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USB BCD & BIT Cable Question

Mike Krzystyniak
Mike Krzystyniak Member ✭✭
edited August 2021 in Peripherals & Station Integration

Greeting to the group,

I know there is a ""lot"" of material in this space and I just wasn't seeing dialog and/or experiences that I could draw from. So here goes....

Q1: Is there a method to duplicate the Band Data BCD bytes within the setup? I.e., the upper byte is a copy of the lower byte? This would allow two BCD band data paths off the same dongle.

Q2: I have several multiband antenna with the most common being Tri-Band and WARC off a common antenna switch but with separate feeds to each. I thought using the BIT mode was the answer. During setup I don't see a way to interleave BIT-n and Bit-m as you go up the bands. Or is there another way to do this (sans another external coprocessor)? What I think I want is Tri-Band (20/15/10) to Bit-X and WARC (30/17/12) to Bit-Y ? I.e., Position selection as you go up the bands... 1,2,3,4,5,4,5,4,5,6

Thanks for any direction or shared experiences in this space.

73 Mike K9MK

Comments

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    Q1: Not really. You could drive a relay board to do this I guess.

    Q2: Sort of the same answer as I think you need some kind of truth table or a 403A antenna switch. This may also be a very good project to introduce a NodeRed solution.

    The logic is pretty basic to what you see. Building a truth table is what it sounds like you require.

  • Mike Krzystyniak
    Mike Krzystyniak Member ✭✭

    Thank you Mike.

    I have not drilled into the Antenna Genius recently, but I presume the truth table approach like in the Green Heron switches would not be difficult to do. It is unfortunate that the triband or WARC band option was not a part of the original requirements in the band options, a common deployment at many stations. Food for thought at the next design review.

    The Node-Red option was being suggested by others off the group so maybe a review of what Dave has done is the right direction.

    Thank you and 73 Mike K9MK

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    BIT mapping is limited as you have seen.

    RS232 via Kenwood CAT is better. LAN based communication makes it easy to share information, and that is what takes us to NodeRed to fill so many gaps.

    Like most things, if you throw money at it, you can solve it. LOL.

    I use the 2x8 switch but I have yet to incorporate Dave's Antenna Genius bits, but I will get to it.

    73

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