The Portsdown DATV transceiver system - Revision history

G8GKQ: /* Portsdown Hardware */

2026-03-19T17:10:03Z

Portsdown Hardware

G8GKQ: /* Meteor Viewer */

2026-03-19T17:09:43Z

Meteor Viewer

G8GKQ at 16:18, 25 October 2025

2025-10-25T16:18:28Z

G8GKQ: /* Portsdown Evolution */

2024-12-04T20:04:14Z

Portsdown Evolution

G8GKQ: /* Portsdown Evolution */

2024-12-04T20:03:03Z

Portsdown Evolution

G8GKQ: /* Portsdown DATV receiver */

2024-04-11T09:32:43Z

Portsdown DATV receiver

G8GKQ: /* Portsdown DATV receiver */

2024-04-11T09:31:49Z

Portsdown DATV receiver

G8GKQ: /* Audio and video inputs */

2024-04-11T09:29:34Z

Audio and video inputs

G8GKQ: /* RF Generator and DATV Modulator */

2024-04-11T09:28:26Z

RF Generator and DATV Modulator

G8GTZ: /* Portsdown Test Equipment */

2024-04-01T09:43:02Z

Portsdown Test Equipment

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 ===Portsdown Hardware===
 Full details of all the hardware required to build a Portsdown system is listed here [[Portsdown hardware]]
 ===Technical Index===

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 ====Meteor Viewer====
-The Portsdown build includes the capability to view 10 kHz of spectrum from an SDRPlay RSPdx.  This capability is intended to be used to view the reflections of the GB3MBA beacon from meteors.  Full details here: [[Portsdown MeteorView]].
+The Portsdown 4 build includes the capability to view 10 kHz of spectrum from an SDRPlay RSPdx.  This capability is intended to be used to view the reflections of the GB3MBA beacon from meteors.  Full details here: [[Portsdown MeteorView]].
 ==Further information==

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-The Portsdown DATV transceiver project provides an easy way to “get on air” with Digital ATV at a relatively low cost covering all of the commonly used DATV modes enabling it to be used for cross town QSOs, accessing ATV repeaters and for working the DX using Reduced bandwidth (RB-TV) modes.
+The Portsdown DATV transceiver project provides an easy way to “get on air” with Digital ATV at a relatively low cost covering all of the commonly used DATV modes enabling it to be used for cross town QSOs, accessing ATV repeaters and for working the DX using Reduced bandwidth (RB-TV) modes.  It also includes some test equipment software.
 ==Introduction==
-The aim of the Portsdown project is to enable an amateur radio operator with little or no knowledge of Digital ATV to construct the hardware elements, load and configure the software and use the system to send live Digital ATV signals across town on his existing aerials.
+The aim of the Portsdown project is to enable an amateur radio operator with little or no knowledge of Digital ATV to construct the hardware elements, load and configure the software and use the system to send and receive live Digital ATV signals across town on his existing aerials.
-'''New builders are recommended to build a Portsdown 4 which, when used with an Adalm Pluto, is integrated with the Langstone Microwave transceiver software enabling an advanced multimode narrowband and DATV transceiver covering 70Mhz to 6GHz for under £350.  Full details on the Portsdown 4 [[Portsdown 4|are on this wiki page]].
+'''New builders are recommended to build a Portsdown 4 which, when used with an Adalm Pluto, is integrated with the Langstone Microwave transceiver software enabling an advanced multimode narrowband and DATV transceiver covering 70Mhz to 6GHz for under £350.  Full details on the Portsdown 4 [[Portsdown 4|are on this wiki page]].  Note that the Portsdown 4 is more capable than the Portsdown 5.
 '''
 ==Outline specification==

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 ===Portsdown 5===
-The Portsdown 5 has been under development since mid-2024.  It is designed to use the Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5, although some features may only be available on the Raspberry Pi 5.
+The Portsdown 5 has been under development since mid-2024.  It is designed to use the Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5, although some features may only be available on the Raspberry Pi 5.  Initail details are here [[Portsdown 5 Introduction]]
 ===Older Versions===

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 ==Portsdown Evolution==
-There are now 4 distinct Portsdown versions:
+There are 2 supported Portsdown versions, and one version under development:
 ===Portsdown 4===
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 The latest version of the Portsdown is the [[Portsdown 4]].  This uses the Raspios Buster legacy operating system on a Raspberry Pi 4 with a 7 inch screen and a LimeSDR or ADALM Pluto.  Unlike the previous version changes, it does not maintain hardware compatibility with the classic (filter-modulator) Portsdown.
-The Portsdown 4 can transmit and receive DVB-S, DVB-S2 and DVB-T.  The transmit capabity requires a LimeSDR or Pluto SDR and the receve capability requires a MiniTiouner (DVB-S/S2) or Knucker Tuner (DVB-T).
+The Portsdown 4 can transmit and receive DVB-S, DVB-S2 and DVB-T.  The transmit capabity requires a LimeSDR or Pluto SDR and the receve capability requires a MiniTiouner/PicoTuner (DVB-S/S2) or Knucker Tuner (DVB-T).
 '''New builders are recommended to build a Portsdown 4 which, when used with a Adalm Pluto, is integrated with the Langstone Microwave transceiver software enabling an advanced multimode narrowband and DATV transceiver covering 70 MHz to 4 GHz for under £500.
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 This version will continue to be actively supported, but most new developments will be reserved for the Portsdown 4.
-===Portsdown 2019 Stretch===
+===Portsdown 5===
-This was the second version, using the Raspbian Stretch Operating System - [[Portsdown 2019]].  Support for the 7 inch touchscreen was added and some WebCams could also be used as a video source.  Audio capability was added for H264 encoding, and early support was provided for the LimeSDR Mini.
+The Portsdown 5 has been under development since mid-2024.  It is designed to use the Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5, although some features may only be available on the Raspberry Pi 5.
-Later versions also supported the LongMynd receive software enabling good DATV reception using a MiniTiouner.
+===Older Versions===
-Again, this version is no longer supported, although it will continue to work as built.
+"Portsdown 2018 Classic"  was the original version was launched in 2017 - [[Portsdown 2018]].  It was based on the Raspbian Jessie operating system running on a Raspberry Pi 3 with a 3.5 inch touchscreen.  It used the BATC-supplied Filter-Modulator board and could take video from the Raspberry Pi Camera or the EasyCap.  It would transmit DVB-S MPEG-2 with audio, or H264 without audio.  This version is no longer supported, although it will continue to work as built
-===Portsdown 2018 Classic===
+"Portsdown 2019 Stretch" was the second version, using the Raspbian Stretch Operating System - [[Portsdown 2019]].  Support for the 7 inch touchscreen was added and some WebCams could also be used as a video source.  Audio capability was added for H264 encoding, and early support was provided for the LimeSDR Mini. Later versions also supported the LongMynd receive software enabling good DATV reception using a MiniTiouner.  Again, this version is no longer supported, although it will continue to work as built.

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 ====Portsdown DATV receiver====
-On Portsdown 2020 and Portsdown 4, if you plug a [[MiniTioune|MiniTuioner USB receiver hardware]] or a [[PicoTuner]] into the RPi USB port and select "Rx" on the top level menu, you will have access to a fully functional DVB--S/S2 DATV receiver.  If used with a [[Knucker]] tuner, DVB-T transmissions can also be received.
+On Portsdown 2020 and Portsdown 4, if you plug a [[MiniTioune|MiniTiuoner]] or a [[PicoTuner]] into the RPi USB port and select "Rx" on the top level menu, you will have access to a fully functional DVB--S/S2 DATV receiver.  If used with a [[Knucker]] tuner, DVB-T transmissions can also be received.
 The received signal is displayed on the 7" touch screen.  It is also available as a UDP output on the network enabling it to be viewed on a larger PC using VLC or a similar software.

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 ====Audio and video inputs====
-The Portsdown transmitter will take audio and video inputs from the RPi camera, an EasyCap composite video USB dongle, C920 webcam and a USB sound card / dongle - all these are readily available from ebay and Amazon.
+The Portsdown transmitter will take audio and video inputs from the RPi camera, an EasyCap composite video USB dongle, C920 webcam and a USB sound card / dongle - all these are readily available from ebay and Amazon.  It will also accept an externally encoded Transport Stream from a PC or a LinkPi encoder.
 ====Portsdown DATV receiver====

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 Depending on the version (see below) the output from the RPi is connected to one of the following units which modulates the RF carrier and produces the DVB-S or DVB-S2 DATV signal.
-* BATC Filter Modulator board - first used in Portsdown 2018 Classic but no longer available
+* BATC Filter Modulator board.  DVB-S only.  Portsdown 2020 only.
-* DATV Express Board - first used in Portsdown 2018 Classic but no longer available
+* DATV Express Board (no longer available).  DVB-S only.  Portsdown 2020 and Portsdown 4.
-* LimeSDR (Mini or USB)
+* LimeSDR (Mini or USB).  DVB-S and DVB-S2.  Portsdown 2020 and Portsdown 4.
-* Adalm Pluto
+* Adalm Pluto.  DVB-S and DVB-S2.  Portsdown 4 only.
 ====Audio and video inputs====

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 ====Portsdown Test Equipment====
-The Portsdown 4 includes some test equipment features - see [[Portsdown Test Equipment]] for more details.
+The Portsdown 4 includes some very useful test equipment features including 6GHz RF signal generator, Noise figure meter, frequency sweeper and noise power meter.
-The Signal Generator is decribed here: [[Portsdown_4_Signal_Generator]].
+See this wiki page [[Portsdown Test Equipment]] for more details.
 ====Portsdown streamer to BATC.TV====