Spyverter no longer works

[Airdorn]

Hello All!

I've been using Airspy for a couple of months now. I recently bought Spyverter to go with it and it seemed to work great. It's powered from the Airspy using the bias tee function.. I'm not using a USB cable to power the Spyverter. I am using SDR#.

Recently, I unhooked the Spyverter and ran the Airspy alone. Later, I hooked the Spyverter back up and since then I simply cannot get it to work.

It appears to function, in that SDR# runs but obviously-strong signals, like local AM radio stations, known strong SW stations, etc. are just flat -- nothing at all.

1. The IF output of the Spyverter (the connection on the side with the USB connection) is connected directly to the Airspy RF input using that little gold barrel connector sent with it.

2. I have 'Use Spyverter' and 'Bias Tee' checked in SDR#.

3. PPM is set to 0.05 -- I have never changed this setting even when Spyverter was working properly.

4. I have played around with the linearity gain, etc.

5. I have tried a variety of antennas, including the setup I used when it was working fine. I have verified that my antenna setup works fine otherwise, like with the Airspy without Spyverter attached.

6. I have rebooted the computer.


Airspy, Spyverter, and SDR# are great products but there's really not much info about them that I can find. A lot of the settings remain a complete mystery to me.

Does anyone else have any suggestions of what I can do to get Spyverter working? I feel like I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks!

Kevin

 

[boatbod]

Is it possible you left the bias tee turned on when the spyverter was disconnected and the antenna directly connected to the airspy shorted out the dc voltage? If you have a multimeter you could check for dc bias voltage on the antenna connector.

If you can, you could also try powering the spyverter independently and see if that makes it work.

 

[Airdorn]

Yes, that is possible.

Are you saying that if one unhooks the Spyverter and attaches an antenna to the Airspy, and if one leaves the "Bias tee' option in SDR# checked, one can destroy the bias tee powering function of the Airspy?

I tried plugging a mini usb cable to the Spyverter and turning off 'boas tee' in SDR#... no improvement.

Thanks!

 

[k9wkj]

did you set the IF offset for the Spyverter which if my research is correct is 120Mhz

 

[Airdorn]

did you set the IF offset for the Spyverter which if my research is correct is 120Mhz

I don't think I ever had to do that before. Where do you set that?

 

[boatbod]

Yes, that is possible.

Are you saying that if one unhooks the Spyverter and attaches an antenna to the Airspy, and if one leaves the "Bias tee' option in SDR# checked, one can destroy the bias tee powering function of the Airspy?

I tried plugging a mini usb cable to the Spyverter and turning off 'boas tee' in SDR#... no improvement.

Thanks!

If the antenna presents a short circuit to an SDR device while the bias tee is enabled it might be possible to damage it. It really depends on the design of the hardware. Not saying that is the cause of your problem, but something worth checking.

 

[k9wkj]

I don't think I ever had to do that before. Where do you set that?

i dont use SDR# so im of no help where/how to do that
but any of my upconverters need the IF offset plugged into the software
but maybe it is just a equipment selection menu in SDR#
i really dont know

 

[Airdorn]

i dont use SDR# so im of no help where/how to do that
but any of my upconverters need the IF offset plugged into the software
but maybe it is just a equipment selection menu in SDR#
i really dont know

With the SDR# software and the Airspy/Spyverter it's all seamless... there is no offset setting, as far as I can tell.

 

[k9wkj]

there is no offset setting, as far as I can tell.

well for giggles tune to 125Mhz is WWV there? or maybe pick some other station you know will be there and add 120Mhz

 

[Airdorn]

Nothing there or anywhere else between 120Mhz and 140Mhz.