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New experimental gain distribution for the Airspy HF+ series

 

While optimizing the firmware for the Ranger, I found an interesting property of the sigma-delta Baseband AGC loop, and built a few things around it. And since this also works for the HF+ Dual Port and HF+ Discovery, I built an experimental firmware so you can also test it. 
In this build, the RF ATT is controlled by a separate AGC loop even when you disable the AGC option. Instead, the Baseband AGC loop before the ADC handles the user ATT steps along with the different gain stages. The overall gain is stable thanks to another loop that handles the gain compensation in digital (48 bit scaling.) 
This new implementation tracks the signal changes better than the plain old manual ATT, while assuring the best linearity/sensitivity balance even when the settings are completely off. The noise floor can be set very low, if needed.
Of course, this build is still experimental. Don't flash unless you know how to revert to the official firmware if needed. 
These features were implemented for HF, FM BC and VHF Band III. 
 
 
 
 
 

Prog! Many thanks again for all this outstanding work.

BUT please remind me: How do I discover which firmware runs in my Airspy Discovery unit?

Regards, TH Woolner 04102024

On 04/10/2024 09:24, prog <info@...> wrote:
While optimizing the firmware for the Ranger, I found an interesting property of the sigma-delta Baseband AGC loop, and built a few things around it. And since this also works for the HF+ Dual Port and HF+ Discovery, I built an experimental firmware so you can also test it.
In this build, the RF ATT is controlled by a separate AGC loop even when you disable the AGC option. Instead, the Baseband AGC loop before the ADC handles the user ATT steps along with the different gain stages. The overall gain is stable thanks to another loop that handles the gain compensation in digital (48 bit scaling.)
This new implementation tracks the signal changes better than the plain old manual ATT, while assuring the best linearity/sensitivity balance even when the settings are completely off. The noise floor can be set very low, if needed.
Of course, this build is still experimental. Don't flash unless you know how to revert to the official firmware if needed.
These features were implemented for HF, FM BC and VHF Band III.
https://airspy.com/downloads/airspy-hf- flash-2024-10-03_5.0.0_experimental.zip <https://airspy.com/downloads/ airspy-hf-flash-2024-10-03_5.0.0_experimental.zip>
 

 

Thanks! Vision is declining with age... Oh dear...

On 04/10/2024 13:25, prog <info@...> wrote:
 

Prog....BIG THANK YOU....

Lee WB4QOJ


On Fri, Oct 4, 2024, 9:05 AM TH Woolner via groups.io <ThW001=thw001.plus.com@groups.io> wrote:
Thanks!  Vision is declining with age... Oh dear...

On 04/10/2024 13:25, prog <info@...> wrote:
>
>





 

Had a chance to play with this a bit today. It appears to pull out a bit more dynamic range. The noise floor drops more than the signal level when turning off the preamp. I feel like weak signals are more intelligible. I think this is a nice upgrade!
 

 
 

Same here for both the "experimental" and the "official build"! Well done and thanks for the update!
 

Flashed the new version here and my noise floor actually seems to be higher.  Before the flash to 5.0 it was sitting around -137dBFS.  After the flash its hovering around -130.  No change in settings. Frequency is centered on 518 khz (monitoring Navtex here).  Not sure what's up with that.  Navtex signals seem good (strength seems just about where it was before).  I'll stay with 5.0 and see how it goes.  Thanks for the update Prog!
 
Keith
Hingham MA
 

On Sat, Oct 5, 2024 at 12:45 AM, Keith McGinnis wrote:
Flashed the new version here and my noise floor actually seems to be higher.
The "Preamp" setting only has a 6 dB step, compared to 15 dB previously. Which means if you have it disabled, you only have a smaller reduction compared to the previous firmware.
The settings do not exactly match one for one. Try finding your new best configuration. For example, use the new ATT.
 
 
 

I don't know what gain distribution is, but if you say it's good then I'll try it!

73,
Ken VE3HLS
So Phisai, Thailand OK18sc



On Fri, Oct 4, 2024 at 8:16 PM prog via groups.io <info=airspy.com@groups.io> wrote:
 
 

Thank you, Prog,
for your high level and continuous support.

There will be a chance that SpyServer will be updated to be able to have the same level of control also remotly?

Ciao
Roberto

Il giorno 4 ott 2024, alle ore 22:16, prog <info@...> ha scritto:

And here's the official build: https://airspy.com/downloads/airspy-hf-flash-2024-10-04_5.0.0.zip
 

On Sat, Oct 5, 2024 at 10:54 AM, Roberto Cipriani wrote:
There will be a chance that SpyServer will be updated to be able to have the same level of control also remotly?
With this new firmware, yes. Check the win32 build: https://airspy.com/downloads/spyserver_win32.zip
 
 

Thank you again!
And for the Raspberry?

Il giorno 5 ott 2024, alle ore 11:41, prog <info@...> ha scritto:

On Sat, Oct 5, 2024 at 10:54 AM, Roberto Cipriani wrote:
There will be a chance that SpyServer will be updated to be able to have the same level of control also remotly? With this new firmware, yes. Check the win32 build: https://airspy.com/downloads/spyserver_win32.zip
 

On 04/10/2024 09:24, prog via groups.io wrote:
While optimizing the firmware for the Ranger, I found an interesting property of
the sigma-delta Baseband AGC loop, and built a few things around it. And since
this also works for the HF+ Dual Port and HF+ Discovery, I built an experimental
firmware so you can also test it.
Thanks, Youssef.

Here of my 7 HF+ Discovery, 5 upgraded OK, 2 required a second flash.

My lone HF+ dual-port, although already upgraded before, required the hardware
firmware erase before the new firmware could be flashed.

All OK now.

Thanks, again!
David
--
SatSignal Software - Quality software for you
Web: https://www.satsignal.eu
Email: davidtaylor@...
Twitter: @gm8arv
 

Hi!
 
I noticed a new temporary behaviour after updating to the new firmware (R5.0.0.-BB) when powering up my Airspy HF+ Discovery from cold (14 deg C) and running SRD# 1921 with the device connected direct to my PC.
 
With tuning set somewhere between 24 to 28 MHz, I see an increased noise floor (about -80dBfs and a central signal spike that does not move when tuning around.
 
About 1 minute later, the noise floor suddenly drops to -105dBfs, revealing all the missing signals and the central spike goes away.
 
Ambient temperature is 14 degrees and the issue does not appear again until the HF Discovery has cooled down.
 
Unsure if this has been observed by others or maybe just my own Discovery has an issue!
 
--
Graeme
 

Will you add firmware update packages to list on download page on airspy.com?
Or somewhere else.
I am somewhere lost in looking for 5.0.1.
And as I found unexpectedly I am still on 3.0.7, maybe I had updated only R2...
 
--
Rafal
 

On Tue, Dec 24, 2024 at 07:31 AM, Rafal SQ9CWN wrote:
Will you add firmware update packages to list on download page on airspy.com?
It has always been on the product page, near the end, before the list of authorized resellers.
 
Vince, VA3VF
 

On a iPad IN VERTICAL MODE the Product page does not list any device.
Using a computer browser or iPad in horizontal mode the Product show a popup with all Airspy etc.

Using iPhone the product list is never shown.

So, use at least a 13” screen!


Il giorno 24 dic 2024, alle ore 13:40, DXer via groups.io <hfdxmonitor@...> ha scritto:

On Tue, Dec 24, 2024 at 07:31 AM, Rafal SQ9CWN wrote:
Will you add firmware update packages to list on download page on airspy.com? It has always been on the product page, near the end, before the list of authorized resellers.
Vince, VA3VF


=====
SDR## 1921
Windows 11 running in Parallels Desktop
MacBook pro M1Max

Airspy+ HF Discovery (on line)
Airspy R2 (on line)
Airspy Mini (on line)

Spyserver:
rob-casa-ge (dot) ddns (dot) info:5555 Airspy+ HF Discovery
rob-casa-ge (dot) ddns (dot) info:5556 Airspy Mini
QTH Genova Italy

nbrc.mynetgear (dot) com:5555 Airspy R2
QTH Breuil Cervinia (Aosta Valley) Italy

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