New SDR CommRadio CR-1

[KA0KLQ]

Sounds like the programmers are working at a fever pitch. Curious as to what folks think with the latest revision and how it handles the weak signals next to the strong ones? I wonder now how the battery usage changes with the higher power draw? Still much lower power draw than competing receivers. I am very interested, just want to be sure the basic performance kinks are worked out.

73,

Mike

 

[NRD-505]

Hmmmm....

I'm using Firefox 19.0.2 on Windows 7 SP1 and tried the download again. I get the proper file size.

 

[NRD-505]

Distortion / AGC

With March 23 --1621/1624 -- Is anyone noticing distortion with strong AM BCB signals?

Also, there does seem to be some desensitization about 120khz before and after a strong AM BCB station. With a minimal antenna one can hear the background noise begin to drop as a strong station is approached and passed.

The fix for the 5kc filter appears to have been resolved.

 

[EricCottrell]

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

Hello,

The downloaded 28K file is html from Dropbox. I did an experiment and this file results if you right click on the file link in the main list and select save link. The html is saved using the filename of the file you want to download.

You have to click on the file link and then click on the download link on the next page. The habit of right clicking on links and saving does not work on Dropbox.

CommRadio support is during normal business hours so I do not expect an answer until Monday.

I did not update the PIC code. The DSP code got trashed and it is needed to update the DSP flash via the USB. The factory can attach an in-circuit programmer to the DSP flash chip directly and update the DSP flash.

I have to deal with firmware updating for products I help develop. We try to limit the cases where failure to update firmware results in return of the equipment to the factory. Some of our products have a method to force the device into a code upload mode that just waits for the update.

Since the PIC is still working, a future enhancement suggestion is a mode where the PIC reboots the DSP using a different boot mode and loads a simple program that just writes to DSP flash. The user can then run the DSP update program and update the flash to the full program. This would help minimize the problems with a bad update.

73 Eric

 

[n0ypd]

I am also noticing on the SW bands when a signal 20+ begins some distortion.Same noise on strong signals on the VHF FM. Also on HF the audio is still on the low side,better than it was,but still low.

 

[NRD-505]

March 22 update

Please find attached a ZIP file containing the March 22 DSP and PIC updates:

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

I got email from CommRadio. They are aware of two people with the bad update file problem. They will send RMA instructions to me on Monday.

I suggested adding some file verification to the DSP updater program and a couple of other suggestions. They liked my suggestions and will look into making the updating of the radio better.

73 Eric

 

[johnmblack]

CR1 brick

Guess it's you and me, who had the bad luck. I also got an email from Don, advising that he'd be in touch on Monday for a return.

They should think of a failsafe like you mentioned in case this kind of thing happens. It's disappointing to the customer and expensive for the manufacturer. Live and learn.

I think I double-clicked on the file when I downloaded it. I use Dropbox every day for work and have never had a problem, but mostly I open and close Excel files stored there, and in that case they're on my hard drive already anyway.

On to next week!

John

 

[WB2KTG]

CommRadio CR-1 Wiki

The members of this forum represent the brightest and the best of the CR-1 owners. Some of us are beta testers, others proud owners and early adopters of this revolutionary piece of hardware. We have all learned lessons by trial and error. I'd like to get suggestions from people as to what 'lessons learned' should be passed on to newer users in the form of a CR-1 Wiki column, perhaps hosted on the CommRadio site. (I haven't spoken to Don about this yet...).

I'll start:

Yesterday I was trying to listen to NOAA at 162.55 MHz but the audio was terrible sounding. I eventually checked and saw I was in MANUAL mode vice AUTOMATIC, and as a result, my last filter bandwidth setting (while listening to HF) was 5 KHz. Lesson: If you hear distortion in a demodulated signal, first check your bandwidth setting to make sure it's appropriate for the mode you're listening to. Make sure you want to be in whichever TUNING MODE you are in, AUTO vs. MANUAL

Next Suggestion???

 

[NRD-505]

Screen real estate is limited but how about displaying actual the filter width?

 

[WB2KTG]

That sounds like a good suggestion for a future improvement!

The display could then display something like:

BW 5 KHz or BW 0.5 KHz or BW 15 KHz

That looks like it would take no more than 10 ASCII characters.

And the suggestion would be that the BW display could be always on, maybe in the bottom center of the display. That way there would be no mistakes of what bandwidth you're using. Makes sense to me!

 

[loumaag]

... I'd like to get suggestions from people as to what 'lessons learned' should be passed on to newer users in the form of a CR-1 Wiki column, perhaps hosted on the CommRadio site. (I haven't spoken to Don about this yet...).

At the minimum you could start it here in our Wiki and, if Don wants, you could move it or just continue it here. At the minimum you should have a CR-1 specific article in our Wiki describing it (sort of like some of the scanner pages), at the moment the only thing in the Wiki (AFAIK) is a link to the CommRadio site on the SDR page in the Wiki.

 

[NRD-505]

How about poll about what should be, minimally, on the primary display of the CR-1?

Suggestion:
1) Frequency
2) Mode
3) Bandwidth
4) AGC (if applicable someday)
5) Battery strength/Charging status/Power connection
6) Signal strength
7) Volume level
8) Notch/Blanker status (if applicable someday)
9) UTC (or whatever time is useful)
10) Muting level
11) USB status (when applicable)
12) Antenna connection

Perhaps incorporate a "hybrid mode" instead of only Amateur or SWL. In most cases there is no overlap and where there is overlap let the "Amateur" or "SWL" setting determine the preference.

A lot of screen "real estate" is being taken by the band display. Suggestions could be
49m S
40m A
160m A
AM (or BCB)

Perhaps that shortened nomenclature would make room for additional display items.

 

[n0ypd]

I would like to see the time display also,and i sure hope they keep the battery level.I sure am looking forward to Friday again,it's like Christmas,,jk.New updates will bring? hmmm

 

[n0ypd]

Not sure if it would be possible,but how about P25 upgrade? Anyone?

 

[WB2KTG]

Lots of suggestions for future improvements. How about some "lessons learned"? What advice would you give a noob to give them a helping hand based on the learning experiences that you've fought your way through?

 

[KJ5QY]

Batter Charging Icon

The battery Icon appears to keep slowly charging. It will start out with the battery outline, then slowly fill going towards the top of the Icon/Battery, then sometimes it will randomly blink and start the process all over. This action changes and there seems to be no pattern to it. Could this be some kind of a slow charge topping off the battery? I do not recall this until the first update. It is still doing it after last Fridays second update of March 22nd. Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks,

Rick -- KJ5QY

 

[NRD-505]

Based upon what exists:
1) Read this entire forum topic (Is any other forum truly discussing this radio?)
2) Watch the training videos.

Generally:
1) Use a longwire antenna of 50' or so (or longer). I would not expect a "noob" to have a loop (yet).
2) Do not expect much in the way of BCB/HF performance with an unamplified whip.
3) Good earth/ground.
4) Turn off/unplug any nearby device that utilizes a switching power supply.
5) Be mindful of florescent lights.
6) Use a regulated, non-switching power supply.

TIP:

For SWL try tuning in 1kHz steps or lower. The 5kc filter is so sharp that with 5kc tuning steps an encoder hiccup tunes right past a station without letting the operator knowing the station is even there.

Related to that tip I would like to see an encoder that utilizes more steps per revolution (even if it means sacrificing the push to change the tuning digits) -- an encoder that could simulate the tuning "feel" of an analog VFO. 128 PPR or better.

 

[n0ypd]

Heck,I'm still a noob,with this receiver.

 

[WB2KTG]

n)ypd-

You've had your learning experiences recently, so you can more easily remember and pass them on than some of the rest of us. Definitely post-noob if you ask me!