The Zachtek WSPR Transmitter
Contents:
- My Desktop Transmitter
- The building blocks of the Desktop transmitter.
- Lightning Protection
- Python platform build
- Firmware
- Configuration and Setup Application
- Testing a Desktop Transmitter
- Python platform build
- Serial USB Interface
- International WSPR Project Version
- Developmental Config Tool
- The importance of clean power
- Schematic - V2R4-80To10
- Python platform build
[Top][Home]
Related Pages:
- ZachTek WSPR Transmitter
- VK4PK WSPR RX Site
- International WSPR Beacon Project
- Zachtek-Interface-App
- r23 WSPR Raspbery Pi
- My First WSPR Project - VK4PK-Whispering-Pi-v2
[Top][Home]
My Desktop Transmitter
WSPR Desktop transmitter
SKU: 1012-80To10
HF Bands: 80To10
Order No. 12626
Placed on Nov 26, 2022
Postnord Tracking #: RR820342006SE
Shipment
Subtotal US$109.00
Shipping US$ 21.00
Total US$130.00
[Top][Home]
The building blocks of the Desktop transmitter.
Note: picture shows an older revision with hand wound coils.
Source: WSPR Desktop Transmitter Documentation page:
https://www.zachtek.com/1012
[Top][Home]
Lightning Protection
https://www.jaycar.com.au/90v-gas-discharge-type-surge-arrester-2-electrode/p/RS5420
Note: that we used a test point for the antenna connection and the side of
the SMA as the ground for the GDT
Full credit to Ash, VK4ASH for the foresight in recognising this requirement and providing
the technical solution.
Gas discharge arresters are ideal for quenching high voltage, fast rise- time
interference transients. They are very high impedance (vir
Python platform build
kchilton - WSPR-TX-Config:
https://github.com/kchilton/WSPR-TX-Config
[Top][Home]
tually open circuit)
in the normal state with a typical capacitance of 1pF between electrodes. When
a voltage spike appears, they arc over and present a relatively low impedance in
this condition effectively quenching the spike. They are suitable for protection
of telecom lines and antenna circuits. They are not recommended to be fitted
across mains circuits as the low source impedance of the mains could destroy
these device after the fault spike has cleared. - They are a well- proven and
reliable device.- Four models are offered.- PCB Mount- 2 ELECTRODE TYPED.C.
Spark-over Voltage (100V/s)90V +/- 20%
https://www.zachtek.com/forum/general-discussions/static-discharge-latching-issue
[Top][Home]
Firmware
Github Repository:
https://github.com/HarrydeBug/1011-WSPR-TX_LP1#1012-wspr-tx-desktop-transmitter
Serial Interface API
1012 WSPR-TX_Desktop Serial API as used from sofware version 1.10:
1012 WSPR TX_Desktop Serial API 1.10 [pdf] (local)
[Top][Home]
Configuration and Setup Application
The Windows only PC software is here:
https://www.zachtek.com/download
A python based App is in early community development.
WSPR-TX-Config - Configuration tool for the Zachtek WSPR TX products:
https://github.com/kchilton/WSPR-TX-Config
[Top][Home]
Testing a Desktop Transmitter
I set up the unit with the GPS antenna inside a window looking out from under a
steel roof to the east. A tough test for a GPS. However, it locked with several satellites
afer a minute.
I loaded the PC setup applicaton and after a few hours I had the spots appearing
on the wsprnet.net map that proved the unit was operational.
[Top][Home]
Python platform build
kchilton - WSPR-TX-Config:
https://github.com/kchilton/WSPR-TX-Config
[Top][Home]
Serial USB Interface
Desktop Serial API 1.10:
https://github.com/HarrydeBug/1011-WSPR-TX_LP1/blob/master/Documentation/Serial%20API/1012%20WSPR-TX_Desktop%20Serial%20API%201.10.pdf
[Top][Home]
International WSPR Project Version
https://github.com/HB9VQQ/WSPRBeacon
[Top][Home]
This program written in python roughly follows an MVC method. More comments on
this are in the code.
The program purpose is to allow users of the Zachtek WSPR Transmitters to graphically configure their devices on:
- MacOS
- Linux
- Windows
- anywhere else Python, PySerial, and tkinter exists
Source is available here:
https://github.com/kchilton/WSPR-TX-Config
[Top][Home]
The importance of clean power
These are photos from my IC705 during two 20m Zachtek Desktop TX sessions. The
traqnsmittin antenna is a vertical 15 meters above on a metal roof with a
1.5 VSWR on frequency. The IC705 has a small whip inside the shack.The
first is powered straight out of a Dell 3040 desktop's USB ports. The USB cable
has ferrites both end, but nothing else. The second is powered by a power bank.
The artifacts at about 17.5KHz both sides are no longer present. Such is the
quality of Dell's USB ports. A clean PSU or extra power filtering is important.
[Top][Home]
Schematic - V2R4-80To10
Schema for the V2R4-80To10 version:
https://github.com/HarrydeBug/WSPR-transmitters/blob/master/Documentation/1012%20Schema/V2R4-80To10.pdf
Python platform build
kchilton - WSPR-TX-Config:
https://github.com/kchilton/WSPR-TX-Config
[Top][Home]
[Top][Home]
Glenn Lyons VK4PK
glenn@LyonsComputer.com.au
Ver:gnl20211204 - pre published v0.9