Recent RS-918SSB User manual

RS-918SSB HF SDR Transceiver
FEBRUARY 15, 2018

Table of Contents
mcHF UI Element Naming Convention........................................................................................ 4
mcHF Basic Screen Layout .............................................................................................................. 4
LCD Touchscreen Functions ........................................................................................................... 5
Key Press Map ................................................................................................................................... 8
UHSDR Quick Operating Guide ................................................................................................... 17
Menu Entries Explained ........................................................................................................................ 19
How to Operate the Menu ................................................................................................................... 19
Menu Overview (Automatically Generated) .................................................................................... 19
uhsdr firmware v.. - UI Menu Overview ................................................................................................. 20
Standard Menu (MENU_BASE) ............................................................................................................ 20
Configuration Menu (MENU_CONF) ................................................................................................... 26
Display Menu (MENU_DISPLAY) ........................................................................................................ 45
CW Mode Settings (MENU_CW) .......................................................................................................... 49
Filter Selection (MENU_FILTER) ........................................................................................................ 51
PA Configuration (MENU_POW) .......................................................................................................... 53
System Info (MENU_SYSINFO) ............................................................................................................ 63
Debug/Exper. Settings (MENU_DEBUG) ............................................................................................ 65
Essential Calibration and Setup Steps ............................................................................................... 67
Touchscreen Setup ............................................................................................................................. 67
SWR/Power Meter Reverse/Forward Orientation ...................................................................... 67
PA Power Calibration ......................................................................................................................... 68
Basic BIAS Adjustment for mcHF RF Board (up to version 0.6) .......................................... 68
TX: RF Power Adjustment ............................................................................................................. 69
TX: FM And Digital Modes ........................................................................................................... 71
IQ Calibration ...................................................................................................................................... 71
TX IQ Adjustments [Valid from 1.5.2] ....................................................................................... 71
RX IQ Adjustments [Valid from 1.5.2] ....................................................................................... 73
SWR/Power Meter Calibration ........................................................................................................ 74
Calibrate Zero Power Offset ........................................................................................................ 75
Calibrate Power Coupling ............................................................................................................. 75

Frequency Calibration ....................................................................................................................... 76
TX calibration approach [from firmware 1.5.8] ...................................................................... 76
RX calibration approach [from firmware 1.5.8] ...................................................................... 76
CW TUNE HELPER ............................................................................................................................... 78
how to use it .................................................................................................................................... 78
How does the frequency snap mode work? ................................................................................. 78
Details for programmers .................................................................................................................. 80
WDSP AGC ........................................................................................................................................ 82
AGC WDSP switch ........................................................................................................................... 83
AGC WDSP Mode ............................................................................................................................ 84
AGC threshold ................................................................................................................................. 84
AGC WDSP Slope ............................................................................................................................ 84
AGC Hang enable ............................................................................................................................ 85
AGC Hang threshold ...................................................................................................................... 85
Fixed gain ......................................................................................................................................... 85
AGC Attack ....................................................................................................................................... 86
FreeDV (Rx & Tx) ................................................................................................................................ 87
How to operate ............................................................................................................................... 87
Theory ............................................................................................................................................... 87
RTTY (RX & TX) ................................................................................................................................... 88
How to operate ............................................................................................................................... 88
RTTY TX (Experimental) ................................................................................................................ 89
Theory ............................................................................................................................................... 89
CW Decoder ......................................................................................................................................... 90
Adjustments ..................................................................................................................................... 91
Theory ............................................................................................................................................... 92
PSK ......................................................................................................................................................... 93
Keyer functionality ............................................................................................................................. 94
How to operate ............................................................................................................................... 94
Future improvements .................................................................................................................... 94
Resources .............................................................................................................................................. 94

Provided functionalities .................................................................................................................... 96
Enabling/Disabling USB CAT/AUDIO............................................................................................. 97
Programs known to work ................................................................................................................. 97
Programs for controlling the rig ................................................................................................. 97
Programs used to receive/transmit digital modes ................................................................. 97
Programs used to receive/transmit CW .................................................................................... 98
SDR Programs for use with IQ Data ........................................................................................... 98
Installation on Windows XP - 8.1 ................................................................................................... 99
Windows Vista and newer ............................................................................................................ 99
Windows XP ..................................................................................................................................... 99
FAQ......................................................................................................................................................... 99
I can see the Speaker/Microphone device but no sound is coming from/going to the
mcHF. I have used an experimental firmware with USB Audio before. .......................... 100
When I start transmitting using CAT, TX LED goes on for a very short time and then
goes off. .......................................................................................................................................... 100
Linux: I can see the /dev/ttyACM0 device, but it still does not work with the programs
like fldigi. ........................................................................................................................................ 100
When I use CW-L and CAT, every frequency change via CAT switches to CW-U. Why?
.......................................................................................................................................................... 101
WSJT-X sound does not work with Ubuntu/Xenial 16.04, - (fldigi works well) ........... 101
McHF driver & Windows 8 64bit .............................................................................................. 101
Product Description: ........................................................................................................................ 103

Operating Manual
There is another project which provides operating manual on gitbook started by Marc,
EA3HZZ. You can access this project here. Contributors / collaborators are welcome as in
github, too :)
If not mentioned otherwise, the information below applies to the newest daily build. So
sometimes there may be some differences if you use older firmware releases.
mcHF UI Element Naming Convention
Please note, that in mcHF related context are also sometimes other names being used
for buttons. Names with starting with capital "S" are the names in the schematic and
found on the PCB. We do not use these here and do not recommend to use them
anywhere.
mcHF Basic Screen Layout

Filter Box
Shows the name of the currently selected RX (!) audio filter. Top line is the upper
frequency, lower line the characteristic parameter:
•BPF -> ~300 - upper frequency
•LPF -> 0 - upper frequency
•otherwise width (300/500 -> for narrow CW filters) or center frequency (for
narrow SSB filters) is shown
LCD Touchscreen Functions

Where
Short Press
Long Press
Whe
n
Comment
"<"
Waterfall/Scop
e bar
Waterfall/Scope
magnification
reduced
RX,
TX
Works
also in big
size mode
with no
bar shown
">"
Waterfall/Scop
e bar
Waterfall/Scope
magnification
increased
RX,
TX
Works
also in big
size mode
with no
bar shown
Left side
Waterfall/Scop
e bar
Toggle
Waterfall/Scope/Dua
l
Toggle
normal/big size
mode visual for
spectrum (i.e.
(no) title bar)
RX,
TX
Works
also in big
size mode
with no
bar shown
Lower part
Waterfall/Scop
e
Tune to the tapped
frequency
RX
Not if
tuning
frequency
is locked,
in AM and
SAM 5khz
grid is
used
Signal Meter
Show next
measurement
RX,
TX
AUD,
SWR, ALC
Frequency
display (three
least significant
digits)
Frequency set to KHz
Boundary
RX

Where
Short Press
Long Press
Whe
n
Comment
MODE Button
Label
Toggle Menu Mode
RX
Short
Press
Button F1
Audio Signal
Box
Next audio source
RX,
TX
See
Encoder 3
& M3
TX Power Box
Next TX power level
RX,
TX
Short
Press
Button G3
DSP Box
Restart Codec I2S
Stream
RX
Use if you
have "twin
peaks
syndrome
"
Left of Band
Name
Next lower band
RX
Right of Band
Name
Next higher band
RX
Tune Step Size
Box
Toggle Dynamic
Tuning
RX
Blue box -
> dynamic
tuning
active
Frequency ruler
Tune to the tapped
frequency
Set new
Scope/Waterfal
l size ratio
RX

Extra Touch Actions
You can get a preview how it looks if mcHF selects new bands provided by future
expansion PCBs if you touch "40" of S-Meter (rf-bands-mod) or "60" of S-Meter
(vhf/uhf-bands-mod) on touchscreen when you are in hardware-menu (touching
toggles pcb present or not "hard-coded").
Key Press Map
Based on the current active-devel firmware
Name of
Key(s)
When
Short Press
Long Press
Comment
Power
Dim LCD
Power On /
Save Config
and Power
down
Power +
BAND+
-
Power down
without saving
config
Power +
BAND-
LCD Auto
Blank! =
OFF
-
Toggles "Blank
LCD"
permanently
Power +
BAND-
Bootloader
DF8OE,
mcHF is
off
-
Update
firmware from
USB pendrive
See this page
BAND-
Next Lower
Band
-
BAND+
Next Higher
Band
-

Name of
Key(s)
When
Short Press
Long Press
Comment
M1
Select Encoder
1 Value
-
M2
No Menu
Select Encoder
2 Value
long press:
toggle
between Noise
Blanker & AGC
mode
M2
Menu
Mode
Select Encoder
2 Value (no
change via
Encoder 2
possible)
long press:
toggle
between Noise
Blanker & AGC
mode
M3
No Menu
Encoder 3 Value
Switch Line in
Channel
See below for
explanation
of line in
channel
labels
M3
Menu
Mode
Select Encoder
3 Value (no
change via
Encoder 3
possible)
Switch Line in
Channel
G1
Changes
(De)Modulation
Mode
Switches to
alternate
mode, see
below

Name of
Key(s)
When
Short Press
Long Press
Comment
G2
Changes DSP
Modes
DSP Off
G3
Switches Power
Levels
-
G4
Switches
Predefined
Filters
Enables Filter
Selection by
Encoder 3
G4
Encoder 3
Filter
Selection
Active
Disables
Encoder 3 Filter
Selection
-
F1
Toggles Menu
Mode
Save Config to
EEPROM
F2
No Menu
Snap Carrier
Change Meter
(SWR, ALC,
AUD)
F2
Menu
Prev Menu Page
First Menu
Page
F3
No Menu
Toggles Split
Mode
Toggles
Memory Mode
F3
Memory
Mode
Toggles
Waterfall/Scope
Switch to
Memory Mode
Memory
Mode not
implemented

Name of
Key(s)
When
Short Press
Long Press
Comment
F3
Menu
Next Menu
Page
Last Menu
Page
F4
No Menu
Toggle VFO A/B
Copy active
VFO Freq to
inactive VFO
F4
Menu
Mode
Reset Menu
Item Value to
Default
-
F5
Start/Stop Tune
Disable/Enable
TX
STEP-
Decrease
Tuning Step
Temporarily
Enable Smaller
Step
STEP+
Increase Tuning
Step
Temporarily
Enable Larger
Step
STEP- +
STEP+
(Un)Lock
Frequency
Change
BAND- +
BAND+
Toggle
Scope/Waterfall
POWER +
BAND-
Autodimm
Active
Turn Display
On/Off

Name of
Key(s)
When
Short Press
Long Press
Comment
F1+F3+F5
Splash
screen
Ask for Reset to
Default Config
F2+F4
Splash
screen
Ask for Reset to
VFOs to default
Any Button
Splash
screen
Button and
Touchscreen
Test
Touchscreen
Splash
screen
Touchscreen
Calibration
Encoder 1 & M1 Button
M1 is used to select the following settings/values with a short press. Change these
values using Encoder 1. The actively controlled value is typically indicated using a yellow
box background.
Label
Name
When
Comment
AFG
AF Gain
RX
Audio Volume for Speaker or Headphone
STG
Side tone Gain
TX in
CW
Controls volume of control tone if in CW
mode
CMP
Audio
Compressor
TX in
Voice
Controls the strength of the audio
compressor (0 -> lowest)
Encoder 2 & M2 Button

M2 is used to select the following settings/values with a short press. Change these
values using Encoder 2. The actively controlled value is typically indicated using a yellow
box background.
In Menu Mode Encoder 2 is used to select items or sub menus. Use Encoder 3 to change
or hide/show sub menus. M2 keeps its original function.
Label
Name
When
Comment
AGC
AGC thresh
RX
NB/AGC
Noise Blanker or AGC
mode
RX
PEAK
Peak Filter
RX
NOTCH
Notch Filter
RX
NR
Noise Reduction
RX
BAS
Bass
RX,
TX
RX and TX have independent
settings
TRB
Treble
RX,
TX
RX and TX have independent
settings
Encoder 3 & M3 Button
M3 is used to select the following settings/values with a short press. Change these
values using Encoder 3. The actively controlled value is typically indicated using a yellow
box background.
In Menu Mode Encoder 3 is used to show/hide sub menus and to change menu item
values. M3 keeps its original function.

Label
Name
When
Comment
RIT
RIT
RX
RX frequency deviation (20Hz steps)
MIC
TX
Microphone
Signal
TX
Microphone jack
L>L
TX Left Line
IN Signal
TX
Line IN jack, left channel
L>R
TX Right Line
IN Signal
TX
Line IN jack, right channel
DIG
TX USB Audio
Signal
TX
USB Speaker, 48kHz stereo, but only left
channel is used
DIQ
TX USB IQ
Signal
TX
48Khz IQ Baseband Signal e.g. from HDSDR.
Do not send normal audio, USB Audio sent to
PC is also IQ
WPM
Words Per
Minute
TX in
CW
CW Keyer Setting
G1 - Mode Switch (>= 1.3.1)
A short press cycles through all enabled (de)modulation modes (SSB, CW, AM, FM, SAM,
DIG).
Each band has at least one mode which is always available. For all HF bands at least one
SSB mode, for 10m: in addition to SSB also FM if USB/LSB Autos elect is on (!).
Which SSB bands are in the "short press" list depends on the setting of USB/LSB Autos
elect in the menu. If off, both modes are there, if on, depending on the band's frequency
either USB or LSB.

A long press toggles to the alternative mode for the currently selected mode (Mode1 ->
Mode2 and Mode2 -> Mode1):
Mode1
Mode2
Mode3
Mode4
LSB
USB
-
-
AM
SAM
SAM-L
SAM-U
SAM
SAM-L
SAM-U
AM
CW-L
CW-U
-
-
DI-L
DI-U
-
-
FM-W
FM-N
-
-
Color and Blink Codes of the LEDs Explained
State
Green
Led
Red Led
Boot
Steady
Steady
RX
Steady
Off (or Blinking if CW Decoder on
and carrier detected)
TX
Off
Steady
Low Battery Voltage (only if
shutdown enabled)
Blinking
*
RX with CW Decoder on
*
On when CW carrier
'*' == not related to other led's state, can be any state (On, Off, Blinking)

Frequency Display Explained
The frequency display operates in two modes, normal mode and split mode.
Color Codes of the Main Display
Digit
Color
Meaning
White
Normal operation, device tuned to frequency
Yellow
Outside specifications of the local oscillator chip Si570, but still usable
frequency
Orange
Non-tunable frequency, transmit disabled, LO operates at last valid
frequency
Red
Communication to local oscillator not working, probably I2C issue or RF
/ Si570 board connection faulty

UHSDR Quick Operating Guide
This document is useful if you are looking for a very simple guide how to operate the
mcHF:
The Chinese translate at here
Also available as PDF and SVG. The SVG is the source document and is maintained
using Inkscape.
This image shown above is part of the Github source and always shows the current
development version from the active-devel branch (our main development branch).

Each release will contain the matching document in its zip/tar source code archive (from
version 1.5.5). See the releases.

Operating Manual Menu
Menu Entries Explained
Can't see the menu entry you are looking for? Document it for your fellow mcHF users!
But since the table is generated automatically, do this by changing this file in the source
code or requesting a change if you fear to break something.
In general, the entries will cover the newest version of the software, comments will make
sure if there are important differences to older version.
How to Operate the Menu
To select the item to change or a sub menu, use Encoder 2. To change a value or
fold/unfold a sub menu, use Encoder 3. There is no "OK" etc. to confirm a setting, it
takes effect immediately unless documented otherwise in the menu item help. See
below for the link to the item help.
The menu items typically change settings of the mcHF. To store configuration changes
permanently, press and hold the "Menu" button until the message "Saving ..." appears.
Settings are also stored if you turn off the machine by press and hold of "Power Off". To
prevent saving changes at power off you can turn off by press and hold of "Band+" and
"Power Off" together (or you simply cut the power). See Operating Manual.
Not automatically saving changes permanently makes it easy to try out changes or new
firmware without losing a working configuration accidentally.
Menu Overview (Automatically
Generated)
Since Xmas 2016 there is an automatic generated manual regarding menu items.
Because of it may change recently please follow this link: Here you'll find the most
recent menu item overview for the last daily build