[arm-allstar] just getting started and trying to understand the current requirements with a PI2 or similar

Thu May 5 12:45:23 EST 2016

Dave,

 We are working on this problem in a number of ways and hopefully soon will have some answers. There may be a production of a much cheaper URI type interface and also we are working on a USB to serial approach. Stay tuned.
73 Doug
WA3DSP
http://www.crompton.com/hamradio

> Date: Wed, 4 May 2016 17:46:15 -0700
> To: arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
> Subject: Re: [arm-allstar] just getting started and trying to understand the current requirements with a PI2 or similar
> From: arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
> CC: david at lang.hm
> 
> Just a quick follow-up on this as I'm finally getting some hardware in-hand to 
> play with (and time to think of it :-)
> 
> It's getting hard to find the cheap USB sound FOBs that do not have the chip 
> covered with epoxy, so there is actually some real value in using the GPIOs of 
> the Pi/BBB instead of the ones on the FOBs
> 
> David Lang
> 
> On Sun, 18 Oct 2015, David Lang wrote:
> 
> > On Sun, 18 Oct 2015, Doug Crompton wrote:
> >
> >> Dave,
> >> 
> >> Yes, you will need a USB sound interface which can be the $70 DMK URI or a 
> >> $3 modified sound FOB. A very simple modification and source link for the 
> >> FOB is in the howto section at hamvoip.org.
> >> 
> >> Built-in sound would not work. There is no audio input on the Pi and output 
> >> is normally routed to HDMI but can be routed to a TRRS connector - 
> >> http://www.raspberrypi-spy.co.uk/2014/07/raspberry-pi-model-b-3-5mm-audiovideo-jack/
> >
> > ahh, I didn't realize it was missing the input side.
> >
> > I'm actually looking at building a small system with two linked receviers to 
> > one transmitter.
> >
> > I'll look into the USB sound FOBs for the recever.
> >
> > Years ago I did a lot of adapatign of different mics to Yeasu/Icom handhelds, 
> > I'm assuming the newest handhelds have fairly similar interfaces. In most 
> > cases the interface is not much more than a cap, resister, and sometimes a 
> > transister. Much cheaper than the $270 official allstar interface boards :-)
> >
> > Thanks for the clarification.
> >
> > David Lang
> > AG6AH
> >
> >> There has been interest in using the GPIO for COS and PTT but the USB FOBS 
> >> have the I/O also. The modification to bring it out of the FOB is really 
> >> not complicated. The SAME interface circuitry would be needed if using I/O 
> >> on the FOB or off the GPIO pins. So it is really not simpler.  So there is 
> >> no completely easy way unless you buy a DMK URI.
> >> 
> >> I suggest you checkout the howto for simple USB sound FOB mod. At less than 
> >> $4 it is certainly worth a try. You don't have much to lose. If you want to 
> >> save over $60 and you have some patience it is a fun one night project.
> >> 
> >> The steps involve opening the FOB, the case piratically falls off. 
> >> Soldering two small wires to the chip. This is the hardest part but not 
> >> really difficult. A real easy way is shown in the photos. Solder three more 
> >> wires onto the connectors. Bring those five wires out in a shielded cable 
> >> (old usb cable works - 4 conductor and shield/ground) and at the other end 
> >> wire up the additional interface components either in a small box or in a 
> >> connector as shown in the howto. The FOBS reduce to $2.40 in 10 quantities.
> >> 
> >> I don't have the time but it would be great if someone offered to build 
> >> these for people who can not. Either partially or completely with a DB25 
> >> wired like the DMK on the radio end. The user would just have to supply the 
> >> 25 pin to radio connection the same as using a DMK URI. Wiring it this way 
> >> would make it plug compatible with the URI. I would think this could be 
> >> done for around 1/3 of the price of the URI. I guess I am dreaming though 
> >> because there are vendors out there ripping people off for an interface 
> >> cable and two connectors for $50!
> >> 
> >> Hams are cheap and you are right paying twice as much for a sound interface 
> >> as the main board is a lot and if you have two nodes on one board even 
> >> more.
> >> 
> >> 73 Doug
> >> WA3DSP
> >> http://www.crompton.com/hamradio
> >> 
> >> 
> >>> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2015 17:58:39 -0700
> >>> From: david at lang.hm
> >>> To: arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
> >>> Subject: [arm-allstar] just getting started and trying to understand the 
> >>> current requirements with a PI2 or similar
> >>> 
> >>> I see several blog posts talking about using a RPi with allstar that 
> >>> ignore the
> >>> built-in audio and GPIO pins of the Pi in favor of external interface 
> >>> boards
> >>> that cost several times more than the Pi does.
> >>> 
> >>> I'm hoping that these were just early attempts and current versions will 
> >>> use the
> >>> built-in audio and much simpler radio interfaces from the GPIOs
> >>> 
> >>> What's the status on this sort of work?
> >>> 
> >>> David Lang
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> 
> >>> arm-allstar mailing list
> >>> arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
> >>> http://lists.hamvoip.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/arm-allstar
> >>> 
> >>> Visit the BBB and RPi2 web page - http://hamvoip.org
> >>> 
> >
> _______________________________________________
> 
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> 
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> 

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