This weekend, I finally got a chance to assemble and test a prototype PC Board for the AntDecoder. The board and the software worked fine. The only issue is that I need to add output buffers to the Arduino lines that drive the two BCD ports for the Antenna Switch. The switch uses 12-volt logic... Continue Reading →
Important N1MM+ Antenna Config Changes
I just installed the latest version on N1MM+. I have been looking at using the Antenna Data provided by N1MM+ for controlling my antenna switching. In the latest version, the Change Log shows two changes that were made to the Antenna Configuration table: Alt-F9: Fix issue with 1.8 and 3.5 in Antenna table when country/locale... Continue Reading →
Hints – Using the ICOM IC-7600 on RTTY with N1MM+ and MMTTY
I keep seeing people having trouble with this setup. Every time I go to RTTY Mode, something is not working. It seems that some of the parameters in MMTTY and in the Radio keep resetting themselves. There are some other posts on this blog that may help, but here are a few reminders. Mode -... Continue Reading →
Using N1MM+ Serial (OTRSP) Data for Two-radio Antenna Switching
I have been investigating ways to automatically switch antennas in a 2-Radio (SO2R) station for use in Contesting. Using multiple antennas is nearly a must for HF contesting, including Yagis, Veticals, and any of a variety of wire antennas. When working a Contest, Band Switching is a key time-waster, and steps need to be taken... Continue Reading →
Building an Elecraft KAT-500 Antenna Tuner
I have had a number of automatic Antenna Tuners in recent years.I have had MFJ tuners, LDG tuners and the built-in tuners in my TS-930s, Elecraft K2, ICOM IC-7600, and Yaesu FTDX-3000. They have all worked pretty well. The first LDG tuner, the IT-1100 has been a real survivor. I put it in my mobile... Continue Reading →
R.I.P DX Doubler (Updated 8 Aug 2018)
I recently heard that the DX Doubler (DXD) SO2R Controller by TopTen Devices, has been discontinued. Looking at their Web Site, it has completely vanished, along with the Radio-specific cables, User Manuals, etc. This controller was a great addition to my shack a few years ago. It is a very simple design, with no Microprocessors... Continue Reading →
DXDUSB – DX Doubler USB Interface Update
DXDUSB Development Status I have had some requests to provide DXDUSB prototypes to couple people. The latest prototype (Protot3) is still very rough. I have a couple in ongoing testing and they seem to be working well. However, these are very rough - assembly is hand soldered wires attached to the Arduino board. While I... Continue Reading →
A USB Interface for the DX Doubler – The Last DXDUSB Prototypes
I have been working on a USB-only interface for the Top Ten Devices DX Doubler for some time. I recently completed the 3rd generation prototype. This is still a prototype - it uses a very small Arduino board with attached wires, but it is shoved into a nice small Ethernet drop-box enclosue. This version has... Continue Reading →
DXDUSB DX Doubler USB Interface – 2nd Prototype
The 2nd prototype of the DXDUSB Interface has been completed. I ran it hard through the recent NAQP CW contest, and it did very well. Now it is just a matter of finalizing the software (of course software is never really "final"). Here is a look at the 2nd prototype Next i will be designing... Continue Reading →
FTDX3000 USB Virtual COM Ports
Setup of the USB interface with the FTDX3000 is very simple but it can seem confusing. It is only confusing because people may not be familiar with the idea of a Virtual COM Port, which only exists inside the USB connection between the FTDX3000 and the PC. Yeasu has done a nice job of implementing... Continue Reading →