Projects

Charly 25 Allband HF & 6M Transceiver

Charly 25 Allband HF & 6M Transceiver

This is a short introduction for our Charly 25 Allband TRX, for the first time with updated PC board with Microsoft Windows 11 and Core I5 (if desired also Core I7), 1TB SSD and 16GB or 32GB RAM.

Our transceivers are the result of 9 years of teamwork of amateur radio operators of the OV's Erding C25 - hence the name Charly 25.
Edwin (DC9OE) for Hardware, Markus (DG8MG) for Software and Erwin (DL1FY) for Testing.

Charly 25 Allband HF & 6M Transceiver

And of course we maintain a close cooperation with Red Pitaya, who at our suggestion upgraded the original STEMlab 14 equipped with 14Bit A/D converters to 16 bit and improved it for SDR applications.

We are continuously working on further development of the device and improvements, incorporating the experience of many OM's.
Our HW and SW can be found in the meantime on the Neumayer Station in Antarctica as well as with radio amateurs in Europe and the USA.

In the present configuration the unit has the following components with the corresponding technical features:
- Front panel, Midi compatible with 7" display 1280x800 resolution.
- 16Bit STEMlab
- 1x Preselector 11Band plus 1x Path Through (RX1 and RX2)
- Windows 11 PC Intel Core I5 or I7 with 16GB or 32GB Memory and 1TB SSD
- VFO knob in brass

One disadvantage of the Hilberling PA is that the input power cannot be adjusted (default 75W). This means that with the Charly 25 transceiver with an output power of 20 watt, I can only achieve 500 watt with the Hilberling PA HPA-8000B-54.

Article in German [3’499 KB] (FA 8/2021)
Link to C25 Website
Diversity reception example (video)

Charly 25 Transceiver Operations

Charly 25 Transceiver Operations

The operation of the Charly 25 Transceiver with Windows 11 Pro is optimal.
On the 27-inch screen directly connected via HDMI to the C25 Transceiver, all important programs for SBB and digital modes can be displayed.

Integrated PC with Windows 11 Pro, Intel i7 CPU (2.8 GHz), 32 GB Ram and 1 TB SSD-Disk

- Thetis - C25 Transceiver interface
- Log4OM log program via TCI server
- Virtual Serial Port Emulator 64-Bit (VSPE)
- JTDX with JTAlert for FT4 and FT8 via CAT COM 5
- Temperature monitoring of the CPU with overload protection

Charly 25 Transceiver Pictures

ICOM IC-7300 100W Transceiver for 160m to 6m

ICOM IC-7300 Transceiver 160m to 6m with internal Tuner

The ICOM IC-7300 is great SDR Allband Transceiver with 100W and a built-in Antenna tuner and a great Waterfall Display.

Ideal for vacations with a vertical allband antenna (e.g. JNCRADIO MC-750 portable HF GP or a G5RV or the Gipsy 7-30MHz Coil Dipole).

IC-7300 in the Field

Hilberling PA HPA-8000B-54

Hilberling PA HPA-8000B-54

It was time to replace the SPE Expert 1.3k PA with tuner with the professional Hilberling PA HPA-8000B-54.

On June 24, 2022, I bought this PA at the Ham-Radio in Friedrichshafen directly from Hilberling.

The Hilberling PA will then be put into operation with the ICOM IC-7700, the Charly 25 Transceiver or the Flexradio 6700.

Hilberling PA HPA-8000B-54

One disadvantage of the Hilberling PA is that the input power cannot be adjusted (default 75W). This means that with the Charly 25 transceiver with an output power of 20 watt, I can only achieve 500 watt with the Hilberling PA HPA-8000B-54.

Operating Manual in English [4’012 KB]
Betriebshandbuch in German [4’479 KB]
Praxisbericht Teil 1 [3’312 KB] in German
Praxisbericht Teil 2 [2’337 KB] in German
Flyer English [3’180 KB]
Flyer German [1’367 KB]

WLAN 4-Port Antenna-Switch

WLAN 4-Port Antenna-Switch

Control system via wi-fi (WLAN) connection in order to manage remotely up to 4 antennas. You only need to connect the supply voltage of 13.8V that is used for the WLAN-Board and the relays.

- for 4 Antennas
- Maximum power - 1500W
- Control voltage - 12V
- Maximum current - up to 500 mA
- All control via a Web browser on a PC or smart phone.

Shack Audio and MIC Switch Box Solution with EQ

Audio and MIC Distribution Dashboard for the Shack

The idea was to have an Audio- and Microphone-Distribution where I can choose between different Audio-Inputs and -Outputs and to switch the MIC (Headset) to the right ICOM-Transceiver and the Flex 6700 Transceiver. And an additional Adam Hall PCL 10 Pro Power Conditioner for all 230V devices in the shack will decrease the noise.

So I'm able to switch easy from the PC (SDR Radio Console, Flex 6700, HDSDR, WebSDR, etc.) to the IC-7700, Flex 6700, IC-9700 for OSCAR-100 or LEO-SAT operation using the Rode Studio MIC or the modified wireless Jabra DECT Headset or the Heil Pro Set 6 (iC) Headset.

Super MIC Audio Project for HF

A professional studio MIC with an optimal SSB sound setting for the Flex 6700 and ICOM IC-7700. After the transceivers and the antennas have been optimized, now the sound is important for a good and understandable QSO.

Project Flyer as PDF [248 KB]

Suppliers Links:
iPlus MIC Switch for three transceivers from W2IHY
Mic premap DBX 286S from Harman
RODE Broadcast Studio MIC

10-Band EQ V7 for ICOM from UR6QW

10-Band MIC EQ V7 for my ICOM Transceivers

The EQ V.7 is a versatile sound processor. You can connect any microphone to it (even a Condenser one requiring 48V phantom power) and make your studio-quality signal.

It works excellent with my IC-7700 and IC-9700. I'm uisng the Rode Studio MIC or the Heil Set Pro 6 IC.

Links
UR6QW original website
AD5GG website with tips
Antlion ModMic v4 website

EQ V.7 Manual [1’416 KB]

230V and 13.8V Power Distribution

230V and 13.8V Power Distribution

It is very important that the 230V power consumers in the house and in the Shack are de-energized (EMC/EMI).

For this purpose I use various solutions including measurement of power consumption. EMC/EMI filters, ferrite cores, 230V online uninterruptible power supply, Adam Hall PCL 10 Pro Power Conditioner AC Noise filter to reduce interference from radio frequencies and electromagnetic interference, etc.

Perseus- and Winradio SDR Windows 11 Server

Professional WebSDR Server with Windows 11 for the Perseus SDR and Winradio WR-G33DDC WebSDR. The Swiss Active Dipole from Stampfle serves as Antenna. The reception is very good for a location in a village.

The SDR Server solution works great with the SDR Radio Console from Simon Brown and with the dedicated Winradio Software. The Winradio SDR Software offers you a spectrum with waterfall from 0 - to 30 MHz.

The SDR Console Server and the Winradio Network Software is running at the same time on the Windows 11 SDR Server.

Supplier Links:
Perseus SDR
Winradio WR-G33DDC High-End SDR Receiver

Jabra DECT Headset for all Transceiver

Jabra 920 Pro DECT Headset

The Jabra Pro 920 DECT headset is very suitable as a headset for all transceivers. In my case for the IC-9700 (QO-100) and IC-7700 for shortwave. Together with the EQ of UR6QW modulation is perfect. All Jabra functions such as mute etc. work without restriction and I can now move freely up to 150m away from the transceiver and also be on-the-air with the VOX function.

Thanks to Leander HB9RMW for the engineering.

Remote Control Expert 1.3k Amplifier

Remote Control of Expert PA 1.3k over Internet

The goal was to remote control our SPE Expert 1.3k amplifier at our Remote DX site in the Swiss Alps for 2 operators (HB9RYZ and HB9CQK) "simultaneously" with the SPE Expert Term software via the Internet.

Looking for a stable solution – and we found a solution
We were looking for a reliable and stabile solution for our remote DX-Station in the Swiss Alps to remotely control our SPE Expert 1.3k power amplifier over the internet.

Our requirements were:
- reliable and stable, high availability
- se of the existing SPE terminal software - Term_13k_232.exe
- provide one virtual serial port for Windows 10
- A solution without the use of a Windows PC at the backend (remote site)
- a robust and weatherproof industrial hardware
- a simple web-based admin consoleup to 4 concurrent connections possible at the same time
- Display of the SPE Expert 1.3k display in real time
- network-enabled device

Remote Control Soution for SPE Expert 1.3k amplifier over the Internet Documentation [578 KB]

ColibriDDC SDR as Panadapter for IC-7700

ColibriDDC SDR/SDRPlay as Panadapter for IC-7700, IC-7610 and IC-706MKIIG

A panadapter is a device (SDR receiver) that connects to a standard hardware radio and allows you to visually see the RF signals on a waterfall. Since SDR’s run on the PC, they naturally have the ability to display a panadapter screen, and most software like SDR#, HDSDR and SDR-Console already provide this.

In my case I had a spare ColibriDDC SDR and SDRPlay RSP1A which I used now as panadapter for my IC-7610, IC-7700 or IC-706MKIIG to improve the capabilities of my ICOM transceivers.

Project Clean up my Shack (Sept. - Nov. 2017)

Project Clean up my Shack (Sept. - Nov. 2017)

Main Goals:
- reduce overall noise (RFI) with an excellent grounding
- remove all small 220V noisy switched power supplies
- use only high-end components
- for best usability
- for easy maintenance

Main Workstreams:
- new Shack furniture
- new AC and DC (13.8V and 5V USB) Power Distribution and cabling
- intergrade a RFI filter in to your main AC
- use a lot of folding-ferrite (on every cable e.g. USB, serial, network, etc.)
- new grounding concept based on a main copper plate bus
- new computer (USB & RS232) and network cabling
- etc.

RFI in your house

Power Supply Modification

Modified power supplies for less noise

Main Goals:
- reduce overall noise with an excellent grounding
- include a primary 220V main power filter
- include a countered coil with a capacitor in the output power line (13.8V and 5V)
- remove all small and cheap 110V/220V noisy power supplies

Modified Power Supplies Documentation [2’097 KB]

ICOM SP-34 Speaker Upgrade

ICOM SP-34 Speaker Upgrade

Your speaker sounds better with PHITS Traditionally, communication speakers have been designed without following acoustic criteria to obtain the maximum sound quality. Their main defaults are low stiffness and the resonance of the metal cabinet. PHITS is a Phonema kit developed to acoustically improve communication speakers.

Thanks to the combination of different densities materials, a more stiffenes box is achieve and reverberation is eliminated in more than 47 dB. The result is a pure, clear and a more inteligible sound.

Flex 6600M

Flex Radio 6600M

Flexradio FLEX-6600M
1. New Remote Concept using iPad or iPhone like a remote station
2. Fully proofed SDR Technology
3. Four independent VFO at the same time
4. Use for FT8 and JT65

Flexradio FLEX-6600M
Broschure [2’019 KB]
SmartSDR User Guide v2.1.30 - 29. January 2018 [8’117 KB]