Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Forum for discussion about the Langstone Microwave Transceiver that shares some features with the Portsdown. Wiki: https://wiki.microwavers.org.uk/Langstone_Project
G7JTT
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:05 pm

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by G7JTT » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:30 am

Morning all,

Been trying to set up the Langstone (lime version) to work on QO100, but I'm running into problems. Firstly I just wanted to change the offset on the Tx as I'm using SDR console with a RTL dongle for Rx. So I set the Tx offset to 8089.5 which showed a Tx frequency of 10489.700, come out of the set menu try to TX and it crashes back to Portsdown. So I tried setting the Rx offset but with in a few turns of the mouse wheel the same thing crashes back to Portsdown. Am 8 doing something wrong (most likely) or is this an issue with the lime version ?

Many thanks in advance John

g4eml
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:36 am

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by g4eml » Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:55 am

Sounds like a bug might have crept in.
I will have a look later.

Colin.

g4eml
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:36 am

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by g4eml » Thu Mar 10, 2022 12:57 pm

Hi John,

Yes, I can confirm there is a bug with the offset setting. I will try to fix it later today.


73.
Colin.

G7JTT
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:05 pm

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by G7JTT » Thu Mar 10, 2022 5:34 pm

Thanks Colin much appreciated.

73 John G7JTT

g4eml
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:36 am

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by g4eml » Thu Mar 10, 2022 5:57 pm

Rx and Tx Offset bug now fixed. If you update it should work.

The offset is added to the displayed frequency to get the actual hardware frequency.

So with a display of 10489.5 the offset needs to be -8089.5 to give a hardware frequency of 2400.0

The update may result in some strange frequency displays when you are setting the offset. This is because it tries to prevent the hardware going out of its frequency range. (That's the part that had the bug!)

Concentrate on setting the offset to your calculated value and then exit from the setup menu and adjust the displayed frequency.

Colin G4EML

G7JTT
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:05 pm

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by G7JTT » Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:53 pm

Cheers Colin will try after the net

73 John

G7JTT
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:05 pm

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by G7JTT » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:32 pm

Yep see what you mean about the strange frequency display but all working now. As you say just set the two offsets then adjust the required frequency once both offsets are set.

Oh one thing I did notice when I did the update it came up with an error then dropped back to the PD4 screen but as soon as I did a reboot everything was fine.

Thanks for the quick update and for making it available for the Lime as well as the Pluto and Dave for integrating it into the PD4 software.

73 John G7JTT

g4eml
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:36 am

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by g4eml » Fri Mar 11, 2022 10:14 am

Yes, the offset setting method is a bit awkward. I will try to work out a simpler way of setting them.

Colin.

G4FRE
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 6:57 am

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by G4FRE » Fri Mar 11, 2022 11:55 am

Perhaps it is beacuse I have had lots of practice setting up lots of Transverter offsets on Langstone, but the current method is fine for me

Dave
G4FRE

G4FRE
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 6:57 am

Re: Langstone V2... Now with Lime Mini Support

Post by G4FRE » Tue Mar 15, 2022 12:06 pm

Last night I was setting up the transverter drive levels on my portdown 4 with langstone V2 software and a lime mini. This Portsdown unit I have been using for years

I set the output to 1mw on 146MHz on FM using the TX gain control. I then switched to cw. Key down i got 0dBm, key up i got -32dbm which was a surprising lack of carrier suppression. Switching to USB I also got -32dBm with the mic unplugged. A local confirmed these results off air with an sdrplay sdr

Just to prove it wasnt the lime-mini playing up i deployed my spare lime-mini. I got identical results.

I then ran up my new Portsdown4XV (which is a fresh build) and got the same results with both lime-minis

By comparison I then used a Pluto as the sdr. Setting the output to 1mw Key down i got -65dbm key up which is more like the value I expected and matches what i see on my standalone langstone v1 radio

Looks like i need to stick with the Pluto on tonights 23cm UKAC!

Dave
G4FRE

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