external refclock

[Basil]

I use firmware 0303 and although I think it worked with my Portsdown it may have "issues". It's certainly not supported...

I recall having to add a patch, and it may have been to enable the switching of the external reference. I have never used my Rev D Pluto with my Portsdown, so you'd be on your own if you tried it, but I doubt it can do anything dreadful. I'll link to the patch on my server so you can grab it and try it if you like?

http://www.chriswilson.tv/patch.zip

Read the text file within the zip, it gives info on version compatibility. Personally I'd just patch your firmware and wing it .... I am pretty sure it was needed to enable the external reference, now I cast my mind back, as I do not need or use the PTT stuff.

The interrogation stuff looks as if the external clock *SHOULD* be enabled, so it must be something else. It's all a bit of a minefield mixing and matching firmware with various hardware at times.

Good luck.

[G1BVI]

Hi All
Did this get resolved
Just bought a LB GPSDO . set it up on 40MHZ.
I could not then find any way of sshing into the C/D pluto whilst it was connected into portsdown.

Tearing it all apart which is a pain I entered

fw_setenv refclk_source external
fw_setenv ad936x_ext_refclk_override "<40000000>"
pluto_reboot reset

Then reassembled.

I switched to Langstone and found I am still off Frequency suggesting I WAS NOT running from the GPSDO

I am using a C/D Pluto and following Toms instructions he found that if you transmit and then remove reference the TX stops.

I used a 2nd portsdown to monitor my transmission on the band viewer.
Removing the ref as per Toms article and I am still transmitting.

Is there any other way of determining that the external ref status?

Thank you and 73

Nick

[Basil]

Hello Nick

You need to "patch" the firmware in the Pluto to be aware of the external reference. Whether there was ever a patch for the official firmware for use with the Portsdown I have no idea, probably not as I think the recommended firmware precedes the C / D versions of the Pluto.

I am 90% sure I had my Portsdown working with 0303 firmware, for which there is a patch from F5OEO.

Your problem is the Portsdown is limited to an older firmware and you are on your own if you don't use it. Whether ALL the functions of a Portsdown 4 work with a patched or un-patched 0303 firmware I have no idea, I only used a fraction of them before changing to direct PC to Pluto over LAN.

If you run 0303 firmware and can't find the patch, (which you may need to apply before connecting the Portsdown) I can link to it on my server.

I would *IMAGINE* if you set the external refclk override to the wrong frequency it should be obvious it's running off the external clock as it's now way off frequency.

I *THINK* just disconnecting or powering down the external clock causes the Pluto to immediately revert to its internal clock, maybe so fast as to not be obvious.

I hope this helps you a little. Just my experience, and going from memory, I haven't used my Portsdown in over 2 years now.

[Basil]

Never seen this mentioned before...

From the Analog Devices forums, posted by a lead engineer, note the last line:



External references are selected through environment variables on Pluto. See here: https://wiki.analog.com/university/tool ... vs/booting

For required clock specs see the AD9363 datasheet: https://www.analog.com/media/en/technic ... AD9363.pdf

It may be useful to look at the design documents for more detailed information: https://www.analog.com/en/design-center ... urces.html

Note that due to the lead frame on Pluto, external references below 40 MHz tend not to function.

[G1BVI]

Hi Chris
Think I tried that getting the 0303 and patch linked from Toms web site on Pluto C/D Mods

I do not think it transmitted..
Just spent the afternoon on QO100 trying to get my audio working using the pluto and the dirty software for use with the Portsdown.

Ive decided to go back to the lime so its up for sale on the web site now.
I do not need both

Just wondering if I put the price a bit high..
I saw the price on ebay when I did the add but they are a lot less on Farnell.

There has been no interest anyways so it will sit on a shelf for a while i guess

Next need to sort my mike problems out

thanks again

73
Nick

[g4saq]

Hi Nick,
Just FYI, I sent an email to the address on your QRZ.com page a day ago. (PMs are no longer available on this forum)
73,
Russ.

[G1BVI]

Hi Russ Il check that account
I expected a PM on here but I see they have been stopped now.

KR
73

Nick

[g8gtz]

I expected a PM on here but I see they have been stopped now.

Yes, one of several changes we are going to make to ensure BATC complies with the new UK online safety act

Oh and if anyone disagrees, we'd love to have some volunteers to help with the audit we are having do

73
Noel G8GTZ

[G4FRE]

I eventually got the external reference input working and sticking in both my Pluto Langstones. See

https://g4fre.blogspot.com/2021/03/lock ... ernal.html

https://g4fre.blogspot.com/2021/03/lock ... nal_6.html

and the one that took a LONG time:_

https://g4fre.blogspot.com/2020/11/lock ... ernal.html

still dont know why the long command line works!

Havent felt the need to lock my rev c pluto

Dave
G4FRE

[Basil]

Hi Dave, thanks for those useful links. If I interrogate my C / D version Pluto I get this, could you or anyone convert it to show what frequency it believes it is using as its clock please?

v0.32-dirty
https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto
# cat /proc/device-tree/clocks/clock@0/clock-frequency | xxd
00000000: 0262 592b .bY+


EDIT, scrub that request please, the first on line converter didn't like the format, different ones return 25000000 so the damn thing is NOT locked to its Leo Bodnar outputting 40MHz at 8mA

Ignorance was bliss...