New! April 8th - 2024

 

The content of the following article is taken from a document published by Max IU4JNR on the SunSDR Italy Telegram Group.
All credits go to Max IU4JNR.

 

Add a panadapter to TS 890 (or other similar rigs)

 

I purchased a Knw TS 890 transceiver which is a nice rig with a great RX, however coming from SDR, I instantly missed the benefits of SDR: 2nd RX, visualisation of the whole band signals; Spots from cluster and from skimmer on the screen; SDC's function "599".

So IOT have all SDR capabilities back and taking advantage of TS890 great reception, I attached my SDR RX, EE Colibrì nano, to the Rig. To make it simple and repeatable by other interested in this configuration I attached a simple schematic (Annex A).

Other SDR RX and software can of course be used but I haven't tried other hardware. To start the configuration we need some software tools and equipment:

  • Colibrì Nano
  • RCA to SMA (you can do by yourself)
  • EESDR3 software (to run colibrì nano)
  • Software Defined Connector (SDC) by Yuri, UT4LW
  • Radiosync included in EESDR as alternate synch method
  • VSPE from etherlogic

Assumptions:

 

  •  You know how to use EESDR
  •  You have SDC registered

Basic Config

 

1st thing is to split the TS890 virtual com used for CAT. This is done using VSPE. This allow you to make the same com port available at the same time by several software.

 

 

Install EESDR3 and enable TCI. Default port is 50001 (leave default if you don't experience conflict in software, like Anydesk) but you can change it. The frequency synch between the 2 rigs is performed by SDC RigSync module which uses the CAT Virtual com from/to the TS890 side and TCl protocol from/to the Colibrì Nano side.

 

Now Connect the Colibrì Nano to the Ant Out RCA port on the back of TS890 and enable it (Ant Out button).

 

 

 

 

SDC basic Configuration

 

To make the DX cluster spots and skimmer spots populate your SDR display you will need to configure SDC (thanks to Yuri UT4LW). Enable (in setup) both Telnet server and SKM server.

 

 

In telnet server tab click on “+” next to start spotter and insert a DX cluster address (or more than one if you want). Enable the check box "to Pan" and click to "start Spotter".

You should see the spot populating your SDR display.

 

 

These spots can also go to your logging software. To do that you should add a server port of your choice (I used 7373), enable the check box “to srv” and start it (Yellow ovals in pic ubove). You have to add a server to you logging software cluster list which is: Localhost:7373

 

In SKM server tab click on "+" next to “Start SKM server”. There is a “skimmer global setup”. You can leave it for now.

 

 

Now click the skimmer setup icon (a gear on the right)

 

You can start selecting the 3 configs below than close it and save it (button save top right).

 

Click on Start SKM server and you should see the skimmer running and decoding CW signals

 

 

That's all.


Enjoy it

73' de Max, IU4JNR