Welcome to the new FlexRadio Community! Please review the new Community Rules and other important new Community information on the Message Board.
If you are having a problem, please refer to the product documentation or check the Help Center for known solutions.
Need technical support from FlexRadio? It's as simple as Creating a HelpDesk ticket.

How to get band data from a Parallel Port

Bob G   W1GLV
Bob G W1GLV Member ✭✭
edited June 2020 in SmartSDR for Windows
Does SSDR send band data to the parallel port like PSDR did?

Answers

  • W5UN_Dave
    W5UN_Dave Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020
    I use DDUtil to do this with my 6700 (or any rig that can talk to DDUtil), and it does a great job.

    Dave, W5UN
  • Jim K4JAF
    Jim K4JAF Member ✭✭
    edited January 2018
    No, it does not and the port on the back is not a parallel port ( it is a DB-15).  I believe BCD data has been requested as a future enhancement.  73s Jim K4JAF
  • Al K0VM
    Al K0VM Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2017
    Bob,
       DDUtil is your friend when it comes to interfacing to hardware.

    AL, K0VM
  • Mike va3mw
    Mike va3mw Member ✭✭
    edited February 2018
    DDUtil is the tool to use and it is free (many thanks Steve).

     It is the same thing that we used for PowerSDR too.  PowerSDR did not talk to a parallel port directly either.

    Mike va3mw
  • Bob G   W1GLV
    Bob G W1GLV Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    I've never used DDUTIL. The band data file that comes with it, can I use that without modification?
  • W5UN_Dave
    W5UN_Dave Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    It depends on how you will use the outputs. I wanted to use in accordance with what my "Band Aid Band Decoder" requires. It uses pins 2 (lsb), 3, 7, and 8 (msb). If this is your need, then the file will need to be modified.

    Dave, W5UN
  • Bob G   W1GLV
    Bob G W1GLV Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Thanks, Dave, appreciate it.
  • W5UN_Dave
    W5UN_Dave Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    Bob, I was mistaken about the LPT pin numbers for my band decoder (and for N1MM band data). The correct pins are 2(LSB), 7, 8, & 9(MSB).
  • WB9IXS
    WB9IXS Member ✭✭
    edited February 2018
    Has anyone been able to read the band info from the Flex 6500 and use to automatically select the correct band for a solid state amp? I built my own solid state amp and controller. I use a 18F series pic micro. I also built an automatic band switching board that reads the RF and then outputs the correct BCD band data for my amp. I did all this before I got the Flex because the rig I was using did not have and band data available. I haven't looked into vet 1.10 yet but I thought that that was going to have some USB control options. It would be great to select the band on the Flex and at the same time send the band data to the amp without sending any RF.

    Thanks
    Jim

  • Mike va3mw
    Mike va3mw Member ✭✭
    edited February 2018
  • W7NGA
    W7NGA Member ✭✭✭
    edited March 2017
    Jim,

    I used an Arduino Uno to read the band data from the Flex USB/RS232 cable (in auto-update mode) and then control ancillary devices based on that frequency. I can control unlimited devices this way including switching antennas mid-band or providing the requisite voltage for older Icom tuners via i2C DAC.

    W7NGA  dan
    Seaside, Oregon
  • Jason NR0X
    Jason NR0X Member
    edited March 2017
    I might have an answer that someone might like.   I bought this thing on Amazon..
    https://www.amazon.com/Communication-FT245RL-Parallel-Evaluation-Connector/dp/B00DTS6DE2/ref=sr_1_1?...
    I plugged it into the back of the radio, and configured it as a BCD usb cable.    then you can use pins D0 to D3 for 5vdc band data logic, and it works perfectly when wired straight into the back of a Bandmaster band decoder.  I'm pretty sure it will work perfectly for my Quadra amp, too.  But I haven't wired it up yet.  It's on my list though.    

    But this little thing is like $12 on amazon Prime, it plugs right into the radio, and it pumps out BCD Band Data.  it doesn't get much simpler.

    Jason NR0X
  • Ryan - NC4RA
    Ryan - NC4RA Member ✭✭
    edited March 2017
    Do you think this would work with the als-1306 amp? Thank you Ryan -NC4RA
  • Jason NR0X
    Jason NR0X Member
    edited March 2017
    Hi Ryan.  I would assume so.  you would have to figure the pinout for the radio interface jack on the back of the amp.  I'm browsing the manual now, but I haven't found it yet.  If that pinout has ABCD and gnd on it, you should be in business.  

    Jason NR0X
  • Jason NR0X
    Jason NR0X Member
    edited March 2017
    P.S. I can confirm the board works with my Yaesu Quadra.  I made up a cable, connecting ABCD pins on the amp connector, to D0-D3 pins on the FT245 board (and the gnd).  The Quadra now follows the Flex during band changes.   Now I have to figure out how to get the the amp to turn on and off with the radio!

    Jason NR0X

Leave a Comment

Rich Text Editor. To edit a paragraph's style, hit tab to get to the paragraph menu. From there you will be able to pick one style. Nothing defaults to paragraph. An inline formatting menu will show up when you select text. Hit tab to get into that menu. Some elements, such as rich link embeds, images, loading indicators, and error messages may get inserted into the editor. You may navigate to these using the arrow keys inside of the editor and delete them with the delete or backspace key.