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Posted: 6/19/2015 4:47:26 PM EDT
Sounds like a simple question. I have a KX3 and all the proper cabling. My laptop that I want to work with has a mono microphone jack. This doesn't seem to work. I stopped at Microcenter that's right down the street and bought a C-Media based USB sound card, but it seems to be mono input as well. (To tell the truth, I couldn't remember if I wanted to buy it for this or for piIRLP or something else pi/radio related) So what's the answer on how to do SDR's I/Q input?

Next question might be even worse. Say I do get the I/Q input worked out. What's the accepted way to use it? Do you hook up headphones and transmit through the PC?
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 5:47:05 PM EDT
[#1]
what are you trying to accomplish?

(sounds like you are asking two intermixed questions)



Link Posted: 6/19/2015 5:53:02 PM EDT
[#2]
I am just trying to explore what the KX3 does using HDSDR.
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 6:09:14 PM EDT
[#3]
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 7:04:24 PM EDT
[#4]
You are going to need a better sound card. You need something with stereo input and 192k.

I used a griffen imic but since it only samples up to 48k (stereo) I didn't get much bandwidth. The key is stereo input since you have to measure I and Q data.

Link Posted: 6/19/2015 7:07:23 PM EDT
[#5]
Yes, that I have down and HDSDR is configured to work. I guess my problem is the line in isn't stereo. So what is anyone else using for a stereo line in when the laptop/PC doesn't have one?
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 8:01:12 PM EDT
[#6]
A friend of mine uses an Asus Xonar U5 for capturing music off of CD and MP3 players, so it is a stereo line in.  It is about $75, and is an external unit that connects via USB.  It is 192KHz / 24bit.  I think I saw a $10 rebate at Newegg recently.
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 8:39:30 PM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Yes, that I have down and HDSDR is configured to work. I guess my problem is the line in isn't stereo. So what is anyone else using for a stereo line in when the laptop/PC doesn't have one?
View Quote



you can use an external usb adapter

without stereo it's not going to work

Link Posted: 6/19/2015 9:01:56 PM EDT
[#8]
Yes, the stereo adapter is key and it seems that 192k sampling rate is needed to have the mega display. Unfortunately it's harder than hell to identify stereo USB adapters to start and almost none of them have high end sampling rates.

I swear I saw a post earlier today showing one from ebay or something. Maybe it was a facebook post. I don't know. Time to move onto something else as I see this is going to be a dead end for now.


eta: Found it.
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 9:16:34 PM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Yes, the stereo adapter is key and it seems that 192k sampling rate is needed to have the mega display. Unfortunately it's harder than hell to identify stereo USB adapters to start and almost none of them have high end sampling rates.

I swear I saw a post earlier today showing one from ebay or something. Maybe it was a facebook post. I don't know. Time to move onto something else as I see this is going to be a dead end for now.


eta: Found it.
View Quote


That won't sample at 192k
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 9:19:41 PM EDT
[#10]
Found this from last Christmas that I made.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/678580_The_KX3_sucks_as_a_SDR.html
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 9:38:17 PM EDT
[#12]
Watching with extreme interest.  Please post a "how to" when you get it to work.
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 9:38:57 PM EDT
[#13]
Thanks gcw. I found those earlier too. It's sad that most things I want to do dealing with ham radio, when I search for it there's almost always an ARFCOM thread for it.

No, it won't do 192k, but it's $10. I ordered one for the hell of it.
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 9:41:18 PM EDT
[#14]
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Quoted:
Watching with extreme interest.  Please post a "how to" when you get it to work.
View Quote


If you have a PC with a higher end sound card, it works fine. It's the laptop end that's difficult. You're looking at $50-100 for something that will do the really impressive screen.
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 9:42:37 PM EDT
[#15]
It does 48k like my iMic. All and all it isn't that bad. You still get 20+ KHz on either side of the signal you are listening to. I have kicked around the idea of using a rPi and display to make a knock off PX3 but can't find a sound card or DAC small enough to make it worth it.
Link Posted: 6/19/2015 10:55:28 PM EDT
[#16]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History




Was just ready to post this one. Love it, solid piece of gear.
Link Posted: 7/4/2015 12:04:03 AM EDT
[#17]
From the Echolink discussion tonight, I hooked the $10 sound device up to the KX3 and fired up HDSDR and this is what I got. I must be doing something wrong, any ideas? I can see dots to either side that looked like CW, but I couldn't tune and hear anything through the PC speakers. And if I tune dead center I get loud screeching.

Link Posted: 7/4/2015 4:03:33 PM EDT
[#18]
Ok I fixed the rig control

The 48k isn't really all that bad.

Link Posted: 7/4/2015 8:23:30 PM EDT
[#19]
Likely your audio jack is an I/O jack, meaning that you can both feed and receive audio.

This is what you seek to make it work. Works with both my iPad and the new laptop I just got when my old one shit the bed.

http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-2trs-a22.htm

Link Posted: 7/4/2015 9:26:41 PM EDT
[#20]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Likely your audio jack is an I/O jack, meaning that you can both feed and receive audio.

This is what you seek to make it work. Works with both my iPad and the new laptop I just got when my old one shit the bed.

http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-2trs-a22.htm

View Quote


The problem with those is they don't provide stereo input. Your KX3 has stereo data in the form of I and Q data coming out each on a channel.
Link Posted: 7/4/2015 10:02:54 PM EDT
[#21]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


The problem with those is they don't provide stereo input. Your KX3 has stereo data in the form of I and Q data coming out each on a channel.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Likely your audio jack is an I/O jack, meaning that you can both feed and receive audio.

This is what you seek to make it work. Works with both my iPad and the new laptop I just got when my old one shit the bed.

http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-2trs-a22.htm



The problem with those is they don't provide stereo input. Your KX3 has stereo data in the form of I and Q data coming out each on a channel.



It works
Link Posted: 7/4/2015 10:07:08 PM EDT
[#22]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:



It works
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Likely your audio jack is an I/O jack, meaning that you can both feed and receive audio.

This is what you seek to make it work. Works with both my iPad and the new laptop I just got when my old one shit the bed.

http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-2trs-a22.htm



The problem with those is they don't provide stereo input. Your KX3 has stereo data in the form of I and Q data coming out each on a channel.



It works


It may work but it will only give you half of the spectrum. Depending on what software you use the other side is a mirror image.
Link Posted: 7/5/2015 4:35:15 PM EDT
[#23]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
From the Echolink discussion tonight, I hooked the $10 sound device up to the KX3 and fired up HDSDR and this is what I got. I must be doing something wrong, any ideas? I can see dots to either side that looked like CW, but I couldn't tune and hear anything through the PC speakers. And if I tune dead center I get loud screeching.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hGIF_DQbLONHYDq3JDan-6N-ZhAJCcVZ1vrQaoeAQYQ=w1242-h667-no
View Quote



Found it. Sadly it's when I plug in the elecraft supplied cat cable that those lines show up. Just plugging it into USB doesn't cause it, it's when I plug it into the radio. I'm not going to blame the cat cable itself, but rather the cheap ass USB sound card device. I can run HDSDR without cat and move around and everything works, but what's the point without CAT? Oh well. Time to move on to the next thing to play with.
Link Posted: 7/5/2015 4:57:18 PM EDT
[#24]
Try using tiny python panadapter. It is really lightweight and works well.
Link Posted: 7/6/2015 1:58:01 AM EDT
[#25]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


The problem with those is they don't provide stereo input. Your KX3 has stereo data in the form of I and Q data coming out each on a channel.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Likely your audio jack is an I/O jack, meaning that you can both feed and receive audio.

This is what you seek to make it work. Works with both my iPad and the new laptop I just got when my old one shit the bed.

http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-2trs-a22.htm



The problem with those is they don't provide stereo input. Your KX3 has stereo data in the form of I and Q data coming out each on a channel.


True, but the KX3 audio output is mono, so if you are feeding the computer directly from the audio port, it is mono. It only simulates stereo from the audio affects output.
Link Posted: 7/6/2015 5:34:10 AM EDT
[#26]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


True, but the KX3 audio output is mono, so if you are feeding the computer directly from the audio port, it is mono. It only simulates stereo from the audio affects output.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Likely your audio jack is an I/O jack, meaning that you can both feed and receive audio.

This is what you seek to make it work. Works with both my iPad and the new laptop I just got when my old one shit the bed.

http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-2trs-a22.htm



The problem with those is they don't provide stereo input. Your KX3 has stereo data in the form of I and Q data coming out each on a channel.


True, but the KX3 audio output is mono, so if you are feeding the computer directly from the audio port, it is mono. It only simulates stereo from the audio affects output.


We are using the audio port. If you look at the waterfall I posted you will see that it is ~40KHz wide. If you use the audio jack like you do with FLDIGI or HRD the most bandwidth you can get is the 4KHz with the filters all the way open.

The port we are working with is marked RX IQ and uses a 3/32 stereo pin. You can use the IQ port and audio port together in which case your adapter would work great for the audio side.


OP looking at your waterfall, did you turn RX IQ on in the menu?
Link Posted: 7/6/2015 8:31:03 AM EDT
[#27]
Yes, IQ is on and if you look closely you'll see faint signals not mirroed across the center frequency. It's working, it's just unusable with the interference. Again, it was something coming from the CAT cable assembly. As soon as I unplugged it (and reset the software and KX3.....) the program is usable. You just have to manually tune around to view a different area of the spectrum.
Link Posted: 7/6/2015 10:18:26 AM EDT
[#28]
I had a hell of a time getting HDSDR, my Xonar and an Hardrock RXTX work together. I swapped jacks and twiddled every setting in the software. I FINALLY got to where I could receive CW after ten or so tries.

The problem I have is that I use my PC for gaming, so every time I make changes for SDR, it wrecks my in-game comms.
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