ULTRAM VCO

[M0ATV]

I noticed with mine when powered from the 8v supply direct from the regulator output, it wont output enough to power the amp stages, but mine has been connected directly to the 12v supply line since completion & on soak test for hours on end & runs perfectly, powering the output stage to drive my amps at a steady 8-10w output.

[on4bhm]

on what port do i connect the vcc?

on4bhm

[g0uhy]

Hopefully the photo will show you how to connect the VCO. It runs on 6-9V.

73

Malc

[w0fms]

Alain and/or Richard:

I did receive a nicely packaged Arduino/LCD Display "shield" board from China, yes-- for only $29 delivered, that I do wish to use for the tuning of the Ultram VCO (the second one I bought which I am still awaiting is for the BATC DigiLite project). I wonder if either of you gentlemen could please give me advice on the setup you use for the registers on the ADF4360-5 Chip and maybe help clarify the direction that the data (MSB first or LSB first?) is latched into the chip? So I don't either have to reverse engineer something (i.e. sniff one of your two boards or the 12C629 on the Ultram board) or wait for source code from Alain. It's a little vague from the data sheets.

What I am looking for is:

On the control register: What prescale do you use? It looks like in our frequency range any of them would work, but what is recommended?
"Current Setting 1/2" on the Control latch looks like 2.5 mA (111) is the correct value? "Power down 1/2" looks like 00 are the correct values? "Phase detector polarity" as positive 1 looks right for the Ultram passive filter, correct? "Muxout" should be three state (000)? or does the Ultram board use one of the MUXOUT features like lock detect? Lastly Core Power level at 20mA (11), right?

On the N-counter: CP gain of 0? Correct?

On the R-counter latch: Band Select clock divisor of 8 (11)? Lock Detect of three clock cycles (0)? Anti-backlash 3.0 ns (00)?

Again, sorry to trouble you both-- but this is cheaper and easier than etching up boards to run your solutions. I hope you don't mind as this isn't rocket science but it would be nice to get it right the first time with minimal reverse engineering. I'd really appreciate if you confirm these settings for me.

Thanks and 73, Fred W0FMS

[G0MXW]

Fred

Not pulled Ultram or any other software apart, here are settings from my control pic in no particular order

PFD Freq = 50Khz
Ref In Freq = 10MHz
RF Prescaler = 32/33
Internal Divide by 2 = not selected
Output Divide by 2 = not selected
Mute Till Lock Detect = enabled
Band Select Clock Divider Value=8
Anti Backlash Pulse Width = 3.0 nS
CP Gain=0 (Current 1 and 2 setting = 2.5mA)
RF PD Polarity = Positive
Charge pump = active
Counter Reset = Disabled
Lock detect Precision=3
Output Power Level = -6dbm
Core Power Level = 10mA
Power Down Settings = Normal
Digital Lock Detect (Muxout) = Digital Lock Detect

Muxout you can set to whatever suits you. I set to Digital LD to check for valid digital lock on Muxout
If I've missed anything let me know

Dave
G0MXW

[G0MXW]

Forgot the order Fred

R Latch
Control Latch
N latch
all MSB first

Dave
G0MXW

[w0fms]

Thank you.. Thank you... Thank you.. Perfect timing! That is indeed everything. Starting with a known working set like that is golden. Thank you...

I received my Ultram board from Isreal (for this project) in the mail this morning. I'm looking forward to this part of the project because I'll get to hack a bit. I do have a bunch of family commitments until US Thanksgiving so I probably won't be able to package up the Ultram/Arduino and/or the Digilite this upcoming weekend.. but soon... certainly by Christmas.

I'll publish what I come up with. What I like about using the Arduino for this is that it's simple to program, has all of the libraries (like ShiftOut, LCDCrystal, AnalogIn, and Serial) so I don't really have to write anything, just tie it all together. Also the tool chain is open source, completely free and readily available. I also bought the 2009 version (Arduino Duemilanove) because it's the FTDI chip based one. The intent here is also to eventually also control the PLL with either/both the front panel LCD or the USB Serial.

Since one of these boards can be had for about US $18 on e-bay w/o the LCD or $29 with -- it's another cheap solution.

Only problem is that it's also a 5V device so I'll have to use a voltage divider like both of the existing designs or a FET or something.. but that's not a big problem.

Thanks,

Fred W0FMS

[F1CJN_alain]

When I use the Ultram VCO connected to the Digilite, there is spurious oscillations (-35dB at 150 MHz from the carrier). My Digilite OL input uses the 10 dB attenuator.
If the Ultram O/P is connected directly to my analyser, then the output is correct.
When I put my finger on the Ultram output, the spurious stops for ever.

So two solutions :
- either connect the OL, before the Ultram output amplifier, as recommended in the Digilite site,
- or add on the Ultram VCO, a 805 68pf capacitor to ground at the jonction of the inductance and the 51 Ohms resistor near the output the ECG001B Triquint amplifier.
This capactor is wired as a piggyback on an existing capacitor. I suspect the Ultram board not to use the recommended 68pf as described in the Triquint documentation.

Best regards and have good DA-TV.
Alain
F1CJN

[G4OHV]

HI
I would like to fix a SMA socket to the Ultram VCO PCB, If I remove the MICC o/p device and components after it, can I span the gaps to the socket with 0 ohm SMD resistors, without upsetting the VCO's output in any way?
regards
Col

[G0KTD]

Yes you can I done that with mine 0 Ohms SMa Socket

Keith