2025-01-17 — The Big Reveal of the IP400 Project, Imagining an HF Appliance Based on the zBitx, Computing Across America Serialization, Project MINI RACK, Forgotten Internet: UUCP
All - for technical discussions and followup about IP400, I suggest posting those in the new IP400 email list - https://groups.io/g/ip400. Martin VE6VH and I will both be active participants there. Comments here are segmented to each issue of Zero Retries and thus ephemeral as each issue ages into the background, and I close commenting after a few weeks to keep spam under control.
- IP400 is interesting sounding. Enough to join. Silicon Labs has su-GHz 802.15.4 chips, as well. See EFR32FG25. The EFR32ZG28 has BLE onboard, too.
- APRS. Adding this to my list.
- You often mention M17. There are many hackable radios now. I have MD380 waiting for a good soldering iron and magnifier. Though word is this is not an ideal radio for output volume.
Douglas - You're braver than I am if you're going to tackle modifications on SMT circuit boards that are specifically designed to be maximally compact (in a portable radio). I was only able to do SMT work with a swing arm binocular microscope and some very good tools like. Metcal soldering iron with nice new SMT tips. One of these days I'll invest in one for my home shop.
I mentioned September 2003 as the last issue of 73 Magazine. There hasn't been another issue of 73 in 22 years. Yet a lot of what's in there is still relevant, and it's accessible to all of us thanks to DLARC... unlike some other Amateur Radio publications that are hidden behind paywalls. But since you asked, the article I was referring to is Beyond Level Two - High-level networking comes to packet radio by Phil Karn KA9Q, 73 Magazine, August, 1986, pages 74-78. https://archive.org/details/73-magazine-1986-08. I recommend downloading the PDF instead of trying to read it online. It's been >39< years since that KA9Q article, and there are still things to learn from it (that we're not routinely doing these days).
Do you have any specifications for protocols to contribute? I planned to implement an 'AX25' pass-through mode that essentially encapsulates packets as is, which will preserve the end-to-end acknowledgement. On the repeater controller I implemented a serial port to support devices like weather stations and TNC's, running in KISS mode.
" Imagine a low power HF radio that could be installed into an attic along with a minimal antenna (for total stealth mode operation). Or imagine a low power HF radio that could be installed into a small utility box and mounted on pole with an HF vertical antenna or a magnetic loop antenna for a “small footprint” installation in a small back yard or an apartment balcony."
This is how I started back into ham radio... a speaker wire dipole for 20m inside my attic, a Wifi AC switch connected to a $30 power supply, a QRP-Labs QDX, and an old laptop to run WJST-X or JS8Call. Sure you can only run single-tone modes on the QDX, but the ability (and builds of) something like you describe already exist and aren't a stretch at all. The QDX has no knobs or buttons, and doesn't require user intervention on site. I use Chrome Remote Desktop to operate the shack computer from anywhere I have internet. Could be my living room 15 feet away or across the world.
My current main "shack" is a 24 inch wide, 30" tall, 12" deep wall cabinet box. The box holds a KiwiSDR, as well as several QDXs, a Hardrock 50 amplifier, and all the accoutrements to be able to run about 50w on FT8 on 160-10m.... and is 160 miles away from my main QTH, and operated entirely remotely. I've made no attempt to make it as small as possible, it could be much more compact if it needed to be.
There's some barriers to remote-operated "shacks in a box" that repeatedly come up with conventional HF radios... I'm a bit surprised there aren't more.... appliance solutions yet that accomplish this.. Flex is close, but still requires external power switching and such for remote use.
Hopefully things like the zbitx get us closer to this.... I'm considering trying one for a remote SSB solution, and/or for use as an all-in-one FT8 machine for portable use with reasonable power output. (I think the DX-FT8 falls a bit short on the power side...)
Nate - You've embraced the concept, and explained it far better than I could. VK2TTY commented on the same issue on Mastodon - https://mastodon.radio/@vk2tty/113868744309359319 and included a screenshot that explained how modular the zBitx architecture is, that makes it ideal for remote operation (and, potentially, repackaging as a fixed, remotely operated unit).
Mostly I'm struck by the sheer ingenuity of the zBitx and its "no apologies - using SDR is BETTER" approach. No other HF radio has impressed me this much for a very long time. I look forward to having one in my hands in a few months and using it as an HF data radio appliance.
All - for technical discussions and followup about IP400, I suggest posting those in the new IP400 email list - https://groups.io/g/ip400. Martin VE6VH and I will both be active participants there. Comments here are segmented to each issue of Zero Retries and thus ephemeral as each issue ages into the background, and I close commenting after a few weeks to keep spam under control.
Steve,
Again a plethora of content in 0185…
- IP400 is interesting sounding. Enough to join. Silicon Labs has su-GHz 802.15.4 chips, as well. See EFR32FG25. The EFR32ZG28 has BLE onboard, too.
- APRS. Adding this to my list.
- You often mention M17. There are many hackable radios now. I have MD380 waiting for a good soldering iron and magnifier. Though word is this is not an ideal radio for output volume.
- ok, which September 2003 for the article?
Douglas - You're braver than I am if you're going to tackle modifications on SMT circuit boards that are specifically designed to be maximally compact (in a portable radio). I was only able to do SMT work with a swing arm binocular microscope and some very good tools like. Metcal soldering iron with nice new SMT tips. One of these days I'll invest in one for my home shop.
I mentioned September 2003 as the last issue of 73 Magazine. There hasn't been another issue of 73 in 22 years. Yet a lot of what's in there is still relevant, and it's accessible to all of us thanks to DLARC... unlike some other Amateur Radio publications that are hidden behind paywalls. But since you asked, the article I was referring to is Beyond Level Two - High-level networking comes to packet radio by Phil Karn KA9Q, 73 Magazine, August, 1986, pages 74-78. https://archive.org/details/73-magazine-1986-08. I recommend downloading the PDF instead of trying to read it online. It's been >39< years since that KA9Q article, and there are still things to learn from it (that we're not routinely doing these days).
What I meant is taking it to work and using the Metcal and the magnifier.
Haven’t had time for it there.
Do you have any specifications for protocols to contribute? I planned to implement an 'AX25' pass-through mode that essentially encapsulates packets as is, which will preserve the end-to-end acknowledgement. On the repeater controller I implemented a serial port to support devices like weather stations and TNC's, running in KISS mode.
" Imagine a low power HF radio that could be installed into an attic along with a minimal antenna (for total stealth mode operation). Or imagine a low power HF radio that could be installed into a small utility box and mounted on pole with an HF vertical antenna or a magnetic loop antenna for a “small footprint” installation in a small back yard or an apartment balcony."
This is how I started back into ham radio... a speaker wire dipole for 20m inside my attic, a Wifi AC switch connected to a $30 power supply, a QRP-Labs QDX, and an old laptop to run WJST-X or JS8Call. Sure you can only run single-tone modes on the QDX, but the ability (and builds of) something like you describe already exist and aren't a stretch at all. The QDX has no knobs or buttons, and doesn't require user intervention on site. I use Chrome Remote Desktop to operate the shack computer from anywhere I have internet. Could be my living room 15 feet away or across the world.
My current main "shack" is a 24 inch wide, 30" tall, 12" deep wall cabinet box. The box holds a KiwiSDR, as well as several QDXs, a Hardrock 50 amplifier, and all the accoutrements to be able to run about 50w on FT8 on 160-10m.... and is 160 miles away from my main QTH, and operated entirely remotely. I've made no attempt to make it as small as possible, it could be much more compact if it needed to be.
There's some barriers to remote-operated "shacks in a box" that repeatedly come up with conventional HF radios... I'm a bit surprised there aren't more.... appliance solutions yet that accomplish this.. Flex is close, but still requires external power switching and such for remote use.
Hopefully things like the zbitx get us closer to this.... I'm considering trying one for a remote SSB solution, and/or for use as an all-in-one FT8 machine for portable use with reasonable power output. (I think the DX-FT8 falls a bit short on the power side...)
-Nate
N8BTR
Nate - You've embraced the concept, and explained it far better than I could. VK2TTY commented on the same issue on Mastodon - https://mastodon.radio/@vk2tty/113868744309359319 and included a screenshot that explained how modular the zBitx architecture is, that makes it ideal for remote operation (and, potentially, repackaging as a fixed, remotely operated unit).
Mostly I'm struck by the sheer ingenuity of the zBitx and its "no apologies - using SDR is BETTER" approach. No other HF radio has impressed me this much for a very long time. I look forward to having one in my hands in a few months and using it as an HF data radio appliance.