Ensemble RX 03_Local Oscillator and Control

Install Protective Topside Parts

Install these resistors first, so as to protet against solder splashover at pins 4 and 8 off the Si570 (see below)

Check	Designation	Component	Marking	Category	Orientation	Notes
❏	R07	2.2k 1/6W 5%	red-red-red-gld	1/6W	N-S
❏	R08	2.2k 1/6W 5%	red-red-red-gld	1/6W	N-S

Install Bottomside Components

Watch out when installing C35 to avoid solder splashover into the adjacent holes for the T1 primary windings.

Note the orientation photo for the Si570 and install with correct orientation. Pay close attention to the pins 4 and 8, as their footpring is quite small relative to the other pads.

Check	Designation	Component	Marking	Category	Orientation	Notes
❏	U03	Si570 Programmable Oscillator	SiLabs 570	I2C		Take ESD precautions
❏	C30	0.1 uF	(smt) black stripe	SMT 1206	white pads
❏	C33	0.1 uF	(smt) black stripe	SMT 1206	white pads
❏	C35	0.1 uF	(smt) black stripe	SMT 1206	white pads

Wind and Install T1

This is a transformer, wound using a "bifilar" strand. The strand is made of a single wire, doubled over to make two wires, and twisted together to about 3-4 twists per inch. It is then threaded through the binocular core for the required number of turns (2). Once wound, the strand is cut at the bent end, yielding four leads. Then, check the leads with an ohmmeter to identify which leads are electrically connected.

Since the windings are both of identical length, the identification of the "primary" and the :secondary" windings is easy: select one winding (i.e., pair of leads that show continuity) and call it "primary"; the remaining winding is the "secondary" winding.

If you are unfamiliar with winding and installing inductors, you may want to refer to the WB5RVZ construction hints for coils (toroidal) and transformers ( toroidal and binocular). Click here for details on identifying toroid cores.

Decoding the trqansformer specifications:

Transformers' windings are specified using the pattern "nnT/wXmmT" or "wXmmT/nnT", where:

• "nn" is the number of turns in the single winding
• "mm" is the number of turns in the multiple windings
• "w" = the number of multiple windings (e.g., 2 = bifilar; 3 = trifilar, etc.)

Thus, e.g., "18T/2x9T bifilar #30" means, using #30 wire, produce a single 18 turn primary winding and two 9-turn secondary windings; "2x9T bifilar/ 18T #30" means, using #30 wire, produce two 9-turn primary windings and a single 18 turn secondary winding.

Check	Designation	Component	Marking	Category	Orientation	Notes
❏	magwire	Magnetic Wire, enameled #30		Magnetic		(total of 30 ft. provided in kit)
❏	T01	2T Bifilar #30 (4") on BN-43-2402		Xfrmr		change from 3Ttrifilar

Install Topside Ics

Double check the orientation on the two optoisolators. They should be oriented so that their "dimple" is in the upper left-hand corner.

Check	Designation	Component	Marking	Category	Orientation	Notes
❏	SO1	8 pin dip socket		Socket		for ATTiny85
❏	U01	ATtiny 85-20 PU w/V15.12 Firmware	AVR ATTINY85-20PU	DIP 8	(dimple in upper right)	Take ESD precautions
❏	U04	LTV-817 Opto-Isolator	LTV 817	DIP-4	(dimple in upper left)	Take ESD precautions
❏	U05	LTV-817 Opto-Isolator	LTV 817	DIP-4	(dimple in upper left)	Take ESD precautions

Install Remainder of Topside Components

Careful installing the resistors and diodes clustered near the USB connector area. Builders have been known to insert these into the wrong holes. Review the board layout and the orientation column below to double check the orientation.

The body of each zener is to be located above the silkscreen circles for D1 and D2 on the board with the diodes mounted standing perpendicular to the board in a hairpin fashion. The banded end of each diode is then at the lead of the diode that loops back to the circuit board.

Check	Designation	Component	Marking	Category	Orientation	Notes
❏	D1	BZX55C3V3 3.3V zener diode	BZX55C	Axial		The band end of the diode is the hairpin lead - see board layout
❏	D2	BZX55C3V3 3.3V zener diode	BZX55C	Axial		The band end of the diode is the hairpin lead - see board layout
❏	C03	0.01 uF	103	Ceramic	horiz
❏	R01	68 1/6W 5%	bl-gry-blk-gld	1/6W	N-S
❏	R02	68 1/6W 5%	bl-gry-blk-gld	1/6W	N-S
❏	R03	2.2k 1/6W 5%	red-red-red-gld	1/6W	E-W
❏	R05	2.2k 1/6W 5%	red-red-red-gld	1/6W	W-E
❏	R06	2.2k 1/6W 5%	red-red-red-gld	1/6W	W-E
❏	R09	2.2k 1/6W 5%	red-red-red-gld	1/6W	W-E	chenged from 221
❏	R12	10 k 1/6W 5%	brn-blk-ora-gld	1/6W	N-S
❏	R13	10 k 1/6W 5%	brn-blk-ora-gld	1/6W	N-S
❏	R04	1 M 1/6W 5%	brn-blk-grn-gld	1/6W	E-W

Download and Install Required Software

All of the latest versions of essential firmware configuration programs, USB driver and their associated documentation can be obtained from Fred PE0FKO's website:

• USB driver: (search for "Download Firmware source and .hex files")
• CFGSR program: (search for "Download")
• Documentation

In order to test (and later, operate) your rig, you must download and install required software (SDR programs and Dynamic Link Libraries, along with hardware drivers. The actual steps and programs may vary, depending upon your computer's windows operating system version (XP, Vista, or Windows 7) and architecture CPU/memory (32 bit or 64 bit).

The following links are provided and, as of 7/8/2010, are current:

^*Note on installing PE0-FKO's USB Drivers: Fred's website has an excellent step-by-step guide to instaling the USB driver.

Install Driver

The correct procedure is to download the driver and put it in a suitable folder, then plug in the USB lead, Windows should detect new hardware has been found and you need to manually point it to the folder containing the drive. It should then install correctly. Certainly does on Win2000 and XP. On Vista or Windows 7, there used to be some issues with driver signing. There have been messages on the forum describing methods of working around these issues. One such solution is addressed in the author's MOBO4.3 builders notes.

LibUSB - "Unknown Device" Error

Others have experienced the dreaded "Unknown Device" problem upon plugging in the USB cable after having installed the LibUsb driver. This "unknown device" problem (and a remedy for those who are using Logitech cordless mouse and/or various wireless internet connection adaptors) are discussed in message #45071 and Message #47755 on the Yahoo Softrock40 Group

Install/Run CFGSR ("ConFiGureSoftRock")

Once the driver is installed, if you run 'CFGSR' that will either automatically 'open' the firmware, or if not, you need to go to the 'USB' tab and select it from the list displayed in the bottom box. Which way depends on if you have 'CFGSR' set up to auto connect on program start or not.

Test Local Oscillator

You can use 'CFGSR' to exercise the Si570 using the 'Tune' tab that makes it into a 'VFO'. Just a case of setting the frequency, and the Si570 should output a signal at 4 times the frequency displayed on the main display on the screen. The 'Test' tab can also be used to look at all the various Si570 registers etc, but probably unnecessary as if you can hear or measure the Si570 output frequency, you know it is working.