TinySA Ultra launched

[DaneLaw]

I vote @shapirus reports the bug, he found it, I was just confirming it.

The creator Erik Kaashoeck is a regular user here on EEVblog, and likely quite ajour with this thread.

Erik is user erikka (#130).

[KungFuJosh]

I vote @shapirus reports the bug, he found it, I was just confirming it.

The creator Erik Kaashoeck is a regular user here on EEVblog, and likely quite ajour with this thread.

Erik is user erikka (#130).

Even better! No effort bug reporting. 😉

[shapirus]

I vote @shapirus reports the bug, he found it, I was just confirming it.

Not via google groups, sorry. Not gonna go through the associated setup hassle.

But since the author is registered on this forum, let's mention him.

@erikka , do you consider this one a bug, a glitch, or a feature? :)

[KungFuJosh]

There's an option in the config settings for better accuracy OR cleaner signal. The glitches exist either way.

[KungFuJosh]

bug, a glitch, or a feature?

[erikka]

The tinySA does not do a continuous sweep but sweeps in discrete steps with possible silence in between. Set the scan speed slow and you will see the step

[KungFuJosh]

The tinySA does not do a continuous sweep but sweeps in discrete steps with possible silence in between. Set the scan speed slow and you will see the step

What are the random frequencies that appear between steps?

[erikka]

PLL's locking after the step
I do not mute the output as this would slow down the maximum sweep speed and created larger gaps which you will hear as stronger clicks.
Any stepwise sweep will always have some form of artifacts

Can you explain why these may be a problem?
Or is this just curiosity because of what you saw on the DSO?

[KungFuJosh]

For me, just curiosity.

[shapirus]

More like a cosmetic issue, having all those random waveforms displayed between steps, especially since it's not the primary function of this device.

It would be nice if it could be fixed without compromising other functionality, but otherwise no big deal.

[erikka]

Please explain why it should be fixed, except for cosmetic reasons when observing with a DSO?

[shapirus]

Please explain why it should be fixed, except for cosmetic reasons when observing with a DSO?

It may be important in any practical application where a frequency sweep signal is used and it's expected that the signal won't contain any frequencies outside of those expected at any given time in the sweep range.

I'm not sure what those would be, I dont have any examples of my own.

[erikka]

If you need that, you should buy a SG that does a true continuous sweep.

[shapirus]

If you need that, you should buy a SG that does a true continuous sweep.

I never argued with this. I just said that if it could be fixed without compromising anything, then it would be nice and would benefit everyone. If it's not possible, then it's not really an issue.

[KungFuJosh]

Maybe a "clean sweep" option in the settings to make it possible for those that prefer it. For those that might prefer the clean results to the speed of not having it muted between steps.

[pdenisowski]

The tinySA does not do a continuous sweep but sweeps in discrete steps with possible silence in between. Set the scan speed slow and you will see the step

PLL's locking after the step
I do not mute the output as this would slow down the maximum sweep speed and created larger gaps which you will hear as stronger clicks.
Any stepwise sweep will always have some form of artifacts

Can you explain why these may be a problem?

First, I think the TinySA is a fantastic project, so thanks very much for doing this!

I'm guessing that the "issue" here is that some people may not have realized that the sweep is stepwise: as others have mentioned, a continuous (uninterrupted) frequency sweep is possible on higher end RF signal generators or spec an tracking generators, but these are obviously an entirely different class of instruments at a very different price point

I have to admit that I would have (naively) assumed the sweep was continuous if I hadn't seen this thread. 

Thanks again!

[shapirus]

First, I think the TinySA is a fantastic project, so thanks very much for doing this!

Yeah that's for sure. Very good value for money: at this low cost you essentially get the functionality, even considering the limitations, that would otherwise require to spend at least an order of magnitude more money.

Besides the actual SA, you're getting a useful RF signal generator, so yeah, this is an amazing product. In addition, at least in my particular unit, the 10 MHz calibration output is very accurate: its actual frequency aligns with my GPSDO reference output to within ~0.3 Hz (~30 ppb), so it can also be used as a pretty decent frequency standard. I wouldn't refuse having a way to tune that to exactly 0.0 Hz, though, but oh well :)