AMRAD Microcontroller Applications
Single-board microcontrollers such as the BASIC Stamp, PICAXE, and Arduino and small-board computers like the Raspberry Pi have great potential for amateur radio applications. AMRAD is promoting the development of transmitters, receivers, test equipment, and station accesories utilizing microcontrollers.
AMRAD Microcontroller Projects
- André N4ICK has developed an Arduino-based DFCW beacon for the 479 KHz Band and demonstrated it at the June 2013 meeting.
- Karl, W4KRL, is developing a stand-alone touch screen LCD display controller for the miniVNA vector analyzer. He displayed a working version at the 2013 Vienna Wireless Winterfest. You can follow his progress on his website at www.w4krl.com.
- Alex, N3DER, has several AD9850 Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) boards incorporated into dial-controlled VFOs.
- Jeff, N6SDR, is exploring the use of an Arduino driving a stepper motor connected to a variable capacitor to remotely tune a magnetic loop antenna. Ultimately, the rig could communicate the operating frequency to the Arduino which would set the capacitor to the correct value with no tune up.
- Hal, WB3KDU, is generating FM directly from a Raspberry Pi. See his article in the May/June 2013 Newsletter.
Suggested Projects
SWR scanner with graphic display | Data logger to SD card |
Morse decoder | Waveform generator |
Station battery Amp-hour monitor | Final amp power supply sequencer |
Station battery Amp-hour monitor | Beacon controller |
Cooling fan controller | APRS messaging and mapping |
Transistor (or tube!) curve tracer | Repeater controller |
Emergency generator overvoltage or frequency protector | Time domain reflectometer cable tester |
Arduino Resources
- New from the ARRL: Ham Radio for Arduino and PICAXE. See a review by Karl W4KRL in the May/June 2013 Newsletter.
- Official Arduino website www.arduino.cc
- Adafruit tutorials and supplies www.adafruit.com
- C++ Tutorial at www.cplusplus.com.
- AMRAD Arduino presentation at the 2013 Vienna Wireless Winterfest.Arduino winterfest.pdf
- Wiki for the Argent Data Radio Shield link
- Test file for Teensy Timer Tool (zip)TeensyTimerTool-master (1)