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Technical Topics => The RF Workbench => Topic started by: syfr on August 19, 2017, 1304 UTC

Title: Took the plunge-fully programmable keyers- $2 and change
Post by: syfr on August 19, 2017, 1304 UTC

I've been meaning to experiment with the Arduino I've had around for years. A couple of hours of dinking around and downloading libs and I've got a functional programmable keyer that I can set into "low power mode" (uA?) . Nice! The keying string is almost infinite in length if needed and given that it's programmable, it can be buried in loops in loops in loops giveing a variety of messages, etc. Cool!

Oh, the best part? Buying from banggood.com or similar outfits, the mini versions of the arduino are less than three dollars DELIVERED in the US.  Yes, I'll have to hang a single transistor on the output to key a transmitter but that's not any sort of problem.

Title: Re: Took the plunge-fully programmable keyers- $2 and change
Post by: syfr on September 13, 2017, 2329 UTC

Following up on my own posting, I received some of these little buggers and am able to load executables into the device easily modify the message.

I can also easily put the whole works into low power (like uA level) mode between transmissions. I can alternate messages. I'm working on putting the whole system (computer + beacon transmitter) into a deep sleep if battery voltage drops below a preset level while the solar panel fills the battery up. It will be pretty easy to only transmit at night if it's on a band where there's no daytime prop.

There's a ton of options for less than 3 bucks delivered. 

I'm learning how to program (actually more modify and combine existing routines) the thing, but that's fun too.

go to bangood or ebay and look for Arduino Nano clones.


Damned if work doesn't really get in the way of good hobbies.