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Compatible software for the HF+

SDR #

The standard software for the HF+ is SDR #. This free software, which also supports some other SDR's, was developed like the HF+ by Youssef Touil. It is a flexible and responsive operating software that leaves almost nothing to be desired. The SDR # is stable and constantly evolving. It also allows you to remotely control other HF+ using the spy server. SDR# can be functionally expanded enormously with "plugins". For such complex programs, training is essential and time-consuming. Some settings and activating functions can only be changed by accessing the program files. For users without knowledge a difficult hurdle! Like any software, SDR# has its own peculiarities. A special feature is the reception level indicator. Normally the signal level is displayed in S-steps or dBm. Not so with SDR#, which uses "dBFS" as a level meter! A rather unknown and unfamiliar type of signal display for the normal listener. What's up with the dBFS? After clarification with Youssef and after some confusing discussions on the forum dx-u, here's the explanation:
The "dBFS" (dB Full Scale) is used to show the modulation of the SDR. At 0dBFS the full scale is reached. If the drive exceeds the 0dBFS limit, the SDR or certain modules will "clipping", which means overload. Thus, there is a danger that intermodulation or increased band noise will be noticeable. In such a case, a weakening of the signal by means of attenuator is required. The second display, which is displayed with a blue bar to the right of the spectrum, is the important SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio). This value is very important for the DX'er, because it allows conclusions about the signal quality. A good explanation for this I found at Wikipedia:

<< The signal-to-noise ratio serves as an evaluation number for judging the quality of an (analog) communication path. To be able to extract the information safely from the signal, the useful signal must stand out clearly from the background noise, so the SNR must be sufficiently large. If the SNR drops, the error rate increases with digital transmissions. As a characteristic of a receiver, the SNR characterizes when the receiver can distinguish noise from the signal. For a human being, at least a SNR of about 6 dB is required in a noisy signal in order to be able to hear the language contained therein >>

SDR# does not have to be installed, which greatly simplifies the commissioning of the HF+. Connect the HF+ to the PC via USB cable, start SDR# and select the Airspy HF+ in the upper left corner under "Source" and click Start.

SDR Console V3

The well-known and popular SDR-Console V3 fully supports the HF+. Long before the HF+ officially came on the market, Simon Brown had received a pre-production device to integrate it into the SDR-Console V3. It was worth it! Although the SDR-Console V3 is still in the "Preview" phase and still has various bugs, it still makes it fun to work with. If set correctly, you will get the best performance from the HF+. With the V3 you can also access the spy server network.

The spy server network

With SDR# and SDR-Console V3 you have the possibility to access online Airspy HF+. The website https://airspy.com/spy-servers/ lists some HF+ but also other Airspy or RTL SDRs that allow remote access. To access HF+ online, you only have to go to "Source" in the menu "Spy-Server" and enter the dialing address, which can be found on the Airspy website.

As an example the address of my HF+: sdr: //fenu-airspy.ddns.net: 5555

For comparisons and first steps with the software, this is a very good option. As long as you are accessing a device on its own and it is unlocked to receive the entire frequency spectrum, you can test the device almost without any restrictions. Once a second user accesses the same device, you can only move in the 660KHz wide spectrum that is currently visible. Unfortunately, this had to be done because the data become too big and the transmission would collapse.

On a wave hunt with the HF +

After reading so much about the HF+, I was naturally very curious about the reception behavior! Before I crashed into the DX-turmoil, I first heard in the stronger KW and MW channels purely. First, the low background noise was noticeable! I would not have expected that. Quickly turned on the Winradio G33DDC Excalibur Pro to compare the situation. Indeed! The small HF+ offered the same low noise as the 10x more expensive Winradio. The calibrated display of the Winradio showed -135dBm in the 25m band as a noise floor. Since the SDR # software uses "dBFS" as a level meter, this could not be converted. But sonically, both were alike. Weak signals were no problem at all for HF+. The reception quality was in the first rough overview as good as the Winradio.
In the evening, the signals are known to be stronger and present many receivers with challenges. It happens that ghost signals appear on frequencies that should actually be free. So did the HF+. There were a lot of unwanted signals in the 19m band. These had their origin in the 49m band and in the medium wave. With the Winradio G33DDC, not a single ghost station could be heard or seen on the spectrum, even though the preselector was off. To rule out a software bug, I took both programs to check the situation in the 19m. The ghost stations were received on both programs. A software error was thus excluded.
The pictures below show in a 400KHz wide spectrum how many ghost signals the HF + produces in the 19m band. Compared to the Winradio G33DDC the absolutely clean reception offers. The transmitter at 15580KHz is not a ghost station.

I collected the above experiences in the first few hours. That was sobering and somewhat dampened the initial euphoria. But that did not stop me from testing and comparing the HF+ as always. So we start the test on the lowest receivable frequency.
In the VLF range up to about 130KHz, the HF+ was quite deaf. Other testers reported good performance in this area. The reason for this was the coupling capacitor in the RF antenna input. This pretty much dampened the low frequencies. In the pre-serie specimens this was not yet in it. In place of the capacitor was a 0ohm resistor which allowed full frequency pass. It was not long before resourceful specialists found a way around this shortcoming. Some made a bridge over this capacitor, others were cleverer and tested various capacitor values ​​to find the best result. But why a capacitor? This coupling capacitor prevents the penetration of harmful DC voltage into the electronics and protects the sensitive receiver assemblies from damage.
Because of this fact, I first let the VLF range test until my HF+ was also modified. The long wave range worked well to very well. Here very low background noise and acceptable sensitivity. Presumably, the effect of the coupling capacitor was also noticeable on long wave. Small level differences to Winradio were detectable. On the medium wave and shortwave the HF+ played very well! Sensitivity and noise were just great! In these disciplines, the HF+ could actually beat the much more expensive Winradio!
Now the DX camp in the Holzerbachtal near Solingen was on the program. A colleague who also participated, modified the HF+, so that the VLF range was also receivable. On the whole we had ten antennas at the antenna distributor. These include Loops, Active Dipoles, Mini Whip and a 80m longwire. Especially the long wire delivered extreme levels. Fortunately, the disturbances were weak at this camp. Noise levels of -140dBm were almost normal. The Airspy HF+ coped with most antennas without oversteering. Most of the larger and high-power antennas were in the evening oversteer effects on VLF and KW noticeable. Apart from these manageable slips, the HF+ delivered very good reception results and proved its worth.
To return to VLF again; After the modification, the HF+ played really well in this low frequency range. We had five HF+ at this camp. All modified on the coupling capacitor. With the small MiniWhip we managed a rare reception. A time signal at 40KHz from Japan. Easy to receive with the HF +.
Back at home, the VHF range was scrutinized. With the existing antennas, which are mainly designed for HC, the VHF range was only tested. After all, FM broadcasting was in stereo receivable. Even radio signals were received here and there.
Modification of the coupling capacitor in the HF input.
A major topic on some Internet forums was the modification of the coupling capacitor for maximum sensitivity of the HF+ in the VLF range. Many simply bypassed this, others swapped out for capacitors with different values. Well proven has a value between 100nF to 150nF. The original has a value of 330pF. The colleague has soldered at my three-piece parallel connected with a total value of 130nF. The result can be heard. The HF+ now receives from about 10KHz. This modification has no effect on the upper frequency ranges. The shift change should only be made if you put a lot of emphasis on the VLF range, or if you want full sensitivity on the long wave. Airspy informed me that the next big batch of HF+ has already installed this modification. However, with a little different values.

An additional modification is a firmware update of the HF+. A few days after receiving the HF+, I got the firmware update from Airspy for testing. This update changed the AGC control limit by -6dB, which made a good impression. The reception became quieter and more pleasant. In particular, the gain control of very strong signals has been improved. Interestingly, there were fewer intermodulations after the update.

The latest firmware updates can be downloaded here. At the bottom of the website. https://airspy.com/airspy-hf-plus/

The latest SDR# Software can be downloaded here. https://airspy.com/download/

Audio comparisons between Airspy HF+ and Winradio G33DDC Excalibur Pro

Granted, a somewhat unusual comparison! But given what the HF + is said, I still find it fitting to compare a low-cost SDR with a premium SDR.
Comparison conditions: Both devices were connected via the proven antenna switch ELAD ASA-62 either to the Kreuzloop/RLA4-2E or the Datong AD370. The control programs were set as equal as possible. No noise reduction (NR) was used. Bandwidths are always the same for both. Noiseblanker switched on, no additional amplification or attenuation of the signal.

When listening to the audio comparisons necessarily use a headphone!

66.66KHz CW Time Signal Taldom Severnyj	198KHz AMS BBC R4	1575KHz AMS RAI 1	4875KHz AMS Radiodifusora Roraima	5025KHz AMS Radio Rebelde	5450KHz USB RAF Volmet	5980KHz AMS Radio Marti	7093KHz LSB Amateurfunk
7850KHz USB CHU Canada	11253KHz USB RAF Volmet	12140KHZ AMS Radio Liberty	14125KHz USB Amateurfunk	15690KHz AMS Radio Farda	17870KHz AMS ALL INDIA RADIO	21670KHz AMS Radio Saudi

Conclusion:

After the intensive test phase of about 4 weeks I got to know the HF+ well. With SDR# both with the SDR console V3 was able to convince the small HF+. Not in all respects, his behavior on good amateur antennas revealed his weakness. The large signal behavior was not always good enough. During the day the HF + played great and without problems. In the evening, however, ghost stations appeared in the VLF area and on the shortwave. Apart from that, the HF+ delivers excellent reception performance in all areas. In the low-budget class a blast!

The HF + is a highlight in the SDR scene! Best price performance ratio.

Posted 09.02.2018

Airspy HF+ Preselector Add-on

The HF+ is undoubtedly one of the best low-cost SDR's. However, as the previous test showed, the HF+ produced intermodulation and ghost signals on hobby antennas. Youssef Touil has responded to that. Together with the radio amateur Leif Asbrink (SM5BSZ), who has an excellent knowledge of HF technology, he developed a preselector for the Airspy HF+. The goal was to install a hardware extension (add-on) in the small housing of the HF+. After about 6 months development time it was time. I received the very small preselector with the dimensions of approx. 32x16mm directly from Itead, the manufacturer of Airspy products, for testing.

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The installation was not easy. Without the right tool, this can not be done. It is absolutely necessary to have an SMD soldering station and magnifying glasses. Also experience in soldering of SMD components is required. First, the coupling capacitor had to be removed at R3. Subsequently, three pieces of cable were soldered to the solder pads of the preselector and to the terminal solder joints on the motherboard. The preselector was then glued to the HF+ board with double-sided tape. Then the antenna input/output at R3 had to be soldered. Here only solder bridges were made. Finally, a ground bridge with a short piece of cable to the opposite shielding was made. The installation took just under an hour. After the HF + was screwed together again, it could start.

Technical data of the HF+ preselector Dimensions: approx. 32x16mm Weight: 3g The following filters are installed: Low pass 0-5MHz Bandpass 5-9MHz Bandpass 9-17MHz Bandpass 17-31MHz Insertion loss: 1-3dB (depending on the frequency range)

Block diagram of the HF+ preselector

The antenna input is protected by a surge arrester. This prevents the penetration of harmful overvoltage, which protects the subsequent electronics from damage. Then the signal is switched to the corresponding filter depending on the set frequency. This is done by the two electronic switches "1P4T Switch". The filtered signal is then fed to the receiver. Filter switching is controlled by the firmware of the HF+. Unfortunately, no bypass switch position was provided. That would have been very interesting to make comparisons!

As already mentioned, the preselector is controlled by the firmware of the HF+. So other SDR programs can be used instead of SDR#. First of all the SDR-Console V3! With this I have made my comparisons. It's easier for me to use than SDR#. According to the developers, the Airspy HF+ with built-in preselector should approach the reception performance of the Perseus SDR, or even be a little better. The HF+ with built-in preselector should have a dynamic range of 105dBm. These are values ​​that have semi-professional devices!
I compared the Airspy HF+ to the G33DDC for three weeks. Also I got a second HF+ without preselector to make a direct comparison. In addition, everyone could use the freely accessible spy server to test my HF+ with preselector and form their own opinion. As a comparison antenna the active dipole of Stampfl and the NTi ML200 loop with 4m circumference was used.
First of all I checked the upper frequency ranges, where unwanted signals from the VLF, LW and KW could be heard. And behold! With Preselector no unwanted signals can be heard and on the spectrum/waterfall no suspicious peaks can be detected. The entire shortwave reception offered the same picture. On the frequencies where unwanted signals were to be heard before the installation of the preselector, nothing more was detected. That at different times of the day. Also in the evening, when the signal levels were very high, I could not detect any unwanted signals in the three weeks.
The comparison of HF+ with and without preselector showed impressively the effect of the small filter board. The pictures below show these differences.

Picture below: The HF+ without preselector. Very many intermodulation products in the 11m band from the long, medium and shortwave. Also from the VLF range, the time signal that sends to 77.5KHz can be seen.

 

Picture below: In the same frequency range at exactly the same time and with the same antenna, the HF+ with built-in preselector. The differences are very visible. Absolutely free of intermodulation and other unwanted signals.

Illustration side by side in full resolution. Click on the picture below.

 

Picture below. In the 19m band of HF+ without preselector with other settings at exactly the same time with the same antenna. AGC off, and preamp on. A setting that the HF+ without preselector can not handle. The HF+ overdrives heavily.

 

 

Picture below: In the 19m band of the HF+ with preselector with the same settings at exactly the same time with the same antenna. The amplification of the signal with the preamplifier is easily handled by the HF+.

Illustration side by side in full resolution. Click on the picture below.

 

Picture below: Depending on where there are strong signals in the frequency band, signal mixtures form at HF+ without preselector. From approx. 13MHz these signal mixes are always accompanied with disturbances from VLF and the long wave at 15590KHz. And to the left and right of the center frequency.

 

Picture below: The HF+ with preselector. Apart from the local disturbances, no unwanted stations and transmitter mixes are detected.

Illustration side by side in full resolution. Click on the picture below.

 

Picture below: Below the 22m band in the utility area. Again, the same picture. Without preselector, temporarily fluctuating overload phenomena.

 

Picture below: Below the 22m band in the utility area. No interference with preselector.

Illustration side by side in full resolution. Click on the picture below.

 

Conclusion:
The creators of the HF+ Preselector have succeeded in breathe the power of a semi-professional device into a low-cost device. The HF+ with the preselector add-on is a must for the serious short-wave DX'er! Thus, a low-cost SDR provides semiprofessional reception power for the first time. The preselector board is expected to be for $ 49USD to buy. In view of the increase in receiving power, a very reasonable price.
Price / Performance: Outstanding!

posted: 28.07.2018