IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT-817
Contents
1. Please note that in case a narrow filter is used the mode will always be set as standard wide not narrow If the VFO band were previously chosen for NARrow operation the FT 817 will honor automatically the setting Changing RTX mode Even if this function is available with dedicated buttons on the FT817 it has been implemented into the I F R The mode change function is accessed with a press on the symbol The second press will change the operating mode as shown on the display Tip CW mode is selected with any key press other than 4 5 6 7 8 Please note that this function mimics front panel buttons so a change from to CW CWR will result in automatic frequency adjustment of an amount equal to your sidetone setting The Interactive Frequency Reader awaits forever for the mode choice If you did not want to use this function either select the current mode or power cycle the circuit Doc v 20110404 11 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 X kHz On key C a single press decreases of X kHz the current frequency be it true VFO or through a transverter where X amount has been configured in the Config mode The display shows X kHz on the lower line to acknowledge the action What is this for Unless you and your correspondent are absolutely confident of your VFOs accuracy in some cases it is useful to tune through a common frequency reference like a beacon and then QSY some tens of kHz away2. The 13 8Vcc line on the ACC port of FT 817 is connected to the power supply through a 10 ohm 1 16W resistor It is not fused Damage to the radio will occur if this line gets shorted Moreover the voltage on ACC port is always present including when internal batteries are installed and the radio powered off don t forget to switch off your Interactive Frequency Reader or unplug it when not in use If you feel uncomfortable in using this line please use a separate 9V battery to power the Interactive Frequency Reader Otherwise use heatshrink pipes for each pin on homemade plugs No responsibility is taken for data loss or any damage to your equipment All trademarks belong to respective owners Yaesu Atmel Icom Microchip 3 Software calibration settings are unique to every single device If their values get lost you need to send your radio back to Yaesu for re alignment These settings are accessed by pressing keys A B C simultaneously and then powering up the radio Copy them all to paper and store it in a safe place Feel free to make several copies of your backup 4 This safery procedure should be undertaken even when using a CAT computer cable and a computer control software The danger is not in this circuit but in the potential misinterpretation of data by the FT817 Doc v 20110404 5 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Quick start While it is worth reading this document to the end understand you might want
3. the F R returns to the normal display mode showing VFO frequency and mode In order to program an onboard memory you have to press followed by and then the key corresponding to the desired memory location On the LCD first Program is shown Doc v 20110404 12 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Once the memory location is written a short confirmation is displayed done and the F R returns to the normal display mode showing VFO frequency and mode CAUTION When programming your own chips be aware that EEPROM area is not initialized therefore do not recall onboard memories unless you have programmed them Chips sent by the author have their 15 onboard memories set to 14060 kHz CW Selecting LO value A press on the D button changes the selected LO value cycling through the 2 locations programmed using the Config mode This change is applied only to the LO value used by the Interactive Frequency Reader and not to the radio and or transverter There is no hint on the display about which LO value is in use When pressing the D key a confirmation message is shown briefly telling which LO number has been selected This setting is not stored in EEPROM so even if you keep changing the LO number you will not wear out the chip permanent memory area At power up the I F R starts from LO 1 Please note that when not using transverter mode key D implements the X kHz functio
4. 512 500 Hz If your use case calls for dialing frequencies within the same 10 MHz range use the C button to toggle this shortcut between ON and OFF Default setting is OFF that means frequencies have to be entered with full MHz digits or GHz Mk if transverter mode is ON 100 Hz shortcut available in the full version only the free version has 100 Hz always turned on As shown in Keypad tuning at page 9 frequencies can be dialed in down to the 100 Hz digit 145 512 500 Hz or 14 200 000 Hz Since this feature can be annoying it is disabled per default If you need to dial frequencies with 100 Hz precision use the A button to toggle this shortcut between ON and OFF Doc v 20110404 17 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 kHz jump amount available in the full version only free version has a fixed 10 kHz step Key C in Normal mode is used to QSY down of a fixed amount mimicking the SEL rotary switch on the front panel When transverter math is not enabled key D does QSY up too The amount of kHz skipped can be configured via key 6 followed by another keypress that chooses amongst the following fixed amounts in kHz So 6 A sequence prepares the F R for 100 kHz QSYs Doc v 20110404 18 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Customizing Since every microwave user probably has her his own habits it is possible to request some customization of the Interac
5. IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 What is it The IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 is a wired device meant to repeat part of the display content far away from the radio An included keypad provides the operator a way to interact with the transceiver The firmware also features the ability to do some math and show the output frequency to simplify life to microwave transverter users All operations occur through the 16 key keyboard with feedback on the 2 16 LCD display This device is based on an Atmel ATmega168 or ATmega88 ATmega328 microcontroller and a HD44780 2x16 LCD display Power supply can be taken from the FT 817 ACC port so that only one wire is required to make the display work Key features based on ATmega88 168 328 chip clocked at 11 052 MHz 2 16 character display HD44780 4800 9600 38400 baud communication with FT 817 configurable works with FT 817 FT 857 FT 897 and their D ND versions config and normal operation modes keypad interaction direct frequency dial including direct microwave frequency dial configurable direct frequency dial shortcuts only some digits VFO A B toggle VFO A B 15 onboard frequency mode memories stored in EEPROM mode change 2 LO values stored in EEPROM LO value down to 100 Hz Output frequency ranges from 0 to 214 748 364 700 Hz that s 214 7 GHz VFO output frequency computed to 100 Hz resolution support for both Out LO IF and Out LO IF stored in EEPROM c
6. actions so it shows only a subset of them Doc v 20110404 14 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Each configuration option is described below CAT rate The FT 817 can communicate at three different speeds on the CAT port 4800 9600 radio and I F R defaults and 38400 baud I F R can use any of the three just press buttons 1 2 or 3 to set in EEPROM the desired respective value Key Baud 1 4800 2 9600 3 38400 Please note that there is no real advantage in using 38400 for I F R it only increases the risk of communication error Transverter mode This feature is useful only if the FT 817 is used as intermediate frequency for a transverter since the displayed frequency will be added to a constant amount representing the transverter local oscillator Use the B key to togglle bewteen ON and OFF and do not forget to set transverter local oscillator value s as described in the next paragraph L O values the free version is limited to 2 L O values Keys 7 and 8 initiate the sequence to enter a local oscillator frequency to be used when Transverter mode is ON On key 7 resides LO 1 on key 8 is LO 2 Entering an LO value follows the same rules of a direct frequency dial resolution is always down to 100 Hz and 10 digits should be entered A non numeric key closes the sequence beforehand Examples 1 152 345 600 Hz is typed as 115234564 8 numbers 1 non numeric 10
7. between them Doc v 20110404 29 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Interactive Frequency Reader Printable Summary 4800 9600 ff 38400 ahs 1 2 ES A B kHz XV ll Voeell PS AM A B Lost Ml Lo 2 Logs Ful 8 MHz kHz Na LSB LO O Presets kHz Key functions in CONFIG mode Grayed out buttons are available only in the full version of the firmware Mode change Key functions in NORMAL mode Doc v 20110404 30
8. for the QSO Since there are no keys left for both up and down only the latter has been implemented permanently So each press on the key C will substract X kHz to the current VFO value X kHz When transverter mode is disabled a single press of key D increases of X kHz the current VFO frequency The display shows X kHz on the lower line to acknowledge the action Onboard memories Up to 15 onboard frequency mode memories can be programmed in the Interactive Frequency Reader hardware The frequency mode information is read from the currently selected VFO or whatever is currently in use i e what is shown on the display and stored in a permanent memory area Presets will survive F R power off and long term storage since they are stored in EEPROM cells Onboard memories are accessed with two key strokes key where key is the one chosen during the programming process see below Since the star key is used for programming you cannot assign it a value actually you can but you ll not be able to retrieve it The LCD shows the ongoing action on the lower line Keypad memories are transferred to the currently selected VFO or MTUNE First the frequency is sent then mode is set and frequency sent again This process should avoid setting an invalid mode in the broadcast band WFM only that would hang the FT817 requiring removal of power Once the memory location write operation is complete
9. to start using your Interactive Frequency Reader as soon as possible Follow the following steps in order to get started Steps 1 to 4 can be done before your Interactive Frequency Reader is built or in your possession 1 Do NOT connect the Interactive Frequency Reader to the radio YET Turn on your FT 817 long press the F button navigate to 14 CAT RATE using the SEL rotary switch and set it to 9600 baud default setting on the F R Long press F again to store this setting Turn off the transceiver 4 Optional but strongly recommended Record the soft calibration settings that are 8 9 exclusive for your piece of equipment Keep A B and C buttons pressed while turning on the FT 817 Browse through all setting using SEL rotary switch and record on paper their value Make copies of the paper and put them in the safe Turn off the FT 817 as usual Remove ALL power sources including the internal battery if your circuit does not carry an on off switch Connect the I F R cable to the rear ACC socket Be gentle and patient do not force it Looking at the Interactive Frequency Reader LCD apply power to the radio and display circuit ie switch on the power supply and the on off switch if installed the LCD should show a row full of the display welcome message and in a couple of seconds a Comm Error because the radio is off Switch on your FT 817 and wait about 5 seconds The Interactive
10. 100 ms Example The keypad sequence 5 1 will provide about 400 1500 1900 ms of delay between updates Difference mode In difference mode key star the Interactive Frequency Reader circuit computes and Doc v 20110404 16 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 displays LO VFO instead of LO VFO This happens when your transverter LO is higher than its output frequency To toggle between difference and add mode you need to enter the Config mode and press key Sample display confirming that sum mode has been acquired Sample display confirming that difference mode has been acquired The difference mode setting is retained in Interactive Frequency Reader EEPROM so that it will be remembered and used after powering off and on the display circuit Please note that this is a global setting so it is applied to all LO values Please note that this setting applies only when Transverter mode is ON Please note that when you are operating a difference mode transverter your SSB mode is reversed but the Frequency Reader DOES NOT take it into account it will show the radio mode not the effective mode on the transverter output MHz dial shortcut available in the full version only the free version has no shortcut As shown in Keypad tuning at page 9 frequencies can be dialed in either with the full frequency or only starting from the 1 MHz digit 145 512 500 Hz or 145
11. 20mA use an external power source either for the backlight only or the whole frequency reader like a 9V PP3 battery and compute a proper series resistor Also DO NOT replace the 78L05 with the more powerful 7805 unless you are using an external power source for the whole frequency reader Doc v 20110404 21 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Connections It is strongly advised to connect the Interactive Frequency Reader to the transceiver when no power is supplied to the radio including internal batteries unless you have installed an on off switch Remember that whenever a DC source is connected to the FT817 including the internal battery pack there will be voltage present on the ACC port therefore the display circuit will draw current if left connected To LCD have found that two 6 way pin headers or a 16 way full row produce a clean and sturdy connection between the LCD and the circuit board This way the circuit remains partially hidden under the LCD therefore reducing the global footprint of the Interactive Frequency Reader To FT 817 Depending on your choice of powering the keypad through the ACC port or an external battery you need a cable with four or three wires respectively suggest using a shielded cable with three or two wires respectively Use a 4 way PCB connector to easily remove the connecting cable from the circuit Alternatively you can mount a 4 way panel socket and use a m
12. 224 123 400 Hz is typed as 1022412344 9 numbers 1 non numeric 212 987 654 300 Hz is typed as 2129876543 10 numbers On the other hand adding leading zeroes is also accepted so the first two examples above Doc v 20110404 15 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 can also be entered as 0011523456 10 numbers 0102241234 10 numbers After pressing 7 or 8 the display shows the current value on the upper line and what is being entered on the lower line The example shows a new frequency being entered 10224 1xy z00 Hz with xyz still to be typed in Trailing OO are 10 and 1 Hz and never change Display update Each update of the displayed frequency requires a communication between the I F R and the FT 817 The business logic behind I F R requires about 300 ms to end the software loop and update the frequency If you do not need such a fast response you may relax the communication channel adding 100 to 1500 ms delay on each loop Press key 5 followed by another key whose meaning in terms of milliseconds adheres to the following map As a side effect faster updates increase the average I F R current consumption since the CAT dialogue peak the current drawn to 100 mA as opposed to 16 mA in stand by 1 2 3 Al 1500 1100 700 300 4 5 6 B 1400 1000 600 200 ai 8 9 C 1300 900 500 100 el 0 D 1200 800 400 0 Default setting is C
13. Frequency Reader enters normal operation mode 10 If you want to enter the configuration mode turn off the I F R turn it on again and press a key while the welcome message is shown it lasts two seconds The display will show a short menu that does not list all available functions because of the limited space refer to this manual for all implemented functions 11 Enjoy Doc v 20110404 6 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Tested on This circuit has been developed on a FT817ND I Italian version with serial number SHOOxxxx The Interactive Frequency Reader firmware uses only CAT commands from the User s Manual Since the CAT protocol is the same for FT 817 FT 857 and FT 897 the Interactive Frequency Reader should work on all three models Doc v 20110404 7 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 How it works This Interactive Frequency Reader is operated through the matrix keypad There are two operation modes Config and Normal There are 2 available EEPROM locations to store transverter local oscillator values and 15 EEPROM areas to record frequency mode combinations During normal operation the currently selected frequency and mode on the FT 817 are read through the CAT port and added to the selected transverter local oscillator value if enabled Everything is rounded to 100 Hz even if the FT 817 tuning resolution is 10 Hz which remains unchanged but 10 Hz di
14. IKI ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 ND and FT 857 FT 897 User s Manual An IK1ZYW creation All rights reserved IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Table of Contents What is TA A A ERA AE EAS aside E E 3 Special MM a ds 4 E da 5 A O ATA 6 TEN AS A A EAS 7 EOI A A caia 8 Normal mode e a o e e 8 A II AT CRT RST AS SANTEE ATC RICO RSOY OP HIY AY CRN RTE 9 Changin RTX VF Oradei eener A da 11 Changing RTX Mod A A 11 ts Desa ete o id dol e dedo 12 O ae a Mer os acl Dy nth a CoN MOS a baal Stench a Ut Merges ie Ya yee a Cas sett 12 Onboard TEMIOM ES a sas A aa 12 Selecting LO Valle kinni eneas e g ae i 13 Commu nicati n errr ciana a a a a a a a a tah 13 COO TE SAO AE E E A A E A AEE 13 CAT TAU e A IA A AAN Sc 15 LAS VENENO ali iS a oca 15 LO NM a A a RO eat 15 Display Update 0 A ARAS 16 DAR ETE Cc MOS ri ai id 16 RS A Reon E E E a a E ous A AEA EE 17 t00 Hz SOUUC Ufa tient cal tte as 17 MN 8 1a Ae A AE E RE AAEE A A A A E RNA re RRR 18 CUStOM ZIN E enpr ce aaa EE a T AR E EN AOE ET AE ny asl REEE 19 RR 20 Technical specificationS sass il cdas 21 Troubl shooting A aia 22 Vicrocontro lle A A a dos 23 Microcontroller prostatitis 24 A A oN 25 NV ADENINE E REE 26 Connections AS AS rin 28 Wa E E D A aid 28 A RMI ERT AMER A N 28 For A A A ini ere a EE ERE ER ere ne or ee ro 29 Interactive Frequency Reader Printable Summary iisccst scccccessosstead inc a ec 30 Doc v 20110404 2
15. N BLBO RSTDISBL 1 DWEN 1 WDTON 1 EESAVE 1 BODLEVEL 7 BOOTSZ 0 BOOTRST 1 Basically you need to set external clock above 8 MHz without internal divider Refer to ATmega168 Datasheet for further information The frequency reader firmware is composed of two files 1 the hex containing the program itself and goes in to the uC Flash memory 2 the eep containing valid and sample EEPROM data to get you started Both files have to be written into the chip and verified EEPROM default data from the eep is overwritten with user settings so be aware that further reprogrammings like a firmware update might cause data loss Please note that am not able to help with the programming process or debugging 9 This is especially true if a future firmware version will use a different data structure in the EEPROM If a simple bug fix is released you may reprogram the Flash only and keep the EEPROM data Doc v 20110404 24 COLUMNS IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Assembling GND to FT817 Acc 5V ON OFF pa contrast ae yz O a o 0 5V pa q q A DO O T Seen as looking towards Po E Nd the FT 817 back 5V 3 So XTAL is 11 0592 MHz a E 51 A A E On at 4 C g 22 Poot a 59 A O yoan 100n y 2 N 16 p ang C7 A 5V z 100R A LCD backlight cl CJ cal to 4x4 C2 C E matrix c3 B to 4x4 keypad CA fy matr
16. atching plug on one cable end Towards the FT 817 cable end you need a MiniDin8 plug Soldering into these requires a steady hand some level of magnification and a thin iron tip Get hold of some heatshrink pipe to protect your joints afterwards Check with an ohm meter for shorts between pins before using the cable Good luck and remember am not responsible for your faults There are commercially available cables with MiniDin8 plugs namely for an old Apple computer application Sun SPARC stations keyboards also used them but some plug modification is required These cables offer the safety and ruggedness of a molded plug Doc v 20110404 28 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 For FT 857 FT 897 Owners have been informed that FT 857 and FT 897 have a built in function that does the transverter math Since do not own these transceivers all could do is read their instruction manuals These settings are at Menu mode 089 090 and 091 The manual states that these values can be set Available Values 00 000 00 9999 999 00 kHz think this means from O Hz to 9 99999900 GHz because Yaesu used the both as thousands and decimal separator So if you own an 857 897 you will not need this Interactive Frequency Reader as long as your transverter works below 10 GHz and you don t need difference mode Moreover even if they allow two different values to be set you have to enter the settings menu to switch
17. d Optional parts make your Interactive Frequency Reader easier to handle and give it a more professional look Quantity Part Name Quantity Part Name 1 DPST switch 1 16 way pin header female mount on main board 1 4 way female 1 16 way pin header connector male mount on LCD 1 4 way male 1 8 way pin header connector for PCB female mount on main board 10cm Heatshrink 1mm pipe 1 8 way pin header male mount on keypad 1 Box plastic or metal You will also need some wire at least in two different colors a max 25 30W soldering iron and some solder wire Warnings LCD displays come in several flavors The diagram above has been drawn according to the most common pin out but double check your display pins layout with the way the Atmega168 expects them to be Doc v 20110404 26 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 LCD pin name ATmega pin name ATmega pin number DB4 PORTB 4 18 DB5 PORTB 3 17 DB6 PORTB 2 16 DB7 PORTB 1 15 E PORTC 0 23 RS PORTC 2 25 You also need to pay attention to LCD s backlight Some displays have anode and cathode reversed so you better try it out before Also take careful care to measure the required backlight current because the FT817 ACC port cannot source more than 100mA Moreover 100mA continuous are the maximum limit for the 78L05 and it heats up alarmingly So if your LCD backlight is requiring more than 10
18. e is proper voltage entering the circuit and the LCD display is powered up However the microprocessor is not responding or not communicating with the LCD Try pressing the microprocessor into the socket and re apply power Check there is the 11 0592 MHz clock signal on a nearby HF receiver or oscilloscope Make sure that microcontroller fuses have been properly set most common solution Doc v 20110404 22 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Microcontroller choice Even though the development platform uses an ATmega168 the current firmware size can fit in a ATmega88 chip with reduced features ATmega88 168 and 328 are pin to pin compatible but carry a different memory size You may try to use the provided firmware for mega168 into another chip or contact the author to get a custom compile for your device If acquiring a chip you are advised to buy at least an ATmega168 in order to have enough room for future developments Doc v 20110404 23 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Microcontroller programming This Interactive Frequency Reader has been developed and programmed using a simple parallel programmer and avreal32 programming software With a brand new ATmega168 chip fuses need to be changed in order to work with the provided firmware Using avreal32 definitions fuses have to be set as follows 1 off OSCCAL 86 CKDIV 1 CKOUT 1 SUT CKSEL BLB1 w w FA
19. for each configuration option combination 6 Anon numeric key closes frequency sequences that are shorter than the expected number of digits That s the case with direct dial in LW MW HF lowVHF range below 100 MHz 7 Use cases of rows 3 and 4 accept up to 10 and 9 digits respectively The example highlights only 9 and 8 numbers because the I F R supports LOs up to 214 GHz resulting in a 1 digit longer frequency than shown above Doc v 20110404 10 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 XV mode MHz dial 100 Hz of digits Example Hz ON ON ON 5 1036 83214 00 10 368 321 400 ON ON OFF 4 1036 8321 000 10 368 321 000 ON OFF ON 10 103683214 00 10 368 321 400 ON OFF OFF 9 10368321 000 10 368 321 000 OFF ON ON 5 14 43214 00 144 321 400 OFF ON OFF 4 14 4321 000 144 321 000 OFF OFF ON 7 1443214 00 144 321 400 If the frequency being entered is shorter than the required number of digits you have to close the sequence with a non numeric key like A B C D Changing RTX VFO A single press on the A key makes the I F R send to the radio a VFO toggle command Make sure your FT 817 is in VFO mode before using this command A single press on the B key makes the F R generate a sequence of standard commands that implement the A B operation Frequency and mode are read from the current VFO VFO is toggled frequency and mode are sent to the new VFO
20. git will not be updated on the Interactive Frequency Reader At Interactive Frequency Reader power up the display shows the welcome banner for 2 seconds and then proceeds to Normal or Config mode Normal mode If no key is pressed during the welcome message which lasts two seconds the Interactive Frequency Reader enters normal operation mode using LO 1 value During normal operation the currently selected frequency and mode on the FT 817 are read through the CAT port If Transverter mode was configured VFO frequency is added to deducted from the selected transverter local oscillator value If transverter mode is active the display looks like this 10 GHz 368 MHz 307 6 kHz USB otherwise you get to see the VFO frequency 14 230 400 Hz USB 5 Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory Doc v 20110404 8 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Everything is rounded to 100 Hz even if the FT 817 tuning resolution is 10 Hz which remains unchanged but 10 Hz digit will not be updated on the Frequency Reader The Reader default update frequency is about 400 ms You can vary the update delay from about 300 ms to 1800 ms in Config mode Key mapping in Normal mode is as follows Keypad tuning Numeric keys on the matrix keypad allow entering any frequency value to QSY to The sequence is considered complete after seven key presses ten keypresses are accepted in transverter mode A non
21. hown above Please also consider joining the keypad reader reflector mailing list at Yahoo Groups http groups yahoo com group 817keypad Doc v 20110404 20 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Technical specifications Core microprocessor Clock frequency Power supply Current at LCD backlight OFF Communication protocol Communication speed Doc v 20110404 Atmel ATmega168 20PU 11 0592 MHz 8 to 30 V DC internally converted to 5V About 16 mA stand by About 100 mA during CAT dialogue Serial at OV 5V levels Yaesu CAT 4800 9600 38400 baud 8N2 21 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Troubleshooting Problem Possible solution The I F R does not react when transmitting The frequency reader circuit is not designed to be RFI proof The radiofrequency generated when transmitting close to it may interfere microprocessor and or display input output lines or the serial data cable The I F R has drained the internal battery Whenever a DC source is connected to the FT817 including the internal battery pack there will be voltage present on the ACC port therefore the circuit will draw current if left plugged Do not store away the FT817 with the frequency reader attached if you have internal batteries installed unless your circiut has an on off switch The display shows an upper line full of symbols and nothing happens This effect means that ther
22. ix FT x Interactive Frequency Reader z keypad v1l10311 All rights reserved ROWS ic Paolo Cravero IK1ZYwW 8x 470 Illustration 1 schematic diagram and wiring to ACC port WARNING WARNING WARNING Study your LCD datasheet for CONTRAST and BACKLIGHT requirements and configuration and adapt the diagram according Currently there is no physical PCB available for this circuit Anyway the circuit is so simple that it can be assembled on veroboard perfboard There are also no strict ground requirements Do use a socket for the microcontroller IC so that you can re program it one day Or easily replace it in case of unexpected destructive conditions Pay attention to LCD display pinout and wire it accordingly Refer to the pin name table below before soldering Mind the LCD contrast control requirements too Use short connections but don t go crazy with them a 5x5cm board holds all these parts just right Parts list is as follows Doc v 20110404 23 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Quantity Part Name Quantity Part Name 1 ATmega168 PU 2 22pF 1 28 pin DIL socket 1 330nF 1 PCF8574AP 2 100nF not PCF8574P 1 16 pin DIL socket 8 470 ohm 1 11 0592 MHz XTAL 2 10 kohm 1 78L05 100 ohm trimmer if LCD has backlight 1 HD44780 based 1 10k ohm trimmer 2x16 LCD display for LCD contrast control optionally with backlight 1 metre cable 3 wires 1 MiniDin8 plug shiel
23. n described above Communication error A communication error on the CAT port halts frequency reader operation for 5 seconds until another attempt is made This is a sample display showing an error message when the RTX is switched off Config mode The configuration mode is accessed at F R power up press and release any keypad key while the welcome message is displayed 8 With customization to the firmware it is possible to add output lines that switch in and out transverters Please contact IK1ZYW and state your wishes requirements Doc v 20110404 13 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 All settings changed in Config mode are retained in the chip EEPROM so they survive F R power off Currently available parameters are CAT baud rate key 1 4800 key 2 9600 key 3 38400 Transverter mode on off key B LO 1 value key 7 LO 2 value key 8 display update delay in 100ms steps 0 to 1500ms key 5 LO IF vs LO IF mode key The following options are available only in the full version 100 Hz dial on off key A MHz mode dial on off key C kHz jump amount choose among 16 amounts key 6 Key D leaves Config mode and sets the F R into Normal operation while other keys have no effect This is a visual map of configuration functions In order to re enter Config mode from Normal mode it is necessary to power cycle the circuit The display has limited space and does not hold all configuration
24. numeric key ends the input sequence before the maximum number of digits has been reached Then the resulting frequency gets sent to the current VFO or M TUNE The frequency can be entered down to 100 Hz digit and it will be sent to the FT 817 only if it lies within the RTX tuning range Sending an_ invalid frequency could block the FT 817 so the I F R verifies that it lies within RTX boundaries and displays a warning message Doc v 20110404 9 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Valid VFO frequency ranges are 100 kHz to 59999 900 kHz 108000 000 kHz to 153999 900 kHz 420000 000 kHz to 469999 900 kHz Three shortcut options affect the direct frequency entry see further down for a detailed description MHz dial that restricts typing only to MHz and down available in the full version only 100 Hz that enables disables the need to enter the 100 Hz value too available in the full version only Transverter that does the math in case you re using a microwave transverter Some examples assuming MHz dial OFF and 100 Hz ON 1443202 goes to 144 MHz 320 kHz 200 Hz 35806 goes to 3 MHz 580 kHz 600 Hz 702000 does NOT QSY to 70 MHz 200 kHz 000 Hz In transverter mode assuming a 10 2240000 GHz local oscillator MHz dial OFF and 100 Hz ON 103683007 that is 10 GHz 368 MHz 300 kHz 700 Hz sets the VFO to 144 MHz 300 kHz 700 Hz The following table shows how many digits can be entered
25. onfigurable update delay in 100ms steps stored in EEPROM 1 ATmega88 does not fit all functions listed in this document 2 The development occurs on ATmegal68 Doc v 20110404 3 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Special thanks This project has been made possible thanks to in chronological order e my Parents that bought me an experimenter s book when was 10 and supported me in my studies hobbies and choices e my high school electronics Teachers Bruno De Stefano and Elisabetta Cuniberti whose passion for the subject has furthermore marked my life e KA 7OEI that published an extensive guide to Yaesu s CAT protocol e my supporting Wife and curious Daughters that let me dedicate some night time to this idea and patiently tolerated the kitchen table invasion Doc v 20110404 4 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Disclaimer Important notice read twice Although the Interactive Frequency Reader firmware is not sending dangerous data to the radio the communication protocol does not use any form of checksum Therefore a mis interpretation by the radio can cause unexpected results from a CPU crash needing a power off on cycle to a complete wipe of all EEPROM data including configuration software calibration alignment and memories You are strongly encouraged to record at least all 76 soft calibration settings plus any other information stored in your radio before using this circuit
26. tive Frequency Reader firmware up to the extent of available program memory Send me a detailed description of your needs or request at ik1zyw yahoo com mention reader in the subject line Sample customizations automatic LO switch depending on the IF band VHF UHF transverter toggle output depending on the LO value selected automatic VFO A B setup to work with two transverters adding RIT toggle increasing the number of stored LO values Doc v 20110404 19 IK1ZYW Interactive Frequency Reader for FT 817 Support This Interactive Frequency Reader contains a microprocessor that runs software Even if all efforts have been made to produce a stable software it can still contain bugs Fortunately the microprocessor chip can be reprogrammed some thousand times with a simple hardware that connects to a computer parallel port Updates to public firmware versions might be released in the future and announced on the IK1ZYW FT 817 Accessories home page URL http spazioinwind libero it ik1zyw hardware keypad index html If you encounter an unexpected or undocumented behavior in your circuit please contact me at ik1zyw yahoo com mention reader in the subject line If you are not equipped to program your own chip can send a preprogrammed item at live costs offer subject to hardware and time availability Feel free to add any amount of gratification for the research amp development work done Contact information as s
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