Building an Arduino Shield

No, an Arduino shield is not something that will protect you from Arduinos.  Resistance IS futile! In the world of microcontrollers, "shields" are, in essence, PC boards with headers that allow you to stack them atop the main microcontroller board.  So instead of the digital rat's nest of wires that you see in my proto-board version of the DDS signal generator, we'll have the AD9850 board mounted above the Arduino on its shield.  But take heart, my fellow luddites:  I have left a lot of space on the board for the construction of a DISCRETE COMPONENT, ANALOG, NON-DIGITAL amplifier.  I'd like to get the output from the 9850 up to around 7 dbm.

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SolderSmoke Podcast #152 Special Digital Edition

SolderSmoke Podcast #152 is available at

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke152.mp3

May 18, 2013

-- SolderSmoke's WWV Advertising Campaign! 
-- Bands Better -- Working DX!
-- Shack and Shed reorganization
-- Arduino Madness!  CW Beacon Machine!  DDS Sig Generator! (see video above)
-- Breaking and Fixing an Arduino
-- Reverse Beacon Network
-- The Cult of Arduino: QRP Computing with Italian Charm
-- PSK-31 and JT65 with Homebrew DSB Rig
-- SolderSmoke Book Corner:  Hollow-State Design!  Getting Started With Arduino!
-- Massimo Banzi has THE KNACK!
-- MAILBAG:  AA1TJ, G3RJV, AL7RV (now W8NSA), others...  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Arduino Adventures: LCD screen added

Pretty impressive for a guy whose previous project was a crystal controlled DSB transceiver, don't you think?  They say that variety is the spice of life, and the Arduino board has been adding quite a bit of spice to my tech life lately.  That tiny board up above the proto board is the six dollar DDS-9850 board -- it arrived in an envelope from Shenzhen, China last week. I hope to connect it to the Arduino and the LCD to make a sig generator or VFO. 

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Earth-Moon-Earth!

I think the really cool thing about this is the "self echo."  Listen carefully when the operator in the video turns it over to the G station.  At first I thought they were doubling, or perhaps another station was on frequency.  But then I realized that when he releases the push to talk, the first signal he hears is his own signal, bouncing back from the Moon! c is real!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

DSB Digital Success!

It's ugly but it gets you there.  I finally got the little 30 meter DSB/Direct Conversion transceiver that I built in Rome working on PSK-31 and JT-65.  It features a VXO circuit from George Dobbs, an AF amplifier designed by Roger Hayward, and an RF amp chain designed by Peter Parker.  It produces about 1 watt of RF.  At first I was manually switching the rig from transmit to receive, but this got old real fast, so I built a little VOX circuit -- the AF from the sound card does the switching.  Last night I fired it up on PSK-31 and stations were calling me (including one fellow in Cuba).   Then I went to JT-65 and had a complete QSO with KT1B. Another this morning with K0ASK.  It is kind of fun to combine the simple (this rig) with the complex (the computer and these digi modes).   I find that I can work both JT65 and PSK 31 while keeping the VXO at 10.139 MHz.   

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Drone Dudes

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Homebrew Adventures with JT65

My six dollar DDS board hasn't arrived yet, so this weekend I worked on the re-build of the 30 meter Direct Conversion/DSB transmitter that I built in Rome (originally for WSPR use).  I was hoping to use this rig to make at least a few PSK-31 contacts.   But I started seeing these strange looking sigs in the waterfall.  I found out they are JT65 (JT for Joe Taylor).  So I downloaded the program JT65-HF.  I got the receiver going very quickly (it is a 40675 dual gate MOSFET followed by the audio amplifier out of Roger Hayward's Ugly Weekender RX).  The transmitter is just a two diode singly balanced modulator followed by the RF chain from Peter Parker's Beach 40 Rig.   QSOs seem imminent.


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Now That's A Radio Shack! JH0JDV

I was at the workbench this morning, working on a 30 meter DC/DSB transceiver.  I had the Barebones superhet tuned to white noise on 17 meters.  Then I heard a strong CQ that sounded like DX.  It was Ely, JH0JDV.   He was the only signal on the band.  We had a very nice contact, no problems at all.  I was running my normal 10 watts to a dipole.  Afterwards I Googled him.  Wow, he has a REAL radio shack!  FB Ely!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Making the World's Smallest Movie

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

WA0RBR's Fun-Rig

Last night I called CQ on 20 CW (with my Arduino keying the homebrew transmitter!) and was answered by Mark, WA0RBR.   I Googled the call and found that Mark is quite a homebrewer.  He wrote a nice series of articles for 73 magazine in the early 80's.   Here they are:

http://mikeyancey.com/73mag/listauthor.php?Author=WA0RBR


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Save 20% on "Hollow-State Design" and "SolderSmoke"!

http://www.lulu.com/shop/grayson-evans/hollow-state-design/paperback/product-20987562.html


http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/soldersmoke

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

"The Economist" on Raspberry Pi

http://www.economist.com/node/21576780

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Direct Digital Synthesis

I just bought one of these.   I hope to hook it up to an Arduino and turn it into a VFO.  Or a signal generator.  Six bucks!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009I7DR7E/ref=pe_175190_21431760_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

A simpler DC motor

A few years ago Alan, VK2ZAY, showed Billy and me how to make a very simple DC motor.  This one looks even simpler.  I'm guessing that the bottom of the coil is making intermittent contact, setting up flux lines that get torqued by the magnets' field.  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Grayson's New Book

Our friend Grayson's book about hollow-state radio is now available.  It looks like a great addition to the radio art.  Available from Lulu:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/grayson-evans/hollow-state-design/paperback/product-20987562.html  


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

King of the Nerds

Are you a super fan of STAR WARS, STAR TREK, GAME OF THRONES, LORD OF THE RINGS, or BATTLESTAR GALACTICA? Are you a GAMER who owns every console and maxes out trophies and achievements? Do you have an outrageous collection of TOYS and/or COMIC BOOKS? Are you passionate about MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, or BIOLOGY? Do you build ROBOTS or PROGRAMS for fun? Are you obsessed with SUPER HEROES? Are you a D&D or WoW fanatic? Do you love everything SCI-FI? Are you ARDUINO proficient? Do you know at least 100 digits of Pi?Is your IQ at least two standard deviation above the mean? Do you consider yourself a GEEK or a NERD?

Submit a tape and possibly win 100K.

http://nerdking.net/
 
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

McGyver

Mike, KL7R, was a fan of McGyver.  Mike would have liked this:

http://blog.makezine.com/2013/04/22/5-4-3-2-1-things-about-lee-zlotoff/


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

AA1TJ Crosses the Pond using an Electric Razor!

Take a look at Michael's Razor Rig, made from parts salvaged from his electric razor.   I was thinking that perhaps on the receive side a fox-hole receiver made with a rusty Gillette blade would fit in nicely with the shaving theme.   Very glad to see the AA1TJ blog getting more active. 

http://aa1tj.blogspot.com/2013/04/talking-to-france-via-my-electric-razor.html


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Arduino, K6HX's code, and an RBN (minimum) speed limit?

 

Hello Mark:  I've been using your code.  Very nice.   Easy to use and modify, even for a digital dunce like me. 

 

I've been using an Arduino and your code to key my 20 meter QRP transmitter.  I watch the Reverse Beacon Network to see how I'm getting out.  I think  your code let me discover something about RBN:  there may be a lower "speed limit" on the skimmers.  I noticed that when I left your code at the default 12 wpm, I was not picked up by the skimmers.  When I called CQ the old fashioned way (with my hand!) at 15 wpm I got plenty of spots.  This morning I changed the speed setting on your code to 15 wpm and -- sure enough -- immediately got picked up by an RBN station. 

 

Anyway, thanks for the code and for your Brainwagon blog. 

 

73  Bill  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

MIT's Hobby Shop

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20