Making Cables for Digirig Mobile 1.6 and Yaesu FT-1900R (++)

 

Background

I decided to add digital capability to my mobile Yaesu FT-1900R in my pickup. My current portable VHF station is a Leixen VV-898 and a SignaLink. I made a cable for the SignaLink to the Yaesu, and that works fine, but to use it I either have to open up the SignaLink and change the jumpers every time I switch rigs or make another cable that matched the jumpers as they are. In either case I’d be sharing a single interface.

I could buy another Signalink for ~US$135 new or $75 used--and a used device would probably require reconfiguration and/or making or buying  a cable. I had heard good things about the Digirig for ~US$50. I contacted Denis at Digirig and he was very helpful, so I bought one. Now I needed to make a cable. I did, with guidance from Denis. However, I decided to go further to add flexibility to the set up.

Solution

I found some mating screw terminal blocks on Amazon (see parts list), and decided to make four cables, one for each rig and one for each interface, each ending a terminal block. That way, I can use either interface with either rig using the same cables and the same SignaLink jumper settings by just unplugging one cable and plugging in the other.

I need to explain the speaker configuration: If I only had a Digirig, I would not have to use the TS female jack, I would just take everything through the terminal blocks. However, the SignaLink has 5 connections (in my configuration). I wanted the rigs and interfaces to be interchangeable, so I broke out the speaker connection to each interface. Conversely, I could have left the speaker connection to the SignaLink as a separate cable from the external speaker on the rig to the SPKR jack on the SignaLink, but that would not correspond to the wiring for the Digirig, and therefore not be interchangeable.

The discussion here will consider Digirig to FT-1900R. The process is similar. for SignaLink to rig, but there are too many variables to make a general case.

Parts List (just the Digrig to Yaesu set)

Nothing here is a product or source endorsement--these are just examples of what I used. The parts are for my station. The Digirig side will work for any setup, the rig side depends on what your radio.

TRRS plug (3.5mm) 2

1. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077XVDQ5R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

OR

2. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DR4K78X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

(a if you’re confident in your soldering skills in tight spaces, b if you want to make it easier on yourself)

1. TS Plug (3.5mm, male)

1. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y8JHK9P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   

OR

2. TS Cable

   https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMM-310-Same-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B001O5F280/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3HDTFBEZH0DM5&keywords=ts+speaker+cable+3.5mm&qid=1647541351&sprefix=ts+speaker+cable+3.5mm%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-7

(b requires minimal work)

2. TS jack (3.5mm, female)

1.  https://www.amazon.com/Ancable-Connector-Shrinkle-Transceivers-Infrared/dp/B07JP2BT52/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2HE4YBQMCJT9Q&keywords=3.5mm+mono+ts+female+jack+socket&qid=1647530113&sprefix=3.5mm+mono+ts+female+jack+socket+%2Caps%2C58&sr=8-5

(you could also take a 3.5mm TS extension with a female end and cut it in two pieces)

3. RJ12 connector (6P6C)

1. Crimping Connectors https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VYVYY5C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

OR

2. Cable  https://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-09600-Straight-Modular/dp/B0002J1SUU/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=rj12+6p6c+cable&qid=1647532091&sr=8-3

(b is less work and doesn't require a special tool)

4. Screw Terminal Blocks

1.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KLMW3XM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=

5. Speaker Wire

1.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XWLPDHZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=

6. 24/4 cable

1. https://www.amazon.com/24AWG-UL2464-Yellow-Conductors-2464-24AWG-4C/dp/B07TJG1T2H/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1VMPRNAT4BTZQ&keywords=24%2F4+cable&qid=1647544076&sprefix=24%2F4+cable%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-3
   
   

Process

You will need crimping and soldering tools and supplies, as well as tools for wire cutting and stripping. It’s possible to use ready-made cables as mentioned above to reduce the effort, but you WILL need to do a least a little soldering.

Digrig Side

I used all female for this side (terminal block and TS). It doesn’t matter as long as you’re consistent—particularly if you plan to connect this cable to multiple rigs.

1. Solder the TRRS Plug (if you’re NOT using the prepared bare wire set listed above)

1. Separate the protective sleeve from the TRRS plug
2. Cut off a length of 24/4 cable (length of your choosing), strip the outside cable insulation at both ends, then strip each of the inner wires.
3. Tin the inner wires
4. Slide the separated TRRS sleeve onto the cable. If it doesn’t fit, strip off additional cable insulation to reveal enough of the inner wires to allow you to work, and slide the sleeve over the wires.
5. Solder the wires, to the appropriate connections on the separated TRRS plug, noting which color wire goes to which connections. Speaker out will go to the Tip, Mic to R1, PTT to R2, and GND to Sleeve.

2. TRRS connections other than speaker

1. Connect the opposite ends of the Mic and PTT wires from the TRRS to the terminal block (female)—it doesn’t matter which ones, just remember what you did and be consistent from now on. I used the female side of the terminal block pair.
2. Take two short 24AWG wires (black is good), strip and tin the ends and connect one to each of the remaining terminal blocks.
3. Splice the opposite ends together (solder)
4. Slide a small piece of heat shrink onto the GND wire from the TRRS plug (Sleeve)
5. plice the ground wire from the TRRS to the joined wires from the terminal block (solder)

3. Speaker out connection

1. Separate the TS jack (female) from its protective sleeve and slide the sleeve over the opposite end of the speaker wire from the TRRS plug.
2. Solder the opposite end of the speaker wire to the tip connection of the TS Jack.

4. Test and Finish

1. Slide the heat shrink over the splice.
2. Test continuity from each position on the plug to the corresponding position on the terminal block, and from the TRRS tip to the TS jack tip connection.
3. When everything checks out, crimp the stress relief on the plugs and slide the sleeves up to screw them onto their connectors, and apply heat to the heat shrink.

Yaesu FT-1900R Side

I used all male for this side. As with the Digirig, just be consistent.

1. Prepare and crimp the RJ12 (if you’re NOT using a ready-made cable))

1. Cut off a length of 24/4 cable (length of your choosing), strip the cable at both ends
2. Either trim one of the wires on both ends or remove it from the cable (you only need 3 of the 4)
3. Strip and tin the inner wires at one end (only)
4. Slide the untinned wires into the RJ12. With the tab side down they go into the left-most 3 positions.
5. Crimp the connector and test the continuity from each wire to its corresponding connector positions.

2. Prepare RJ12 connection (if you ARE using a ready-made cable)

1. Cut the cable in two—you choose the length.
2. Strip the outer insulation to reveal the inner wires
3. Trim the rightmost 3 inner wires
4. Strip and tin the remaining inner wires)
5. Test continuity to see which wire goes to each of the leftmost connector positions (tab side down); Yaesu calls the connections 6 through 1 left to right: 6= PTT, 5=MIC, 4=GND

3. Make or modify a speaker cable

1. Make

1. Cut a length of speaker wire.
2. Strip and tin the ends.
3. Unscrew the protective sleeves from each of two TS plugs.
4. Slide one sleeve over both speaker wires at on ends.
5. Slide the other sleeve over the speaker out connection (usually the red wire), only, on the opposite end.
6. At the end with both wires covered, solder the ground (usually black) to the sleeve and speaker out (usually red) to the tip
7. On the other end solder the speaker out to the tip

OR

2. Modify

1. Cut the speaker ground wire near one of the plug ends, and separate a few inches of wire
2. Strip and tin the end.

4. 4. Connect RJ12 and speaker to terminal block (male)

1. Test continuity from each position on the plug to the corresponding position on the terminal block, and from the TRRS tip to the TS jack tip connection.
2. When everything checks out, crimp the stress relief on the plugs and slide the sleeves up to screw them onto their connectors, and apply heat to the heat shrink.

5. Test and Finish

1. Test continuity from each position on the RJ12 to the corresponding position on the terminal block, TS tip to TS tip, and TS sleeve to the terminal block connection for the GND on the opposite end.
2. When everything checks out, crimp the stress relief on the plugs and slide the sleeves up to screw them onto their connectors

Two Years of HF

This week I celebrated my second anniversary of being on HF. For you non-hams, that means the High Frequency bands. My antenna theoretically operates the bands from 40 meters to 10 meters (that's the approximate wavelength of the band:  7MHz to 29.7MHz).

I had passed the General Class exam (giving me privileges to operate on those bands) 3 weeks before, but needed a radio and antenna capable of working them.  With the help of my brother-in-law (non-ham but with considerable skills) we got it all set up and I made my first contacts: CT7AEQ in Portugal and HT7AAA in Nicaragua. A couple of days later I got a great lesson in propagation. I'm in Massachusetts, and heard OK2RZ in the Czech Republic talking to a station in Connecticut. I heard the Czech station clearly, but could not hear the CT station, less than 200 miles from here.  Anyway, I was next in line to work the Czech station and I was off and running.

In July 2016 I changed my call sign from KC1EXG to W1LEM, and in December 2016 I passed the Amateur Extra Class exam. I operate mostly on FT8 now, but I do QSO Parties and other events on phone (voice). I am learning Morse Code (CW), and have some CW contacts logged. More to come.

I have Worked All 50 US States (Mixed, Digital, Phone, FT8, 20 meters, and  20 meters digital) and 107 countries. As of this writing I have 7526 contacts recorded in Logbook of the World.

(Totals below do not match LOTW exactly due to different logging data sources, but it's a good picture of the distribution)

CW:            5
FT8:      5468 (started 2017-09-01--so far, 50 states and 93 countries)
JT9:          57
JT65:     1292 (I did JT9 & JT65 for 7 months--worked 49 states--not Maine--and 62 countries; FT8 is more enjoyable and I probably will never go back to the JT modes)
Phone:     584
PSK31:      44
RTTY:         1

10m:            3
12m:          34
15m:        313
17m:        775
20m:      4145
30m:        632
40m:      1517
60m:            3
80m:          27 (note that my G5RVjr antenna is not supposed to perform on 60m and 80m)

Ham Shack Major Upgrade

This is my little corner of the world. The new desk is almost finished. Key features:

1. about 7ft wide, 30" deep and 7ft high
2. 3 drawers on the left, room for 2 computers plus paraphernalia (UPS, ethernet switch, etc) on the right--I will add the second computer after I install AndysHamV21 on it
3. ~18" adjustable shelves on each side
4. top shelf holding misc items
5. middle shelf for stability and storage--and ultimately my on air sign 
6. 200mm computer case fan to cool the HF rig (Ten Tec Jupiter)
7. small, fixed shelf on the right to hold the 2M rig and power supply
8. my DIY 12V power strip (for the fan and sign)
9. pull-out keyboard shelf and pull out work/writing area
10. 8-outlet power strip (behid the monitors and radio)
11. 26" Samsung TV/monitor connected via HDMI cable
12. 21"  monitor connected via VGA cable through a KVM switch to both computers to facilitate sharing
13. pre-existing telephone jack now comes in through a wall plate in the desk side
14. 2" holes in several locations for wire management
15. notches in each of the 18" shelves to accommodate wires and cables

It took the equivalent of 4 4'x8' sheets of 3/4" plywood, plus some 2x4s for framing, some 1"x4" pine for trim, and some 1/2" plywood for the keyboard shelf. I put on 2 coats of stain plus 2 coats of polyurethane (8 coats on the desktop). We  used drawer slides from Rockler for the drawers and the pullouts

We also took the time to run the coax from the 2M and HF antennae across the ceiling and behind the wall. The desk is where the coax came into the shack anyway--it's just neater now, coming in through a wall plate and on to the radios,. We also ran the ethernet cables behind the walls. There had been cables all over the place. Now the ethernet runs:

• from the cable modem/wireless router into the wall across the ceiling to a dual wall plate
• from the dual wall plate an ethernet switch
• from the switch to the XYL's computer and another cable from the switch back into the wall plate
• from the wall plate across the ceiling to another wall plate under the desk
• from the wall plate to another switch that feeds each computer

Dual ethernet wall plate--cable comes from the cable modem/wireless router and into switch. One output from the switch goes to the XYL's desktop--the other goes back to the wall plate and on to the shack

I'm in heaven.  All credit goes to my brother-in law (the one with the skills). .This is a substantial piece of furniture. I can't get a clear shot to take a photo of the whole thing--it's too big. I still have a little work to do, but it's great!

12V DC Power Strip

Assembled and tested, ready for use

I have been busy with some projects lately, and have not been active on the blog. This effort is a small part of my desk project that will be on the blog soon (give or take...).  The desk will accommodate (among other things) my amateur radio equipment.  Amateur radio stuff generally runs off ~12V DC (actually closer to 13.8). There are DC power strips available commercially, but because they handle 30 Amps or more and are intended to be fed by a power supply designed for a radio, they are expensive. I just want to power a fan that cools the radio and a station "on air" sign, so I don't need that.

So, I got a Harbor Freight givaway 110VAC power strip, and took it apart.

I cut off the power cord (it will make an extension cord someday), removed the safety ground copper strip, and drilled out the slots for the prongs of AC plugs to accommodate DC binding posts.

Strip with holes drilled, and some posts installed. Note the mod to the red post on the right.

I cut off the threaded bottom parts to leave just the post (see photo).  Then I soldered the bare binding posts to the copper strips on the positive and negative rails, and screwed bottom back on.

Next I needed a 12V supply. I bought an old wall wart for US$2 at a "Hamfest" (that's basically a flea market for amateur radio people, although there can be some high priced stuff there). Since the jack on the wall wart was not standard, I cut it off and just soldered the wires to the wires to the power strip. It will handle 1250mA, which should be sufficient. As shown in the first photo, it worked. Next step: plug the 200mm computer case fan into the power strip.

Fan plugged into power strip

I'll add the On Air sign after Santa Claus brings it.

Preview of the desk. The blue light to the right of the monitor and behind the radio is the fan--it has 4 blues LEDs, powered by the wall wart through the power strip. My old desk is on the left. It will be removed soon.

I've been using the desk, although we have a couple of additions to make.  We'll add a slide-out drawer for the keyboard and mouse, and a pull-out work surface on the right, over the computers. We also have some trim to add. When I say "we" I mean my brother-in-law--the one with the skills--under my "supervision."

First 80M Contact--and I don't have an 80M antenna

My antenna is a G5RVjr--supposedly good on 10-40meters.  I use it on 20 and 40--I have had no success on other bands.

This week I'm chasing the Route 66 stations (see here), and I'm down to the last 3 out of 21.  Last night I was watching the spots for those 3.  One I couldn't hear, one couldn't hear me, and the other was on 80.  Just for grins, I went to see if I could hear it. I couldn't, but I did hear several other stations very clearly.  So, today I decided to see if I could transmit.  During the day I heard nothing.  Tonight there were no spots for Route 66 stations, but the New Jersey QSO Party was going on.  The first one I tried could not hear me, but another gave me a 59 signal report. First 80 meter QSO!

I have heard that it is possible to tune a 40m antenna for 80m but this is the first time I tried it.

Ambivalence re FT8

17:09 UTC today marked exactly one week of FT8 usage. For the 7 months preceding that, I had been focusing on JT9/JT65, and was amazed at how rapidly I was building up my list of contacts--640, at least 63 countries. FT8 puts that to shame: in ONE WEEK I had  312 QSOs with 29 countries. I worked 9 stations in my first 45 minutes using the mode.

FT8 is really addictive--it's hard to step away from--the instant response is great reinforcement.  I went back to JT65 the other day and found it WAY too slow. The difference is that you have to stay with FT8--on JT65 you can set it up and go do other work on the computer until you get an alert, then go back and jump in.

Right now, I love FT8.  It's a great way to build up contacts and fill in gaps for awards--as well as to communicate with the world (tiny messages notwithstanding). One negative I see now is that I expect to burn out on it--I can feel that starting to happen already. We'll see--the up side is that I've been motivated to go back to SSB at times--I've been in some contests, and I was able to work an Oklahoma station, which was the last state I needed for WAS Phone (now if I can just get 8 stations to return QSL cards...).

There is a philosophical discussion around whether FT8 is a real mode that should count for awards and such.   As a relatively new ham with no Morse Code nostalgia, I believe that there should be no distinction.  There are categories within the awards for various modes and bands, and those should satisfy the curmudgeons.  Amateur Radio has always been about  continuous improvement and use of new technology. To disparage people who do that is to disparage the service in an attempt to define a "real ham" in the image of one's own experience.

On the other hand, FT8 will take some getting used to.  It's different.  It's also fun and useful.

More on Worked All States Plus CQ WPX

In my last post on this subject, I mentioned that I just needed Maine for several endorsements. Well. I finally got Maine on FT8 on 40M, giving me WAS Digital.  I am still at 49, lacking Maine,  for WAS 20M and JT65.

Also, I made SSB contact with an Oklahoma station the other night, giving me WAS Phone, although I an awaiting 8 QSL cards for documentation. So, that's WAS Mixed, Digital, and Phone,

Meanwhile, I discovered the CQ WPX award, which counts prefixes. I qualify for WPX Mixed (400 contacts) ans WPX Digital (300) plus 20M and North America endorsements for both.  I was going to apply but LOTW wanted $56+ on top of the $12 CQ Magazine would charge for each.  I'll be happy with the accomplishment and forego the fancy certificates.

Worked All States, but need Maine for 5 more awards/endorsements

Here's my current Logbook of the World (LOTW) status.

WAS Award	States
Mixed	50
40M	26
20M	49
Phone	37
Digital	49
JT65	49
JT9	15
PSK31	11
40M Phone	12
40M Digital	21
40M JT65	19
40M JT9	3
40M PSK31	1
20M Phone	28
20M Digital	49
20M JT65	49
20M JT9	13
20M PSK31	10
Triple Play	86
5-Band	75

The only state I am missing for 20M, Digital, JT65, 20M Dgital, and 20M JT65 is Maine!

So, any Maine Hams out there: look for W1LEM on 20M and on JT65 (please).

Fourth of July Lights

With my grandchildren coming for the Fourth of July, I went looking for projects to do. This is one, thanks to John Wargo--original and Fourth of July Version.

I made slight modifications to the Fourth of July version, using a Trinket instead of the Pro Trinket, because I had some of the smaller ones inventory. I also decided to leave off the LiPo charging backpack,  used a pushbutton switch, and used perf board for tidiness.

I used John Wargo's code almost exactly. The only difference is that he used pins 9, 10, and 11 but the Trinket does not have those pins.  Only pins 0, 1, and 4 on the Trinket handle PWM, so I replaced the array provided in the code "int ledPins[] = { 9, 10, 11 };" with "int ledPins[] = { 0, 1, 4 };".

Fritzing Diagram of Circuit

Construction

Parts (references to Radio Shack are good as of writing--no guarantee how long they will last)

• Adafruit Trinket 3V
• pushbutton switch (example--any SPST switch will do)
• Radio Shack Dual Proto Board (or any perf board)
• Wire Light LED Strands (1 each red, white, and blue)
• 47 Ohm Resistors (3)
• JST-PH Breakout Board
• 1 Quart Ball Mason Jar (any jar with a lid will do--this size works well)
• Wire Light LED Strands: Red, White, and Blue (note that these are NOT what's shown in the Fritzing diagram--I used the closest image they had in the parts bin).
• 47 Ohm Resistors (3, one for each LED strand): see Adafruit descriptions of the lights, above--no resistor is needed with coin cells, but " If you want to use a 4.5V power supply, use 20-220 ohms (or larger)"--so I chose 47 for the 3,3V Trinket (having noticed how much brighter the LEDs were off the Trinket vs. off the CR2032s with no current-limiting resistor).
• Tinned copper bus wire  and hookup wire-- like this, for example--depending on distances and how much insulation you need
• Gaffer Tape
• 500 mAh LiPo battery
• JST-RCY cable Note:  the battery I used (see link above) has a JST-RCY connector and the JST breakout board has a JST-PH connector, I needed this cable and the next to use it. If yours has a different connector, you may not need these at all,  or you may need something instead of the -RCY cable. The 100mAh version shown in the Fritzing diagram, and most (or all) of Adafruit's LiPos, have JST-PH connectors, making all this unnecessary. I could have just cut the -RCY connector off and spliced on the -PH cable, but that was too permanent for me...and now I have a useful -RCY to -PH adapter.
• JST-PH 2-pin Cable

Tools

• Drill (I used my drill press--you just need a way to drill holes)
• Step Bit (I needed ~16mm for my switch--different switches will have different requirements)
• Wire tools: strippers, flush cutters, etc.
• Normal soldering equipment: iron, sucker, helping hands, etc.

Process

The bulk of the time was spent in design--mostly how to fit everything where I wanted.  The mason jar lid cramped my style. Even thought the Trinket is small, it took some maneuvering to get the perf board, theTrinket, and the JST breakout next to the whole I drilled.

1. I laid out the space requirements on the inside of the lid, then cut the perf board to size and experimented with positioning until I was no unhappy
2. I drilled the hole in the lid for the switch
3. I made the RCY to PH JST cable to connect the battery: I just soldered the 2 together and heat shrinked
4. The LED strands referenced above come with coin cell battery holders. I needed to cut the leads from the battery holders to use them, taking care to note which lead is positive (mine had white markings on the + lead, but I tested it to be sure and marked each with red and black Sharpies).
5. Wire it up
6. Test and correct as necessary.
7. Solder.
   I used tinned copper bus wire to make a ground bus down one side of the perf board, fed by the negative pin on the JST-PH breakout.
   To that, I soldered the GND pin on the Trinket and the negative leads of all 3 LED strands.
   I soldered one resistor to each positive LED lead and heat shrinked it for insulation, then soldered the other leads of the resistors to the proper Trinket pins. 
8. I used gaffer tape to secure the circuit to the lid and the battery to the jar

Video

Worked All States!!

I did it! Yesterday afternoon I had a JT65 QSO with a station in Hawaii. When I checked my Logbook of the World account this morning, it was confirmed.  That completes my 50 states (mixed). I have other Worked All States (WAS) awards to pursue, but I'm really happy to have this completed.

Twenty Meters was great yesterday--I made this contact with Hawaii before I repaired my antenna (one of my side of my G5RV Jr. had broken loose from the cord that ran from the dogbone to a tree...later yesterday with help from another ham I inserted a bungee cord, re-tied the cord, and raised and tightened the antenna).

Vintage Clock Radio Teardown

Yesterday my wife presented me with a 1966 Sears Silvertone Clock radio, model 6048.  The clock turned on but the radio did not.  I opened the case to find it was a vacuum tube device, so before I tore it down I took it a meeting of one of my amateur radio clubs, which happened to be last night, to see if anyone wanted to play with it. There was some curiosity, but no takers, so I tore it down.

Case open, pre teardown

Torn down

Salvaged Parts

After all that, I wound up with pretty much what I expected: a speaker, some knobs, 2 POTs, and some screws.  I also kept the transformer for the speaker--cursory research reveals that a permanent magnet speaker may need a transformer. I do not know if that's a function of the radio or the speaker--but I will try to find out.  I also kept the internal antenna, just for grins.

So, a piece of history bites the dust, but hopefully I will have some use for the parts.

Head Move Donkey V02: progress

After this post on my donkey update I learned some things, much of it from Adafruit Support on the forum in this thread.

First I was concerned with a statement in the MusicMaker Learning Guide "Don't forget to make sure you have a good strong 5V power supply - especially if you're using the 3W 4 ohm speakers! " It turns out that I was able to do what I needed with the 3.7V LiPo--I noticed no difference in output using the 5V 2A  wall wart.  I was even able to run everything off the 4xAA battery pack (using NiMHs only give 1.2V each, 4.8V total).  However, when I added the second Servo. I needed 2 power supplies.

Second I had trouble getting decent volume from an 8Ohm .5W speaker. I was directed to use 4Ohm 3W speakers.  I tried an 8Ohm 2.5W speaker I took out of a CRT television amd that was fine, but it's too big for the donkey.  I got some 1.25" 4Ohm 3W speakers off ebay, but they did not produce enough sound.  The smaller Adafruit version did the trick.

Third, I cooked an SD card and a MusicMaker.  I think it was while I was experimenting with power options...I may have mis-connected something.  First symptom was that it could not initialize the SD card.  I replaced it, and it got past initialization and said it was playing music but it wasn't.  Back to Adafruit for replacement board.

The reason for the second Servo is that I decided to move the donkey's tail, too.  I move the Servos in opposite directions, just because for grins.

Here's my appearance with the project on Adafruit's Show and Tell. I'm on from about 11:30 to 14:00.

49 States!

I've been working HF for just over a year, and have been looking forward to qualifying for the ARRL "worked all states" (WAS) award.  After starting digital modes in February, I got up to 48 states, leaving just Maine and Hawaii.  I did not think ME would be a problem, since I live in Massachusetts, but it proved to be difficult.

This weekend is the New England QSO Party, so I figured that this would be my chance. I am not hearing a lot on 40 meters today (the most likely band for me to hear ME on), but I did get 1 ME confirmed contact...so now I just need Hawaii.

Any HI hams out there wanna help me out?

73, W1LEM

Head Move Donkey V02 in-process

Adafruit Feather M0, with MusicMaker and PWM/Servo FeatherWing stacked, running the Head Move Donkey code: plays

"Donkey Serenade" while moving the servo about 60 deg right and left to move the head.

As described in detail in this post, I recreated a wind-up toy that I bought for my daughter (an infant in 1978) with a Pro Trinket 3V and other components.  In the 2.5 years since, I've gotten a little smarter and the available technology has gotten a lot better, so I thought I'd try a version 2.  The biggest difference is that I needed fewer components. 

Donkey V01 

In the original, I needed an SD card reader, an amplifier, and a PWM/Servo Board. I still need those things, but the Adafruit Feather System makes it a lot simpler, eliminating most of the wiring and some of the code.  Also the Feather uses a ATSAMD21G18 @ 48MHz with 3.3V logic/power and 256KB of FLASH + 32KB of RAM while the Trinket uses the ATmega328P  at 12MHz with 28K of flash, and 2K of RAM...so, the M0 is much more powerful.

Power management is slightly different. I was able to power the Trinket from a 4xAA battery pack, using the 3V output to power the SD card and the 6V to power the Amp and servo driver.  Logic levels were not a problem.  I power the M0 from a 3.7V LiPo and the Servo Wing from the 4xAA--again, the Servo is forgiving with respect to logic levels.  I probably should have had separate power sources in V01. One twist is that I'll need a DPST switch to turn on both power sources together.

Donkey V02 Circuit Working

Next steps are to construct and enclose the completed circuit and re-stuff the donkey.  Since the enclosure will be smaller, I'm going to try to get the batteries inside the donkey this time.

Fritzing Diagram of Circuit

Fun with Robots, IR Decoding, LED Matrix, etc.

Fig 1: Three experiment--two with the samsung remote on the left, one with the Radio Shack remote on the right--to control a +Adafruit Industries 8x8 Bicolor LED Matrix

I haven't posted in a while because several interests have kept me very busy. This all started withe the +Parallax Board of Education (BOE) Robot kit. I asked for and received on for Christmas a couple of years ago and let it ripen until I was ready.  I decided that it would make a good project to do with my 7-year-old granddaughter when she visits this summer--but first, I should make sure that I can build it without a lot of fumbling. Fumbling is good, but watching me figure out what dumb thing I did is not always interesting to a 7yr-old. I followed the tutorial and learned quite a bit, The last project that I did used infrared for proximity sensing to avoid obstacles. At the same time, +Adafruit Industries, via The Desk of Lady Ada, provided some great information on IR. So, I decided to play and learn further.

Fig 2: +Parallax BOE Bot with 2 IR transmitters aand 2 IR receivers

IR Decoding the Hard Way

Following the +Adafruit Industries tutorial on IR Sensing, I was able to decode only some of the buttons on my Samsung TV Remote (see Figure 1). Using the remote is a 2-step process: first decode the signals send by the buttons, then use the decoded signals in a different sketch that takes action based on the buttons. Using this method (see the Raw IR Decoder and ircommander code on github), I was able to decode some of the buttons and use them in a sketch.  

Quick diversion:  I have had big plans to use a 32x32 LED Matrix that I bought in a parking assistant project that will display faces to convey the emotions evoked by a car getting increasingly closer. I decided to use the 8x8 bicolor matrix and backpack to prove the concept, and use the remote to signal which face to display. Figure 1 shows the initialized yellow face (looks orange to me). So, I needed to follow the tutoral for the matrix and backback library.

I was able to merge code from the bicolor8x8 example code in the Adafruit LED Backpack library with code from the ircommander sketch referenced above. After adding the decoded remote buttons to a newly created library (see the IR Sensor tutorial and the project video cited at the end of this post), I was able to change the face on the matrix based on the remote buttons.

I found both the coding aspect and the operation of the technique to be less than perfect.  Maintaining a separate library with very long sequences of numbers just to test what button  was pressed seems a bit much. In operation, the code seems to reset itself randomly, and only respond to buttons when it feels like. This may be me, and I will investigate, but read on to see a much neater technique.

IR Decoding an Easier Way

After working through the above, I watched Lady Ada work through Chris Young's IRLib2 in one of the Desk of Lady Ada epdisodes cited above.  Chris, aka cyborg5, is a frequent visitor to the Adafruit Show and Tell, and has done a lot of great work (see his blog).  Both the decoding and the processing techniques are simplifies greatly, and his library handles several IR protocols. The IRLIB2 tutorial describes it all very well.  You wind up with one simple code that you supply in a sketch so you can determine what button was pressed--straightforward, and I was able to decode all the buttons with no missed presses. From there it was a matter of simplifying the sketch I wrote earlier to display faces on the LED matrix.  Again, the project video shows all this.

Controlling Motors with IR

Since we started with robots, I thought it would be interesting to control motors with IR.  It was a simple matter to modify the IRLib2 sketch above to direct the continuous rotation servos.  I took code from the BOE-Bot project, and code from the Adafruit_PWMServoDriver library tutorial, and it went smoothly.  The servos in the BOE-Bot are different from the Adafruit ones, so I had to go to the data sheet to see what values to use to get them to move as I wanted. I was able to decode all the buttons on the Samsung remote, and used the arrow keys to simulate moving the robot forward, back, left, and right.

I first did this without the PWM Servo FeatherWing. Because the feather is 3V logic, I needed a level shifter to handle the signals from the board to the servos. That worked, but added a few connections and I used the Arduino servo library as opposed to the Adafruit library which allowed for simpler code.

Another thing I needed to worry about was timer conflicts. I had come across this before, in my Donkey Project, but Chris' tutorial gave a straightforward explanation and solution. The problem is that the servo library uses Timer1 and on the 32u4 Feather IRLib2 does too. It was necessary to go into one of the associated libraries and change one line of code to re-assign the timer.  You'll get better instruction in the tutorial than I can give here.  Again, the project video shows the results.

Controlling 2 FS90R continuous rotation servos from an Adafruit BLE Feather and PWM Servo FeatherWing

Trying a Different Remote

A while back, Radio Shack sold some MAKE project kits, including robotics. During an earlier RS bankruptcy, I acquired a RS remote at a big discount and still had it in inventory, so I decided to try it out. Using the IRLib2 approach to decoding, I found the the protocol was not one of supported ones. A look at the datasheet for the PT2248 chip in the remote revealed that ot used the Toshiba protocol. So, I had to go back to the hard way, and I got that to work.  See the video.

IR Affects the BOE-Bot

Just for grins, I took out the BOE-Bot, let it runon the floor, and chased it with a remote.  The bot's IR retrievers detected the transmissions, and the bot reacted accordingly (moving left or right as if it had detected an obstacle).

Project Video

See the project video on YouTube

Andy's Ham V20 Virtual Machine Update

When last we left Andy's Ham, in this post, I had Andy's linux ham radio distribution installed in a virtual machine running on a Windows 10 host under Virtualbox. The installation was successful, but I still had to run some software.

The first step was to get the virtual machine to recognize my my Signalink USB. After starting up the VM, in Virtualbox, I went to "Settings/USB" and found "Burr-Brown from TI USB Audio Codec." I ticked that, and for a couple of weeks I could not get the VM to do anything but freeze up.  I was pretty sure that that was the Signalink, so I scoured the interwebs for information, to no avail. In desperation, In installed AndysHam on a different physical machine and plugged in the Signalink. The same option appeared in USB settings, and it worked. This time I notice the options for USB controller: 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0.  In both cases I had ticked 2.0.  However, the computer with the VM has some USB 3.0 ports (see this post on my upgrade). I had not noticed that I had plugged the Signalink into a 3.0 port (I just reached around to the back of the computer and plugged it in where I could). I went back and ticked 3.0 and all was well. The VM did not freeze and the Signalink showed up as an option in the software (fldigi and WSJT-X).

VirtualBox USB settings for Signalink (be sure to enable the correct USB controller)

If I have WSJT-X (e.g.) running on the host, the guest grabs the USB port for the Signalink and holds it until the VM is shut down. So, I can run the software on the guest, but not the host. On the host, the Signalink is not an option for sound card until the guest is shut down. It may be necessary to redesignate the sound card every time--however, if you plan to use the Signalink in the guest only, this is not an issue.

So, I got AndysHam to work in two environments--on a stand-alone machine and as a guest machine under Virtualbox.  There are a couple of things I need to get used to. First, JTAlert does not run on linux.  I have been enjoying the features, so I'm not sure I want to give that up. Second, I find the set up a little inflexible.  I'm sure I can do what I want to do, but it's been set up to provide most things, and for under-powered computers--which mine is not.  

I'll work with it some more, and if I have anything useful to say in the future I will post it here.

Andy's Ham Version 20 VM Installation

I have recently made progress with digital modes.  On 2 Meters, I have been successful with packet on my Alinco DR-135. I am considering a Tigertronics Signalink as sound card interface for my Ten Tec Jupiter.

Meanwhile, I need software.  I could pursue commercial options like Ham Radio Deluxe, but I decided to explore some free options.  I discovered KB1OIQ - Andy's Ham Radio Linux .  The advantage is that it includes a variety of free packages, including logging, rig control, satellite tracking, and a variety of others.

I had 3 options for installation:

1. Turn my Windows 10 system into a dual boot, and boot into linux when I want to play radio and Windows for other applications
2. Install Andy's Ham on a separate matching dedicated to playing radio
3. Install Andy's Ham as a virtual machine (VM), running under Windows

I chose option 3, because dual booting can be a pain and a separate computer can add complexity. Running a VM allows both Windows and linux to be available at the same time. To do that, I needed virtualization software. I chose VirtualBox because I have used it before at work and home.  Installation on Windows is simple: download the correct version at the link just provided, and run the .exe.  It makes sense to download the Extension Pack and install it, too (honestly, I don't know why that's an option--just always install it).

Once VirtualBox is installed:

1. run it and create a VM (follow the prompts--consult the user documentation at the download link if you need to). The only change I needed to make from defaults was disk size--it defaults to 8G but I gave it 20G--Ubuntu says it needs ~20. 
2. download Andy's Ham (link in the second paragraph above)
3. in VirtualBox, click settings, then storage for the machine you created. Next to Optical Drive on the right, click on the CD image and point it to the downloaded Andy's Ham .iso file.
   

   

   Installing Andy's Ham in a VM
4. Start the VM--follow the current instructions. For me I chose the "live" option when prompted. When asked for a user id gave it "ubuntu" and presses enter on password (no Password). Once the VM comes up, you can play with the installation, but nothing is permanent until you install to the VN's hard drive. To do that, click on "Debian"  at the lower left, an in the menu that pops up click "System" then "Install to Hard Disk."  This will take a while, but cannot run unattended because you need to respond to some prompts along the way.
5. Restart the VM (click on machine/ACPI shutdown, then double click the machine name), and you're done.  One of the prompts you responded to created a user and password--use those to log in to your new machine.

This is a nice remix of Ubuntu if all you want to do is play radio.  I'm going to have to play to see how to add back some Ubuntu features that I'm used to.  I will post again after I've had a chance to play/learn.

Install Andys Ham to hard drive after starting with "live" option

Example of how to navigate to some of the features

I upgraded my computer--including stupid technician tricks

System Information (from Control Panel/System)

The last two times I was on +Adafruit Industries #showandtell, my video was unacceptable.  That's a minor irritation for me, but the second time I had my seven-year-old-granddaughter on. She was able to get through it, but it was a struggle.  Show and and Tell is a Google Hangout, and the minimum requirements include a quad-core processor.  I had been getting by with an AMD Athlon X2 dual-core processor and ASUS Motherboard for the 3 years I've been participating by shutting everything else down and running just one tab on Chrome for the hangout, but I guess Google's "enhancements" have rendered my computer obsolete.

The computer was an 8-year old home-build, and has served me well, but I decided that I needed to get my granddaughter on again in fine style, so I bought an AMD 8-core processor and ASUS motherboard. Actually I bought an ASRock motherboard first, but I had some issues with the build (see below) and I read reports of this mobo bursting into flames, so I returned it and ordered the ASUS. I will report here after I try Show and Tell again, but so far it's great.

Additions

I also ordered a new graphics card.  I'm not very happy with it. First, the description, the invoice, and the parts list all say it supports DirectX 12.  What Newegg sent me supports DirectX 11.2, according to the box. I returned it for replacement, expecting them to fix their error right away.  It turns out that they refused to replace it until the receive the one they sent in error.  So, I changed it to refund and ordered a new one.  I got the new one 5 days before they received the return. To my surprise, it was the same version. Newegg has been good in the past, but this is not good.  Over 2 weeks later I still do not have a refund.  

In addition, I got this card because Microsoft says that the Windows 10 video capture tool works with AMD Radeon R7 and later. However, it's still telling me that my video card is not good enough for them. More research.

The motherboard has an  M.2 slot for what is essentially and SSD stick.  When I get around to it, I will add a 250GB SSD using this new, smaller, faster technology.

The motherboard also has COM header for a serial port, Since my ham radios are able to work digital modes through a serial port I ordered one from China and will hook that up to enable me to experiment with digital modes. More learning and excitement!

Since the 650W power supply I had in the machine had failed recently, I had replaced it with a 800W supply.  Underpowering a system is an invitation to frustration, so if you're upgrading, don't forget to be sure that you have a power supply that will meet all the requirements of your new system.

Stupid Technician Tricks

I won't go into detail on the big one (it's embarrassing and I know better), but here are some suggestions for installing an AMD CPU on a motherboard:

1. lift up the lever next to the pad on the motherboard
2. align the arrow in one corner of the CPU with the arrow on the motherboard pad (also check the pattern of the CPU pins to be sure they align with the pattern on the pad
3. only after the CPU is seated properly, push the lever down
4. check that everything is secure BEFORE adding the heatsink/fan assembly

Enough said, except that the overarching recommendation is "Take your time!"  

The only other problem I had was minor:  the hard drive light was not lighting. Obviously, I connected it wrong.  Lesson: double check your connections before you plug in the unit, and check that everything works before putting the case all back together.

Activation

Initially, I thought I may need to buy a new copy of Windows, but I read up on Microsoft's digital license policy and made sure that I was all set up.  I had Windows 10 Pro, installed as part of Microsoft's free upgrade program. Since I had purchased Windows 8.1 Pro, it upgraded me to Windows 10 Pro.  After I fired up the  machine I was not asked to activate Windows (although Office 2010 did ask to be activated--quick and easy).  I did get a message "you need to fix your Microsoft Account."  Google revealed that I needed to update a user. When I went in to do that I was told I couldn't because Windows wasn't activated.  I went through the activation process--which tells you you need to buy a new copy but has a non-prominent link "I recently upgraded my hardware."  I clicked that, and after a couple of "our servers are down" messages, I was able to activate.  Done,

I use Norton Security provided as part of my subscription to Comcast.  Norton said it had expired.  I couldn't convince it that it hadn't, and Comcast help was typically useless, so I uninstalled it and reinstalled and all was forgiven.

Summary

I have a fast new machine that should work with the Adafruit Show and Tell Google Hangout. Everything is activated.  I have and upgrade path to an SSD and will have a serial port to use for ham radio digital modes as soon as it arrives.  Overall I'm happy with the build.

The only issue is the video card.  I read on the interwebs that others with this card have had the problem Windows 10 video capture.  I'm working on it.

I am an Extra Class Operator

In 1958, my friend Freddy and I studied Morse Code with the intention of becoming licensed Ham Radio operators. Then Junior High School happened, along with the 60's and other decades of distraction, so I never got licensed.  About 3 years ago, I became interested in hobby electronics. In the process I built a crystal radio, and all the ham interest came back. A little over a year ago, I decided to investigate the local ham community.  I found an active, vibrant community so I decided to get licensed. I passed my first exam in January of this year.

As of about 9:45 AM EST 10 December 2016, I am an Amateur Extra Class Radio Operator. I passed the test with a 100% score. I have now taken all 3 Ham Radio license exams this year. I scored 100% on the Technician, got 1 wrong on the General (although when they asked me the question after the test I got it right), and 100% on the Extra.

So, now I have to go learn what the questions really mean--but I am proud and happy, and I have made two QSOs (contacts) so far with my new privileges.