Elad Fdm77 Hf Receiver Operating Manual

							      E L A D
A ppar ecch i at u r e  el et t r on i ch e  pr of es s i on al i 
P r of es s i on al   el ect r on i c  dev i ces
   
   
All Mode SDR Receiver  
10 KHz ~ 65 MHz  
    
 
     
Operating Manual  
        
						

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 Page 
Index    2 
  
1 Overview.    3  
1.1 Introduction     3 
1.2 Configuration    4  
1.3 Front & Rear Panel          5   
1.4 Installation and Power Supply   5 
1.5 Accessories    7 
1.6 Controls and Functions   8 
  
2 Operation of the Receiver – Basic   9 
2.1 Switching on the FDM – 77    9 
2.2 Selection of the front -end input set -up.   9 
2.3 Frequency selection   10 
2.4 Tuning Steps   11 
2.5 Mode Selection   12 
2.5.1 DRM reception status window.    12  
2.6 Band Selection   13 
 
3 Operation of the receiver – Advanced  13 
3.1 Preamplifier   13 
3.2 Attenuator   13 
3.3 Frequency scanning   14 
3.4 Memories   15 
3.5 Advanced controls   16 
3.5.1 Input Spectrum    17     
3.5.2 Band Pass & Selectivity selection   17 
3.5.3 IF Shift Control   19 
3.5.4 CW Mode   20 
3.5.5 AGC Operation & Control   22   
3.5.6 Using the Notch    22 
3.5.7 Audio Spectrum           25 
  
3.6 Main SETUP   25 
3.7 AF Control   27     
4 Remote control of FDM -77   28 
5 PC sound card mixer setting   29 
6 Specifications   33 
7 About   34 
8 Declaration of Conformity   35 
       
						

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1 Overview. 
   
1.1 Introduction  
  
The  FDM -77  is  conceived  as  a  SDR  (  Software  Defined  Radio).  This  approach  m eans  that  the 
receiving set is composed of a Hardware RF front -end and a PC with an ELAD Software Radio.   
  
The  Software  Radio  is  the  operator’s  main  interface  (GUI)  for   the  control  of  the  radio  (Input, 
Tuning, Setup, Mode, Display and AF ) and is also used to decode and reproduce t he audio through 
the PC soundcard.  
 
 
   
There are two outputs from the Hardware RF front -end toward the PC:  
 
A).  The  12  KHz    IF  (intermediate  frequency)  output    is  connected  wi th  the  PC  sound  card  for  the 
purpose of decoding and audio reproduction. Please refer to section 5 of  this manual for the correct 
setting of the sound card mixer.  
 
B).  The  main  output  is  connected  with  the  USB  port  for  the  purpose  of  contr ol  (Frequency 
selection, Input, Setup, etc.)  
      
1.2 Configuration of FDM -77  
    
						

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The FDM -77 set includes :  
 
·  RF front -end ( The Gray box on the right side)  
·   ELAD software radio ( CD ROM)  
·   Power supply ( The black box on the left side)  
·   Audio cable  
·   USB cable  
  
Personal Computer is not included.  
      
						

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1.3 Front & Rear Panel 
  
The front panel of the Hardware RF front -end includes:
 
  ·   A POWER ON LED   
·   A MONITOR LED  to show the communication establishe d between the Hardware RF front-end and the PC.  
·   A 7 LEDs BAR to show the presence and relevant stre ngth of a signal at the input of the receiver. 
 
The rear panel includes:
 
  ·   A SO 239 socket for the connection of an external a ntenna. 
·   A BNC socket for the connection of an indoor antenn a. 
·   A SPDPT switch for 12KHz out level (Hi / Lo).  
·   A 3 mm Stereo socket for the connection of the PC s ound card 
·   A 6 mm socket for the connection of  the external p ower supply. 
·   A USB socket for the main connection with the PC.  
·   A Hi_Lo switch for the 12 KHz output level.  
·   A Power on/off switch  
 
 
  
1.4 Installation and Power Supply  
  
Hardware installation  
·   Position your FDM -77 front -end in a place with sufficient room to allow a good ventilation a nd 
a proper heat dissipation.     
						

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·  Connect the external antenna through a good quality RG 8 coax cable f itted with a PL 259 Plug 
or  the  indoor  antenna  through  the  BNC  socket.  Best  performances  are  obtai ned  with  a  good 
external  antenna.  If  an  external  antenna  is  not  available  we  recom mend  the  use  of  the  whip 
antenna offered as optional, but every indoor antenna provided with a BCN plug is suitable.  
·   Through the supplied shielded cable fitted with  3.5 mm stereo plugs connect  the 12 KHz output 
of  FDM -77  with  the line ( or microphone)  input  of the sound card installed in your PC.   
·   Through the supplied USB 2.0 cable connect the main output of  FDM -77  with the USB port of 
your PC.  
·   Connect a 12 V DC power supply to the 6 mm socket ( + is the central pin) .  
  
Software installation.  
  
PC and System requirements.
 
·   Windows 2000 or Windows XP  
·   AT -compatible PC  
·   700 MHz Intel Pentium processor or equivalent. (Best performances are obtained w ith Pentium 
4  and 1.2 GHz processor).   
·   128 MB RAM  
·   50 MB free disk space  
·   16-bit SoundBlaster (or compatible) soundcard supporting full duplex at 48 KHz sampling rat e 
for input and output. The sound card input (Line or Microphone) must be without AGC.  
·   USB port 2.0  
·   LAN card ( only for remote control of the radio).  
·   Display and graphic control: 1024 X 768 pixel with 65.536 (16 bit ) colours.  
  
PC settings.
 
·   All power management in the BIOS and Windows must be disabled  
·   USB legacy support disabled in BIOS  
   
Installing the software
.  
The installation of the software is straightforward . Insert the supplied CD ROM  in the drive of your 
PC. Double click the System Resources icon and then enter the CDROM disk. A full pat h will be 
displayed with the FDM77setup.exe file. Double click the  file  to start the 
installation procedure. During the first installation the FDM77 HF RX must be s witched off or 
alternatively the USB cable disconnected from the PC. At the end of the installati on of the FDM77-
ELAD Software Radio also the USB driver must be installed.  
For more detailed installation procedures please refer to the  or  file 
included in the CD ROM.  
  
						

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1.5 Accessories  
  
Your FDM -77 is supplied complete of the following accessories:
 
·   A mini 1/8” 3.5mm stereo plug male to male cable ( L = 2m).  
·   A MH USB 2.0 cable A to B (L = 1.8m)  
·   A 230 V AC / 12 V DC power supply   
 
 
  
Optional accessories:
 
·   Rechargeable Battery pack   
·   Whip indoor antenna   
 
    
						

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1.5 Controls and Functions  
  
1.5.1 Graphical user Interface (GUI).  
 
Main screen  
  
The screen shot below shows the main screen (the cockpit) of the Graphical User I nterface : 
   
 
    
In the upper left side there is a window dedicated to:   
display  the  operating  frequency,  mode  (  CW,  LSB,  USB,  AM,  FM,  DRM),  VFO  (variable 
frequency oscillator) , MEM and CH to select the operating frequency .   
  
In the upper right side there is the window dedicated to :  
display the signal strength of the received station (S -Meter) .  
 
In the lower side there are four windows dedicated to :  
setting  up  the  front -end  input  operating  conditions,  the  tuning,  the  mode  selection  and  the  AF 
(audio) setting up.  
    
     
						

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2 Operation of the Receiver – Basic 
  
2.1 Switching on/off the FDM – 77  
Insert the 12V DC plug cable into the DC socket  and push on/off the switch on the rear panel of the  
radio. Power on will be indicated also through the “power on”  led on the front panel. In order t o 
avoid blocking of the software the following sequences must be followed.  
Switching on :  
1.  Connect the 12 V DC  and switch on the power on/off switch  
2.  Connect the USB cable from de PC to the RF front -end.  
3.  Enter the FDM -77 software radio.  
Switching off : 
1.  Shut down the FDM -77 software radio  
2.  Switch off the power on/off switch.  
3.  Remove the USB cable ( if you want to remove the PC).  
 
2.2 Selection of the front -end input set -up.  
Left  Click  with  your  mouse  the  “50  ohm  in”  or  “Act  ant”  button  to  choos e  which  kind  of  antenna 
you want to receive with.  
Left click the “Attenuator” or “Preamp” button to select the  sensitivity of  you FDM-77 . Note that 
the  two  buttons  are  toggle  type  (on  -  off)  and  that  a  label  “Att”  or  “Pre”  will  appear  in  the  displ ay 
window to show the selection.   
With “Pre” activated you can get the max. sensitivity and with  “Att” activated a 20 dB attenuator is 
inserted in the signal path to the front -end input.   
 
 
     
						

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2.3 Frequency selection 
There are two main modalities to choose the operating frequency: VFO and  MEMORY. 
  
2.3.1 Selection of the operating frequency through the main shuttle knob.  
Click the VFO button ( the VFO label is activated in the Frequency  window) if you want to browse 
the  frequency  range  trough  the  main  shuttle  knob  as  in  a  traditional  wa y.  This  is  the  free  VFO 
control.  
 
 
  
2.3.2 Selection of the operating frequency through the memory.  
Click  the  VFO/M  button  (  the  MEM  label  is  activated  in  the  Freque ncy  window),  then  rotate  the 
main shuttle knob if you want to browse the frequencies stored in the me mory. When browsing the 
memory with the knob the Channel number “CH “ will be shown on the frequency window.  
The FVO/M button is a toggle allowing a quick change between VFO and MEM modality.  
Moreover  you  can  also  select  a  previously  stored  frequency  by  clicking  t he  MEMORY  button.  By 
clicking  the  MEMORY  button    a  new  window  will  open  (table  format)    allowing  you  to  select 
among the previously stored frequencies . Just click on the row of stat ion/frequency the you want to 
recall,  close  the  window  and  the  selected  station/frequency  will  b e  recalled  on  the  cockpit’s  main 
screen.  
 
2.3.3 Selection of the frequency through the UP and DOWN buttons.  
When  the  control  of  the  operating  frequency  through  the  VFO  is  selected,  you  c an  change  the 
frequency also clicking the UP and DOWN buttons. In doing so you can choose the  UP and DOWN 
step  by  clicking  on  one  of  the  digit of  the  frequency  display  (  the  select ed  digit  will  change  colour 
to  show  the  selection ).  The  same  frequency  change  can  be  obtained  with  the  mouse  wheel.  Or 
the arrows   


  and   


  on the PC keyboard. With the small buttons  ‡
‡‡
‡
ˆ
ˆˆ
ˆ
 at the top of each digit 
of  the  frequency  display  a  single  digit  can  be  changed  indepe ndently  of  the  selected  tuning