Are there plans to have the Spike software open sourced so that we, as users, can tailor it to our specific needs?

How is the adjustment made to correct this error on a BB60A?

Is there any way to keep the horizontal marking to read MHz instead of GHz so that the 1 Hz resolution is maintained in the readout for frequencies above 999.999999 Mhz? Or better yet, is there any way that the 1 HZ frequency resolution can be maintained when switching over to GHz from MHz? When it switches over to GHz from MHz on the display the frequency resolution switches to 1 KHz!

A.J.,

With regard to calibration for frequency, I am monitoring WWV at 10.0 MHz. The SA reads 10.000007 or approximately 7 Hz high.

I checked my signal generator against WWV’s 10.0 MHz signal and the signal generator is within 1 Hz.

I then set my signal generator to 50.0 Mhz and the signal generator is within approximately 2 hz or so and the BB60A SA reads 50.000039 or 39 Hz high. (That tells me the error at 10.0 MHz is 39/5 or about 7.8 Hz)

At 500 Mhz the SA reads 500.000389 Mhz or 389 Hz high. (That tells me the error at 10.0 Mhz is 389/50 or about 7.8 Hz)

At 1.0 GHz it reads 776 Hz high.

The readings appear consistent based on the error. If we get rid of the 7 Hz error at 10.0 MHz the other errors at the other frequencies will go to near 0 accordingly.

Does this need calibration or is this acceptable in your opinion?

Regards,
John Eccles

[john44066]

A.J.,

Okay, thanks for that. I will give it a try.

Regards,
John Eccles

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by john44066.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by john44066.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by john44066.

So what you are saying is that your audio player in Spike is known to not be working properly for USB, LSB, CW, and AM?

The reason I ask this is I want to be sure that the problem does not lie in the BB60A hardware!

Regards,
John Eccles

Okay, so I just got a chance to power up the BB60A I purchased off of eBay. It works very nice. I am using a newly purchased and calibrated signal generator – Rohde&Schwarz SML03 and the levels reported by the BB60A are very accurate. However the frequency is off a little off. I have read the manual and it says that I need to ask Signal Hound for the calibration instructions. I have a full lab here with a lot of new test equipment so I should be able to perform the calibration fairly easily. I am also a ham radio operator and have access to receivers and transmitters and can receive WWV and CHU time and frequency standards. Can someone supply me with the calibration instructions for the BB60A?

Regards,
John Eccles

Thank you for the information you have provided. I was able to win the Ebay auction for a BB60A of the one described above. Based on the BB60A serial number will it work with the TG44A that is currently in my cart? Based on what I read here the BB60A must have version 5 firmware to work with the TG44A via your Spike software. Is this true?

Regards,
John Eccles

A.J.,

How much was the BB60A selling for when it was in production, specifically, the one I identified above?

Regards,
John Eccles

A.J.,

I was able to open both User Manual documents side by side and looked over the differences. The hardware setup for the BB60C is entirely different than the BB60A. As you indicated the BB60C is quite an improvement over the BB60A. Based on what I saw why would anyone buy a BB60A knowing that a BB60C has been immensely improved? Could it be that the used price being considerably lower is the enticement to purchase one and for no other reason?

When you say that the BB60C and HDSDR won’t go down to 9 KHz because of the software I assume you are speaking of the HDSDR software itself being the limitation – is that true?

Regards,

John Eccles

A.J.,

Do you have the specs on a BB60A? Are you still selling the BB60A and, if yes, what is the price. I had no idea that the BB60A low frequency end is 9 KHz. Will Spike also handle spectrum analysis down to 9 KHz for the BB60A?

Regards,

John Eccles

A.J.,

I did see the information about HDSDR and being an Amateur Radio Operator I am somewhat familiar with that package. Okay also on the lower frequency limitation on the BB60C at 20 MHz. Is that also true of the BB60A? Based on this limitation it looks like I should stick to the SA44B since I have an interest in the lower frequencies. I will generate some questions on SA board.

Regards,
John Eccles

OOpppsss, I think I found the comparison. Is this link the comparison table you were speaking of producing? I believe it is. I must have missed it unless it was just added after my message. I believe the former applies.

https://signalhound.com/support/compare-our-spectrum-analyzers-and-signal-generators/

Regards,

John Eccles

Did this comparison table ever get generated? I am trying to figure out which of the 2 devices would fit my needs. That table will help summarize the 2 units and steer me in the right direction.

Regards,

John Eccles

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