[1000mp] Bandscope

[Tod Olson]

Thanks for the advice Bill.

The first Law of Life is:

"Trauma Teaches; but it doesn’t have to be your trauma."

I hope I can avoid the front end problem you mention.
I did plan to use a very small cap to tap into the IF chain rather than
the RF antenna input.

Are you still using the bandscope setup you describe?

Tod



On 3/25/14, 5:17 AM, "WD8ARZ" <wd8arz at comcast.net> wrote:

>Sounds like you have a very worth while project idea there Tod. Am very
>interested for sure.
>
>My first band-scope on my FT-1000MP was using the CRT type display of
>the Heathkit SM-220 Station Monitor with the BS-8 band scope module.
>Used a low pico value capacitor to tap off the receiver I.F. and
>connected it to the rca phono jack on the back that was for memory
>battery back up power.
>
>Then I switched to your idea about ten years ago, but using a SDR-IQ
>receiver http://www.rfspace.com/RFSPACE/SDR-IQ.html and the SpectraVue
>software http://www.rfspace.com/RFSPACE/SpectraVue.html
>
>The SDR-IQ and SpectraVue work hand in hand so that when you tune the
>FT-1000MP the SDR-IQ tuned with it, and visa versa. No tap into the
>receiver I.F. was needed. The ham antenna was used for both the MP and
>the IQ.
>
>Caution: One must use some sort of front end protection method for the
>SDR to avoid transmitting into that receiver and damaging it. There are
>a variety of options one can do to achieve that purpose.
>
>73 from Bill - WD8ARZ
>
>On 3/25/2014 2:06 AM, Tod Olson wrote:
>> I am exploring using one of the TV dongles to pick up the 70.45 Mhz
>>signal
>> or the 45 Mhz signal(alt rcvr) and use it with existing SDR software to
>> create a bandscope for the FT1000MP. Because the TV unit has only 8
>>bits,
>> the range will only be about 50 dB. [ that is the same as the ICOM 756
>>Pro
>> ].
>>
>> Early experimenting indicates that the bandscope software and display
>>can
>> run in parallel with other programs on a Œmodern¹ PC computer. Something
>> capable of running Windows 7. The bandscope could have, but does not
>> require, a separate monitor.
>>
>> If there is any interest on the part of others for such a unit I would
>>like
>> to know about it. The unit would be powered by USB, not require a sound
>> card, would have bidirectional control of frequency <tune the radio and
>>the
>> center frequency tracks or click on a displayed signal and the radio
>> frequency is changed to the Œclicked¹ signal frequency.>
>>
>> The dongles seem to be priced around $25. The software is currently
>> freeware.
>>
>> Tod, K0TO
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