SDR2GO

[Terry Fox]

I just got working another fun SDR device.  Tony Parks has made several variations of SoftRocks for a while now, including some that are small transceivers.  Generally speaking, you need a computer running an SDR program to demodulate signals, and tune frequencies, for the newer of these (using the Si570).

Recently, there have been a few projects that eliminate the need for the computer, doing the demodulation on their own.  The SDR Cube and SDR2GO are two of these designs.  None of these have the panadaptor spectrum display available (yet).  I was intrigued by the SDR2GO, costing under $80 including shipping, and sold by Kees Talen, the same person that sells the Si570 VFO and mWattmeter kits that I mentioned in the latest newsletter.  (I also bought his Morse Code Buddy to play with)  See his web site at: http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Kits/Kits.html

The SDR2Go has two main sections, a small microprocessor that controls the Si570 frequency, and a MicroChip dsPIC that does the demodulation.  It will demodulate CW or SSB, and has two filters, approx 600Hz (CW) and approx 2.1kHz (SSB).  It includes two rotary encoders, and a 16x2 display.  I am using the SDR2GO with my SoftRock RxTx 6.3 right now, but I have an Ensemble RxTx still in kit for to build.

This kit is not as simple as his others.  The dsPIC chip is slightly harder to solder, and the audio codec is a 32-pin QFN.  If you are not familiar with QFN packaging, the “N” means NO PINS.  All the connections are under the IC.  A little solder paste and my handy-dandy embossing tool took care of that for me.

Anyway, it took about eight hours to build and debug, and another hour or so to learn how to configure and use it!  But, I am now listening to 40M with my SoftRock, without a computer attached.

More later.
Terry, WB4JFI

 
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