So2R green/red light bulb realisation with an API?

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

I posted this Q for a year ago but perhaps someone has made a technical realisation by now?

When doing SO2R it is great to be able to see which radio and entry window is engaged? And which radio is transmitting. See N6MJ using it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3ncFJZqkTA&t=428s

Alan

Kari

Are you looking for an existing application, or are you looking for ideas how to build your own?

Alan

WA9WUD

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Either is a step forward. Any ideas?

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

I wonder if N1MM would easily allow you to extraxt that from the application?

Alan

Karl

I could do it using FRStack and Node-Red.

I do not have an in-depth knowledge of contesting SO2R. If you wrote out a more detailed description of how you want the lights to turn on and off, I could then take a look at doing it in Node-Red.

e-mail me with the details.

Alan WA9WUD

a.alan.blind@gmail.com

Alan

Kari

I have finished the first draft of a Node-Red program to do as you request. I am building a Raspberry Pi SD card you only have to download, burn to an SD card and run on a Raspberry Pi. I will send you an iCloud link to download when it is uploaded.

I built the system to use FRStack and will work with Flex Multiplex (two clients). Each client requires its own Raspberry Pi.

Here are some screenshots.

The Primary Dashboard. The two large Radio tiles are normally green, and Red if that radio is MOX. The small tiles for each radio, are green when that radio is the active slice.....red if not the active slice.

Next, you can operate external relays to have lights for each of the dashboard items. Four Relays, two for Radio MOX and two for Active Slice. The GPIO pins will be 3.3V for "true" and 0v for "false".

And, here is a control panel, to select the desired Radio, the Flex Client and some other functions, such as profiles.

We can do this in Windows, but no GPIO pins to operate relays.

Alan

WA9WUD

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Fantastic Alan. I owe you a swedish smorgosboard at IKEA for this (or we need to find some other ways to compensate you :) 🤗

Did I say that this is what all SO2R contest guys/gals have waited for.

David Decoons, wo2x

Alan,

did you test it with keying from N1MM+ on both CW and SSB? Also did you test using the method I showed for parsing info from. N1MM+ for those not wanting to use FRStack? In the case of two separate Flex radios you can get TX status from my FlexRadio global transmitting variable.

73

Dave wo2x

Alan

Dave

I tested the current flow with N1MM to verify the Flex "Active Slice" corresponds to the "Focus Radio" from N1MM (green dot on the N1MM Entry Window).

The current flow uses FRStack to trigger the "Active Slice". I could have used "FocusRadioNr" from the N1MM UDP broadcast as you ask, but that is WIP.

My next version will use N1MM "FocusRadioNr" for the "Active Slice and "ActiveRadioNr" for TX.

Thru testing, I found that "ActiveRadioNr" is not triggered from the Flex TX, rather it appears to be triggered only from N1MM sending a TX command to the radio....so not a confirmed actual transmitter TX. I am not sure this would be a "good design" to use. Your thoughts?

Alan

David Decoons, wo2x

Hi Alan,

My thoughts are hard core contesters do not like to take their hands off the keyboard nor have to switch to another program to switch radios.

Let me play with this today but it should be driven by whatever is controlling SO2R such as N1MM+ so the operator knows which radio (or slice) they are controlling. You can add logic for feedback from radio to verify proper radio (or slice) is set to active transmit.

The external relays or on screen indicator for active radio TX should follow the green dot in the frequency entry window in N1MM+. Unless FRStack has ability to receive UDP stream from N1MM+ that is not possible using FRStack.

73

Dave wo2x

Alan

Thanks, Dave.

The flow does not require the operator to change anything, other than the "Focus Radio" on the N1MM Entry Window. I assumed that is how they operate. The N1MM "Focus Radio" commands the Flex to change "Active Slice", which is then picked up as a trigger to the flow.

I agree with you though, that it would be better to drive the flow entirely from N1MM. That way it will work with all radio brands, not just Flex.

I am not an N1MM user and still have not set up any TX methods....so I could not test the N1MM "Radio" UDP "ActiveRadioNr" as a viable input to trigger the color of the MOX Radio tile.

I know for sure the N1MM Radio UDP "FocusRadioNr", is OK to use as a trigger for to change/trigger the Radio (Flex) active slice.

In your version, be sure to use my GPIO pins to drive external relays. Kari said that was important to enable the use of external lights to indicate the in focus radio and MOX status.

Alan

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Alan, I did not succeed to download the file as I mentioned in my last mail. Glad to read about your progress. Look forward to testing it when available.

Kari SM0HRP

David Decoons, wo2x

@Alan I will use your flow and adapt it to use N1MM+ as the input.

73

Dave wo2x

Alan

I will upload it again to your iCloud folder you sent me.

Alan

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Thanks Alan!! I am eager to test it 😊

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

This is what I am aiming at. I know ICOM folks have something similar like Craig N6MJ video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIW1Z1uFbRw&t=90s . Picture from CT1LT Filipe Lopes.

Alan

Kari

Dave, WO2X, "The parsing wizard of Jersy" is modifying the flow to work directly from N1MM. When Dave is done, I will build a new SD card image and upload that version.

Or, if you want, I can upload both versions, FRstack and N1MM. Just ask.

Alan

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Hi Alan, ok fine. I would be more than glad to test both versions. Exciting!

Thanking in advance,

Kari SM0HRP

David Decoons, wo2x

Hi Kari,

Alan is building a Pi image for you. I have built a Node Red flow which will toggle radio focus between two panels following N1MM+. In N1MM+ you can toggle active radio by using CTRL and right or left arrow.

The active radio is green and inactive is grey. When you transmit the active panel changes to red. There are also GPIO output pins on the Pi to control relays if you want to use external lights.

Here are screenshots showing (in order) radio 1 active in receive, radio 1 active TX, radio 2 active receive, and radio 2 active transmit.

73

Dave wo2x

Alan

Kari

I am building a new SD card and should be ready to download in a few hours. I will e-mail you.

Dave's N1MM system is superior to the FRStack based system, primarily in its response time. N1MM is nearly instant. FRStack had a small delay.

I will send you the N1MM version.

Alan

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Hi!

Great work. I am impressed!!! The N1MM realisations looks awesome. With the Raspberry pie GPIO relays I can also get some big LED bulbs outside the 2 x 22 " screens. It´s amazing with remote contesting how much screen real estate you consume.

Again thousands of thanks for the development and testing. It simplifies a loyt. I will be back when I have gotten the file and imstalled it in the Raspberry pie.

Taka care and see you in CW WW 160 I hope with "blinking LED SOR2 bulbs"...:)

73 Kari SM0HRP

David Decoons, wo2x

Hi Kari,

Let us know if you need assistance. Alan, myself, and other members of the Node Red for ham radio community are aalways willing to help.

For me personally I like the challenge.

73

Dave wo2x

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Hi Alan,

As I said I owe you somehting 😉 I tried to download from the link but the folder is still empty. Can you send via "we transfer" or Google drive instead?

Thanking in advance,

Kari SM0HRP

Alan

Kari

I had some problems building the new Raspberry OS. All is good now.

The new SD image is almost done uploading. This time I have attached it to my Gmail message to you. Gmail will give you a link to download. Should be ready soon. Look for the e-mail.

I have Slowwwwwww Internet.

Alan

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Thanks Alan and Dave.

I am very greatful for your efforts. I just bought a Rasberry 3+ and I will try the N1MM program in the coming HA contest.

Be back with some feedback.

Take care and stay healthy!

Kari SM0HRP

Alan

Kari

Did you get my email with the SD card file download from Google Drive.

Just to confirm.

Alan

Mike-VA3MW

Don't forget about the IKEA dinner

Alan

😀

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Alan,

Yes I did. I have installed it on a raspberry pie but I cannot get it really to work as expected. I am about to load up a video to my channel on you tube.

In short while in SO2R mode with radio 1 on 80 m and radio on 40 m and N1MM set for SO2R when I press:

A) F1 on left keyboard (=radio 1) the "radio 1" Green LED goes rapidly to red and over to green while still transmitting on radio 1 the letters SM0HRP with the radio 2 in focus

B) When pressing F2 on right keyboard (=radio 2) same occurs that is it goes rapidly over Red LED and remains in green eventhough radio 1 is in focus.

C) Using CTRL arrow left (switching to other) the GREEN LED shifts correcty to left radio. And vice versa. So this is OK.

Did Dave get it right working to 100%

73s Kari

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP