Shown in the photo above, is the
protoype stack of the new PCB with a backlight LCD from Ebay with a 16
pin in-line connector. The above picture also shows a few of the other LCDs that it works with. Above left is a
very small 8x2 LCD sold by a number of vendors on Ebay for about
$5. It has a 16 pin 2 row connector which mates with a
corresponding connector on my new PCB. In the photo center top, is a
16x 2 backlight LCD with the same 2 row connector. The
Serial LCD used on the old design also works on the new design, and is
show on the right in the above photo.
Status Update: NOW SHIPPING
Simple Kit now only $15.99 with improved firmware supporting multiple IF offsets
Order through paypal
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| Optional LCD Cable Kit
LCD Cable kit, consists of 6 inch cable with connectors on both ends, plus headers for you to solder into the LCD and PCB. 10 pin cable used for standard Serial LCD supplied by us, 16 pin cable is for those 3rd party LCDs with a 14 or 16 pin 2 row connector.
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| Mounting hardware now available |
10Pin cable w/ Serial LCD |
16Pin cable w/ 3rd Party LCD
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The photo below shows a Green backlit display with a 16 pin single row connector, which stacks nicely with the PCB. No cable is needed, you can just use short lengths of wire, or use a single row pin header and a single row pin socket(I cut a 32 pin IC socket in half)
These LCDs are commonly avaialbe on ebay in both Green and Blue. Most have 80mm x 36mm outside dimensions, which matches the PCB. Expect to pay about $6 including shipping from China. There is also a lot of 8x2 displays on ebay that are about 1/2 the size if you need something smaller.
I am continuing to offer a Simple Kit with will be nearly
identical to my old simple kit. This will use a 2K processor and
will only upport the Serial LCD. Sold with the serial LCD it will
be priced nearly same as the prior version. It will work up to 5.5MHz, but you can
add your own prescaer to extend operation up to 45MHz.
I will also offer a "Full" kit using a 8K processor that will
supprt both the serial and other LCD's with a vaiety of
pinouts. Multiple IF offsets will be supported, and it will work
up to 45MHz VFO frequency. This is equivalent to my prior "Full" kit.
There is also a super kit, which includes a higher power regulator to accomodate backlights with high current draw, and also negative LCD voltage.
Negative LCD voltage. This new design supports LCD's that require
a negative LCD contrast voltage. This is done, NOT using a switching
supply, but a simple ground offset mechanism. Simply, from
a 12V power source we generate +1.4v and +6.4 volts using a linear
regulator. (see schematic below) The LCD and logic have thier ground tied to the +1.4v, and power tied to +6.4v thus they see +5v. A connection to the
real ground appers to be -1.4 volts to them. When people are selling LCDs they rarely mention the fact that they require a negative voltage, but you run into them from time to time. Also many LCD's contrast is temperature sensitive, and LCD that looks fine at room temperatire, will need a negative contrast voltage at low temperature.
Hook up is rather simple. The 14/16 pin in-line connector plugs
right in as shown in the photo above. There is also a 16 pin 2 row side connector for connection to 44780 LCD's with 14 or 16 pin 2 row connectors
If you are using a 14 PIN LCD you just use the 14 upper pins. If you are using the 10 Pin serial you use the 10 lower pins. The micro autmatically figures
out which display is conencted on power up.
- Programmable IF frequency, and VFO mode (VFO+IF, VFO-IF,
IF-VFO)
- S/W Programmable to accommodate /n prescaler
(n can be 2,4,8,16)
- Very low power, Operates from regulated Vcc 3.3 to 5
VDC, 3 ma current draw @ 3.3v.
- Battery operation possible with 3 AA cells or 3.6v
Lithium from CellPhone or HT
- Voltage regulator included in Full kit for 12V operation
- 2 pushbuttons required only for programming IF and Formula.
- All programmable options stored in non volatile EEPROM, so
they only have to be set once.
- Input Sensitivity: 150mV RMS see chart.
- uCode, includes anti jitter s/w which prevents LSD from
jittering between two values.
- Measures VFO frequency:
- Simple Kit up to 5.5 Mhz without prescaler
- Full and Vintage Kit up to 55 Mhz with Div/16 prescaler
- Super Kit up to 80 Mhz with Div/16 prescaler
- 32 bit internal math
- 100 Hz or 10 Hz display resolution.
- No XTAL trim cap required, correction applied in S/W.
- Update rate approx. 20 ms w/o prescaler. 80 ms with /4
prescaler.
- NO soldering of Surface mount components required.
- Standard LCD has Large 0.375 inch digits, dimensions 4.88 x 1.25 inch
- Supports many different 3rd party LCDs
- Supports 14-16 pin devices w/ either 2 row or single row connector
- On board driver for LED backlight
- Up to 20mA when using the 78L05 regulator in a TO92 package
- Up to 100mA when using the 7805 in a TO220 package, no heatsink
- Up to 250mA when using the 7805 in a TO220 package, with heatsink
Read reviews on EHAM
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Manuals, Schematics,
and technical notes
Avaialbilty: NOW shipping:
- The Simple Kit consists of an inexpensive
2K micro that supports one IF offsetNow supplied with the 4K processor which includes multiple IF's. Standard serial LCD included, (no backlight) Works up to 5.5MHz. PCB parts and LCD included for $17.99 $15.99. - The Full Kit includes the 8K micro that supprts up to 9 IF offsets plus all LCD types. Works up to 45MHz. The Serial LCD is included in the kit. You can drive other LCDs with this kit, but if you want to drive one with a backlight you will need to change out the regulator, and add a few components if you need negative LCD voltage. Priced at
$23.50 $22.50 - The Super Kit includes the 8K micro, and all the necessary auxillary ciruitry for pretty much any LCD. A higher power regulator is included to drive a backlight on a 3rd party LCD, along with a trim pot for LCD contrast and negative LCD voltage support. Works up to 80MHz. The price is $25 without no LCD, $27.50 with the serial LCD, no backlight.
LCDs: I will likley not be
stocking any other LCDs (other than the 10 Pin serial LCD with no backlight) There are
many different colors and sizes availabe on ebay for very low
prices. Just about any of the character LCDs will work. You can buy a
nice display w/backlight for $4-9 including shipping, most come from
China. We will be supporting 8x2, 16x1, and 16x2
displays, anything larger will work, but the extra lines/digits will be
blank. (It will not work with graphics LCDs, or glass only) I'm not selling serial LCDs seperately, but if you need one there are several people selling them on Ebay.
PCB Dimension are approx 3.1 in x 1.4 inches, which is about the same as most 16x1 and 16x2 displays.
The small 8x2 Display shown in the picture above is about 1.5in x 1.3in
The displays with a 2 row connecter are easiest to remote with standard flat flex cable and IDC connectors. I am offering a 10 & 16 pin ones, but these are pretty easy to make yourself, the parts are redily avaiably from many suppliers.
The 3 pictures below are of the prototype boards
The 3 pictures below are of a of stack with the production PCB, but assembled with some components on the reverse side of the PCB to minimize overall height.
