Yes the Si5351 outputs a square wave signal so yes you do need a LPF to make it a sine wave. In my case, I built an external VFO for my Kenwood TS-520 where the on-board (internal) VFO operates between 4.9 Mhz to 5.5 Mhz that's mixed with the rest to create the exact operating frequency of the radio. Even though it did work with the square wave signal, it was best to serve it with a sine wave so I made a 5th order Butterworth Low Pass Filter with a cutoff of 5 Mhz using the LC Filter Design program on the Marki Microwave website. Came out pretty slick. Enjoy
Yes....I love the retro aspect to it. I'm probably going to use it on my OZ QRP 20m SSB/CW kit build as the DDS VFO. Thanks for the kind comment 73 de VK2AOE
@@TheArtofEngineering That sounds like a fun project! I'm contemplating using it on my Heathkit SB-102. The plastic scale is broken and I thought it might be nice to have a digital display to replace it.
Thank you very much for your kind words, they made my day. I installed this VFO on a receiver I had built a long time ago and this display is really fantastic. I will use it again in other projects, for sure. Here's the link to the receiver: ua-cam.com/video/XqalAifIlSM/v-deo.html 73 and all the best. Denis F6CRP (new subscriber 🙂)
Thanks for the comment and link to the project! Also thanks for the sub (ditto). We live in grand times of HOMEBREW… more people should be doing it. 73 de VK2AOE.
GAAAAAAHHHHH! ANOTHER video/article saying DDS vfo or signal generator that ISNT DDS!!!! as someone who is searching for DDS specifically, I'm getting pretty fed up with this internet wide mistake of calling PLL multisynth based signal sources like the si5351, DDS. Its even more galling when you actually have part of your presentation covering the harmonics produced from this circuit and not make the connection that it is the direct consequence of it NOT being DDS! Thats why you would use DDS, DDS is harmonic free pure sine waves. As you stated in this video a few times, the si5351 is a clock generator and produces square waves, now this CAN be used fine in most applications with simple filtering of harmonics and many radio projects have successfully employed them. Like I say, its not just here, its seems internet wide that every Arduino, raspberrypi micro controller signal gen/vfo gets labelled DDS, and its incorrect, so sorry if it seems like I'm picking on you. 73 de G0AFV
Yes …. Correct. But I’m an AMATEUR radio operator not an RF engineer. So it is Digital Synthesis (as the RF is produced by digital means) but NOT DIRECT Digital Synthesis. It is my understanding that DDS only allows a change of frequency if the reference clock is changed …. So this might be why amateur projects don’t use it (too complex?). Why would you use a true DDS for a simple CW transceiver if a PLL derived signal suffices? By the way no offence taken, this type of comment is how we all learn about this hobby we ALL love together: if you do find a DDS (or design one) drop me a line. 73 de VK2AOE
@@TheArtofEngineering "..but I'm an AMATEUR radio operator not an RF engineer.." running a UA-cam channel labelled "The Art of Engineering" ? whatever, its only UA-cam. Your description of DDS is totally wrong, Google will sort you out there. There are a number of REAL DDS VFO and sig gens kits and projects already out there, created by amateurs, most seem to use the AD9850 chip, and no they are not really anymore complicated than this circuit. 73 de G0AFV
@@bazzaar1869 I have a Radiocommunications Engineering Certificate… Fine Art Degree and I’m part way through (18 months) of a Mechatronics Degree. Hence the channel title. As for UA-cam “sorting me out” …. I do this for enjoyment…. But the channel does grow up to 100 subs per month, so some hams are enjoying the content. 73 OM.
G0AFV is right... This is NOT DDS... Little details are important, and this video is not being presented as "entertainment"... I only stopped to watch this myself because I suspected the title was wrong... and sure enough.. it was. Otherwise it's a pretty good video but people like me are always looking for dumb little mistakes like this to form an opinion about how reliable the information really is... Careless neglect of details like this make me wonder what else is wrong in the video... maybe ask a "technical" friend to review it before posting it on YT. There's already enough "noise" out there, don't make it worse... please.
@@bobsimmons5274I agree Bob but also disagree. I could show any video to several “technical” friends and they would disagree across a wide variety of aspects of any given video, hence leaving this comment section OPEN to express disdain, or point out errors. As for the misuse of this term, that genie has left it’s bottle and is now on a worldwide vacation! Have a look on the net …. If you want to buy or read about this “NOT a DDS VFO but PLL derived digital VFO “ …. the vast majority of products and articles and videos are titled “DDS”. Be it YT, Ali Express, Evil Bay…. etc etc etc. Language, even technical language changes over time due to semantic drift (sometimes towards more precise and correct meaning, often away from it). The tribe have spoken and no amount of zeal will change this fact. YT is a forum that provides YOU the opportunity to share stuff. You could make a video pointing out your disdain of the current practice of misnaming this VFO? I’m thinking about doing one now 😂. Thanks for the comment, I will change the title, in the name of technical precision and YES, I will make a video to confess my technical incompetence. 73 OM de VK2AOE.
More to the point and straight into the build. Less jibbering. Not an insult but you could have had that video wrapped up in 5 minutes. It's all about peoples attention span. After 3 minutes they start youtube searching again. Just saying bro.
Thanks for the feedback. The vast majority of my subscribers are in their 50's and like to yabber like me 🤣. I make them longer than the "recommended" 10 mins for anybody who wants to watch the whole thing.(in this case 17% of viewers). You can double the playspeed or fast forward for the juicy bits. 73 de VK2AOE
Love the rotary dial display! Resolution sounds perfect as well. Nicely done!
Thanks…. It was a fun build…. Now gonna ugly build it and start using it in something… tnks fer the reply -73 de VK2AOE.
I lIke the paintings in the background.... Painted 50 pieces last 2 years. But landed here looking for the DDS VFO 😊 73 de PE1CGX
Thanks…. Yes I paint …. Sometimes but usually in spurts. Presently HAM obsessed 😂 73 OM de VK2AOE
Yes the Si5351 outputs a square wave signal so yes you do need a LPF to make it a sine wave. In my case, I built an external VFO for my Kenwood TS-520 where the on-board (internal) VFO operates between 4.9 Mhz to 5.5 Mhz that's mixed with the rest to create the exact operating frequency of the radio. Even though it did work with the square wave signal, it was best to serve it with a sine wave so I made a 5th order Butterworth Low Pass Filter with a cutoff of 5 Mhz using the LC Filter Design program on the Marki Microwave website. Came out pretty slick. Enjoy
Thanks for the comment! Yes I love the TS520 too. Thanks for sharing your tech exploration 73 de VK2AOE.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the world,73' from brasil !!!!!!!!!!!!
Tu for the comment. Most of the knowledge was other people’s knowledge! It is great how generous hams are!! 73 mate.
Mirko Pavleski lives near me, he makes incredible stuff
Yes…. Twas very helpful for the build. Tnx fer the comment 73 de VK2AOE
That really does look cool!
Yes....I love the retro aspect to it. I'm probably going to use it on my OZ QRP 20m SSB/CW kit build as the DDS VFO. Thanks for the kind comment 73 de VK2AOE
@@TheArtofEngineering That sounds like a fun project! I'm contemplating using it on my Heathkit SB-102. The plastic scale is broken and I thought it might be nice to have a digital display to replace it.
Please help. Compilation error: arduino.h: No such file or directory VFO_CTRL_V8
Can the production information be shared?
It is shared. You need to watch the whole video. Then visit the video links in the description below this video.
Thank you very much for your kind words, they made my day.
I installed this VFO on a receiver I had built a long time ago and this display is really fantastic. I will use it again in other projects, for sure.
Here's the link to the receiver:
ua-cam.com/video/XqalAifIlSM/v-deo.html
73 and all the best.
Denis F6CRP (new subscriber 🙂)
Thanks for the comment and link to the project! Also thanks for the sub (ditto). We live in grand times of HOMEBREW… more people should be doing it. 73 de VK2AOE.
Great project, but way above my pay grade. Needs to be in kit format with all programming already done and tested.
One day I might just learn to kicad design and do it! It did take some head scratching to get going…. and what was left of my hair! 😂😂 73 de VK2AOE
GAAAAAAHHHHH! ANOTHER video/article saying DDS vfo or signal generator that ISNT DDS!!!!
as someone who is searching for DDS specifically, I'm getting pretty fed up with this internet wide mistake of calling PLL multisynth based signal sources like the si5351, DDS. Its even more galling when you actually have part of your presentation covering the harmonics produced from this circuit and not make the connection that it is the direct consequence of it NOT being DDS! Thats why you would use DDS, DDS is harmonic free pure sine waves. As you stated in this video a few times, the si5351 is a clock generator and produces square waves, now this CAN be used fine in most applications with simple filtering of harmonics and many radio projects have successfully employed them.
Like I say, its not just here, its seems internet wide that every Arduino, raspberrypi micro controller signal gen/vfo gets labelled DDS, and its incorrect, so sorry if it seems like I'm picking on you.
73 de G0AFV
Yes …. Correct. But I’m an AMATEUR radio operator not an RF engineer. So it is Digital Synthesis (as the RF is produced by digital means) but NOT DIRECT Digital Synthesis. It is my understanding that DDS only allows a change of frequency if the reference clock is changed …. So this might be why amateur projects don’t use it (too complex?). Why would you use a true DDS for a simple CW transceiver if a PLL derived signal suffices? By the way no offence taken, this type of comment is how we all learn about this hobby we ALL love together: if you do find a DDS (or design one) drop me a line. 73 de VK2AOE
@@TheArtofEngineering "..but I'm an AMATEUR radio operator not an RF engineer.." running a UA-cam channel labelled "The Art of Engineering" ? whatever, its only UA-cam.
Your description of DDS is totally wrong, Google will sort you out there.
There are a number of REAL DDS VFO and sig gens kits and projects already out there, created by amateurs, most seem to use the AD9850 chip, and no they are not really anymore complicated than this circuit.
73 de G0AFV
@@bazzaar1869 I have a Radiocommunications Engineering Certificate… Fine Art Degree and I’m part way through (18 months) of a Mechatronics Degree. Hence the channel title. As for UA-cam “sorting me out” …. I do this for enjoyment…. But the channel does grow up to 100 subs per month, so some hams are enjoying the content. 73 OM.
G0AFV is right... This is NOT DDS... Little details are important, and this video is not being presented as "entertainment"... I only stopped to watch this myself because I suspected the title was wrong... and sure enough.. it was. Otherwise it's a pretty good video but people like me are always looking for dumb little mistakes like this to form an opinion about how reliable the information really is... Careless neglect of details like this make me wonder what else is wrong in the video... maybe ask a "technical" friend to review it before posting it on YT. There's already enough "noise" out there, don't make it worse... please.
@@bobsimmons5274I agree Bob but also disagree. I could show any video to several “technical” friends and they would disagree across a wide variety of aspects of any given video, hence leaving this comment section OPEN to express disdain, or point out errors. As for the misuse of this term, that genie has left it’s bottle and is now on a worldwide vacation! Have a look on the net …. If you want to buy or read about this “NOT a DDS VFO but PLL derived digital VFO “ …. the vast majority of products and articles and videos are titled “DDS”. Be it YT, Ali Express, Evil Bay…. etc etc etc.
Language, even technical language changes over time due to semantic drift (sometimes towards more precise and correct meaning, often away from it). The tribe have spoken and no amount of zeal will change this fact. YT is a forum that provides YOU the opportunity to share stuff. You could make a video pointing out your disdain of the current practice of misnaming this VFO? I’m thinking about doing one now 😂. Thanks for the comment, I will change the title, in the name of technical precision and YES, I will make a video to confess my technical incompetence. 73 OM de VK2AOE.
More to the point and straight into the build. Less jibbering. Not an insult but you could have had that video wrapped up in 5 minutes. It's all about peoples attention span. After 3 minutes they start youtube searching again. Just saying bro.
Thanks for the feedback. The vast majority of my subscribers are in their 50's and like to yabber like me 🤣. I make them longer than the "recommended" 10 mins for anybody who wants to watch the whole thing.(in this case 17% of viewers). You can double the playspeed or fast forward for the juicy bits. 73 de VK2AOE
@@TheArtofEngineeringThat's right! I'm not in my 50's yet, but I've learned a lot from listening to people jibber 😅
@@chipwright6193Thanks!