New SDR CommRadio CR-1

[corbintechboy]

Nice bags. Might have to pick me one up.

I have been wanting to play with the CR-1 so bad lately. I can't. Something in this hood has the electrical system all the sudden plagued with noise. 40 over in noise... YUCK! flipped my main off and it continued so not my home.

Anxious but not that worried about it. Bought a home on 5 acres and for the first time in my life a real antenna will become an reality. I am weighing the pros and cons of different types now. Looking at a loop for nulls and a nice low noise floor. So tempted to try the CR-1 on a beverage though, would be fun to test the front end .

 

[NRD-505]

I know about that noise. Probably a TV or switching power supply somewhere.

Some of my best listening has be when the power goes out (rarely). I break out the RF-2200 and am amazed how quiet the bands *can* be.

Now I can break out the CR-1.

 

[corbintechboy]

I know about that noise. Probably a TV or switching power supply somewhere.

Some of my best listening has be when the power goes out (rarely). I break out the RF-2200 and am amazed how quiet the bands *can* be.

Now I can break out the CR-1.

Yhea it's really strange.

Last night I flipped the main in the house and the noise was still there but greatly reduced. I have never really had an noise issue here. This is new. It has to be coming from somewhere else.

It surprises me. My nearest neighbor is probably 25 feet away.

 

[loumaag]

Yhea it's really strange.

Last night I flipped the main in the house and the noise was still there but greatly reduced. I have never really had an noise issue here. This is new. It has to be coming from somewhere else.

It surprises me. My nearest neighbor is probably 25 feet away.

Do you have a "smart meter" on your electric service?

 

[corbintechboy]

Do you have a "smart meter" on your electric service?

No I don't.

 

[loumaag]

Okay, just looking for possible "noise" generators. Cable would be the next guess.

 

[WB2KTG]

If your house is of recent construction, do you have a copper water pipe going through your foundation or basement wall? Do you have continuous ground path through your house system?

 

[corbintechboy]

If your house is of recent construction, do you have a copper water pipe going through your foundation or basement wall? Do you have continuous ground path through your house system?

Right now I live in a 1984 single wide trailer lol. Moving possible as soon as this weekend or early next week so this is not a really bad problem. Just bothers me, I have lived here for 4 years and have never had a problem of this sort.

This home still has the metal type siding so it was never ideal for radio uses. The home I am buying is a 2006 doublewide on 5 acres of land (they are very popular in these parts). Being newer it has vinyl siding and wood framed. Not to mention although I have neighbors, I will be equally separated from them so this should be a good place for radio stuff.

Now just waiting to sign the papers (maybe Friday) and get the keys .

 

[prcguy]

Congrats, someday I hope to move up to a double wide.....
prcguy

Right now I live in a 1984 single wide trailer lol. Moving possible as soon as this weekend or early next week so this is not a really bad problem. Just bothers me, I have lived here for 4 years and have never had a problem of this sort.

This home still has the metal type siding so it was never ideal for radio uses. The home I am buying is a 2006 doublewide on 5 acres of land (they are very popular in these parts). Being newer it has vinyl siding and wood framed. Not to mention although I have neighbors, I will be equally separated from them so this should be a good place for radio stuff.

Now just waiting to sign the papers (maybe Friday) and get the keys .

 

[corbintechboy]

Congrats, someday I hope to move up to a double wide.....
prcguy

Thanks. I am very happy about it.

Only took me 38 years lol.

 

[WB2KTG]

Congratulations on your new 5 acres! I wonder if you can get property tax abatement if you claim you're an 'antenna farmer'? It might work here in New Jersey. Bon Jovi has tax abatement because he's raising honey bees on his 5 acre mansion site on the Navesink River in Middletown, NJ. Maybe you can too!

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

I have a old Case Logic case meant for portable zip drives that is used for other equipment. The CR-1 fits in the main compartment and there are two additional zippered storage areas in front for other stuff. It is not too big. I can not find anything like it online since zip drives are not mainstream anymore. I may get something else for the other equipment and use this case for the CR-1.

73 Eric

 

[WB2KTG]

Eric- If you can take a picture and post it, it would be great!

Thanks!

Bob

 

[NRD-505]

Bob -- How is that 5kc filter doing? Fixed?

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

It looks like I managed to brick my CR-1. I downloaded the DSP and PIC filles. The DSP programmed fine. I turned off the CR-1 and tried to do the PIC files. The PIC loader came up with an error. I looked at the files and noticed both of them where about 28K, smaller than the sizes on Dropbox. So I downloaded them again and got the right size.

Now when I power up the radio I just get the Welcome message. When I try programming the DSP it goes for a short while and comes back with a Programming Failed: Try Again Error 4.

So I guess this is going back to CommRadio on Monday.

73 Eric

 

[NRD-505]

Did you try a reset or erase via the HID bootloader program?

Both are in the Program dropdown.

Bob -- this might be the place to ask: Is it possible to downgrade to a previous DSP and PIC? How about mixing DSP and PIC? For example could I use the PIC from today and a previous DSP?

 

[WB2KTG]

My recommendation would be to go by dates. The DSP changes much more frequently than the PIC. As a rescue attempt, I'd try to go back to an earlier PIC that's consistent date-wise with the DSP. If you know what I mean. If that works, then proceed forward date-wise until you get where you want to go. I don't have any magic relationships for the two.

 

[n0ypd]

Updates went well for me today,and i did notice right away there is an increase in the audio level.Well done so far.I have mine connected to an OCF dipole,and get pretty good results on HF. Not quite as sensitive as my AOR 8200 on the VHF side though.

 

[WB2KTG]

Roadmap to the Future and Progress at CommRadio 3/22/2013

Software (SW) changes completed this week:
:
a. The AGC algorithm was improved with an associated re-calibration of the S-Meter.
b. The audio cutout experienced with the 5 and 25 KHz filters was solved.
c. The internal/external speaker gain was increased to provide sufficient audio to hear weak stations.
d.Correspondingly, the CR-1 power consumption is nominally 0.8W with normal headset and speaker volume and 1.6W at full speaker volume.
e.AFC was added to the VHF and UHF NBFM algorithm. Sensitivity is now shown on the web-store, Product Information page.

Scheduled Software (SW) Upgrades:
The following software is on our short-list (not in any particular sequence):
a.WBFM-broadcast demodulator algorithm.(monaural)
b. AM-Air band Squelch.

 

[johnmblack]

Eric; Don't feel like the Lone Ranger; happened to me, too. Both updates went fine, but now I'm stuck at the "CR1 Welcome" screen. I looked and the file I downloaded for the DSP update is 28k, but the one on Dropbox is 58K. I've sent off a flare to CR1 support, but haven't heard anything yet.
Wish they'd just emailed them....

John