Icom AH4 Support???

[Ken]

I have been combing thru any I/O board info that I can find. Has anyone gotten the AH4 support to work? I see connecting information in the amplifier sections using jpgs but nothing in the area where the AH4 files are. I see pictures in the section but no connections just unmodified board pics. Where are the signals key and start on the board? They need to be connected to the tuner via the DB9. 

[Steve Haynal]

Hi,

I use a AH-4 and AH-705 on my 3 HL2 setups. I use the non-I/O board method which requires some installation and wiring of the rear endplate on the HL2.

 https://github.com/softerhardware/Hermes-Lite2/tree/master/hardware/enclosure/endcaps/kf7o/hl2_40b#atu

73,

Steve

kf7o

[Ken]

Thanks Steve,

I was told that the I/O board was the way to go and to avoid the companion board. So far I have not been able to find the information on the AH4 using the I/O board. I have been pointed to the readme file of the I/O board  but I cannot find the procedure to configure it there. Looks like I will install the Companion board.  BTW, The radio is a lot of fun but definitely not plug and play,,lol

[Heath Petty]

I came across this while searching for a solution to your issue: https://github.com/jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard/tree/main/zl2te_arduino  It has a library for the AH-4 tuner. It also has documentation on how to build the firmware and install it. The issue is that I didn't see any instructions specific to the AH-4 tuner. I don't have an icom tuner, so any help I could offer would be limited, and others might be in the same boat. 

You are right, the HL2 is not a plug and play radio, but it is very versatile. 

-Heath

[PE1RLZ]

n2adr_basic/main.c describes the following:

// Control the Icom AH-4 antenna tuner.
// Assume the START line is on J4 pin 6 and the KEY line is on J8 pin 2.

According: https://hamoperator.com/HF/AH-4_Design_and_Operation.pdf

START: 

  5. Electrical Interface, The radio should pull up the START line to 13.8 volts. It pulls the START line to ground to assert the signal (start the tuning operation).

According the schematic (https://github.com/jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard/blob/main/KiCad/HL2IOBoard.pdf) J4 pin 6 is not pulled up to 13.8V. Of course a resistor could be added, but it seems it's all 5V logic around J4. So very likely this could cause hardware damage.

https://github.com/jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard/blob/main/README.md mentions the TBD62381AFWG in relation to the AH-4, but that should be J6 ??

KEY:

  5. Electrical Interface,  The AH-4 pulls the KEY line to 5 volts through a 22 K ohm resistor/diode combination. The radio also pulls this line to 13.8 volts through a resistor. The AH-4 pulls this line to ground to assert the signal.

According the schematic (https://github.com/jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard/blob/main/KiCad/HL2IOBoard.pdf) J8 pin 2 is not pulled up to 13.8V.

J8 pin 2 is a protected input (https://github.com/jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard/blob/main/README.md: Five logic inputs that are protected, and work from plus 3.3 to 20 volts.)

Being pulled up to 5V by the AH-4, this could work. Is pulling up to 13.8V still required?

Any guidance here would be great.

thanks and 73,

pe1rlz

[Steve Haynal]

You may need a leverl shifter. See the original AH-4 support/end pate level shifters for an example.

73,

Steve

kf7o

[PE1RLZ]

When checking the service manual, both START and KEY seem to have pull up voltages from 4.8V (CK206) and 4.5V (CK208) applied by the AH-4.

That would allow the AH-4 do be directly connected. I'll supply 12V to the AH-4 and measure the voltages on START and KEY before connecting.

[PE1RLZ]

Just received my AH-730 which I would expect to be compatible.

Interesting enough I measure on the connector from the AH-730 when supplying 12V:

START: 5V

KEY: 0V

The opposite as described in https://hamoperator.com/HF/AH-4_Design_and_Operation.pdf

I also measure 22K ohm between START and GND. 

It wouldn't surprise me that pulling up KEY to 5V in the HL2 is enough. I 'll use a 22K ohm resistor.

Comments are welcome.

73,

PE1RLZ

[PE1RLZ]

Communication with the tuner is working, I had to invert the output. So likely the author of the code had the signal inverted with additional components.

I verified the pulses on a scope and the pico seems to read the KEY signal correct.

diff --git a/n2adr_basic/main.c b/n2adr_basic/main.c

index 5caebcf..a502cb1 100644
--- a/n2adr_basic/main.c
+++ b/n2adr_basic/main.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ int main()
        stdio_init_all();
        configure_pins(false, true);
        configure_led_flasher();
+       // invert output
+       gpio_set_outover(GPIO22_Out6, IO_BANK0_GPIO22_CTRL_OUTOVER_VALUE_INVERT);
 
        while (1) {     // Wait for something to happen
                sleep_ms(1);    // This sets the polling frequency.

The tuning process itself is not working. The tuner doesn't seem to detect RF. It all is supposed to happen in a pretty short time frame. 

A discussion thread for deskhpsdr is open here: https://github.com/dl1bz/deskhpsdr/discussions/84

I also tried with Thetis. v2.10.3.12 Beta 1. The tuner seems to be addressed correctly, but the HL2 is not going into transmit mode (deskhpsdr does). Any setting I might have missed in Thetis? 

73,

PE1RLZ

[Martin Hertkorn]

Hello PE1RLZ,

Is it working now with Thetis, which Firmware you use for the I/O Board ?

Tnx 73 Martin

[PE1RLZ]

https://github.com/jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard/blob/main/n2adr_basic/build/main.uf2

with the change below.

It works with deskhpsdr. Since I'm not using MS Windows, I haven't tried the latest Thetis beta.

I would suggest trying and follow up here: https://github.com/mi0bot/OpenHPSDR-Thetis/issues/127

73,

PE1RLZ

[Martin Hertkorn]

Did you put an 22kOhm resistor between the Key line from the I/O board to the Tuner ?

Thanks 73 Martin

[PE1RLZ]

Hi Martin,

I pulled up KEY to 5V with a 22kOhm resistor (lower will probably work too).

I also used the filters from this schematic: https://www.commswg.site/_hf_radio/icom_ah4_sgc_auto_lock.php

- 100uH - 22nF - 100uH -

           |

73, PE1RLZ

[Martin Hertkorn]

Do I need this Filter for my MAT 1500 Pro AH 4 Compatible Protocol ?

73 Martin 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "Hermes-Lite" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/hermes-lite/GbIBOeWv7Nk/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to hermes-lite...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hermes-lite/01d7de29-05c0-4ff5-9bf1-c7e24a9898d7n%40googlegroups.com.

[PE1RLZ]

It's up to you to use the filter, it probably will work without. It's only preventive. HF could cause control (KEY/START) signal quality issues.

73 PE1RLZ 

[Martin Hertkorn]

Hello PE1RLZ,

I have it done like you said, the tuner is always in Bypass, if it go to tune it starts and the tuner becomes active and cycle, then back in bypass, code Fx0B what means no Key.

I did the Resistor 22K to pull up the key line to 5V, do you have an Idea what’s wrong?

73 Martin

[PE1RLZ]

Hi Martin,

This is exactly the same state I had with Thetis. It works with deskhpsdr now, but some changes were required.

I see you already found the related deskhpsdr threads. What has been added is the HL2 ATU TUNE setting. When this is enabled, a +- 500ms delay is added (because of an auto detect feature according DL1BZ) before RF is starting, so it must be disabled. Thetis does have a similar setting according Heiko, DL1BZ. Check out the related threads on https://github.com/dl1bz/deskhpsdr/discussions.

Note that I'm using AH4_RUN. If you have a scope, try to probe the KEY / START wires together with RF. Make sure RF is really applied. For the ICOM AH-730 it's important to provide the right amount of power (5 - 15W). It immediately aborts when the power is too high and when too low it simply fails tuning.

73,

PE1RLZ

[Martin Hertkorn]

Thanks PE1RLZ,

What confuses me is, the tuner goes always in bypass, whatever I do, I tried also deskhpasdr with the option for Icom on, still it goes always in bypass. In Thetis I can toggle the bit PIN for the I/O Board to get the tuner active, but after the next tune is back in bypass mode, it seems to be something with the key line is not ok.

73 Martin

[PE1RLZ]

Note that you have to recompile the I/O board firmware with the change below when only pulling up the KEY line. Without this change you need a level shifter as mentioned by Steve Haynal.

diff --git a/n2adr_basic/main.c b/n2adr_basic/main.c

index 5caebcf..a502cb1 100644
--- a/n2adr_basic/main.c
+++ b/n2adr_basic/main.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ int main()
        stdio_init_all();
        configure_pins(false, true);
        configure_led_flasher();
+       // invert output
+       gpio_set_outover(GPIO22_Out6, IO_BANK0_GPIO22_CTRL_OUTOVER_VALUE_INVERT);
 
        while (1) {     // Wait for something to happen
                sleep_ms(1);    // This sets the polling frequency.

73,

PE1RLZ

[Martin Hertkorn]

PE1RLZ could you provide for me the recompiled Firmware, because i don’t know how to do this.

73 Martin

[PE1RLZ]

[Martin Hertkorn]

Thank you very much, it is now working with Deskhpsdr, but not always need some cycle to correct tuning, the same what you said in the discussion with Heiko,

So at least some progress, what will be the next steps to optimize also for Thetis ?

Maybe we can this bring to a good working solution.

Thanks again for your Help!

73 Martin, HA3AN

[PE1RLZ]

Great news! Correct, multiple tuning attempts are often needed. I made some local improvements here in deskhpsdr, but it needs more testing. I'm also trying to get the Juma PA-100D firmware improved to only allow high SWR when tuning.

Since Thetis runs on MS Windows only, I'm not using it. I suggest following up here: https://github.com/mi0bot/OpenHPSDR-Thetis/issues/127

73,

PE1RLZ