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[MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 12:17 pm
by F1RMB
Hi,
As some of you still wondering how to change the output power in hotspot mode, here is the table (sorry, BBCode table is unavailable):
Code: Select all
+---------++-----------+
| Power || RFLevel |
+---------++-----------+
| 50mW :: 1 |
| 250mW :: 5 |
| 500mW :: 10 |
| 750mW :: 15 |
| 1W :: 20 |
| 2W :: 40 |
| 4W :: 80 |
| 5W :: 99 | << Don't put 100 or it will use the current power setting, as safety measure
| 5W++ :: N/A |
+---------++-----------+
Pi-Star users, you need to go in "
Configuration" -> "
Expert" -> "
Quick Editors" -> "
MMDVMHost", and change the value of
RFLevel in the
[Modem] section.
Cheers.
---
Daniel
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 1:13 pm
by F1CXG
Thanks Daniel
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 2:41 pm
by F1RMB
F1CXG wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 1:13 pm
Thanks Daniel
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 5:30 pm
by kt4lh
Excellent! Can this get into the manual too? I think it'll help out a lot.
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 8:57 pm
by VK3KYY
kt4lh wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 5:30 pm
Excellent! Can this get into the manual too? I think it'll help out a lot.
Yes.
I will put it in the User Guide
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 10:39 pm
by kd2lh
So, effectively, the power setting represents a percentage of full 5 Watt output except for "100" which then uses the radio configured output?
Marc
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2020 4:09 am
by F1RMB
kd2lh wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:39 pm
So, effectively, the power setting represents a percentage of full 5 Watt output except for "100" which then uses the radio configured output?
Marc
About the 100% value, it's a safety measure, as by default the MMDVHost ini file (at least on Pi-Star), is set to 100.
Since 99% of the time it is not intentional to ask for full power (as it's the default value for a 10mW hotspot), in this case the GD hotspot switch the user's power setting, which already can bork the USB connection using a non external antenna.
Cheers.
---
Daniel
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2020 11:07 pm
by VK3KYY
I've finally remembered to update the User Guide, so that it now includes the table supplied by Daniel
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 1:14 am
by kt4lh
VK3KYY wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 11:07 pm
I've finally remembered to update the User Guide, so that it now includes the table supplied by Daniel
Awesome! Thank you!
I've actually found that 50mW covers me for abouit 100 feet at the house here, which is interesting, because the radio itself at 50mW I could barely get into my hotspot.
Re: [MMDVMHost] Hotspot output power setting.
Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 1:24 am
by VK3KYY
kt4lh wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 1:14 am
VK3KYY wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 11:07 pm
I've finally remembered to update the User Guide, so that it now includes the table supplied by Daniel
Awesome! Thank you!
I've actually found that 50mW covers me for about 100 feet at the house here, which is interesting, because the radio itself at 50mW I could barely get into my hotspot.
Did you calibrate the power output on both radios.. Otherwise they won't be producing the same power.
Even if you have calibrated the power on both radios, the 50mW power setting varies a lot between each radio, because the Voltage vs Power output response on the PA FET in each radio won't be the same, as the calibration points are only at 1W and 5W
If you calibrate both radios for 1W and 5W and run both radios on 1W they are likely to have the same range in both directions, but even then, they may not be both equally well calibrated for their 4FSK deviation, and you need specialized test equipment if you want to calibrate that as well.