[usa2003ardf] What's next for this e-mail reflector?

Wed Aug 6 17:47:50 CDT 2003

> One topic I'd like to propose is Club Equipment for ARDF.  Or maybe "Meet
> Equipment".  At Oxford, someone I spoke to wanted to put on events, but was
> having trouble figuring out what pieces to get and how to put them together.
>   On a budget.

As might be expected, I have a number of comments :).

**********

Several people expressed some interest in the Ukranian 80M receivers. I
just got back an email from Sergei Zarubin (he won the 80m overall
championships in Albuquerque, and took 2nd overall in the 2m
competition), and there is no problem getting the receivers although it
will take a month or so to get them built, tested, and sent to the US.
The price is $175.00 and that includes the receiver, headphones, and
shipping from the Ukraine to me. I currently have orders for five 80M
receivers and have passed that along to Sergei. If anyone else would
like to buy one, let me know and I'll increase the order. I can also
order the 2M receivers like the one I used for the same price if anyone
is interested.

**********

On the topic of transmitter equipment on a budget, Bob Simmons, WB6EYV,
and I have put together a small 50 mW ARDF transmitter/controller kit
that sells for $45.00 each plus shipping and insurance if desired. This
"kit" consists of the assembled and tested transmitter/controller board
and 9V battery leads. The board itself is all surface mount except for
the 4 MHz timing crystal, and measures about 3/4" x 1 1/4" in size. They
use the ICS525 as the transmitter and the Microchip 12C671 as the
microcontroller. The current draw is approximately 60 ma while
transmitting, and about 5 ma in standby mode. All that is necessary to
complete it is to attach the antenna leads and battery. If ordered in
sets of five, I can drop the price to $200.00 total plus shipping and
insurance if desired.

If desired, I can also put them together in a small radio shack plastic
enclosure (approx. 2" x 3" x 1") with a BNC connector and on-off switch
for an additional $7.50 per transmitter. A few people saw the ones I had
in Cincinnati.

These transmitters are hard coded with the callsign and timing
information. Each transmitter starts as soon as it is turned on. Thus to
get the proper sequence, they need to be turned on at one minute
intervals, i.e. turn on #1, one minute later turn on #2, etc. The
standard crystal controlled frequency is 146.565.

**********

The transmitters I use for ARDF are readily available HTs; I have the
Icom 2AT, Icom 02AT, and Kenwood 2500. The controller *I* like is the
PicCon controller available from Byon Garrabrant, N6BG, at Byonics,
http://www.byonics.com/piccon/index.html. These are wonderful
controllers and they have proven themselves to be extremely reliable.
The Montreal controller (used on the homing beacons) also have good
reviews, but I like to be able to remotely control each transmitter.

Since I use my transmitters for a variety of different hunts, I always
reset the PicCons before any ARDF competition. The easiest way I have
found is to record the DTMF sequences into my Yaesu 470 HT, and then
play them back into the PicCons. A *short* description of the PicCon
sequence and codes *I* use are:

Hold button and transmit "0" - Reset all PicCons to factory defaults
Hold button and press D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, one for each PicCon to set
IARU transmission mode

A10010 - Sets a sequence timing delay of 1 minute
A20056 - Sets the "run" time of 56 seconds (allows a couple of seconds
for the ID)
A30500 - Sets the timing cycle of five minutes
A40000 - Sets the initial timing delay before the transmission cycle
begins (set to zero delay here.)
C1110536082019# - Sets ID (KE6HTS)
C423# - Transmitter #1 timing
C4123# - Transmitter #2 timing
C41123# - Transmitter #3 timing
C411123# - Transmitter #4 timing
C4111123# - Transmitter #5 timing

I will also sometimes set the lock codes with the A6 command (the
default is 0000.)

As far as building a complete unit, most of us put them into an Ammo can
using a 7 Ah gel cell for power. The approximate cost to put a unit
together is:

Ammo Can	- $10.00
PicCon		- $40.00
HT		- $75.00
Gel Cell	- $5.00 used
Misc Parts	- $5.00

for a total of about $150.00 each although these costs are variable
depending on your junk box and pricing of parts. To keep everything
matched up, it might be best to keep the HTs all the same model. The
output power seems to be either 250 mW or 5 W depending on the power
setting on the HT and the battery voltage. Region 1 rules specify about
1.5 watts, so some playing around might be necessary if someone really
wants that output power.

Marvin, KE6HTS

> 
> Most of the information I've found describes what transmitter, what
> controller, but doesn't go into detail about integrating the pieces into a
> working system.  I'm interested in both architecture issues about what the
> pieces are and how they fit together as well as construction articles that
> are detailed enough for first time builders.
> 
> While I'm more interested in full-up ARDF five transmitter systems, articles
> about one or two transmitter practice gear, especially if it were cheap,
> would be very interesting.  I remember that a Yaesu FT-50 HT I have has an
> automatic ID feature.  I was thinking that feature might be useful for a
> quick demo transmitter, although I've got to say that a PIC-CON at $40 looks
> hard to beat.
> 
> For 2m, is it more-or-less standard to use older HTs, or do people build
> transmitters from boards or from scratch?  Are certain HT's better than
> others?
> 
> I'm building an interface cable for my first Pic-Con (mine has a DB-9
> connector---the new style), and I was wondering what other people have done
> regarding standardizing connectors and boxing them up and power (separate 9V
> battery or get power from the main gel cell?).  One big box with unboxed
> components inside, or smaller boxes inside a bigger box?  It might be nice
> to box up the Pic-Con in a box that could run a key or a HT/PTT button with
> appropriate connectors and a switch (or whatever it needs), and maybe even
> include the battery in the box...
> 
> Anyway, is this type of discussion appropriate here, or is there a better
> place?
> 
> Matthew Robbins
> AA9YH
> Cincinnati, OH
> 
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