Hi Tippy I just re read my article to remind me what I did.
I see I had both SC4021 and SC4205 kits and hooked them up per the instructions and it just worked.
Is your set up the same with both kits joined up?
Fred.

Hi Fred,
thanks for the tip regards the Silicon Chip Micromite kit.
I ordered one to - just arrived this morning. Unfortunately they did not supply any instructions so I had to purchase a back copy of the magazine.
Cheers
Nigel

Yeah Nigel, that's SC, you need the magazine article.
I just looked at the pictures and figured out where the parts go.
I use the unit as a sweep generator for RF work on tuned circuits in TRF and Superhets.
You can set the start and finish frequencys exactely and view the results by putting a scope on the diode load.
Have a look in the special projects section where I used it on the TRF set.
Its a tool you can do things with, not limited to the IF display function as shown in the article.
Fred.

I bought the digital back copy of Silicon Chip - a mistake. It doesn't allow you to print out an article page by page... just 2 pages plus index on 1 sheet. Talk about annoying. I don't mind the screen for browsing but I do prefer being able to print something out and work of a hard copy!
Here goes - fingers crossed.
Nigel

Hi Nigel, crikey, I just assumed if you buy a digital copy you get the lot!
Pity the kit dept at Jaycar did not do that combo as a kit. It was mandatory there to provide a print of the article with each kit.
I'm not tech savvy enough to work out how to get each page as a full sheet, maybe SC has a different service to do this?
The old fashioned way would be to scan a magazine to PDF and drop those pdf's onto this thread but I think that may violate a policy of the site somewhere?
Geez people PDF my coin book and drop onto various sites and I don't care, but I guess SC have to be commercial and protect the cash flow.
Fred.

Hi again Nhanwell and Fred, sorry I didn't realise there was a second page to this thread

Fred... I purchased both the SC4021 and SC4205 kits and assembled them as per the SC instructions. They suggest the backpack will work without the DDS module attached and to test it once assembled. It didn't work so I wired the DDS module in and it made no difference. I tested all the components and voltages on the backpack and they are all ok, it may well be the display. The parts are in the right locations and the IC is correctly orientated.

I sent an email to SC but as yet no reply other than to say they received my email.

Anyway, I decided to just order a new backpack and a programming serial cable, assuming this one works I can use it to troubleshoot the original. If I can get the original one working I will be able to muck around programming it

HI Tippy,
sorry to read about your issues.

I went to altronics this morning to get the jiffy box and the hookup components.

I've just connected a 5v PSU to the backpack and it fired up straight away - touchscreen works well and from first impressions intuitive. Now to complete the hook up of the DDS.

My only comment is did you orientate the voltage regulator correctly? I was confused, initially by the "+" sign adjacent to it on the PCB .. then I finally worked out that referred to the adjacent capacitor and the semi-circle on the PCB was indicating the orientation of the voltage regulator. Just a thought ... its always the bloody obvious things that can catch you out - well from my experience anyway!

Cheers
Nigel

The last time I emailed something to SC I got the automated received notification and that was all she said.
Fred.

The last time I emailed something to SC I got the automated received notification and that was all she said.

Give them a call. It's been my experience that the office manager at SC is very efficient in the job.

Unit completed.
Checked output frequency with my frequency counter/generator .. spot on.
Looked at output on scope and all looks OK.

Then tried it on my STC ...which is still on the bench. Looks like it had originally been tuned to an IF of 490 kHz.
It was relatively easy using the unit to bring it back to 455 - and then tweak the trimmers to adjust the bandwidth.
Definitely more selective.

Another bonus was the ability to use it as a frequency generator -- upto 10 MHz to align the frontend.

I'm happy with the unit and its capability for the price.

Thanks again Fred.

"I've just connected a 5v PSU to the backpack and it fired up straight away"

Well that cheered me up noend

That's why I just ordered another one, by the time SC tech get back to me I will have lost interest or be mentally incompetent.

Yes Nhanwell, thanks, I checked the voltage regulator, it's the the right way and delivering 3.3V to pin 13 and to the header. I think it will be the chip or the display. When I get the new one, assuming it works, I will be able to determine where the fault lays and ring SC for compensation.

Happy you have a working version Nigel, looks like a very accurate and easy way to do alignments

I have a line of radios I want to use it on.

Thanks Fred for the suggestion

Update to all...

I ordered a new IC1 for my Micromite LCD BackPack, pre-programmed for radio IF alignment (still no reply from SC) plugged it in and the display worked perfectly. I suspected it was the chip all along and I suspected it wasn’t programmed. I also ordered another backpack and the programming serial cable, I'll have to think what to make with that.

Thanks everyone for you help and suggestions