowers local oscillator radiation in relation to the signal of interest  Fixed source/load impedance for the filters  Fixed source impedance for the QSD (Quadrature Sampling Detector, IQ Mixer) Fifth Order Low Pass Filters Nine 5th order low pass filter banks are provided to cover all amateur bands from 160M-6M. Since the filters are low pass, general coverage reception is still provided. The filters improve 3rd harmonic rejection by more than 35dB over the original SDR-1000. There are BPF filters in front of the preamp board (in the signal chain) to provide overload protection for the LNA. The LNA is then followed by the low pass filters, which in turn drive the QSD (mixer) on the TRX board. A spare filter bank is provided for user configuration to allow improved coverage on other bands such as medium wave or VLF bands. While the SDR-1000 covers frequencies down to 11kHz, additional filtering is required to minimize response to odd order harmonics. The optional filter bank allows the user to customize the radio to add support for such frequencies. 3 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 3

C H A P T E R 3 Enhanced 1W PEP Driver The low power model incorporates a 1W PEP driver amplifier. The driver is between the new front end low pass filters and the band pass filters on the BPF board, which yields increased harmonic suppression. The driver circuit also allows for amplifier stability when driving capacitive loads and increases the gain to reduce sound card drive requirements. 28MHz Transverter IF Takeoff The RFE provides an internal connector for integration of the Down East Microwave 2M transverter IF (DEMI144-28FRS). Only a single coax cable is required for both RF and TR control. The SDR1K-ENC enclosure has mounting holes to allow either common or separate transmit/receive connections for transverters. You can even set up the SDR-1000 to provide a dual 144/28MHz IF to cover all of the VHF through microwave bands. Key features of the DEMI144-28FRS are:  144-146MHz coverage  Unity gain receive conversion  4dB NF maximum  +17dBm double balanced mixer  Three chamber helical filter  100mW nominal linear output Experimental Impulse Generator An experimental circuit has been incorporated that creates a 4.5ns pulse for equalization of the QSD and sound card quadrature path. DSP software will be written to calculate the impulse response of the circuit and automatically correct for phase and amplitude imbalances between the channels. In theory, this will provide dynamic opposite sideband rejection optimization. Enclosure The SDR1K-ENC enclosure is designed to accommodate expansion options including the Down East Microwave 2M IF transverter and the 100W PEP HF linear amplifier and LDG Z-100 automatic antenna tuning unit options. Rear panel connections are provided for the PC parallel control port, sound card interface, 7 external control lines, split or common transverter RF connections, and QRP and QRO RF connections. An AUX mounting hole is provided for the 10MHz reference clock option connector when precision frequency control is desired. 4 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 3 Upgrades 2 Meter Transverter The DEM 144-28FRSK is a low power, high performance 144 MHz to 28 MHz transverter kit design to be used in conjunction with Flex Radio System’s SDR-1000 Software Defined Radio transceiver. It is intended to be used as a 2nd conversion IF for microwave transverters. The 144-28FRSK has a nominal linear output power of 50 - 100 mW with the 28 MHz. IF drive provided by the SDR-1000. On the receive side, a high dynamic range amplifier, a high level double balanced mixer (+17.0 dBm) and a three chamber helical filter are employed to providing a over load proof, unity gain front end with superior selectivity. It is the same design as our high performance 2 meter transverter but without the GaAs FET front end that would provide excessive system gain not require in a microwave transverter system. The transverter is complete with all interfacing required to install in the SDR1K-ENC enclosure and operate with the SDR-1000. The 144-28FRSK’s 144 MHz input/output utilize BNC connectors (supplied in this kit) that are mounted in the existing holes in the SDR1K-ENC enclosure. The transverter also has a built in relay for external switching duties if required. It will “Shadow” the TR switch timing of the SDR-1000. The only external wiring required to operate a microwave transverter after the completion of this kit are a simple BNC cable or cables that will carry both TX and RX signals along with the keying voltage to activate the microwave transverters of choice transmit functions. It is a complete, simple to use kit and will provide the highest 2 meter to microwave transverter performance on the market today. 100W Power Amplifier The SDR-100WPA is a 100 Watt HF linear power amplifier, designed exclusively for installation in SDR- 1000 Software Defined Transceivers. Adding the 100WPA to existing radios required limited kit building skills including wire/coax preparation, connector assembly, soldering, and mechanical assembly. Specifications  Power output: 100W PEP, 50W on 60m  Bands: 160, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10 meters  Elliptical filters on all bands  Drive requirements: <500mW for full output  Output transistors: Rugged matched pair 2SC2879s  Duty cycle: Designed for intermittent SSB service (40W continuous duty)  Harmonic Content: < -43dBc  Load tolerance: 2:1 SWR or better 5 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 3  Software monitoring: Forward/Reverse Power and SWR  SWR protection: automatic power reduction for SWR > 2:1  DC power requirements: 13.8VDC @ 25A nominal for full output  Internal fuse: 25A automotive mini fuse with reverse polarity protection  Output: BNC 50 Ohm on rear panel  Cooling: 80x80x15mm, 23dB-A fan provided  Internal expansion connections: ATU RF In/Out and control Automatic Antenna Tuning Unit The SDR-ATU is a fully integrated automatic antenna-tuning unit across the entire HF range. It will tune dipoles, verticals, Yagis or virtually any coax-fed antenna. It will match a wide range of antennas and impedances. Features include:  Microprocessor controlled, switched L tuning network  Automatically matches antennas from 6-800 ohms impedance, or a 10:1 SWR, 3:1 on 6m  Tunes from memory in less than one half second. A full tune will take from 1-6 seconds.  200 memories for almost instant return of previously tuned frequencies.  Continuous coverage from 1.8 to 54 MHz  Power range 0.1 to 125 Watts, 50 Watts on 6m Griffin PowerMateTM VFO Tuning Knob The attractive GCN-SLV Griffin Technology PowerMate control knob connects to a USB port to provide variable-rate VFO tuning for the SDR-1000. A simple click of the knob changes the tuning rate to any of four user configured tuning rates. It can even be programmed to set the volume by a press, hold, and turn of the knob. Made of high-quality machined aluminum, PowerMate feels like a solid volume knob pulled right off the front of a world-class stereo. Its heavy weight and tactile feel are a welcome departure from typical plastic USB peripherals. Contour Designs Shuttle Pro V.2 The ShuttlePro V.2’s sleek innovative design, pre-configured for many of today's popular applications, advanced programmability, and ease of use is in short, the perfect marriage of form and function. 6 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 3 The ShuttlePro V.2 is a powerful productivity enhancement tool for the PowerSDR software. The ShuttlePro V.2 even comes pre-configured for many of the leading applications. You can also easily customize the ShuttlePro V.2 for virtually any application. The ShuttlePro V.2 is designed for ergonomic integrity and maximizing productivity, allowing one-hand access to the fully programmable buttons and jog/shuttle knob. Nine (9) of the buttons have removable keycaps for easy labeling and referencing. The inner ring or 'jog' rotates through 360 degrees and provides precision control. The outer black ring or 'shuttle' is rubberized and spring-loaded. It facilitates tuning and radio control. You can also use the jog and shuttle for many other purposes such as scrolling, volume control, and sequencing. External Clock Reference Option The SDR-CLK External Clock Reference Option kit provides the connection required to operate the DDS oscillator from an external 10MHz or 20MHz precision frequency reference. GPS locked oscillators may be used in this configuration to provide precise frequency control of the SDR-1000. The internal 200MHz oscillator must be removed to use the external reference clock. Note: This option requires a customer provided precision clock source not provided by FlexRadio Systems. USB To Parallel Adapter The SDR-USB is a USB to parallel communications adapter, specially designed to control the SDR-1000. It allows the radio to be used with computers that do not have a parallel port available. The SDR-USB supports all of the control and status lines required by the SDR-1000 and has special firmware to offload hardware polling tasks from the PC. A separate download and installation of driver software is required. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 7 FlexRadio Systems

The 15-pin, high-density, female “D” connector is found on the rear panel. It offers seven open collector Darlington outputs that allow control of external devices such as transverters, relays, antennas, power amplifiers, etc. It also includes two dedicated push-to-talk (PTT) inputs (Pins 10 & 11 – see below). The connector has 5VDC power at up to 50mA for powering external relays or logic. The open collector outputs may also be used with external power supplies up to a maximum of 50VDC. The maximum collector current for a single output is 500mA. A common output clamp diode return is provided (Pin 8) to handle relay transients. The table below details the pin connections. If you prefer not to hand-wire the connector for any reason, cut the end off a VGA PC monitor cable and use its respective leads. Table 2: X2 Pin Connections and Diagram Pin # Function Specification Diagram 1 Control 1 Open Collector – 50V, 500mA Max. 2 Control 2 Open Collector – 50V, 500mA Max. 3 Control 3 Open Collector – 50V, 500mA Max. 4 Control 4 Open Collector – 50V, 500mA Max. 5 Control 5 Open Collector – 50V, 500mA Max. 6 Control 6 Open Collector – 50V, 500mA Max. 7 PTT Output (PA Control)* Open Collector – 50V, 500mA Max. 8 Common Protection Diode Connect to Relay + Supply 9 Not Connected Not Connected 10 PTT Input (Secondary) SSB/AM/FM only (no CW) – Ground this line to key transmitter 11 PTT Input (Main) [S3] Works in all modes – Ground this line to key transmitter 12 Software Audio Mute** Pull to ground to Mute the receiver. 13 Not Connected Not Connected 14 Vcc 5VDC Output @ 50mA 15 Ground Signal Ground for all inputs/outputs * Requires enabling X2 TR Sequencing on the Setup Form - General Tab, Options Sub-Tab. ** Requires enabling Auto Mute on the Setup Form - General Tab, Options Sub-Tab. 8 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 4

C H A P T E R 4 Push To Talk (PTT) Input The External Control (X2) connector has two PTT input connections as seen in Table 1 above. Pin 11 works in all modes, while Pin 10 works only in voice modes. Pin 11 is recommended for most applications. PTT is activated by grounding to Pin 15 either of the two respective pins. Mute Receiver The External Control (X2) connector has a pin dedicated to muting the receiver for multiple transceiver operation. Simply ground Pin 12 to Pin 15 to activate the software MUT (Mute) control. Note that this does not disconnect the coaxial connector from the receiver. External antenna switching is necessary to ensure that high power signals are not sent directly to the SDR-1000 receiver front end. External Linear Amplifier Keying External linear amplifiers may be keyed using Pin 7 on the External Control (X2) connector. Most amplifiers are switched by grounding its keying input. Connect Pin 7 (PTT Output) to the hot lead of keying input and Pin 15 to the amplifier ground. This output uses an open collector Darlington transistor switch that is rated at 500mA, 50VDC maximum. To ensure that your amplifier keying circuit does not damage the Darlington transistor switch, insert the circuit shown in the figure below between Pins 7 and 15 on X2 and your amplifier. Figure 1: Protective PTT Circuit Between SDR-1000 and Amplifier Universal Controller Board for Antenna and Transverter Control The Universal Controller Board (UCB) is a customer developed and supplied accessory that connects to the External Control (X2) connector. It allows automatic software control of up to 16 antennas and/or transverters. The Universal Controller Board is an extension of the SDR-1000 to enable additional control of external devices by the radio. The SDR-1000 X2 connector provides 6 open collector output pins for user defined functions. The purpose of the UCB is to accept data from the SDR-1000 via the X2 connector to be loaded into a 16X16 memory matrix on the UCB. Pins 1 through 4 of the X2 connector are used as an address field by the UCB to address one of 16 registers within the memory matrix. Each one of these UCB registers has 9 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 4 16 bits, of which any combination can be operational. Each bit in a register corresponds to a relay that will be picked. Enclosure Microphone Connector A front panel connector is provided for microphone and push-to-talk (PTT) input. Depending on when your radio shipped, the connector will be a 4 or 8 pin connector. See the table below for the pinouts for each of these connectors. The PTT input must provide a contact closure to ground to activate the transmitter. The 8-pin microphone configuration offers the ability to connect a balanced microphone through the front panel connector. Keep in mind that it is possible to plug a microphone directly into either of our recommended sound cards (Delta-44 and Edirol FA-66). They both offer ¼” connectors and the Edirol FA- 66 has true balanced inputs along with XLR connectors and adjustable Mic Preamps. Radios shipped after January 11, 2006 have an 8-pin connector. Radios shipped before that date have a 4- pin connector, but the wiring configuration of this connector has been modified on all radios shipped after February 4, 2005 from those shipped before that date. The following table shows the pin connections and the wiring configurations. Table 3: Microphone Connector Configurations Ship Date Pin # Signal Diagram After Jan 11 2006 1 Not Connected 2 Not Connected 3 Not Connected 4 Not Connected 5 Chassis GND (Shield) 6 PTT (+) 7 Mic (–) 8 Mic (+) Before Jan 11 2006, After Feb 4 2005 1 Mic (+) 2 Mic (-) 3 PTT (+) 4 PTT (-) Before Feb 4 2005 1 Ground 2 Microphone Audio 3 Push To Talk 4 No Connection We recommend use of the Heil microphones, especially the PR series; however, the HM-10 and Goldline microphones will also work well with the SDR-1000. Use the procedure found in the Voice Transmission Operation section in order to match the microphone appropriately with the sound card and the DSP. 10 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 4 Keyer Input To connect either a keyer or straight key to the Key jack on the rear panel use the following table. While the keyer input lines can be reversed on the Setup Form-DSP Tab, Keyer Sub-Tab, we are including this pinout for completeness. Table 4: Key Plug Pinout Connector Keyer Signal Straight Key Tip Dot Key Ring Dash Key Sleeve Common Common Note 1: Using a mono 2-conductor type plug will cause problems as the Ring will be shorted to the Sleeve (Key to Common or Dash to Common depending on setup). Note 2: For optimal (low latency) performance, connect your paddles or keyer directly to a serial port on the PC using the following table. Also see the section on the Setup Form-DSP Tab, Keyer Sub-Tab. Table 5: PC Serial Port Pinout Serial Port Pin* Keyer Signal 4 (DTR) Common 6 (DSR) Dot 8 (CTS) Dash * Assumes a 9-Pin connector [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 11 FlexRadio Systems

hardware necessary to run the radio (power supply, antenna, parallel port, and sound card). Refer to the numerical callouts in Figure 3 below for the location of all radio connections. Make sure the power switch on the front panel of the enclosure is in the Off (down – “O” on some models) position. Connect the power supply negative (1) and positive (2) leads to the black (--) and red (+) power supply connectors respectively. Ensure that correct polarity is maintained as reversing the cables can cause damage to the unit. The power supply must provide 13.8VDC at 25A (nominal) for the 100W transceiver and 1.5A for the 1W transceiver respectively. Make a low impedance connection to earth (RF) ground (8) to properly protect the unit. Connect the PC parallel port to the parallel connector (10) on the enclosure. Use a 25-pin, male-to-male parallel cable that has all 25 pins connected straight through. These are called RS-232 cables by some manufacturers. Both parallel and audio cables are available from FlexRadio Systems. Make sure the connection is firm as a partial parallel connection can cause sporadic frequency tuning and filter selection. Note: FlexRadio Systems distinguishes between recommended, legacy and unsupported sound cards. Recommended cards are actively supported and used for system development. Legacy cards are those cards that were previously recommended and are now only passively supported. Unsupported cards include all other sound cards. From time to time FlexRadio Systems will adjust a sound card’s designation; the most up-to- date information is available on our website. FlexRadio Systems currently recommends two sound cards for use with the SDR-1000: The M-Audio™ Delta-44 is the recommended PCI interface and the Edirol FA-66 is the recommended Firewire (1394) interface card (ideal for laptop connection). Each of these professional grade sound cards offers multiple inputs and outputs which allows us to mix separate monitor and radio outputs as well as leave the radio and microphone connected to the inputs. The audio quality of these recommended cards is also superior to any of our legacy (previously recommended) cards as these legacy cards were all consumer grade. Please refer to the charts and tables on the specifications page of the website that show the superior dynamic range and noise performance of our recommended cards. This is a clear-cut example of professional quality audio 12 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 5

C H A P T E R 5 equipment (M-Audio) versus consumer quality equipment (Creative). The gap between the two is substantial. Connect the sound card to the radio as follows. Please consult the Delta-44 Quick Start Guide or the Edirol FA-66 Quick Start Guide. For other cards proceed as follows: First, connect the Line In cable from the sound card Line Input (usually color coded blue) to the plug labeled “To Line In” (14) on the back of the radio. Next, connect the Speaker output from the sound card (usually color coded light green) to the plug labeled “To Line Out” (12). Make sure that if your sound card has multiple speaker outputs you use the one labeled Speaker 1 (or the “front” speakers). Note: For certain legacy sound cards, it is necessary to install the SDR- LPF/CBL low pass filter on the Line Out connection to prevent wideband noise transmission. The recommended sound cards, Delta-44 and Edirol FA-66, do not require this filter. Some sound cards, such as the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz and Audigy2 ZS, emit noise that peaks in the 100kHz range and must be suppressed to comply with FCC rules (-43dBc). Instructions for making the SDR- LPF/CBL can be found on the FlexRadio Private Download Page. The cable must be installed with the filter module nearest to the radio. Reversing the cable will not allow the filter to operate properly. If you have any questions regarding the need to use this filter for your sound card, please contact FlexRadio Systems. Then connect the Microphone Input from the sound card (usually color coded red) to the plug labeled “To Mic In” (15). Note that this is only necessary if using a microphone connected to the front panel of the enclosure. If using a PC mic, this can be plugged directly into the sound card. Finally, connect amplified speakers to the plug marked SPKR (13). Note that using non-powered speakers or low impedance headphones will load down the transmitter drive to the radio, thereby preventing full power output. This is not an issue with 4-port cards such as the Delta-44 and the FA-66 since the output does not run through the radio. Note: It is critical that the audio cables used to connect to the sound card are seated flush against the back panel of the enclosure to provide good contact for the stereo input and output. Failure to do so will prevent opposite sideband rejection on both reception and transmission. Cables with wide connector ends are the cause of this issue in most instances. Premium “Gold” cables are NOT recommended because they are typically overpriced and their connectors are usually too large. 13 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 5 If the 100W amplifier is included, connect the HF/6m antennas to the HF/PA (3) connector. WHEN THE 100W AMPLIFIER IS INSTALLED, DO NOT CONNECT ANYTHING TO THE HF/50 MHZ QRP CONNECTOR. This connector is in parallel with the input to the power amplifier. If the amplifier is not installed, connect the antenna to the HF/50 MHz QRP connector for the 1W output configuration. If the DEMI144-28FRS 2m transverter is installed, its connection(s) go to (6) / (7). Please see the transverter’s installation instructions for connector options that allow for common or split TX/RX. Also, if using the external clock reference option, connect the reference signal to (4). Note 1: If the 100W amplifier is installed, the AUX hole is covered by the amplifier hardware and the reference connector will be moved to another location (possibly to 6 or 7 if the transverter is not installed). Note 2: If the amplifier is installed, it is necessary to uncheck the box that enables the PA on the Setup Forms General Tab before attempting to transmit QRP. If the amplifier is disabled in software, the 1W transmitter will be connected straight through to the HF/PA connector. The output on 6m is always QRP since the PA does not cover 6m. Finally, connect any external hardware control lines (linear amplifiers, transverters, or relays) to the X2 connector (9) as defined in the section on Plug Pin Out above. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 14 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 5 Figure 2: Back Panel of Enclosure Connections are as follows: (1) Power Ground - #12AWG or greater for 100W version. (2) 13.8VDC Power - #12AWG or greater for 100W version. (3) 100W Power Amplifier Antenna Connector – Use for all bands if 100W amplifier is installed. (4) Auxiliary Input Connector for optional External Reference Oscillator. (5) 1W QRP Antenna Connector – Use ONLY if 100W amplifier is NOT installed (when installed, this connector is in parallel with the amplifier input circuit. (6) Two Meter Transverter Transmit Connector – Used for split transmit/receive operation (See DEMI144-28FRS installation instructions). (7) Two Meter Transverter Receive or Receive/Transmit Common Connector – (See DEMI144-28FRS installation instructions). (8) Earth (RF) Ground. (9) X2 External Control Connector – See Table 1 for connections. (10) Parallel Port Connector (to PC parallel port) – Optional SDR-USB USB to Parallel Adapter connects to this port. (11) Code Key/Paddles Connector – See previous chapter for connection. 16 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 5 Hint: For optimal (low latency) performance connect the key or paddles to a PC serial port instead (see the section on the Setup Form-DSP Tab, Keyer Sub-Tab in chapter 8 for more information). (12) To Line Out (speaker output) on Sound Card – Green color-coded. (13) To Amplified Speaker or high impedance headphones. Note: Do not use if using one of our recommended sound cards (Delta-44 or Edirol FA-66). Instead for best performance and to enable monitoring, connect your speaker(s) directly to the sound card. (14) To Line In on Sound Card – Blue color-coded. (15) To Microphone Input on Sound Card -- Pink or Magenta color-coded. (This connector is directly connected to the corresponding pins on the front panel mic connector.) [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 17 FlexRadio Systems

WARNING! Proper operation of the SDR-1000 depends on the use of a sound card that is officially recommended by FlexRadio Systems. Refer to the Specifications page on www.flex-radio.com to determine which sound cards are currently recommended. Use only the specific model numbers stated on the website because other models within the same family may not work properly with the radio. Officially recommended sound cards may be updated on the website without notice. If you have any question about the sound card you would like to use with the radio, please email [email protected] or call us at 512-250-8595. NO WARRANTY IS IMPLIED WHEN THE SDR-1000 IS USED WITH ANY SOUND CARD OTHER THAN THOSE CURRENTLY RECOMMENDED AS STATED ON THE FLEXRADIO SYSTEMS WEBSITE. UNRECOMMENDED SOUND CARDS MAY OR MAY NOT WORK WITH THE SDR- 1000. USE OF UNRECOMMENDED SOUND CARDS IS AT THE CUSTOMERS OWN RISK. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 18 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 6

C H A P T E R 6 Install Latest Sound Card Drivers Download the latest sound card drivers from the manufacturer. Install the software using the “Driver Only” option if there is one. Note 1: Using the “Driver Only” option (Audigy 2 ZS, and others) will prevent some software from loading programs that will engage audio effects such as Reverb or Echo by default. This causes problems with the receive and/or transmit performance of the radio. All such sound card audio effects should be turned off to prevent problems with the radio. Note 2: If using a legacy sound card (or an unsupported sound card without native ASIO drivers) you will need to install ASIO4ALL, which can be found on the Downloads page of our website. If using one of our recommended sound cards (M-Audio Delta-44 or Edirol FA-66), installing ASIO4ALL is unnecessary. Upgrading From an Earlier Version It is recommended that you leave older versions of the PowerSDR console installed when upgrading from a previous version. After reviewing the new version and verifying that your setup works, uninstalling previous versions is fine (but not necessary). Note that it is necessary to manually delete the database file (PowerSDR.mdb) from the application directory (usually c:\Program Files\FlexRadio Systems\ PowerSDR x.y.z) in order to completely remove previous versions. PowerSDR Executable Installation Download the latest PowerSDR_x.y.z.zip to a directory on your hard drive (saving to the Desktop is recommended) and unzip the contents. Double click the Setup file (Setup.exe) to start the installation process. The PowerSDR installation will prompt you to install the .NET framework if it is not installed and it will point you to the appropriate web address for downloading as seen below. Figure 3: Prompt for .NET Framework 19 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Follow the instructions to install the framework using the download from Microsoft’s website and then restart the Setup.exe program. You should see the following screen. Figure 4: PowerSDR Installation Welcome Screen Click the Next button to continue. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 20 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 5: PowerSDR Installation Folder Selection You can change the installation directory here, though we recommend you use the default for troubleshooting purposes. Click the Next button to continue. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 21 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 6: PowerSDR Installation License Agreement Read the GNU Public License. If you accept, click I Agree and click the Next button to continue. Otherwise click Cancel. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 22 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 7: PowerSDR Installation Confirmation Click the Next button to confirm these settings and to copy the necessary files to the selected install directory. Once the files have been copied, you will see the following screen. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 23 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 8: PowerSDR Installation Complete Click the Close button to complete the installation and close the dialog. PowerSDR Setup Wizard Before powering up the radio hardware, load the PowerSDR console using the shortcut on the Desktop (or in the Start menu). When you run (a new release of) PowerSDR for the first time an optimization routine will run and the following screens will appear: [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 24 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 9: Optimization Routine Click OK and let the routine run. Note: This routine aims to optimize the FFT calculations for the environment (hardware and software) in which the calculations will be performed. For optimal performance, you should therefore close all applications you will normally not be running simultaneously with PowerSDR. The routine will save a file called wisdom to the directory in which PowerSDR resides. If you wish to run FFTW again, delete this file from the directory and start up PowerSDR. When the routine has completed a brief startup sequence will follow, after which you should be greeted by the PowerSDR Setup Wizard as shown in the figure below. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 25 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 10: PowerSDR Setup Wizard Welcome Click the Next button to continue. Figure 11: PowerSDR Setup Wizard - Database Import Click the Yes or No button to indicate whether you would like to import a database from a previous version (assumes you are upgrading). If yes, click the Select File … button and select the PowerSDR.mdb file from a previous version (default directory is C:\Program Files\FlexRadio Systems\PowerSDR x.y.z\). A prompt 26 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 will confirm that the database file was imported successfully as seen in the screenshot below. Click the OK button. Figure 12: Successfully Imported Database Prompt Click the Next button to continue. If you imported a database, the rest of the steps will be skipped and you will jump straight to the finished screen. Figure 13: PowerSDR Setup Wizard - Radio Model Select the radio model you will be using. If you are running without any radio, e.g. for demonstration purposes, select Demo/None. Click the Next button to continue. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 27 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 14: PowerSDR Setup Wizard – RFE Select the Yes or No button to indicate whether your configuration includes the RF Expansion Board (RFE), and click the Next button to continue. Note: All SDR-1000s shipped since 2005 include the RFE board. Figure 15: PowerSDR Setup Wizard - 2m XVTR 28 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Select the Yes or No button to indicate whether your configuration includes the optional 2m transverter. If yes, select your model using the drop down box. Note that FlexRadio Systems only sells the DEMI144- 28FRS model. It uses negative logic keying on the coax to the transverter. Click the Next button to continue. Figure 16: PowerSDR Setup Wizard – PA Select the Yes or No button to indicate whether your configuration includes the 100W Power Amplifier. If yes, enter the gain values found on the sheet included with the amplifier shipment. Click the Next button to continue. Note: If you have a dummy load, you should run the Automatic Amplifier Gain Calibration (see later in this chapter) in your own environment for the best calibration. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 29 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 17: PowerSDR Setup Wizard – ATU Click the Yes or No button to indicate whether you have the integrated ATU installed. Click Next to continue. Figure 18: PowerSDR Setup Wizard - Ext. Clock Click the Yes or No button to indicate if you will be using the optional external clock reference. If yes, select the frequency of your source using the drop down box (10 or 20MHz). Click Next to continue. 30 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 19: PowerSDR Setup Wizard - USB Adapter Click the Yes or No button to indicate if you will be using the USB to Parallel adapter. Click Next to continue. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 31 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 20: PowerSDR Setup Wizard - Sound Card Select your sound card from the drop down box. If you are using a card other than the recommended or legacy cards listed on the FlexRadio Website Specifications page, then select the Unsupported Card option (this will require further setup after the wizard is complete). Unsupported sound cards may be used at the customer’s own risk. FlexRadio Systems cannot vouch for proper operation or support for such cards. Click the Next button to continue. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 32 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Figure 21: PowerSDR Setup Wizard – Finished The Setup Wizard is now complete. Click the Finish button to complete the wizard. Sound Card Setup Quick Start Guides can be found in our Knowledge Base for the Delta-44 and the Edirol FA-66. Otherwise, if using a consumer sound card, it may be necessary to do some more software setup. Open the software and look at the Audio Tab on the Setup Form. With the radio powered on and running, adjust the Line In Gain down from 50 until the noise floor just begins to rise. Adjust the value back up 3-4 and call that your optimal Line In gain. If the noise floor never rises, use a value of ‘1’. This will give you the least noise due to the sound card yielding more room for larger signals. This translates into higher dynamic range. Note that making any changes to the Line In gain will invalidate the calibration. So make sure to calibrate after doing this procedure (see below). [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 33 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 PowerSDR Calibration Power on the radio by pressing the Standby button. Once you have verified that the radio is operational (try tuning a local AM station), it is time to calibrate the software. To bring up the calibration options, click the Setup menu button on the front panel. Once the Setup form is open, click the General tab. The calibration settings are on the Calibration sub-tab. Figure 22: PowerSDR Calibration Settings The three calibration routines available (Frequency, Level, and Image Null) are detailed in the sections below. Note: Before calibrating the frequency, the radio needs at least a 5-minute warm-up period to ensure temperature drift is negligible. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 34 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Frequency Calibration – DDS Clock Adjustment Auto Calibration To calibrate the frequency, enter the frequency of the source in the entry box as seen in the figure above (e.g. 15.000000MHz). A calibrated signal generator is ideal, but a frequency standard station such as WWV may be used instead so long as its signal is at least 30dB above the noise floor. A separate transmitter may also be used as the signal source. We do not recommend calibrating on local AM stations as the correction may not be as accurate at such low frequencies. Once the frequency of the station or signal generator is entered, click the top Start button (across from the word Frequency) to run the calibration routine. Using the manual adjustment routine below may allow slightly better results due to fine adjustments. Manual Calculation The calculation for the DDS adjustment is not complicated. Divide the DDS frequency (200MHz) by the known signal frequency (say, 10MHz WWV) and then multiply by the difference between the known signal and the measured signal. For example, say you tune the VFO to 10MHz and the peak shows up at 9.999700MHz (difference is 10.0 – 9.999700 = +300Hz). The Clock Offset would be 200/10 * 300 = 6000. Plugging in 6000 into the Clock Offset control should zero beat the signal. The frequency offset is the actual clock oscillator offset from its nominal 200MHz output. The oscillator is rated at 100ppm, which yields a maximum offset of +/- 20kHz from 200MHz. Note that if the measured frequency were 10.000300MHz, the offset would be -6000. Fine adjustments may be made directly on the Clock Offset control on the General Tab of the Setup Form. Level Calibration – Spectrum & S-Meter For proper calibration of the spectrum and S-meter, some type of calibrated signal source is required. If no signal generator is available, Elecraft offers an inexpensive XG1 1uV and 50uV Receiver Test Set. To calibrate the visual spectrum and the S-Meter, set the signal generator to a known strong signal level such as -73 dBm (no less than 30dB above the noise floor) and tune the radio to place the carrier inside the filter passband. Enter the frequency (in MHz) and the signal level of the generator in the Frequency and Level (dB) text boxes respectively as shown in the figure (e.g. 7.040053 MHz and -73dBm). If no calibrated signal source is available, you may use a second transceiver to either transmit a signal or to find a steady signal on the air (this will give a much less accurate level calibration). Without use of a calibrated signal source, the spectrum display and power meter may be off by as much as 10dB or more. Click the middle Start button across from the word Level to start the calibration. This calibration is accurate to within 0.1dB with respect to the source. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 35 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 Image Null Calibration Since the SDR-1000 has an analog front end, phase and amplitude imbalances can exist between the I and Q channels. Fortunately, this is a simple correction for the DSP software. The procedure for calibrating the receiver is described below. For a description of how to minimize the transmit image, look at the Setup Form chapter below in the section on Transmit Rejection. Note: A signal generator or a separate transmitter with dummy load is required for this alignment. Automatic Calibration Increase the signal generator output level to -50dBm so that the image signal will be large enough to give optimal calibration. On the General tab of the Setup form, enter your signal generator frequency. Then click the lowest Start button next to the words “Image Null” to automatically find the optimal Phase and Gain settings. Using the settings found by the automatic adjustment as a starting point, manually adjusting the controls may offer slightly better results. Note that any other signals in the passband besides the image may hinder the routine from finding the best null. Manual Adjustment The controls for the Image Rejection are on the DSP tab of the Setup form. They allow fine adjustment of amplitude and phase to allow a null of the opposite sideband image in the time domain. The image can be found roughly 22kHz above a strong signal. The null actually moves around in a 3kHz window centered at Signal+22.050kHz if Spur Reduction is on. Alternately modify the Gain and Phase controls on the DSP Tab of the Setup Form to find the best possible null. Clicking on the track bar will give unit increment/decrements to the value and then tweaking can be done using the Up/Down control (for fractional component). Automatic Amplifier Gain Calibration Note: If no dummy load is available the factory test values must be entered manually on the Setup Form-PA Settings Tab using the factory test data provided with the amplifier in the Gain By Band section of the PA Settings tab. Amplifier Gain Calibration (a 100W resistive dummy load is required) is recommended since slight differences in equipment (sound card, power supply, etc.) can give slightly different results. The following procedure automatically determines the RF signal chain gain (SDR-1000 and SDR-100WPA) by band in order to calibrate sound card drive requirements in the PowerSDR software. The resulting gain values, measured in dB, are stored in the PowerSDR database. All gain values are determined at 100W (75W on 10m) output into a resistive dummy load. 36 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 6 WARNING! A 100W resistive dummy load must be connected to the amplifier output for the Automatic Amplifier Gain Calibration procedure. Failure to do so could cause damage to the amplifier. Figure 23: PA Settings Tab Press the Calibrate button in the Gain by Band section of the PA Settings tab to start the calibration process. Through an iterative process, the software will transmit an estimated drive for 60W (default) output to the dummy load on each band. The power will be measured on the internal directional coupler to determine the gain for a given drive level. The software will apply any necessary correction and save the total system gain value for each band on the form. A progress bar will show the status of the calibration process. An Abort button is available on the progress bar if needed to stop the calibration process. If you get an error message during the calibration process, double check the sound card and antenna connections and try again. Press the Apply button when finished to save the values in the database. Note: Be sure to use the Import Database function when installing future PowerSDR software releases in order to preserve the calibration values. 37 FlexRadio Systems

various bells and whistles can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. The image shown below is a key that will help to introduce the basic controls for those less familiar with windows software. Figure 24: Control Key  The Form refers to the entire window with the Title Bar showing the Form Name.  The Menu is just under the Title Bar. Menu controls generally open other forms.  Labels are callouts usually for other controls.  Buttons can trigger events or act like an On/Off switch.  Text Boxes allow text to be entered or displayed.  Radio Buttons allow the user to choose between several options.  Drop Down Boxes (also called Combo Boxes) enable the ability to offer many options without taking up as much window space as a Radio Button.  Sliders allow easy modification of a numerical value.  Color Buttons are used as color selectors. You can pick a generic color (yellow or green) or even make your own using the drop down menu.  Up/Down controls are similar to a Text Box, but are limited to numeric input. They also have arrows for simple increment/decrement behavior. 38 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 7

C H A P T E R 7  Figure 25: PowerSDR 1.8.0 Front Console Note: The front console controls the basic facets of the radio: frequency, mode, filters, and display. In addition to these basic features, there are many other controls that are described in detail below. Hint: Hovering with your mouse over any control will show a brief description of that control’s function. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 39 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (1) VFO A Figure 26: VFOA VFO A is the main tuning VFO for the radio. It consists of a frequency and a band description (related to the selected frequency). The frequency area is a simple Text Box and may be edited as such (click and drag highlighting, etc). Entering a numeric character (without any mouse interaction) is also a good way to change your frequency quickly. The underlined digit will show visually the digit that will be tuned when hovering over the frequency display. See the Tuning Methods section in the Operation chapter for more details on how to tune. Note that you can return to the previous frequency at any time by pressing the ‘Escape’ key. The band text information underneath the frequency gives general information about the FCC Amateur bands as well as the Short Wave Radio bands and WWV. If not on a recognized frequency, the text will display “Out Of Band”. If not in an amateur band, the text background will change from black to gray. Note that this information is only a lookup in a database and has no bearing on the current operating mode. This information can be edited in the BandText table using Microsoft Access. (2) Tuning Controls Figure 27: Tuning Controls VFO Lock keeps the frequency from being changed inadvertently. This is a handy feature to use while in a QSO to keep from accidentally losing the frequency due to clicking in the wrong area or hitting the wrong key on the keyboard. The Tune Step displays the current tuning rate for using the mouse wheel (or Ctrl + Up/Down Arrow) to tune the radio. Rotating the mouse wheel away from you will increase the frequency by the step rate per click while rotating the wheel toward you will decrease the frequency. You can change the Tune Step by clicking either of the – or + buttons, clicking the mouse wheel button (or using Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow). The Save button quickly saves a frequency, mode and filter. The saved frequency is shown in the box to its left. The Restore button restores the most recently saved frequency (displayed), mode and filter. 40 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (3) VFO B Split Transmit Frequency Sub RX Frequency Figure 28: VFOB The operation of VFO B is similar to that of VFO A. However, VFO B is used only in specific instances. When operating split (SPLT button under VFO), VFO B determines the transmit frequency (both “VFO B” and the frequency are displayed in red). When activating the second receiver (Sub RX button under Sub RX), VFO B determines the second receiver’s frequency, which is displayed in yellow. Otherwise, it can be viewed as a storage container to copy VFO data to and from VFO A (see the VFO Controls section below). (4) Multimeter Figure 29: Multimeter The multimeter functions as another way of feeding information back to the user. The two drop down boxes at the top offer an independent selection of RX and TX multimeter options. The text display below the meter selections shows the digital data for either the receiver or the transmitter (Signal strength in the screenshot above). The display at the bottom of this section shows the data graphically as an edge meter. A bar graph display can be selected instead (see the Appearance section in the next chapter). RX Meters  Signal (Signal Level): Calculates the true RMS power in dBm of the current signal within the passband.  Sig Avg (Signal Average): Calculates the true RMS power in dBm of a time-averaged signal within the passband. 41 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7  ADC L (Analog To Digital Left): Calculates the level in dBFS (decibel full scale) of Left input from the sound card.  ADC R (Analog To Digital Right): Calculates the level in dBFS (decibel full scale) of Right input from the sound card.  Off: Used for debugging purposes or to save CPU cycles on slower machines. TX Meters  Fwd Pow: Reads out forward power minus reflected power in Watts as measured by the hardware ADC on the PA if it is installed. If the PA is not installed (the 1W configuration), this meter shows the calculated power output according to the DSP based on 1W full output. In either case, the meter shows average power. Note: In SSB, the typical male voice peak to average ratio is 14dB. This means that when you do not have the compressor and/or compander enabled an average meter will only read 4-10W (with a typical voice) when peaking at 100W. With the ALC we are using the average power. With these controls, very high average power can be tolerated.  Ref Pwr (PA Reflected Power): Reads out reflected power as measured by the hardware ADC on the PA. (Only available with the PA)  SWR (PA Standing Wave Ratio): Reads out the standing wave ratio as calculated from the hardware ADC on the PA. (Only available with the PA with TUN on)  Mic: Reads modulation power from -20 dB to 3 dB. Ideal operation will peak around 0 dB and will rarely if ever hit 3 dB. If it is hitting 3 dB, the ALC is cutting back the power. Adjust the MIC control on the front console to give more or less modulation.  EQ: Reads the power in Watts following the equalizer. If the equalizer is not enabled, the equalizer power is equal to the Mic power.  Lev: Reads the power in Watts following the leveler. The leveler attempts to level the voice coming from the microphone as the head and mouth change position relative to the microphone element. If the leveler is not enabled, this power is identical to EQ.  Lev Gain: Reads the gain in dB currently being applied by the leveler.  Comp: Reads the power in Watts after the compressor. If it is not enabled, it reads the same as Lev. 42 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7  CPDR: Reads the power in Watts after the compander. If it is not enabled, it reads the same as Comp.  ALC: Reads the power in Watts after the ALC.  ALC Comp: Reads the gain in dB applied by the ALC algorithm. The gain is always <=0 in dB. The minus sign is implicit.  Off: Used for debugging purposes or to save CPU cycles on slower machines. (5) Band Selection & Band Stacking Memories Figure 30: Band Selection The Band Selection controls perform multiple roles on this radio. First, when tuning the VFO to a specific frequency the band indicator will move to the appropriate band (GEN if not in one of the specific bands listed). This is used to quickly identify which band you are in, or when you are stepping over a band edge boundary. The second role is a feature called Band Stacking Memories. A single memory is defined as a frequency, mode, and filter combination. Each band has several memories associated with it. Clicking on a band button repeatedly will cycle through the available memories repeating from the beginning after the last memory (hence the stacking memories). This is useful to quickly tune to various frequencies within a band. To replace one of the memories with the frequency, mode, and filter of your choice, first click the band button for the band memory you would like to modify. Then change the frequency, mode, and filter to the desired settings (the frequency must be in the band selected). Finally click the band button again to save the values. Note that some band memory frequencies (such as 60m and WWV) are fixed in software and cannot be changed. The modified memories will be saved to the database upon graceful exit of the console. A crash will prevent changed memories from being saved in order to keep faulty data from making it into the database. Note that the VHF+ button will swap between the typical HF bands and any configured transverters (see the XVTRs Form in chapter 10). The VHF band buttons work in the same way, but for the frequencies within the transverter frequency range. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 43 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (6) Mode Selection Figure 31: Mode Selection The Mode Selection controls allow you to change the selected demodulation routine. Changing modes will select the last frequency and filter used for that mode. Additionally, it will display the (configurable) filter settings available for that mode as well as display the appropriate mode specific controls on the front console (see below). Following is a list of the available modes:  LSB: Lower Side Band  USB: Upper Side Band  DSB: Double Side Band  CWL: CW Lower Side Band  CWU: CW Upper Side Band  FMN: Frequency Modulation (FM) Narrow  AM: Amplitude Modulation  SAM: Synchronous (PLL) Amplitude Modulation  SPEC: Spectrum mode (DC IF, max bandwidth determined by your selected sound card sampling rate)  DIGL: Digital Lower Side Band (Enables VAC if VAC Auto Enable is engaged)  DIGU: Digital Upper Side Band (Enables VAC if VAC Auto Enable is engaged)  DRM: Digital Radio Mondiale (requires licensed external demodulator software not available from FlexRadio Systems; Enables VAC if VAC Auto Enable is engaged) Hotkeys are available in the Setup-Form, Keyboard Tab to cycle through the various modes using the keyboard. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 44 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (7) Filter Controls Figure 32: Filter Controls The filter controls consist of ten customizable, mode-specific, labeled filter buttons and two variable filter buttons. Labeled Filter Buttons Clicking on any of the labeled buttons in the top half of the filter controls section sets the filter bandwidth. The available filters depend on the selected modulation mode. The 3 groups of default filter selections for CW (CWL, CWU), SSB (LSB, USB, DIGL, DIGU) and DSB (DSB, FMN, AM, SAM) are shown below. The SPEC mode has no filters associated with it and the DRM filter is fixed at 10MHz. CW Default Filters SSB Default Filters DSB Default Filters Figure 33: Default Mode Dependent Filters Each of the 10 labeled filter buttons can be customized for any of the modes. To do so, right click on a filter button and select Configure… to bring up the following screen. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 45 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Figure 34: Filter Setup Screen On the left, select the Mode for which to setup the filter and select the filter button to change. Then on the right adjust its settings. An indication of the filter is displayed in the lower section of this screen. When done, you can select another button and/or mode to change the filter for. When finished, just close the Filter Setup Screen. To revert back to the default settings, right click on a filter button, select Reset to Defaults and click Yes. Note: Although there are 3 groups of mode-dependent default filter settings, you can customize the labeled filter for each mode independently. E.g. you can have different filters for LSB and USB, for FMN and AM, etc. Variable Filter Buttons The variable filter buttons Var 1 and Var 2 offer two separate filters, each of which can be adjusted with the Low, High, Width, Shift and Res controls described below as well as the mouse. The Panadapter display setting is good for visualizing changes to variable filter controls  Low: Selects the low cutoff frequency for the filter. The value is the plus or minus offset from the center frequency as shown in the VFO display. Note that in lower side band modes (LSB, CWL and DIGL) this value can be negative.  High: Selects the high cutoff frequency for the filter. Note that in lower side band modes (LSB, CWL and DIGL) this value can be negative.  Width: Widens the filter as the slider is moved right, and narrows the filter as it is moved left.  Shift: Shifts the selected filter passband up or down from its normal center frequency. This can help to eliminate interference caused by signals in close proximity of the received signal. After a variable filter (Var 1, Var 2) has been shifted you can use the IF->V button to translate a filter shift to a new VFO frequency (see the VFO Controls section below) 46 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7  Res: Returns the Shift control to the default middle position and restores the filter to the original values (i.e. before the Shift was used).  When the display is set to Panadapter, the mouse can be used to directly adjust the selected variable filter (Var 1 or Var 2). To do so right click with the mouse on the Panadapter display until no cross- hairs are showing. Then click on the filter and drag it to shift the filter as a whole or click on a band edge and drag it to adjust the filter bandwidth. The Var 1 and Var 2 filters are saved just like the labeled filters and are mode-dependent (i.e. you can save a different Var 1 filter for LSB mode than for AM mode). Hotkeys are available in the Setup Form- Keyboard Tab to change the filters using the keyboard. (8) Mode Specific Controls This section of the front console displays key controls specific to the selected modulation mode. There are three sets of controls: Phone, CW and Digital. Phone Controls The phone controls, shown below, are available for all phone modes (LSB, USB, DSB, FMN, AM and SAM). Most of these controls can also be found on the Setup Form-Transmit Tab (see next chapter, where you can also find a more detailed description). Figure 35: Mode Specific Controls - Phone  Mic Gain: adjusts the software microphone gain. This is a simple multiplier applied to the input samples when in transmitting. The control can be adjusted using either the slider or the textbox. This control is helpful for sound cards without mic preamps such as the Delta-44. Note that increasing the MIC Gain control will also raise the amount of noise in the signal. A hardware preamp will give the best performance for amplifying microphone signals. Having said that, the software gain works very well in many setups. Voice modes are typically optimized when the peak reading on the TX Mic Meter reads just below 0dB (see above)  COMP: click to enable the feed forward compression and adjust its level with either the slider or the textbox. See also the Setup Form-Transmit Tab. 47 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7  CPDR: click to enable the compander and adjust its level with either the slider or the textbox. See also the Setup Form-Transmit Tab.  VOX: click to enable the VOX and adjust its level with either the slider or the textbox. See also the Setup Form-Transmit Tab. When enabled, a bar graph will show just below the slider control. The green part of this bar graph shows the portion of the sound level that will not activate the transmitter; the red part the portion that will. VOX should be adjusted such that ambient noise will not activate the transmitter, but a normal voice will.  GATE: click to enable the Noise Gate and adjust its level with either the slider or the textbox. See also the Setup Form-Transmit Tab. When transmitting, a bar graph will show just below the slider control. The green part of this bar graph shows the portion of the sound level that will not open the Noise Gate; the red part the portion that will. The level should be adjusted such that ambient noise will not open the Noise Gate, but a normal voice level will. Hint: The Noise Gate can (and should) be enabled in all situations where ambient noise will render your transmissions less clear, irrespective of whether VOX is engaged.  Transmit Profile: select the transmit profile to use for phone transmissions. See also the Setup Form-Transmit Tab.  Show TX Filter on Display: when checked, the band edges of the transmit filter, set on the Setup Form-Transmit Tab (see next chapter) will be shown as 2 yellow lines on the display when set to Panadapter. It can be an especially useful visual aid when operating split to position your transmit frequency where desired (in a pile-up) using VFO B. Additionally, it will give you a quick visual impression of whether your transmit filter needs to be adjusted or not. CW Controls The CW controls, shown below are available when either CWL or CWU is selected. Most of these controls can be found on the Setup Form-DSP Tab, Keyer Sub-Tab (see next chapter, where you can also find a more detailed description). [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 48 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Figure 36: Mode Specific Controls - CW  CW Speed: sets the CW speed when using the internal keyer in Iambic mode. Adjust the speed with either the text box or the slider.  Iambic: check to set the internal keyer to Iambic mode.  Disable Monitor: check to disable the monitor (this can be useful when using an external keyer).  Semi Break In: click to enable Semi Break In for the internal keyer.  CW Pitch (Hz): sets the desired audio frequency for CW listening at the center of the CW filters. This will determine the offset that is applied to the carrier in receive and transmit. The display will continue to read the actual carrier frequency (if the radio is calibrated) but the software will provide for an offset to get the desired CW tone. This pitch will determine the automated tuning frequency using the display and mouse “click tune” functions.  VAC: click to enable the virtual audio cables, setup on the Setup Form-Audio Tab, VAC Sub-Tab (see next chapter, where you can also find a more detailed description). VAC is not automatically enabled for CW modes, even if Auto Enable has been checked on the VAC Sub-Tab.  Show CW TX Frequency: check to show the CW TX frequency as a single yellow line when the display is set to Panadapter. It can be an especially useful visual aid when operating split to position your transmit frequency where desired (in a pile-up) using VFO B. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 49 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Digital Controls The digital controls, shown below are available when either DIGL, DIGU or DRM is selected. These controls can also be found on the Setup Form- Audio Tab, VAC Sub-Tab (see next chapter, where you can also find a more detailed description). Figure 37: Mode Specific Controls - Digital  VAC: click to enable the virtual audio cables. If Auto Enable has been checked on the Setup Form- Audio Tab, VAC Sub-Tab, then VAC will automatically be enabled when either DIGL, DIGU or DRM is selected.  RX & TX Gain: Adjust the gain for signals coming in and out of the VAC interface. Use the RX Gain control to adjust the audio level going to third party programs. (Note that for third party applications this control supercedes the front panel AF control). Similarly, use the TX control to adjust the volume of audio coming from third party applications (adjust for 0 dB on the ALC meter).  Sample Rate: sets the sample rate of the VAC interface. This needs to be matched to your third party software sample rate.  Mono/Stereo: sets the VAC interface to operate either mono or stereo. This can be of importance, depending on your third party software. (E.g. MixW requires the mono setting, whereas DREAM requires stereo). (9) Display Controls The main display controls, shown below, consist of two sections: Panadapter view and display mode controls. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 50 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Figure 38: Display Controls Panadapter View Controls The Panadapter view controls adjust the view of the Panadapter display (see below), they are not functional for any of the other display settings.  Pan: adjust the slider to pan the Panadapter display from left to right. Click on Center to quickly center the display.  Zoom: adjust the slider to zoom in on or out of the display. Additionally click on either on of the 4 buttons to the right to quickly zoom to the labeled setting. (The maximum frequency span of the Panadapter is dependent on the sampling rate setting of your sound card) Depending on the zoom setting, the Center button may not return the 0Hz mark to the exact center of the screen. This is because of the asymmetry of the bandwidth in our receive signal (see the image below). The incoming signals can be viewed as a window of bandwidth with exactly half above 0Hz and half below. For a 96kHz sampling rate this window would span -48kHz on the left to +48kHz on the right. (This is what you will see in SPEC mode and usually you will notice a "hump" or spike at 0Hz where DC noise is picked up). To avoid signal distortion due to this DC noise we use an 11kHz IF offset prior to demodulation. This puts the DC offset at -11kHz (as many will notice on the display), but it also shifts the center of the window of bandwidth. Now the window spans -48 - 11 = -59kHz on the left to +48 - 11 = 37kHz on the right. Figure 39: Impact of 11kHz IF on Location of 0Hz Line Within the Panadapter 51 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 When you are displaying only +/- 20kHz in the Panadapter, it is no problem to display 0Hz in the center. But suppose we want to display +/-40kHz. We now run into a problem on the right because we run out of spectrum at +37kHz. The Panadapter does not display spectrum where there is no possibility of signals and instead shifts the 0Hz mark to the right. Display Type Controls The main display is able to visualize received (and transmitted) signals in various ways (display types), which can be selected from the list box. These various display types are detailed below with a snapshot of each type. The sampling rate (Frames Per Second, FPS) of the main display can be modified on the Setup Form-Display Tab.  AVG (Average): click to view time-averaged signals. This will smooth fast-changing signals and is a good way to separate real from stochastic (noise) signals. The averaging time can be set on the Setup Form-Display Tab. Average must be enabled for the 0 Beat function to be enabled.  Peak: click to hold the peak value for each frequency in the display. Display Type Descriptions Note 1: All displays show a 7.0401MHz, -73dBm signal from an Elecraft XG-1 signal generator. Note 2: The actual software display is crisper than the compressed images shown below. There are four frequency domain display types (Spectrum, Panadapter, Histogram, and Waterfall) and three time domain display types (Scope, Phase and Phase2). The colors of everything on the display (text, data line, background, etc) are completely customizable using the Setup Form-Appearance Tab. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 52 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Spectrum Figure 40: Spectrum Display The Spectrum Display shows a classical spectral view of the frequency with the ends of the display determined by the bandwidth of the filter. The scale across the top shows the frequency offset in Hz from the VFO A frequency. Rather than only using half the display window when in lower or upper sideband, we expand the display moving the 0Hz line to the left or right margin (LSB mode with a 2.9kHz filter shown). Panadapter (Panoramic Adapter) Figure 41 Panadapter Display The Panadapter Display is similar to the Spectrum Display with several differences.  The maximum display width is a function of the selected sound card sampling rate, no matter what filter bandwidth is selected.  The selected filter is displayed as an overlay to help the user visualize the filter. Shown are the Main RX filter (green), the Sub-RX filter (blue) and the TX filter edges (yellow vertical lines). The 53 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 color of all the filter overlays can be changed independently using the Setup Form-Appearance Tab.  The frequency scale shows the actual frequency (in MHz).  The edges of the amateur bands are marked as red vertical lines.  With the mouse, filters and filter edges can be varied by dragging and dropping The Panadapter is useful because although you hear only the signals within the audio passband, you can see in real time all signals within the receiver’s passband (as determined by the sound card’s sampling rate). This gives a much more complete picture of the surrounding area in the band, especially when there is abundant signal activity (e.g. contest and DX situations). Histogram Figure 42: Histogram Display Mode The Histogram Display is similar to the Spectrum Display, but instead of a single color data line, additional colored data is used. Blue signals are real-time (current) signals that are below a signal threshold (roughly below the average plus a small margin). The red signals are real-time (current) signals that are above that same threshold. The green signals are previous peaks on that same frequency that will fade as time goes by (a type of history, hence the name). [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 54 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Waterfall Figure 43: Waterfall Display The Waterfall Display shows a scrolling view of activity within the passband. This makes tracking narrow band signals much easier and can even allow visualization of CW signals at slower speeds (longer line is a dash, short line is a dot, no line is a pause). The Waterfall Display can be customized on the Setup Form- Display Tab This allows custom setting of the dynamic range and coloring for the display. (See the Setup Form-Display Tab in the next chapter for more details.) Scope Figure 44: Scope Display The Scope Display shows a single channel in the time domain. In essence this is a traditional waveform view of the input data. Shown is effectively a 1kHz tone (tuned to 7.0411MHz with the signal at 7.0401MHz). The Scope Display is particularly useful when transmitting to monitor your transmitted waveform. The time base can be adjusted on the Setup Form- Display Tab. 55 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Phase Figure 45: Phase Display The Phase Display maps the filtered I and Q (Left and Right) channels to the X and Y coordinate planes. This is useful for making sure the two channels are 90 degrees out of phase as they should be. There is also a Phase2 Display that maps the unfiltered data directly from the sound card. When a continuous carrier signal is received, the unfiltered data in the Phase2 Display should produce as near to a perfect circle as possible. If the circle distorts into an oval or a straight line, the input phase is off balance which would indicate a connection or hardware problem. Off In this setting the display is turned off. It is mainly used for debugging purposes, but can also be used with slower systems to decrease the CPU load to more reasonable levels. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 56 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 Cursor and Peak Position There are two sets of data side by side under the display that are used to communicate cursor (left) and peak signal (right) information to the user. For each the data shown is Offset from VFO, Signal Level and Frequency. For example, in the screenshot shown, the (peak) signal is 1216.8Hz offset from the VFO frequency (7.0413MHz). The signal level is –71.8dBm, and the signal is at 7.040094MHz. Note that these values are fairly low resolution due to the discrete nature of the pixel display. Figure 46: Display Position Features In the spectrum displays (Spectrum, Panadapter, Histogram, Waterfall), you can click the right mouse button to bring up yellow crosshairs that span the width and height of the display. The crosshairs, along with the AVG control, allow easy measurement of signals on the display. Another feature of the yellow crosshairs is click tuning. Clicking the left mouse button with the yellow crosshairs tunes VFO A to the frequency indicated by the cursor position data. This is an excellent way to tune CW signals as it will zero beat the tone to the set CW pitch. Hint: When either Split or Sub-RX is enabled clicking on the right mouse button will cycle the crosshairs through yellow, red and none. When the red crosshairs are showing, clicking the left mouse button will tune VFO B. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 57 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (10) Sub-RX Controls The Sub-RX controls, shown below, allow you to enable a second, sub-receiver. In essence this is a second audio passband within the total passband determined by the sound card’s sampling rate. Both the main and the sub-receiver can be positioned independently in the audio spectrum to facilitate separating the two signals in your head. Figure 47: Sub-RX Controls Click Sub RX to enable the second receiver. The Sub-RX will be tuned to the frequency shown in VFO B. In the Panadapter Display, the sub-RX passband is shown in blue, but only if it is within the range of the Panadapter. Use the upper and lower horizontal sliders to position the Main and Sub-RX respectively anywhere in the left-right audio spectrum. Use the left and right vertical sliders to adjust the volume of the Main and Sub-RX respectively. Check mark Swap if to swap the audio from the left and right speakers. (11) DSP Controls Figure 48: DSP Controls These controls enable the DSP functions. The first four are described in detail in the Setup Form-DSP Tab, Options Sub-Tab (see next chapter).; SR is described in the Setup Form-General Tab, Options Sub-Tab.  NR (DSP Noise Reduction): Activates the DSP Noise Reduction algorithm. Note: NR is not available when Binaural (BIN) audio is selected unless BLMS is checked on the Setup Form.  ANF (Automatic Notch Filter): Activates the Automatic Notch Filter algorithm. Note: ANF is not available when Binaural (BIN) audio is selected unless BLMS is checked on the Setup Form. 58 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7  NB (Impulse Noise Blanker): Activates the Noise Blanker algorithm.  NB2 (Mean Noise Blanker): Activates the Mean Rank Noise Blanker algorithm.  SR (Spur Reduction): Activates the Spur Reduction algorithm.  BIN (Binaural Audio): Activates the Binaural algorithm. Binaural audio is a special feature of PowerSDR. It generates a pleasing effect as the two phased channels (I and Q) are mapped to the left and right audio channels. The phasing of the demodulated and filtered audio signal within the passband gives a stereo-like effect to the received signal. When tuning across CW signals, they will seem to move in “space” as you tune the radio. Many experienced operators feel that binaural audio gives them a competitive advantage under contest conditions where the effect allows them to more easily pick signals out of a pile up. Wearing headphones increases the effect of the spatial separation. (12) VFO Controls Figure 49: VFO Controls  SPLT (Split): Enables Split operation using VFO B for the transmit frequency. The frequency text in VFO B will turn red to indicate that Split operation is active.  0 Beat: Takes the peak signal and sets it to the center of the filter passband. An exception is made while in CW mode if the CW Pitch is within the passband. In this case, the signal is tuned to the CW Pitch. Note: 0 Beat is only available if AVG is enabled for the Display.  IF->V: Takes any offset based on Filter Shift and the Filter Width and shifts it back to baseband. Useful when chasing a signal with the Filter Shift control.  A > B: Transfers the contents of VFO A to VFO B (frequency, mode, and filter).  A < B: Transfers the contents of VFO B to VFO A (frequency, mode, and filter).  A <> B: Swaps the contents of VFO A and B (frequency, mode, and filter). 59 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7  XIT (Transmit Incremental Tuning): Click to enable XIT. XIT may be used as a quick way to operate split at a specific offset. When enabled, the transmit frequency is increased from the VFO A frequency by the amount shown in Hz while leaving the receive frequency intact. Note that XIT cannot be used in combination with the SPLT function. Click the 0 button next to the XIT button to clear the XIT control to 0.  RIT (Receive Incremental Tuning): Click to enable RIT. When enabled, the receive frequency is increased from the VFO A frequency by the amount shown in Hz while leaving the transmit frequency intact. Click the 0 button next to the RIT button to clear the RIT control to 0. (13) CPU % This displays the total CPU load as seen in the Windows Task Manager under the Performance Tab. Note that running other applications will cause the CPU load to increase. If your CPU load is peaking at 100%, audio and possibly video artifacts will become noticeable. Closing additional applications and turning down some of the functions will allow systems that meet the requirements on our website to stay below the 100% mark. (14) Power (Standby/On) Switches the hardware and software between Standby and On. As can be seen below, this button also acts as a RX/TX indicator. Standby On/Receive On/Transmit Figure 50: Power Button States If the SDR-1000 is connected properly and powered on, you will hear relays switch (click) as you cycle the software Power button. Note1: In Standby, the software Power button places the hardware in a lower, standby power state (around 500-600mA), but does not turn off the 12VDC power to the hardware. Note 2: The front panel switch on the SDR-1000 enclosure will remove power to the hardware, but not to the PA if installed. It is recommended to always turn off the main power supply when the radio is not in use. Note3: Please see the Operation chapter for information on best practices for Power On/Off sequences. 60 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (15) MON (Monitor) When enabled, the transmitted audio is monitored through the receiver’s speakers. The MON function is not available in AM, SAM, or FM modes as those modes are transmitted at an Intermediate Frequency (IF) of 11.025kHz. In voice operation the MON feature will allow you to hear the effects of MIC gain, TX equalization, compression and the compander and to adjust them in real time. When using the Delta-44 or the Edirol FA-66 sound card, the AF control can be used to adjust the monitor volume. Note: Due to audio buffering, you may experience a delay between spoken and monitored audio. You can reduce this latency by using smaller sample buffers (see Setup Form, Audio and DSP Tabs). (16) MOX (Manually Operated Transmit) When enabled MOX activates the transmitter. It is used primarily for voice operation. MOX will not generate a CW carrier. To generate a carrier for tuning, refer to the tune (TUN) button description. Note1: If the radio ever seems like it is stuck transmitting, try disabling the Push- To-Talk (PTT) function by selecting Disable PTT on the Setup Form- General Tab, Options Sub-Tab. Note2: To use the PowerSDR software without the SDR-1000 being attached to the parallel/USB port you must disable PTT. On the Setup Form-General Tab, select either Disable PTT on the Options Sub-Tab, or Demo/No Hardware on the Hardware Config Sub-Tab (17) MUT (Mute) This button Mutes the speaker audio. The receiver may also be muted by pressing the * (asterisk) key on the keyboard. Also, refer to the Auto Mute option on the Setup Form-General Tab, Options Sub-Tab. (18) X2TR Click to enable using pin 7 of the external controls connector (X2) on the rear panel of the SDR-1000 to control an external amplifier (see the Plug Pinouts chapter). This is the same control as X2 TR Sequencing on the Setup Form–General Tab, Options Sub-Tab. 61 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (19) ATU Modes The LDG Z-100 ATU has three tuning modes: Bypass, Memory, and Full. Selecting Bypass will instantly bypass the ATU. Selecting Memory or Full requires the TUN button to be pressed in order to perform the tuning. Note that if VFO A is tuned outside of the band in which the radio was tuned, the ATU is automatically bypassed to protect the unit. (20) TUN (Tune)  Without the ATU, TUN transmits a continuous (CW) carrier at the level set with the Tune Power control (default 10W – 10% without PA) on the Setup Form-Transmit Tab and outputs a tone at the CW Pitch. This power is shown on the Drive (Power) control while TUN is activated. Any changes to the Drive control while TUN is active are saved when the TUN button is turned off. This feature is used to simplify the antenna tuning process for proper load matching. WARNING! DO NOT OPERATE THE 100W AMPLIFIER ABOVE 40W IN CONTINUOUS CARRIER MODES (E.G. CW, AM, FM, AND DIGITAL) FOR LONGER THAN 15 SECONDS. HIGHER LEVELS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE AMPLIFIER. THE AMPLIFIER IS RATED AT 100W PEP FOR SSB DUTY CYCLES.  With the ATU, TUN combines with the ATU control below it to perform the ATU tuning function. When the ATU is in Bypass, the TUN function operates just as if the ATU were not present. Note: The TUN button will stay enabled after a tune cycle in Memory or Full mode. The button will become deselected when it is bypassed, whether it be due to tuning to another band or manually selecting Bypass from the ATU control. (21) AF (Audio Frequency Gain) This control sets the monitor audio gain. The AF gain may also be adjusted by pressing the + (plus) and – (minus) keys on the numeric keypad. For best performance, the external speaker volume control should be set to the high end of the scale so that the AF control can be set to a lower value. If the AF control is set too high, it may cause feedback in the receiver. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 62 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (22) RF (Radio Frequency Gain) This control sets the maximum gain of the AGC. It is the same control as can be found on the Setup Form- DSP Tab, AGC/ALC Sub-Tab. Although strictly speaking this control does not set the RF gain, it is denoted as such on the front console as its operational use is identical to that of a true RF gain control. (23) Drive (Transmitter Power Output/Tune Power) This control adjusts the percentage of maximum power that will be available in transmit mode. A typical setting for the 1W SDR-1000 radio might be 50% (roughly 500mW), while a radio configured with the 100W PA may be operated at full power (100W) into a proper 50 ohm load. The Drive control may be adjusted while in either receive or transmit mode. Note: The control doubles in function as the power level setting for the TUN (Tune) button described above. The Tune power may be adjusted while the TUN button is activated or by using the control on the Setup Form- Transmit Tab. While great care is taken to ensure that this value is accurate and that selecting a Drive value will give approximately that amount when using the 100W PA, there are variances in the filter components and transmitter characteristics that make it difficult for this to be exactly right over the whole range (1-100). When using the 100W PA, these values are most likely to be accurate on the higher end. For example, it is not unusual if you select 10 on the Drive control, but only see something like 5W out. This was a design decision made to favor the higher power users. This will likely be improved in the future with a more accurate algorithm. (24) AGC (Automatic Gain Control) This control sets the receiver Automatic Gain Control to one of the following settings: Fixd (Fixed), Long, Slow, Med (Medium), Fast, or Custom. The Custom setting uses the controls on the Setup Form-DSP Tab, AGC/ALC Sub-Tab. The following table details the AGC parameters used in the various settings. Table 6: AGC Setting Details Setting Attack Decay Hang Fast Hang Fast 2ms 100ms 100ms 100ms Med 2ms 250ms 250ms 100ms Slow 2ms 500ms 500ms 100ms Long 2ms 2000ms 750ms 100ms [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 63 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (25) Preamp This control sets the preamp level to one of four settings: Off, Low, Med (Medium), and High. It replaces the Gain and ATT controls used previously. See the table below for details on each setting. The typical setting for HF frequencies (and default for the software) is Med. Higher settings should be used for weak signal work while lower settings are ideal for large signal activity. Note: When using the 2m transverter, Low and High are the only options available. Table 7: Preamp Setting Details With RFE W/O RFE Setting ATT (10dB) Gain (26dB) Net Gain (dB) Setting Gain (dB) Off On Off -10 Off N/A Low Off Off 0 Low N/A Med On On 16 Med 26 High Off On 26 High 40 (26) SQL (Squelch) Figure 51: Squelch Controls The SQL button enables the Squelch function. The threshold can be set with either the value to its right or the slider below. The bar graph displays in green the signal level below the threshold and in red above (only the red level is audible with SQL enabled). Squelch can be very useful to remove all noise from CW signals, especially in narrow filter settings. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 64 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 7 (27) Date/Time Display Figure 52: Date/Time Display The date and time display can be especially helpful when taking screenshots, but can also be a quick reference to UTC time for those of us who are “time zone challenged.” Click inside the Date or Time area to switch between Local (LOC), UTC, and Off modes. (28) Setup Form The Setup Form contains numerous controls for everything from the hardware configuration to transmit settings. Please refer to the next chapter for more detailed information. (29) – (33) Operating Forms Each of these items open forms, which are used while operating. Please refer to the Operating Forms chapter below for more detailed information on each one. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 65 FlexRadio Systems

controls are available on Tabs of the Form. Due to space concerns, several of the Tabs (General, Audio and DSP) have been split into Sub-Tabs. Take care when changing the controls to pay attention which Tab (and Sub-Tab) you are on. Descriptions of these controls will be followed by control descriptions for each individual Tab.  Reset All: Resets all of the controls on all tabs to their default values. An exception is made for the hardware configuration controls. These will not be reset. A warning will pop up to ensure that accidentally pressing this button does not cause loss of settings.  Import DB (Database): Allows a backwards-compatible database to be imported. The database saves all of the radio options and current state. To import another database, click this button and then browse to the directory of the database to import. If you have used the default directory during installation as recommended, the database file will be in C:\Program Files\FlexRadio Systems\ PowerSDR x.y.z\. The database file is called PowerSDR.mdb. Double click this file and it will attempt to import all the settings. A confirmation message will let you know if the import was successful.  OK: Saves the current values to the database and closes the form.  Cancel: Reloads the values from the database into the setup form and closes the form. This button can be used to reverse unintended changes to the Setup controls.  Apply: Saves the current values to the database immediately. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 66 FlexRadio Systems Chapter 8

C H A P T E R 8 General Tab Hardware Config Sub-Tab Figure 53: Setup Form - General Tab, Hardware Config Sub-Tab Wizard…: Click this button to repeat the wizard that runs the first time you run the software. This is a handy way to update your configuration if your hardware has changed (i.e. added the PA, changed sound card, etc.). Radio Model Figure 54: Radio Model Selection Use this selection to choose the hardware (if any) that is connected to the computer running the PowerSDR software. 67 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Hardware Setup Figure 55: Hardware Setup The Hardware Setup section allows the user to configure the software to match the SDR-1000 hardware configuration.  LPT Address: The memory location of the parallel port used to connect the SDR-1000. This is nearly always 378 (LPT1) unless using an add-on parallel port card. If using an add-on card, note the memory address in the Device Manager and enter the value manually if it is not one of the options in the drop down box. Warning: Changing this value without verifying your LPT address could keep the software from correctly communicating with the radio.  LPT Delay: Allows a delay to be added in milliseconds for longer/more capacitive cables. The default value of ‘0’ should work fine for most six-foot cables. We only recommend changing this value if a long cable is necessary and control signals are sporadic. Increasing the value will add additional delay to each control signal sent. Note that this will slow each signal sent to the radio by the time selected. A delay value of 20ms could cause the radio to take nearly half a second (20ms x 24 signals = 480ms) to tune each time the frequency is changed. To use an old adage, a little bit goes a long way.  Receive Only: Used to force the console to be used only as a receiver (disables the transmitter). This is useful for those with Receive Only hardware or simply those that want to ensure that they do not accidentally transmit.  USB Adapter: Should be checked if using the USB to Parallel adapter available from FlexRadio Systems. An error message will be shown if the adapter is not plugged in and installed before attempting to use this option. 68 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Warning: Once installed and running, do not unplug the USB adapter from the PC without first closing the software or unchecking this option. Doing so could cause the system to crash.  RFE Present: Should be checked if the RF Expansion board is installed in the stack. The RFE is installed in all current (2005) SDR-1000 packages. Note that if the RFE is not installed (and the box is not checked), none of the controls below it will be visible.  PA Present: Should be checked if the FlexRadio Systems 100W PA is installed. Note that if the PA is not installed (i.e. the box is not checked), the ATU option will not be visible.  ATU Present: Should be checked if the Automatic Antenna Tuning Unit for the SDR-1000 is installed.  XVTR Present: Should be checked if the DEMI144-28FRS 2m transverter is installed. Make sure to select the appropriate TR logic using the combo box below. If you purchased the DEMI 2m XVTR (DEMI144-28FRS) before May 2005, it should be configured for negative TR logic. Otherwise (more recent orders) you should use positive TR logic. DDS Figure 56: DDS DDS Stands for Direct Digital Synthesis. The DDS chip in the SDR-1000 produces an analog sine wave at up to micro Hertz resolution. The DDS is used as a local oscillator to tune the radio.  Clock Offset: Allows software corrections to be made due to the DDS clock oscillator not running at exactly 200MHz. The specification for the oscillator is 200MHz +/- 20kHz (100ppm). The correction routine is described above in Software Installation under PowerSDR Calibration (frequency calibration). Typically this value will be set automatically by the frequency calibration routine.  PLL Multiplier: Unless the external clock option is installed, this value is always ‘1’. If using the external clock option, this value should represent the multiplier needed to get the external source up to the clock rate (200MHz). Therefore, if the source were 10MHz, the PLL Multiplier would be 20 (10MHz x 20 = 200MHz). 69 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Warning: Using a PLL Multiplier/external signal that equates to a clock value greater than 200MHz can cause heat damage to the DDS chip.  IF (Hz): Displays the Intermediate Frequency used in the software to avoid low frequency noise. This is currently locked to 11.025kHz. Options Sub-Tab Figure 57: Setup Form - General Tab, Options Sub-Tab [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 70 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Options Figure 58: Options  Spur Reduction: Adds the use of a software oscillator to avoid DDS frequencies known to have a higher phase truncation related spurious response. In short, rather than tuning each frequency using the DDS (this is what happens when this option is turned off), the software tunes the DDS in 3kHz steps and does fine-tuning in software. Tuning in 3kHz steps also has the advantage of having to send fewer command signals to the hardware. For a complete description of the spur reduction algorithm used, see A Technical Tutorial On Digital Signal Synthesis available from Analog Devices.  Disable PTT: Disables the ability to use external Push-To-Talk lines to key the radio. It is necessary to use this function if evaluating the software without the parallel port terminated (i.e. without a radio) to prevent the software from engaging the PTT.  Disable Software Gain Correction: Disables the compensation usually used to correct for the 0/26dB gain options as well as the 10dB attenuator on the RFE. The signal is then reflecting the signal to the sound card rather than what is at the antenna. This function is not recommended for normal operation because it invalidates the signal calibration of the spectrum display and multimeter.  Enable X2 TR Sequencing: Enables X2 pin-7 transmitter sequencing for an external linear amplifier, relay, or transverter. Check the box to enable this option and to set the delay. The sequence when switching from RX to TX is: MOX → X2-7 goes high → Delay → SDR-1000 transmit relay gets set. The sequence when switching from TX to RX is: MOX → SDR-1000 transmit relay is reset → Delay → X2-7 goes low. Note that the delay is set in the following control.  X2 Delay: Sets the delay in milliseconds when using the X2 TR sequencing. If no delay is desired, simply enter 0. Note that when using the X2 TR Sequencing option, transitions to and from transmitting will both be delayed by the entered value.  Enable 300kHz Filter: Engages the custom filter bank on the RFE on low frequencies. This is only useful if the custom filter bank is populated with a low frequency filter (not typical). Process Priority Sets the process priority for the PowerSDR process. Some users have reported that setting the priority higher than Normal can allow slower systems to perform more reliably and with smoother audio. While FlexRadio Systems recommends using the Normal setting, if you are experiencing audio glitches or are 71 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 using a slower machine, moving this control up to Above Normal or High might improve the performance of the software. Note that FlexRadio Systems does not recommend using the Real Time setting as this could cause timing problems with the operating system. Update Notification Figure 59: Update Notification Options Use these checkboxes to enable a pop-up notification when new versions come out. Check the Beta box to receive update messages when new Beta versions are available. Similarly, check the Release box to receive update messages when official release versions become available. Click Tune Offsets (Hz) Figure 60: Tuning Options  DIGU: Sets the offset in Hz to use when click tuning in DIGU mode. Defaulted to 1200 for SSTV.  DIGL: Sets the offset in Hz to use when click tuning in DIGL mode. Defaulted to 2210 for RTTY. Auto Mute Figure 61: Auto Mute Click the box to enable the Auto Mute option. When enabled, pulling pin X2-12 (see the chapter on Plug Pinouts) to ground will automatically activate the MUT (Mute) function to mute the receiver. CAUTION: This is an audio only mute. It does not protect the RF circuitry and care should be taken not to transmit high power into the SDR-1000 antenna input as this could damage the unit. To use separate receivers and transmitters external switching for the antenna is still required. 72 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Main Console (Always On Top) Figure 62: Always On Top The Always On Top option is a common option for windows applications. With this option enabled, the main console will be painted on top of any other windows (even an active window). Keyboard Figure 63: Quick QSY This option enables the user to enable/disable the Keyboard Shortcuts and Quick QSY feature.  Enable Shortcuts: Enables the use of keyboard keys to perform various PowerSDR functions. The keyboard shortcuts can be set on the Setup Form-Keyboard Tab, described below in this chapter.  Quick QSY: Enables the user to quickly enter a frequency in MHz and hit [Enter] to jump to that frequency. With this option disabled, using a mouse to tune or to click inside the VFO is the quickest way to change frequency. This feature is normally enabled by default, but can be disabled to prevent accidentally moving the VFO frequency due to accidental key presses. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 73 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Calibration Sub-Tab Figure 64: Setup Form - General Tab, Calibration Sub-Tab The calibration section contains controls that are used to setup and start various calibration routines. For more information on calibrating, refer to the section called PowerSDR Calibration in the previous Software Installation & Setup chapter. Freq Cal Used to calibrate the frequency of the 200MHz oscillator in the SDR-1000. Enter the frequency of the signal source used for calibration in the control provided. The signal source can be a signal generator or a signal like WWV. Click the Start button to run the calibration. Level Cal Used to calibrate the power level in dBm for the display and the multimeter. Enter the frequency and level of the signal source used for calibration. The more accurate the signal source, the more accurate the display and multimeter will be. The multimeter is currently accurate with respect to the source to 0.1 dBm. Click the Start button to run the calibration. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 74 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 RX Image Reject Cal Used to calibrate the opposite sideband image rejection for the receiver. Enter the frequency of the signal source used to calibrate the rejection. Note that the calibration is done 22kHz above the signal frequency. Click the Start button to run the calibration. Filters Sub-Tab Figure 65: Setup Form - Filters Tab  Max Filter Width: Sets the maximum filter width to be set by the Filter Width Slider on the front console.  Width Slider Mode: Sets the behavior of the Width Slider. Linear, Log, and Log10 are the options. The log options offer more resolution on the smaller filter sizes.  Max Filter Shift: Sets the maximum swing in Hz that the Filter Shift Slider on the front panel will allow in either direction.  Save Slider/Display Changes: If checked, any changes to the filters made by the filter sliders or by using the click and drag on the filter edges on the display will be saved to the Variable filters and will be recalled as such. If not checked, the Var filters can only be changed by adjusting the Filter Low and High Cut controls on the front panel.  Default Low Cut (Hz): Sets the default low frequency cut-off for the all the filters. 75 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Audio Tab Sound Card Sub-Tab Figure 66: Setup Form - Audio Tab, Sound Card Sub-Tab Take care when changing the controls to pay attention which Sub-Tab you are on as many of the controls on the Sound Card and VAC Sub-Tabs are similar. Sound Card Selection Allows simplified audio setup for recommended and legacy sound cards. Select the card you are using from the list. If your sound card is not in the list, select the Unsupported Card option. This will require additional setup using the controls in the Sound Card Setup Details section. Note: When using a recommended or legacy card the Primary Sound Card Setup Details, Line In Gain, Mic In Gain and Channels are disabled (grayed out) as the values are defaulted for that specific card. Buffer Size Sets the size of the audio buffers in samples. Larger buffers mean more delay, but smoother audio. Smaller buffers yield less latency, but at the cost of CPU load. The 2048 sample buffer size means that a single 76 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 buffer at 48kHz sampling rate is 2048/48000 = 42.7ms in length. Faster machines should be able to run 512 Sample buffers without issue. For best CW performance, set the audio buffer to 512 or less. Sample Rate The sample rate is locked to 48kHz unless your selected hardware supports higher rates (96 or 192kHz). Using these higher sampling rates will result in a wider panadapter display. For best CW performance set the sample rate to at least 96kHz Line In Gain Sets the Line In volume on the selected mixer for consumer grade cards. Note that recommended and legacy cards have been tested and the optimal value is set by default. Selecting Unsupported Card on the Sound Card Selection will unlock this control. This control is not used for the Delta-44 or Edirol FA-66. Mic In Gain Sets the Microphone volume on the selected mixer for consumer grade cards. This control should be set in order not to overload the sound card. The front panel MIC control can add software gain if using a professional grade card (Delta-44 or Edirol FA-66) or if your consumer card cannot provide adequate gain. Latency Using the manual option, the user may add additional latency (in milliseconds) to the audio buffering system for better audio performance. When the manual setting is off, the delay is set to 0ms. Note that some systems will have trouble with the manual setting on and values below around 15ms. We recommend using the default automatic latency setting for best results. Output Voltage Figure 67:Sound Card Output Voltage Note: The Sound Card Output Voltage is not displayed when using a recommended or legacy card. We have found that the variance from card to card (same model) is negligible (+/- 0.04V). For this reason, for recommended and legacy cards we only use our measured default values. The sound card output voltage is the measured single channel AC voltage on the sound card Line Output when running the test. To run the test, first unplug the To Line Out cable from the SDR-1000 enclosure. Click the Test button to begin sending the full range signal. Use an AC voltmeter to measure the voltage between the connector tip and the connector ground. Next, record the measured value in the box. Using a value that is higher or lower than your actual output will cause the power calibration to be inaccurate. 77 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Sound Card Setup Details Figure 68: Sound Card Setup Details If using a supported sound card, these controls will be set automatically. In order to change these settings, it is necessary to choose the Unsupported Card option from the Sound Card Selection drop down box.  Driver: There are three audio drivers available through the PortAudio sound interface. These are in order from lowest to highest latency: ASIO, MME (multimedia extension), and DirectSound (part of the DirectX package). Note that lower latencies generally cause higher CPU loading. Therefore, it is likely that ASIO will take more CPU load than using MME or DirectSound. Selecting the Driver will populate the Input and Output Drop Down Boxes. ASIO is the recommended Driver type.  Input: Selects the input audio device. While PortAudio allows different Input/Output devices, we recommend using the same device for both. The Mixer selection will attempt to follow the Input selection. However, if the naming is different, it will be necessary to manually select the mixer from the Mixer drop down box.  Output: Selects the output audio device. Again, we recommend matching the Input/Output devices.  Mixer: Selects the windows mixer device that will be used for volume control and transmit line switching. As noted above, this selection attempts to follow the Input selection. Manual selection is necessary if the driver name is different from the mixer name. Selecting the mixer device will populate the Receive and Transmit drop down boxes.  Receive: Selects the audio line to be used in receive mode. This is typically Line In or Analog Mix.  Transmit: Selects the audio line to be used in transmit mode. This is typically Microphone. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 78 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 VAC Sub-Tab Figure 69: Setup Form - Audio Tab, VAC Sub-Tab Use these controls to configure the VAC (Virtual Audio Cable) settings for use with the PowerSDR software. This is ideally for running digital modes, but can serve as another way to get audio in and out of the PowerSDR software. The Buffer Size, Sample Rate, and Setup details are all similar to those described for the sound card in the above section. Below we describe the unique controls on this form. Gain (dB) Figure 70: Gain (dB) Controls These settings adjust the gain for signals coming in and out of the VAC interface. Use the RX control to adjust the audio level going to third party programs. Note that this control supercedes the front panel AF control for third party applications. Similarly, use the TX control to adjust the volume of audio coming from third party applications. Use this control instead of the MIC control on the front panel to calibrate transmit (adjust for 0 dB on the ALC meter). 79 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Auto Enable Figure 71: Auto Enable Use this control to automatically enable VAC when operating digital modes (DIGL, DIGU, DRM). This allows the user to easily switch between digital modes and SSB/AM/FM without having to change this control to enable/disable VAC. Display Tab Figure 72: Setup Form - Display Tab [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 80 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Spectrum Grid Figure 73: Spectrum Grid The spectrum grid controls define the background grid shown in the Spectrum, Histogram, and Panadapter displays.  Max: The maximum signal shown on the spectrum displays in dBm (i.e. top of the display). Raising this value will expand the limits of the display while compressing the range shown.  Min: The minimum signal shown on the spectrum display in dBm (i.e. bottom of the display). Similar to the max setting, lowering this value will expand the limits of the display while compressing the range shown.  Step: Spacing between vertical power spectra gridlines in dBm. This control can be used to spread the horizontal lines and vertical axis values on the display, which some people may find distracting. Use the Align control to turn them off completely.  Align: Sets the position of the vertical axis. The Left, Center, Right, and Off settings are self- explanatory. The Auto option works based on the filter selection and operates as it did in previous PowerSDR versions. Refresh Rates Figure 74: Refresh Rates  Main Display FPS: Sets the update rate of the main display to the selected value in frames per second. Note that this is a good control to reduce if you are running on a slower machine to save CPU cycles. Raising this value will give faster updates at the cost of CPU load. Lowering the value will slow the display down. 81 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8  Meter Delay (ms): Sets the update rate of the multimeter on the front panel. This applies both to the text and the graphical display. Raising the value increases the delay between updates and slows the meter down. Conversely, lowering the value will accelerate the meter.  Peak Text (ms): Sets the update rate of the peak signal location text box located just beneath the display. Raising the value increases the delay between peak updates and slows the display down. Conversely, lowering the value will accelerate the updates.  CPU Meter (ms): Sets the update rate of the CPU Meter in the lower left corner of the front console. Raising the value will add more delay between updates while lowering the value will yield faster responses. Note that the CPU Meter measures your entire system load and not just that of PowerSDR process. Waterfall Figure 75: Waterfall The waterfall display can be customized to your preferences in terms of dynamic range response and color coding. If a signal is at or below the Low Level, or at or above the High Level it is displayed using the Low or High Color respectively. If a signal is exactly halfway between these two levels it is displayed using the Mid Color. Otherwise the signal is displayed in a color according to a linear interpolation between the Mid Color and either the Low or High Color, whichever corresponding level is closer.  Low Level: The lower end of the dynamic range to view in dBm. Signals at or below this level will use the Low Color.  High Level: The high end of the dynamic range to view in dBm. Signals at or above this level will use the High Color.  Low Color: Color used if the signal level is at or below the Low Level.  High Color: Color used if the signal level is at or above the High Level.  Mid Color: Color used if the signal level is exactly between the Low and High Levels. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 82 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Multimeter Figure 76: Multimeter Display options  Analog Peak Hold (ms): The length of time in milliseconds to hold the peak on the analog bar meter. Raising this value will lengthen the hold time and peaks will be held for a longer period of time.  Digital Peak Hold (ms): The length of time in milliseconds to hold the digital meter when using the Fwd Pwr TX Meter. Raising this value will lengthen the hold time and peaks will be held for a longer period of time. Phase Resolution Figure 77: Phase Resolution This control sets the phase resolution in number of points displayed per 360°. Scope Time Base Figure 78: Scope Time Base This control adjusts the time base in ms (horizontal time scale) of the Scope Display. Averaging Figure 79: Display Averaging 83 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 This control sets the averaging time in ms of the spectrum displays (Spectrum, Panadapter, Waterfall, Histogram). Polyphase FFT Figure 80: Polyphase FFT Enable this feature to display peaks sharper in the spectrum displays (Spectrum, Panadapter, Waterfall, Histogram). Expect to see an up to 4 times narrower area of the displayed “spike” of a tone, especially when the displayed frequency span is relatively large in comparison. DSP Tab Options Sub-Tab Figure 81: Setup Form - DSP Tab, Options Sub-Tab [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 84 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Noise Reduction Figure 82: Noise Reduction Controls Noise Reduction (NR) attempts automatic computation of a filter that maximizes the coherent or non-noise like signals and as a result, filters out the rest of the signal, which includes noise. It is best used for speech signals with a good signal to noise ratio or tones.  #Taps: This determines the length of the computed filter. The longer the filter, the better the non- coherent signals (noise) will be cancelled. It also introduces latency equal to the number of filter taps divided by the sample rate in samples per second and is in addition to Delay (see below). The larger the number of taps, the longer it takes for the filter to converge but upon achieving convergence, the better the filter will be.  Delay: Determines how far back to look in the signal before beginning to compute a coherent signal enhancement filter. With large delays, there is a higher likelihood of detrimental affects to normal speech. Latency is also introduced that is equal to the Delay.  Gain: Determines the adaptation rate of the filter. The larger the number, the faster the filter will converge but the less stable it will be.  Block LMS: We have implemented a fast Block LMS (least means square) routine. This routine is faster than the original routine, gives more taps in the filter, and will work on I/Q signals, which enables BIN (binaural audio) to remain available. Automatic Notch Filter Figure 83: Automatic Notch Filter Controls 85 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 The Automatic Notch Filter (ANF) attempts automatic computation of a filter to remove one or more carrier tones that are interfering with the signal of interest.  #Taps: This determines the length of the computed notch filter. The longer the filter, the larger the number of tones that can be cancelled and the more effective the cancellation will be. It also introduces latency (signal delay) equal to the number of filter taps divided by the sample rate in samples per second and is in addition to Delay (see below). The larger the number of taps, the longer it takes for the filter to converge but upon achieving convergence, the better the filter will be.  Delay: Determines how far back to look in the signal before beginning to compute a cancellation filter. The larger the delay, the less the impact on normal speech, and the more likely the filter will be able to concentrate only on longer term coherent signals such as carrier tones. Latency is introduced that is equal to the Delay.  Gain: Determines the adaptation rate of the filter. The larger the number, the faster the filter will converge and the less stable it will be.  Block LMS: We have implemented a fast block LMS routine. This routine is faster than the old routine, gives more taps in the filter, and will work on I/Q signals which enables it to work in BIN mode. Buffer Size This controls the size of the DSP buffers, which determines the size of the FFT filter and therefore the group delay (latency) through the digital filter. Higher values will result in more latency and sharper (“brick wall”) filters. Lower values will allow nearly real time monitoring with filters that “roll off” (as opposed to the typical “brick wall” filters). Note 1: Using lower values will negate the effects of some of the narrowest filters (25 or 50Hz). Note 2: The DSP Buffer is completely independent of the Audio buffer size. Noise Blanker This controls the detection threshold for impulse noise. If a signal sample exceeds this detection threshold, the sample will be set to zero and the filtering in the radio serves to interpolate through this zero sample. This noise blanker is identical in theory to those in traditional radios. The detection threshold in our noise blanker has the unique feature that they are signal strength dependent. This enables them to function properly at all signal levels. This control is preferable when the spikes are very large in comparison to the average signal. However, when the spike is smaller, Noise Blanker 2 provides a much cleaner reconstruction of the signal since the signal is more likely to look like the mean. For this reason, the Noise Blanker 2 threshold should always be about four or five less than the Noise Blanker threshold. 86 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8 Noise Blanker 2 This controls the detection threshold for a pulse. If a signal, pulse or not, exceeds this detection threshold, the sample will be replaced by a computed estimation of what the signal sample should have been given an interpolation of the signal samples around it in time. By replacing the noise pulse with an interpolation of the signal, distortion is greatly reduced over that of traditional noise blankers. When seeing a significant amount of impulsive noise, being too aggressive with Noise Blanker (NB) can damage the signal. However, completely removing the large pulses is desirable prior to operating the smoother acting Noise Blanker 2 (NB2). Therefore, when seeing many repetitive noise pulses, it is probably best to use both NB and NB2. The NB Threshold is adjusted to just begin to lower the noise from the pulses, after which NB2 is turned on, with a threshold of four or five less than that of NB. Both together can spectacularly reduce impulse noise, resulting in increased intelligibility of the signal under severely adverse conditions. Window This control selects the DSP windowing function that will be applied to the power spectrum in the main display when using Spectrum, Panadapter, Histogram, and Waterfall displays. The default is Hanning, which is the best setting for many high-level signal measurement needs. The purpose of the windowing is to diminish bleed-through to adjacent “bins” which results from a tone that is not exactly on the center frequency of one of the “bins” (or parallel filters) in the power spectrum calculation. The bleed through is caused by using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to calculate the power spectrum. We need to use it for the sake of efficiency. That said, it is important to understand that the FFT writes the data (mathematically speaking) on a circle and not on a line. When the last sample meets the first sample on a circle, it is very probable that it will not meet up or join in a continuous fashion. This discontinuity acts in exactly the same manner a key click causes a wide spectrum. The window is used to mitigate this key click-like phenomenon. The Rectangular Window bleeds through the worst. The best in our selection is the Blackman-Harris Window, which bleeds through the least. For further reading on windowing, please see the following link. Let us consider each option and some of their characteristics.  Rectangular: This means the data has no window applied. No shaping is applied to the incoming signal. As a result, you will have the greatest sensitivity in the power spectrum and the greatest bleed through or interference with adjacent bins. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 87 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8  Hanning, Hamming: These windows are based on a raised cosine shape. In addition to providing continuity (Hanning) or near continuity (Hamming), these both provide a shape that makes the slopes of the signal agree at the beginning and the end of the signal buffer. This filter provides for both good Window Mathematical Description Graphical Depiction Hanning Hamming Figure 84: Hanning and Hamming Windows (Kaiser also displayed)  Welch: This applies a shaping function to the data before the FFT is computed. The figure gives its shape. Window Mathematical Description Graphical Depiction Welch Figure 85: Welch Window This picture is from a 512 long Welch Window. We actually use a 4096 long window but this does illustrate the qualitative features. Notice that at the left and the right end, we have forced the continuity by applying this tapering function. This continuous move to zero at the endpoints mitigates the “key-click” phenomenon that would otherwise result from the boxcar or rectangular window. 88 FlexRadio Systems

C H A P T E R 8  Blackman, Blackman-Harris: We use Blackman-Harris to design all filters in the signal processing chain for all modes. This provides for minimal bleed through as we have described and the best shape factor for our needs in the overlap-save filtering routines. While it has some good features, these features are probably not ideal for the CW power spectrum displays. There is a penalty to pay for the smoothing near the ends afforded by the windows. If you have experience in the use of FFTs and the display of the power spectra that result, you know that a smaller FFT at a fixed sample rate causes a wider range of frequencies to be contained in one bin of the power spectral results. This means that a tone will look more like a large lobe or finger than a tone spike. The same phenomenon is present in the best windows. While the spreading of the “main lobe” of a tone is not as bad as taking an FFT of half the size, it is wider than one bin. The formulae for all of the Blackman filters are of this form: f(x) = a0 − a1 cos(πx) + a2 cos(2πx) − a3 cos(3πx) The individual parameters by type: o Blackman: a0 = 0.42, a1 = −0.5, a2 = 0.08, a3 = 0 o Blackman Harris: a0 = 0.35875, a1 = 0.48829, a2 = 0.14128, a3 = 0.01168 o Blackman Nuttall: a0 = 0.3635819, a1 = 0.4891775, a2 = 0.1365995, a3 = 0.0106411  Parzen, Bartlett, Exponential, and Riemann: These windows are much less widely used and are included for completeness. They sometimes perform better for a particular application and some experimentation on the users part should be undertaken to find the window that gives the most pleasing display to you. [The rest of this page has been left blank intentionally] 89 FlexRadio Systems