[hpsdr] is Alex working

[Joe Martin K5SO]

Steve, 

If you'd like visual confirmation that Alex is switching properly you may use KissKonsole (KK Unified) and view the 0-60 Mhz  wideband display when you are connected to a wide band antenna as you change the receiver to different bands.  In that display you can readily see the signals in the frequency segment of the display for the band you select rise in the display relative to the other frequencies.  

73,  Joe K5SO

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Joe Martin K5SO <k5so at valornet.com>
> Subject: Re: [hpsdr] is Alex working
> Date: November 3, 2012 4:39:27 PM MDT
> To: "Steve Mitan" <stevemn at intergate.com>
> Cc: hpsdr at openhpsdr.org
> 
> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
> 
> Steve, 
> 
> From your description it sounds to me that your Alex filter set is working just fine; there should be negligible insertion loss for the filters when they are automatically switched according to your operating frequency.  
> 
> For example, if you are running PowerSDR and you have the front panel Alex control selected (Alex is also specified as being present in the Setup > Hardware Config menu) the relays/filters in Alex will change automatically when you change bands (except between bands that actually use the same filters, of course!).  If the front panel Alex control is de-selected then Alex will be controlled by how you have the manual Alex control settings configured in the Setup > Alex > Filters menu.  
> 
> For proper Alex control I recommend that you use the current firmware versions for Metis (v2.1) and Mercury (v3.3). 
> 
> You do not need Penelope or PennyLane to operate as you desire. 
> 
> 73,  Joe K5SO
> 
> 
> On Nov 3, 2012, at 4:19 PM, Steve Mitan wrote:
> 
>> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
>> 
>> HI all.
>> Either Alex is not working correctly or I have no idea what I am doing.
>>  
>> I have the following boards: Mercury, Atlas, Alex and Metis. I do not have Penelope. I bought the HPSDR for receive only.
>>  
>> Mercury works fine but I am not sure if Alex is working properly. (Alex “To Receiver” is connected to Mercury.  My antenna is connected to  “ANT 1”.  The two Alex boards are connected internally. Preamp can be off or on.)
>>  
>> When Antenna Cltrl is not check there is no signal as if there was no antenna connected.  When the Antenna Cltrl is checked, the signal level and noise is the same as when the antenna is connected directly to Mercury.  I can see no difference. If I check Antenna Cltrl and  try different connections to Mercury or the antenna I get either no signal or a signal equal to the antenna connected directly to Mercury. I can hear the relay clicking when I change the bands.
>>  
>> Will Alex work only if I have Penelope?  Is Alex working properly? What am I doing wrong?
>> Thanks for any enlightenment.
>>  
>> Steve
>> WB3BRG
>>  
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