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Re: [CQ-Contest] Control Ameritron RCS-4 Coax Switch with my PC

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Control Ameritron RCS-4 Coax Switch with my PC
From: Herbert Schoenbohm <herbs@vitelcom.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2016 19:19:21 -0400
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Today for this function the Arduino 8X1 relay board makes it so simple at about $10 complete on eBay. They can be hooked up to work with a high or low and even latch or unlatch with an external key pad or computer software. I like mine to be interdependent of the computer program. But the N1MM switch circuit also works well.

Herb, KV4FZ

On 8/27/2016 5:17 PM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
Very cool. For Fritz - I wrote an article, published in QST in October 2011 that describes a solution to the hardware side of a similar interfacing problem. It describes an interface between N1MM Logger and the Ameritron RCS-10, driven from lines on a parallel port and using driver transistors to provide the needed current for the relays..

73, Pete N4ZR
Download the new N1MM Logger+ at
<http://N1MM.hamdocs.com>. Check
out the Reverse Beacon Network at
<http://reversebeacon.net>, now
spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
For spots, please use your favorite
"retail" DX cluster.

On 8/26/2016 11:15 AM, Gerry Hull wrote:
Talk to Marty, KC1CWF... 14 years old, and a contester.  He used a $16
relay board, and a $30 wifi interface to it to control his RCS4... and
wrote the control software in Python.    kc1cwf@yccc.org

73, Gerry W1VE

On Fri, Aug 26, 2016 at 9:55 AM, FritzOAQ <fritz@k4oaq.com> wrote:

I'm tired of switching thu my 4 beverages after every CQ with a rotary
switch on my RCS-4.

I've looked at the RCS-4 schematic & it looks like it wud be pretty simple to fish the wires connected to the rotary switch out to some switches I can
control with my PC.

Many many years ago I keyed my xmtr with a little reed switch & pgm I
wrote.
Frankly, I don't remember whether I did it with my Commodore 64 or on a PC. I do remember there were plenty of pins that one cud programmatically turn off & on (RS232 & COM ports). Now I look at a USB plug & it looks like two
wires to me.

Obviously I've been on vacation for the past 30 years but I want to get
back
into the game. I have recently learned a little java but haven't been able
to see where I mite possibly talk to a com port. Then there's the
electronics that I never was very good at. I suspect there's some IC that's just the thing I need to use. So, I'm looking for some direction as to what web sites I mite look at that wud get me going in the right direction. And also that maybe I shud learn C+ since it seems everybody & his brother are
using it for ham apps.

Where I want to end up with this project:

Phase 1: Computer pgm switches to next beverage every X seconds. Esc stops it switching. Double click Esc stops it & switches back to prev beverage.

Phase 2: Computer listens for a signal & stops if it hears one. I know, in practice this one mite not work as well as I hope. Like how does one detect
the diff between a real CW signal & noise?

Phase 3: Computer completes QSO & wins many contests in my name . GUYS!
Just
kiddin!

73,

Fritz K4OAQ







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