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Two Dreamcatchers are needed for communications, but a single user only needs one. Just like a single user only needs one walkie talkie or cellphone.

1 Like
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I hope I am not going down a rabbit hole,
Couple of questions:

  1. Since the ver 3.05 only has a single antenna connection, Are there any software settings that vary between using a 3.03 compared to the 3.05 ? (I’d like to standardize on the latest 3.05 board and future boards)
  2. Is the ver 3.03 lnb sma (not the direct) the correct connection to use for the 3.03 board ?
  3. Is there any frequency specific filtering incorporated in the ver 3.05 that allow/preclude operation at 915MHz, 868MHz, 433Mhz ?
  4. What about setting power level on the transmit in addition to freq, bandwidth, spread, and C/R ? The regional settings may dictate allowed power. Future (licensed users) would have t/r (transmit/receive) output switching available somewhere to control a (remote bias-t for lna on receiver, or remote booster amp on transmit) ?
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  1. Since we are only using the RF path with the mixer, the additional RF port on the 3.03 is not used. In that way both boards are similar.
  2. Correct, you will use the LNB SMA on the 3.03.
  3. There is no filtering at all on either 3.03 or 3.05.
  4. Power settings will come in a later release, but the current power output if pretty low. The SX1281 can do 13 dBm, and then we have a other components which introduce a good bit of insertion loss. You are looking at about 5 mW of RF output. We will also add bias-tee control for an external power amp.
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What type of FCC part # would this fall underand who would be responsible for certification if needed to be

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That’s what meant. I could be wrong, but a year back I thought a picture showed 2 boards at each location, maybe for full duplex? Probably not.

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I don’t think we ever posted anything about a full duplex concept. What we have in Dreamcatcher chat is half duplex.

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One more potential change to the chat setup page. I don’t think the allowed freq are correct in the lookup table. I think the maximum is around 2500MHz but I can’t confirm this in the datasheets. minimum may be the 52MHz based on the internal crystal.

Screenshot_2020-03-08 Chat
Screenshot_2020-03-08 Chat568×556 17.4 KB

Capture
Capture912×845 98.5 KB

Users might also want to know what is affected by the the bandwidth, SF, and coding rates

Capture-lora-rates
Capture-lora-rates870×1152 118 KB

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There is a mixer and synthesizer in front of the SX1281, which expands the frequency range to 85 - 6000 MHz. Basically, we have a moRFeus integrated into the Dreamcatcher.

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edit: new feature request…

Wondering if a ‘ping test’ or ‘link test’ mode can be added to basically be a ‘range test’ that would display on both the ‘sending’ station and on any receiver that has detected the sending station . Initially it would be a ‘one-way’ test with only one of stations acting as multicast. and any station that hears/decodes the signal would display the ‘heard’ callsign. and add a time stamp

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I probably saw 2 DC’s set up at one location as a test of Chat. One transmitting and the other receiving.

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Yes you did - - I played the video and that’s what they were demonstrating. I copied the picture of the 2 Dreamcatchers when I illustrated the Chat App in the Wiki. I need to clarify that. Ken

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By half-duplex do you mean one is a send end and the other is a receive end? Or do the DCs switch back and forth from send to receive to achieve half-duplex operation? Not clear as I never ran it. Ken

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They switch back and forth. Every Dreamcatcher can transmit and receive, but can’t transmit and receive at the same time.

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Good - - they are truly half-duplex devices as we all know them. Ken

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Now I remember! Could you briefly repeat how Chat would be used here on the Othernet? Or is the info on a Wiki and I’ll just read it.

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This all that I added to the Wiki - -

image
image717×553 184 KB

Syed can tell you more. Ken

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Thanks Ken … no more for now … until Syed informs us.
To all forum members Be vigilant against the virus.

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I forgot to mention that Jim found this Chat App video a couple of weeks ago - - What can you do with two Othernet Dreamcatcher Boards? - YouTube Ken

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@kenbarbi Unless the user is a licensed amateur radio operator, they really should not be using the Dreamcatcher Chat over the air. It’s really meant to as an experimental, educational application.

That video is old. I don’t believe there is anything that shows the most recent version of the chat application. It’s far easier to startup and use.

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Good point - - otherwise is my explanation in the Wiki OK? Ken