IO board

[Ed Grafton]

On the HL2 Facebook page, I saw a post about an IO board build. It was designed by the same man as the filter board. Seems that it may go to Makerfabs for production. 

Here is the Github:

GitHub - jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard

Should I be interested? Seems that for it's publicized features, there would not be a need of a Gateware change?

What say ye?

Ed

[James Ahlstrom]

The gateway code does not need to be changed. But the SDR software must be changed to send band information and other items to the IO board. AFAIK only Quisk now supports the board, and it only sends band information. The IO board must also be programmed to control the external hardware, such as sending serial port commands to an amplifier.

I suggest that interested parties post to this thread to see what can be done. Without boards being manufactured the SDR authors will not adapt their software. A classic chicken and egg problem.

Jim

N2ADR

["Christoph v. Wüllen"]

I think the real problem for e.g. including such support in an SDR
software such as piHPSDR is not to do the actual things, but to
integrate this into the GUI without cluttering it too much.

In principle one then needs a large "HL2" menu popping up in which
you can make all sorts of adjustments.

Therefore it might be worth considering building some things into
the FPGA firmware. For example, the ease in which some RedPitaya SDRs
like the Hamlab can be used stems from the fact that all the band filter
settings are done by the "firmware" depending on the frequency, so it runs
with standard SDR problems out-of-the-box.

So (my personal view, might be wrong) sending serial port commands to an
amplifier will never make it, this will probably be done by some program
running on the computer. But I could imagine that encoding the current
band in the IO outputs or even in a single analog output could be done
automatically by the firmware.

Of course one can do a lot of things. But most of us do this in their
spare time, so keeping things simple and refrain from over-featuring
is a prime objective in software maintenance. So if there is special
hardware in the HL2, there should at least be an option that the HL2
firmware takes care of this.

Just my $0.02,

Christoph DL1YCF.

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[ron.ni...@gmail.com]

If the IO board gets produced by Makerfabs, I plan to buy one or two, and adapt my iOS and Mac SDR software apps to support it.

73, Ron, n6ywu

[Reid Campbell]

What is it your man said in the film, "Build it and they will come".

I'm starting to think more about the IO board as I have bought a ATU-1000 kit off Aliexpress and I'm wondering how to interface to it. I'm in for a couple of boards and that would allow me to do some Thetis interfacing. There is also the software to be written for the Pico and that is where the majority of the customisation would be.

Cheers

 Reid
Gi8TME/Mi0BOT

--

[Ed Grafton]

Not being good at coding, except for butchering snippets of others' together for Arduinos, I understand most of your Github page.

Could you define exactly what is needed to come over the I2C bus on address  0x1D for full functionality as the board exists now?

Can the C code you wrote make all parts function on the board?

Can the USB port on the PICO be used for passthru or anything else.

I use SDR-Console, which does not have Pure Signal, but is real nice.

I posted a link to this thread on the FB post to try to bring the interested parties over here  discuss this.

Ed

[Ed Grafton]

Simon (SDR-Console) is on board  willing to compile changes for the board.

Ed

[neiljw...@gmail.com]

 I created some code in a revised main.c to allow the HL2 to emulate K3 band data.

You can see this in my fork of Jim's project at:

https://github.com/neilwise/HL2IOBoard_G4BRK

This currently allows me to switch bands in my transverter stack, but I still need to add a band decoder to my

HF amplifier to use this data (too many projects!).

73,  Neil  G4BRK

[tmoto...@gmail.com]

I agree with Reid –

Get a bunch into circulation and folks will find a way to address them.

 

I am in for 2 or 3 of the IO board if a group buy gains traction. Would prefer assembled if a choice.

 

Tom, K2TC

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[Dan Cusick]

I am in for 2 or 3 as well.  I am just a Quisk user interested in a xvrtr and amp comms.

73,

Dan

W9IRL

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[Alan Hopper]

Hi All,

I had missed the development of this board, I'll happily add support to SparkSDR. I need to do a bit more reading to understand all the options, on first read it seems all that is needed is the tx frequency but maybe there are other options.

73 Alan M0NNB  

[Peter Johnson]

Hi All.
looks like a good idea to me.
A very exciting development.
73 Peter M1BCV

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[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Group,

The IO board requires modifications to the SDR software and custom code for the Pico microcontroller. The design was based on discussions on this group. There was a strong preference for communication through the HL2 instead of through an external box with an additional Ethernet connection. The HL2 protocol supports sending and receiving I2C commands to an arbitrary address. The design is based on sending only very limited I2C data from the SDR software through the HL2 to the IO board. The only required data is the transmit frequency.

For a description of the design please see https://github.com/jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard.

It might seem that the Tx frequency can be sent from the gateware, but this doesn't work when the HL2 is used with transverters. For example, the HL2 may seem to be operating at 29 MHz but is actually operating at 147 MHz. It is the 147 MHz that should be sent to the IO board. In the general case, the HL2 simply doesn't know what the station is doing. There could be multiple transverters. The HL2 could be used with two transverters in a satellite up/down link on different bands. Thus the need for data from the SDR software.

For a start, I suggest the SDR software only send the TX frequency without any options from the user. This would enable the most common usage case, switching filters in an external power amp. I don't want to clutter up the GUI with a lot of options either.

Once the IO board knows the Tx frequency, it is up to the code in the Pico to control the external amp. Some amps may use a DC voltage to specify the band, others may use serial communication. I was hoping that someone with a certain amp would write this code and make it available to the group. The file main.c is an example of the Pico code.

Jim

N2ADR

[Steve Haynal]

Hi Group,

It is great to see interest in this board. I encourage a volunteer to reach out to Makerfabs and see about having a small batch made.

73,

Steve

kf7o

[Ed Grafton]

I have reached out to Gerry Cavanaugh, the OP of the FB group. If he does not take it up with Makerfabs, I will. 
General consensus is for completed boards & I feel that they should be inexpensive enough to warrant the cost vs. features.

Ed

[Ed Grafton]

SO, I will be spearheading the submission to Makerfabs. Seems that about 70 boards have interest. I will try for 100 boards to be fully populated. As inexpensive as Jim's filter board is, this should be a decent deal. I have an email into Jim for some clarifications & ideas. I will keep you all posted.
Ed

[G4ZAL]

Hi Ed,

Make that 71 as I don't 'do' Facebook!

Fully populated board suits me too.

Makerfabs makes the most sense going forward and any additional HL2 board runs, then people can order everything under one roof.

Nigel, G4ZAL

[James Ahlstrom]

Hello group,

I am away skiing until March 10. I will answer then.

Jim

N2ADR

[Steve Haynal]

Hi Ed,

Thanks for volunteering. I recommend you do a beta run of 10 boards first. There are bound to be surprises. Work closely and carefully with Jim N2ADR and Makerfabs to come up with a correct BOM with part sizes matching the PCB footprints and easily available at Makerfabs. You can contact Zeqing at Makerfabs. He monitors and posts to this group as "KK Ze." You can reach him at sa...@makerfabs.com or in...@makerfabs.com.

73,

Steve

kf7o

[Ed Grafton]

Jim, Steve, thank you both. 

Ed 

[David Taylor]

On 02/03/2023 22:25, Ed Grafton wrote:
> SO, I will be spearheading the submission to Makerfabs. Seems that about 70
> boards have interest. I will try for 100 boards to be fully populated. As
> inexpensive as Jim's filter board is, this should be a decent deal. I have an
> email into Jim for some clarifications & ideas. I will keep you all posted.
> Ed

If you have an approximate cost please let me know, and I may be interested.

David GM8ARV
--
SatSignal Software - Quality software for you
Web: https://www.satsignal.eu
Email: david-...@blueyonder.co.uk
Twitter: @gm8arv

[stephen pearce]

Hi

I'm interested in one of the boards also please

de zl1any

[Franz Schöning]

Count me in for one. Thx.

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[Ed Grafton]

The final design needs to be decided. Price will then be set.

Ed

[Sid Boyce]

I'd be interested in 1 definitely.
73 ... Sid.

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[David Taylor]

On 03/03/2023 21:49, Ed Grafton wrote:

> The final design needs to be decided. Price will then be set.
>
> Ed

Thanks!

David

[Jaroslav Škarvada]

Hi,

please add me to the list, I am interested in one board, thanks

73! Jaroslav, OK2JRQ

Ed Grafton napsal(a):

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[Rune Øye]

Hi All

Interesting, please add me to the list, I will purchase one I/O board.

Thanks

73,

Rune LA7THA  

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[dh1tt]

I need 2 (two) of them.

Please, add me on the list....

TNX in advance and for all in the past....

Oliver

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[Ted Pater]

I am interested in one I/O board, please add me to the list.

Thanks,

Ted  VE7VIB

[Jean-Baptiste GALLAUZIAUX]

I shall also buy one unit. (I already wrote that in the Facebook HL2 group).

73 - Pierre - FK8IH

[radi...@mail.com]

I would purchase two of these boards if available on Makerfabs primarily for switching bands/filters on my LDMOS amp but also potentially for auto-switching my coaxial relays to auto change transverters. Seems will avoid the need for an external band decoder to do the same job? Also nice to have RF3 brought out to back panel as standard for use with my transverters. Maybe possibly the fan control although I've never really seen the need for a fan in the HL2.

 

73

Max

[Ed Grafton]

OK, I am not actually making a list. It is good to get a count, though. This will be just like purchasing an HL2 or filter board. You will order directly through Makerfabs.

My count is now 82 total.

Please keep the interest up && post how many you want, as it will help for the decision on how many to produce.

Thank you,

Ed Grafton

WA4SIX

[Charlie Rubenstein]

I'd get one.

Charlie KB8CR

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[Peter Johnson]

Hi
I also would like one of the IO boards
73 Peter M1BCV

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[Peter Johnson]

Hi Ed,

Forgot to ask will there be a new rear panel for the 55mm high case.

73 Peter M1BCV

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[Ed Grafton]

I am waiting for Jim to get back from vacation to discuss a new rear panel. 

Ed

[charles...@gmail.com]

I would like to get a board also.

Charlie

W0CDW

On Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 3:47:35 PM UTC-6 Ed Grafton wrote:

On the HL2 Facebook page, I saw a post about an IO board build. It was designed by the same man as the filter board. Seems that it may go to Makerfabs for production. 

Here is the Github:

GitHub - jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard

Should I be interested? Seems that for it's publicized features, there would not be a need of a Gateware change?

What say ye?

Ed

[David Porter]

Yet another interested in the IO board.
Dave Porter
AA3UR

[Thomas W8TAM]

I'd buy one.

Thanks,

73,

-Thom

w8tam

[Robert Nickels]

I better get one too!

73, Bob W9RAN

[David McKenzie]

Count another for the IO board.

Dave K1FSY

[Pierre Martel]

Same for me! That board seems to be Very useful!

Le dim. 5 mars 2023 à 18:40, David McKenzie <k1...@vhfwiki.com> a écrit :

Count another for the IO board.

Dave K1FSY

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[eric schwab]

I'd be in for 1 or 2 depending on price.

73

k2eds

[johncd...@gmail.com]

Please add me to the list. I would have 1 (maybe 2).

Thanks.

John EA5ILD

[radi...@mail.com]

OK, so standing by my original wish for two, but to be fair the final decision would to some extent depend on price. Say just for a guide there was a run of 100 boards, is it possible to give even a rough idea of what the price would be?

Max

[Thomas Pfeiffer]

Hi,

I would like please also buy one. 

73 de Tom 

DG0VO 

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[Salim Hameed]

Interested in HL2 IO board !

73 de salim N8LI / VU2LID

[Ed Grafton]

WHne Jim comes back from vacation, the board will be finalized, along with a back panel. 10 Beta units will be built & tested by a select group to be decided by Steve. This will get priced by Makerfabs & you will purchase directly from them, just like the HL-2. I believe that Makerfabs will decide pricing.

Ed

[Steve Haynal]

Hi Ed,

Thanks a lot for doing this! You may want to think of how Makerfabs can test these boards. One option is to connect them up to a HL2 and then run tests on a Raspberry Pi. This is similar to what we already have setup, and Jim N2ADR helped quite a bit with those tests.

73,

Steve

kf7o

[Ed Grafton]

As I am not really a coder or electronics expert, I will ask Jim for the best procedure in testing. I know his Quisk has provisions for the board, too.

Maybe a couple strings of LEDs for the 2 sets of outputs? Then there is the FT-847  UART outputs to test. 

I do think it best to test the board with an HL2 with filter board & maybe a ribbon connector to keep the pins from fatiguing. That would allow for ensuring all pass thrus are successful?

Ed

WA4SIX

[Joe God]

Count me in for one board, please.

73

JG / CT1BOO

[Prabir Debnath]

Do count me too, like to go for one

73,

Probir

VU2BQF

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[Pawel Labedz]

Please count me in for one.
Pawel Ei9HEB

[Gerrit Heijting]

Count me in for one board, please.

Gerrit PA3EIP

[Ed Grafton]

OK, 132 are interested in the board, as of this morning.

Jim is back & I am pasting questions from an email I sent him, so that he can respond to them on the board.

1 Would you be willing to design a rear plate for the HL2 enclosure? If it had another serial output & maybe a few more varoius ports above the plane of your board, that may allow for more options in the future, or to use the multiple outputs that you have.

2. The blank square area on the board, could that be made into a perf board area? I was thinking about adding an IC that will siwtch 12VDC+ for controlling a TS-440 PA & LPF for 100W, along with a dual MRF 157 pallet for 1KW. Not sure if it is feasible for that blank area, or not, but just an idea.

3. Would the test sequence in Main.C be enough to ensure proper function in all of your patterned circumstances?

4. This is the Biggie. As I am not good at this stuff, would you be willing to give technical support for this on the Google HL-2 board?

I think that if we can get the board built, many will adopt it & amplifiers/transverters will become the norm for the HL-2.

Ed

[Ellis Beatty]

Make it 133, please

Ellis W1EGB

[jpwa...@gmail.com]

Ed,

I also am interested in a couple(2).

Looking forward to the MakerFabs availability.

..jpw J P Watters

KC9KKO

Morris, IL USA

[Tim KC1RET]

+1 or 2 here, please.

My use case is controlling external transverters & PAs.

73,

T.

On Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 7:17:21 AM UTC-4 Ed Grafton wrote:

[Martin Richardson]

+2 for me also please!

Many thanks

73 de  VK7MA

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[Graeme Jury]

Please add me to the list

73 de Graeme ZL2APV

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[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Group,

Steve's idea to produce only ten boards at first, and send them to expert testers is a good one. Also, I think that G4BRK and KC9KKO have built boards already. If anyone has built a board, please comment on whether the board satisfies your requirements.

On Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 7:17:21 AM UTC-4 Ed Grafton wrote:

1 Would you be willing to design a rear plate for the HL2 enclosure? If it had another serial output & maybe a few more varoius ports above the plane of your board, that may allow for more options in the future, or to use the multiple outputs that you have.

I hope that someone else volunteers to make a new rear plate. It is the usual rear plate plus the holes in the IO board raised by the height of the 2x25 pin connector J1. The J1 is a special extra-height connector necessary to clear the HL2 EXTTR connector. We need to wait for MakerFabs to source this part in China and determine the final height.

2. The blank square area on the board, could that be made into a perf board area? I was thinking about adding an IC that will siwtch 12VDC+ for controlling a TS-440 PA & LPF for 100W, along with a dual MRF 157 pallet for 1KW. Not sure if it is feasible for that blank area, or not, but just an idea.

The blank square area is meant for use in dead bug or Manhattan construction. If you want real perf board, just make any board you want and plug it in on top of the IO board with the 5-pin J2 and the two-pin J12 pin headers.

3. Would the test sequence in Main.C be enough to ensure proper function in all of your patterned circumstances?

This test sequence just toggles the IO pins. You need a scope to view it so it is inconvenient.  I am not sure how to make a convenient test.

4. This is the Biggie. As I am not good at this stuff, would you be willing to give technical support for this on the Google HL-2 board?

Yes, I plan to help with writing software for the Pico and general support.

Jim

N2ADR 

[Ed Grafton]

1. I do hope someone will volunteer to work on the rear panel. If not, I will try to alter the original, as I downloaded Kicad, but have never used it. 

2. Understood.

3. Maybe an Arduino or Pico could supply the I2c signals for all 7 bands & drive some LEDs to just test the I/O functionality at Makerfabs QC depatrment.

4. Thank you so much for all you have done & further help.

As for testers, I will rely on Jim and/or Steve for input on that.

Another question. Should the USB port of the Pico be brought out the back panel? I am wondering if it may prove useful in the future. 

Thank you,

Ed Grafton

WA4SIX

[VU3NXI Siddhalingesh Basawanal]

Please add me to the list.

73,

-de VU2YYF (Old Call- VU3NXI)

[neiljw...@gmail.com]

Hi all,

I did make a new rear plate for my HL2IO build. This was my first use of Kicad.

Although usable, some of the dimensions were not quite right.

I'll try and produce a v2 version of this with cutouts positioned more accurately.

It will need to be verified against proposed DB9 and header heights and adjusted as necessary.

73,  Neil  G4BRK

[Ed Grafton]

Thank you very much, Neil

Ed

[Pawel Labedz]

Hi all,
I'm a new user of the HL2  (actually I will be when I receive it)
I can design the board in the Kicad.
Just let me know what is required and  I can start working on it.
Regards
Pawel EI9HEB

[Ed Grafton]

Pawel, the board is already designed & in use by 3 or more people. It is the back panel that needs a redesign.

Ed

[Steve Haynal]

Hi Pawel,

The KiCAD PCB design for the rear panel is here:

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

There are several other designs here:

https://github.com/softerhardware/Hermes-Lite2/tree/master/hardware/enclosure/endcaps

I think the request is to redesign one of these end caps to work with Jim's IO board.

73,

Steve

kf7o

[Pawel Labedz]

Hi Steve,

Thank you,

I will look in to this and get back to the group.

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[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Ed,

I think we are ready to order the first ten boards. The KiCad and Gerber files are in HL2IOBoard KiCad, and the bill of materials is BOM.txt. I added a substitute for the end-of-life PCA9536D. We still need ten volunteers to test them and it is simplest if MakerFabs ships to them directly. At least one tester should test the serial port. I tested the DC IO, but not the serial port logic.

The project files are all in github. Let me know if the documentation is unclear, or wrong! And I will make a new main.c as required.

Jim

N2ADR

[Ed Grafton]

Thank you, Jim.

As I am quite a novice in all of this, I will leave it up to Steve to suggest people to test the boards. 

Or, would it be best to start a new thread for volunteers & the results of testing?

Ed

[Mike W1PL]

I am interested in one I/O board, please add me to the list.

I'm sucessfully running HL2-Beta2 for few weeks w/ Pure Signal... I love it..

Extremly low power consumption allowing to use small battery bank for littely few days of usage.

Thank you

73!

Mike W1PL

On Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 4:47:35 PM UTC-5 Ed Grafton wrote:

On the HL2 Facebook page, I saw a post about an IO board build. It was designed by the same man as the filter board. Seems that it may go to Makerfabs for production. 

Here is the Github:

GitHub - jimahlstrom/HL2IOBoard

Should I be interested? Seems that for it's publicized features, there would not be a need of a Gateware change?

What say ye?

Ed

[ron.ni...@gmail.com]

Hi Jim,

I have both a Pi Pico and a Pico W, and have been programing them using micropython.  With the Pico W, I've been using WiFi as a networked side channel to check whether the IO inputs are receiving what I think they should.  Let me know if you think that might be a useful idea to use for a portion of the IO board testing.

73, Ron, n6ywu

[Stelio Plautz]

Hi,
please add me to the list, I would purchase two of these boards.

73 Stelio

Am 04.03.23 um 23:28 schrieb Ed Grafton:

OK, I am not actually making a list. It is good to get a count, though. This will be just like purchasing an HL2 or filter board. You will order directly through Makerfabs.

My count is now 82 total.

Please keep the interest up && post how many you want, as it will help for the decision on how many to produce.

Thank you,

Ed Grafton

WA4SIX

On Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 5:25:16 PM UTC-5 radi...@mail.com wrote:

I would purchase two of these boards if available on Makerfabs primarily for switching bands/filters on my LDMOS amp but also potentially for auto-switching my coaxial relays to auto change transverters. Seems will avoid the need for an external band decoder to do the same job? Also nice to have RF3 brought out to back panel as standard for use with my transverters. Maybe possibly the fan control although I've never really seen the need for a fan in the HL2.

 

73

Max

On Saturday, 4 March 2023 at 16:20:57 UTC rune....@gmail.com wrote:

Hi All

Interesting, please add me to the list, I will purchase one I/O board.

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[Reid Campbell]

Hi All,

I think we are in a bit of a chicken and egg situation. How are you going to test the board if we don't have the software and how will the software guys write the software if they don't have the board.

I think priority should be given to the support people for the software and other coders who have Pico experience. There also needs to be a bit more development of the I2C protocol between the SDR software and the Pico on the I/O board to define various operations. The Tune indication comes to mind.

Cheers

Reid
Gi8TME/Mi0BOT  

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[Ed Grafton]

Reid, I will take any advice. 

About software, Quisk Is already capable of working the board, as is. Another author mentioned that they would implement the frequency over I2c. Also, Simon (SDR-Console) is willing to implement it. 

I will quote Jim, from his Github Readme:

Modifications to SDR PC Software

Since the HL2 can read and write the I2C bus to communicate with the IO board, it would be possible for SDR software authors (Quisk, Spark, Power SDR, etc.) to write extensive logic to control IO. This is NOT the desired result. Instead users should write new firmware to provide the services they require. It is easy to write firmware for the Pico. Ideally, an owner of a given power amp, for example HR50, would write a custom firmware and provide a wiring diagram for that amp. The only required SDR modification is sending the transmit frequency. The transmit frequency can be read by HamLib CAT in case an external helper program is used.

Do NOT ask authors to modify SDR software! Write new firmware instead!

Transmit Frequency

SDR software must send the transmit frequency to provide band information to power amps, transverters and loop antennas. You can wait for the band to change, and then just send a frequency in the band. For example, if the user presses the 40 meter button, send 7.0 MHz. This is enough to determine the band, but not enough to tune a loop antenna. You can send the exact Tx frequency, but since the user is probably doing a lot of tuning, it is best to limit the I2C traffic. Quisk sends the Tx frequency at maximum rate of once every 0.5 seconds, and only if it changes. The frequency data in registers 0, 1, 2 and 3 are static, and are only used when register 13 is written. So you don't need to re-send them unless they change. Quisk makes no use of this, and always sends all five registers.

RF Receive Input

The mode control 0, 1 or 2 is a user setting. There needs to be an option to set this. Quisk has this option.

From the above, I think that reading the I2c for ID of the board & allowing frequency to come over I2c are needed for bandswitching.  0,1,2 in Mode control are provided in the Pico firmware to control the RX/PS inputs. 

To me, this means that just these basic alterations to their code will make the board perform as advertized.

Please feel free to give suggestions, as I am just trying to get this project underway. I also do not know the big players on the board. I only have 1 possible volunteer for testing, as of yet.

Ed

[Ed Grafton]

Sorry, the 0,1,2 is provided by the SDR software authors, too. 

There are already 154 people interested in this board. 

I saw a post about it on Facebook & the OP is too busy to work on getting it done. Steve is moving & has already done us all quite a service, along with Jim in his design of the filter board & this IO board.

I would just like to move it forward.

Thank you,

Ed

[Lars Hansson]

I am interested in one IO bord.

Lars LB5HI

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MVH
Lars Hansson

[Steve Tolf]

I am also interested in an IO Board.

Steve, K1ST

[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Group,

MakerFabs has requested a plan to test the IO boards before they ship them. That is a problem. The IO board consists of multiple independent IO ports and it is tedious to test each one. There are no external connections (users will add jumpers) so testing with an oscilloscope at the board level is required. The HL2 is easier to test because if a part is bad, the whole board will fail.

MakerFabs could program the IO board Pico with a test program and see that the on-board LED flashes at a known rate. The test program could toggle the logic outputs with a known pattern, and MakerFabs could use an oscilloscope to see the square waves. That is OK for a sanity test, but it tests less than half of the IO.

Any ideas?

Jim

N2ADR

[Pawel Labedz]

Hi James,

Ideally would be to predefine one of the configurations probably the one which uses the most hardware on the board.

Regards

Pawel EI9HEB

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[ron.ni...@gmail.com]

It may be possible build a loopback connector for testing the PCB, and program a Pico W to toggle outputs and check the looped-back inputs.  The Pico W could then report the test status over WiFi, maybe serving a web page, eliminating the need for using an oscilloscope for at least some of the initial board testing.  I program my Pico W board in micropython, which might make test code easier to modify.

73, Ron, n6ywu

[Reid Campbell]

Maybe the first ten boards should be produced without testing and used to develop the tests. We are back to the chicken and egg situation, the only boards at the minute are held by Jim.

I had a look on the Makerfabs web site and they talked about making up test jigs. They should be able to make up a jig with the 50 pin connector which plugs into HL2 to provide the power. Possibly a "bed of nail" to jump the various other connectors and the Pico running the tests and reporting via the USB C interface. I'm assuming Makerfabs will be supplying the board complete with the Pico but wouldn't image they will be the W variant. It could be specified and that would open up a completely different interface capability.

There appears to be a pent up demand for the I/O board but producing these boards will require a considerable amount of work. I'm happy to help where I can.

Cheers

Reid
Gi8TME/Mi0BOT

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[Ed Grafton]

I have been thinking about this today. If the holes are any traditional socket spacing , is there enough height under the cover to allow plugs into them?

If not, possibly have Makerfabs populate the boards with sockets for testing purposes. Possibly just the 2-8 (CMOS  low side switching)pin  and possibly 1-5 pin (Logic inputs) be populated. If the casing is too short, whatever the end user decides to use can have the socket removed.

This way, a Pico or Arduino can be used to input I2C & read the IO pins. LEDs can indicate basic functionality.

I also wonder if a taller upper casing could be sourced. Of course, that would entail a new front & back panel, which all adds to the cost.

Jim, what are the measurements of the holes for the 3 above plugs? If a common socket can be mounted, I will search for premade plug harnesses. I have done Microfit & several others in a previous job & know that the correct & expensive tools make it difficult.

Ed

WA4SIX

[Andrew King]

Hi group. I would also be interested in a board when they become available

Andy G6TTW

[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Ed,

On Friday, March 17, 2023 at 5:23:28 PM UTC-4 Ed Grafton wrote:

I have been thinking about this today. If the holes are any traditional socket spacing, is there enough height under the cover to allow plugs into them?

The 55 mm case has 28 mm available above the IO board. Short pin headers are 8mm, so we could populate the five pin header locations and use them to test the board. Users could use single-pin jumpers to do their connections provided the jumper housings were not too long. I don't have a short case to measure.

I am not too fond of this as it adds to the cost. The usual jumpers are 15 cm long which adds clutter to the case. If the user does not want pin headers, they are hard to remove.

I suggest we immediately order ten boards without testing and think about whether we really need testing when we have them in hand.

Jim

N2ADR

[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Group,

Makerfabs has informed me that the TBD62381AFNG,EL low side switch is not available. We will need to find a substitute or modify the board. Can anyone suggest a substitute? The footprint is 18-SSOP 4.4 mm wide.

Jim

N2ADR

[Ed Grafton]

Closest I could find is:

TBD62083A series, TBD62084A series (mouser.com)

But, it has clamp diodes & has "Common" where VCC should be. 

Ed

[Ed Grafton]

This one has the same clamp diodes.

TBD62183AFNG/FWG (semicon-storage.com)

Ed

[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Ed,

The chips you suggested will require a new PCB. I see that the SOIC version of the original chip is available, but will require more board space. Look at the five protected inputs. Can anyone suggest an IC to do this? That will make space for the SOIC IC.

Jim

N2ADR

[Ed Grafton]

Jim, for the Input protection, all I could come up with are these 2. Just Googling around for Pico input protection.

Possibly up to 16V:  Hex non-inverting precision Schmitt-trigger (nexperia.com)
Possibly up to 15V:  CD4049UB, CD4050B datasheet (Rev. K) (ti.com)

Ed

[neiljw...@gmail.com]

I found a bit of time to fight with Kicad and Github again - hopefully I'm improving but still some way to go.

I have put the revised rear endcap to support the HL2IO board on a 55mm panel in my github fork of Jim's repo:

https://github.com/neilwise/HL2IOBoard_G4BRK/hardware/HL2IO_endcap_55

This is a slightly adjusted version of my original, which just about fits but this one should be better.

If the board layout changes due to component supply issues then the dimensions may need to be revisited.

73,  Neil  G4BRK

[Ed Grafton]

Neil, I tried your link  &"website not found.

What 55mm enclosure are you using, and does the PA spacer still fit right?

Thank you,

Ed

[neiljw...@gmail.com]

Hi Ed,

Sorry about the link - you can just go to https://github.com/neilwise/HL2IOBoard_G4BRK

and click down from there, or hopefully this one will work:

https://github.com/neilwise/HL2IOBoard_G4BRK/tree/main/hardware/HL2IO_endcap_55

The 55mm enclosure was the one originally adopted for the HL2 some years ago. I have two in this

enclosure and one in the later 40mm one as supplied by Makerfabs. The 40mm is a little marginal

for fitting the DSUB cutout for the HL2IO board, but it should be possible  to design the panel with no

PCB material above the DSUB if necessary. I can look at this when I get a bit more time.

73, Neil  G4BRK

[Ed Grafton]

Thank you, Neil.

Jim, the 1-5 inputs are to be 5V inputs to 3v3 signals? 

If I have read enough, you are using pin 1 for UART input & possibly future BCD input on pins 2-5?

If so, can a hex buffer be used for protection? It may only protect up to 7V, but maybe a clamp diode on the input? What about Op Amps?

I am not good at this, but have been searching for different protection schemes.

Ed

[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Ed,

The five inputs are supposed to convert a voltage level of 3.3 to at least 20 volts to the 3.3 volt logic input level of the Pico. So they can be used to sense typical 12 volt signals. The existing circuit does this but takes a lot of board area. A TBD62783 does this, but only the SOIC package is in stock, not the smaller SSOP. It looks like there is a shortage of the Toshiba SSOC packages including the original TBD62381.

I am working on rearranging the board for the larger SOIC TBD62381 as that is available. Mouser shows the SSOP package available at the end of June. The dilemma is whether to (1) make a new PCB and produce ten without testing, (2) make one new PCB that I test and then order more or (3) use the old tested PCB and wait for the part to be available.

Jim

N2ADR 

[yankn...@gmail.com]

Tough decision, as it is your time & effort. I personally would not have an issue waiting till June. We just need to ensure that the IC will be obtainable for a few years, at least. Also, Makerfabs needs to be able to obtain it in June & the future.

I have a feeling that many of these will be sold.

FYI, I went & bought a Pico starter kit to learn some about it. Sure puts an Arduino to shame.

Ed

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[Graeme Jury]

Hi Ed, Jim and group,

I have maintained an interest in this project since its inception and have done a fair bit of work independently on it here in New Zealand but will not come out with yet another version and when Jim's board is done will contribute any useful software that I have written. An advantage of using the SOIC is that if a board change needs to be done it is easier but as Jim has pointed out, introduces the possibility of a bug in the board. We lived with that for the HL2 and the minor improvements were worked out in the early board versions and very quickly a stable final product was developed. Knowing how carefully Jim works I would be confident in a reworked board being OK and would add that the people working on the first 10 boards would be capable of cutting and jumpering a track anyway.

Regarding the Pico it sure is well ahead of the arduino but I was a bit disappointed in the ADC which was very noisy and jittery. By the time I had programmed in damping and averaging I was not doing any better than the Arduino's 10 bits. The rest of the device was great. Someone mentioned about programing the Pico and spoke about using MicroPython vs. C++ which needs to be firmed up on as we don't want an IO version for a say Hardrock50 being programed on one language and then an offshoot version being programmed on another. I am comfortable with either language but suggest that C++ is closer to the machine and might be the best but my vote is for whatever Jim has originally programmed in to continue to be the language used.

73, Graeme ZL2APV

[James Ahlstrom]

Hello Ed, Graeme and Group,

I have redesigned the IO board for the SOIC part, and will work with Makerfabs to produce it. I would still like to get a single board I can test. Regarding the ADC, my IO board uses a 3.00 volt reference for the ADC, and perhaps that will help the stability.

I am programming the IO board in C because at the time, the Pico SDK lacked an I2C slave module. I see that one now exists, so I will test it and use it. If anyone wants to use MicroPython be sure it supports I2C slave and fast interrupt routines.

Jim

N2ADR