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LP-Bridge / PowerSDR-IQ Beta Page

This page outlines the basic installation and configuration to use LP-Bridge with PowerSDR-IQ from Christos, SV1EIA.  Warning: This page assumes you are familiar with PowerSDR and can configure your sound card to match you current PowerSDR-IF setup. It is a work in progress, and there are a number of open issues to fix, which will require further work by me and Christos. Only the brave should enter here!



3-19-08 UPDATE:
I have released LP-Bridge v0.994, which addresses a couple little bugs...

1. Global Offset now periodically reports its status, even if not adjusted. This eliminates a problem where PowerSDR would not initialize properly with the Global Offset data.
 
2. Mute was inadvetently left off earlier versions. it is now active.
 
3. Preamp link now works in both directions, allowing proper scale changes when turning preamp on or off after initially running calibration routine. See my LP-PAN User Group posting on 3-18-09 for details on calibration.

Here is the updated link.


3-15-09 UPDATE:
LP-Bridge v0.993 is available for testing. It needs to be used with a new version of PowerSDR-IQ (same version number). See links below. LP-bridge can be opened and installed as usual. You must go to Add/Remove Programs and remove the old PowerSDR-IQ before installing this one. You will get a message to this effect if you try to do otherwise. Your settings will not be lost.

Here are the improvements in the new versions...

1. Tuning is much improved for click and drag, and from the K3
2. Band  Buttons now work in PowerSDR-IQ
3. Mode buttons now work in PowerSDR-IQ

Known issues remaining...

1. EIA does not initialize when starting PowerSDR-IQ (even though the button is lit).
2. Thumbwheel tuning does not work.
3. There is no way yet to reverse I & Q on 6 meters to account for the K3 using low side injection on that band..

The above are issues that require further programming by Christos, but are hopefully relatively easy to fix.

4. I still have to figure out the best way to deal with Data modes in K3, which are a bit convoluted.

I have changed the layout of the program to help folks with low resolution displays, but everything is the same otherwise. You'll just have to look around for the new locations of the setup controls.

Overview
 
In order to interface PowerSDR-IQ to LP-Bridge, I had to add support for the CAT interface in PowerSDR. In addition, Christos added some new CAT commands needed to support LP-Bridge. Here are the features available with LP-Bridge / PowerSDR-IQ as compared to PowerSDR-IF (green indicates an advantage)
PowerSDR-IQ
 PowerSDR-IF
VFO A control from both K3 and PowerSDR VFO A control from both K3 and PowerSDR
VFO B control from both K3 and PowerSDR VFO B control from K3 only
Band control from both K3 and PowerSDR Band control from both K3 and PowerSDR
Mode control from both K3 and PowerSDR Mode control from both K3 and PowerSDR
Split control from K3... controls PowerSDR MultiRx
 Split has to be manually set in K3 & PowerSDR
Preamp control from K3... adjusts PowerSDR scale
 Preamp has to be manually set in K3 & PowerSDR
CW Pitch setting from LP-Bridge to PowerSDR CW Pitch has to be manually set in LPB & PowerSDR
Variable H & V sizing up to full screen
 One size
Works with European number format
 Must use US English number format
Automatic Image Rejection... >100dB
 Manual Image Rejection... ~60-70dB
Auto Calibration of level
 Auto Calibration doesn't work
Currently supports only K3 thru LP-Bridge
(Kenwood, K2, FT-2000 coming soon)
 Supports K3 thru LP-Bridge, others thru HRD (limited)
No IQ reversal on 6m with K3 - in development
 Programmable IQ reversal


The differences in configuration of PowerSDR-IF are...

There is no SoftRock IF Stage setup page, and therefore no Global Offset or Default sideband selections for CW and DIG. These are taken care of now in LP-Bridge. I have added a new Global Offset adjustment, and the sideband defaults are hard coded into the program and don't need to be set. There are no image rejection adjustments now, just a button to press on the main console in the DSP group. One additional screen that needs to be set in PowerSDR-IQ though is the CAT tab. This function makes PowerSDR look like a Kenwood radio (with added commands for PowerSDR), which connects to a new virtual port in LP-Bridge.


Here's the link to the PowerSDR-IQ v1.12.20 beta

This version is a beta sent to me by Christos, and is not the same as the ones on his website.

Here's the link to LP-Bridge update version 0.994

This installs like any other update, and will also work with PowerSDR-IF. The two versions of PowerSDR can both be installed on the same PC. Before running the new version of LP-Bridge, though, I would deselect all of your current AutoLaunch entries, so that you can manually check things out before having the supported apps automatically start. LP-Bridge must be running and the PowerSDR port "connected" before you can configure PowerSDR-IQ. Otherwise the port will not appear in the port list in the PowerSDR CAT tab.

Here is a picture of LPB 0.993 in setup mode...


Once the new LP-Bridge is running, you'll need to configure the PowerSDR port. This is a dedicated virtual port which connects to the PowerSDR CAT interface. It defaults to COM20, but you can select any port up to COM20 (PowerSDR does not support higher numbers). AutoConnect works the same as any other virtual port. I would not use AutoConnect or Auto Launch on any of the ports until you have everything configured in PowerSDR-IQ. If you like, you can run PowerSDR-IQ as the 2nd PowerSDR, so that to switch between the two versions you just have to select the correct one to AutoLaunch.

You'll also see a new Global Offset entry. This works the same way as the one in PowerSDR-IF, except that it uses the opposite sign. Just enter the value you use with PowerSDR-IF, but enter it with opposite sign. The default value is -6000, which will be very close to correct for newer LP-PANs. If you have an earlier LP-PAN, the value will be close to 0 (zero). There is nothing new to do with LP-Bridge than to set the PowerSDR port and Global Offset... and to add the path to PowerSDR-IQ for AutoLaunching if you like.

After installing PowerSDR-IQ, there are a few things that have to be set. Here is a picture of the main Hardware Setup page. The main thing on this page is to set the Radio Model to SDR (Si570).



 Next, you need to set the CAT interface...


You can't select the Com port unless LP-Bridge is running. Just select the Com port, click on Enable CAT, click on Allow Kenwood AI Command and click Apply.

Important adjustments to main PowerSDR console screen. On the main console, displayed at the top of this page, click on the EIA button, in the DSP section. This turns on automatic image rejection. Set the number below the button to 0.010 if it's not already set that way. This is the seed value, and determines how fast the algorithm works, and how much compensation it provides. Lower numbers are slower, but provide better weak signal correction. After about 5 seconds, the images should be gone. It works best with a crowded band, and the results will translate to all bands after the initial adjustment. NOTE: There is a bug in the current PowerSDR-IQ, and even though EIA looks like it's on when starting the program, you have to turn it off and then back on to initiate it. Christos is working on a fix. Click on CW mode and deselect the "Break In" box. Click on SR to turn it off. This control has something to do with SDR-1000 hardware, and causes a 3kHz offset with other radios.

73,
Larry N8LP