Workbench: What's On Mine?
Workbench: What's On Mine?
Multiple projects are in process so stay tuned for more
DMR
I have a new Anytone AT-D878UV II Plus radio and a hotspot. Unfortunately, it is set up for the Brandmeister network. I’ve got a code plug (also spelled as codeplug) that is known to work in the Pacific Northwest where I live, work, and play, but I haven’t tried installing it yet. Up here in the PNW, a lot of DMR traffic goes through the network of repeaters in the PNWDigital.Net system. I joined PNWDigital in June 2020 and have just been slow to enter this aspect of amateur radio.
I also need to decide whether to keep the existing hotspot on the Brandmeister network (might be a good idea when I travel out of the area) or reprogram it. I am leaning toward building a second hotspot and installing Pi-Star on it. Right now I’m grappling with simplex vs. duplex hotspots. The cost differences are significant and I’m wondering what more capability and enjoyment I might gain with a duplex hotspot.
I guarantee there will be a lot of learning involved as I make these changes. First, I need to reset my brain to understand the digital radio programming structure. The paradigm is different than for analog radio, at least to me. Second, I may need to do some export/import work to bring codeplugs in and to modify my hotspot.
AllStar
More tiny and thin nodes
I have another Dell Wyse 3040 on the way, plus a couple of the larger Dell Wyse 5070 units. Those are all intended to serve as AllStar nodes.
(Update 3/31/2023: The first 5070 arrived. It’s a beast compared to the diminutive 3040. I’ll get it booted up this weekend and see how it performs!)
A radio-based node
I also have a TYT TH-9000D radio on the way. To bridge that radio to an AllStar node, I ordered the RIM-Alinco device and a special connector cable. I’m betting that I can build a node on a Dell Wyse 5070, mated to the TYT radio. My prediction is that this will be a relatively easy build that yields a radio-based AllStar node.
(Update 3/31/2023: The RIM-Lite device arrived. Looks pretty simple. Waiting on the TYT radio.)
(I spent some time digging around to find used 220 MHz or 440 MHz Alinco radios but they have become rare. Thus, for this build, I’m going to use a fairly inexpensive new radio. I’ve not used one of these TYT units before so my fingers are crossed that the audio quality and reliability are both good. I will note in passing that the TYT + RIM device + adapter cable is roughly the same price as an Alinco DR-135T from HRO + RIM device; even though the Alinco is more expensive, it doesn’t require the special cable that the TYT needs.)
A radio-like node
As mentioned in a previous post, I have almost all the parts for a microphone-to-node interface. Basically, it is a project box that connects an Alinco hand microphone (the EMS-57 DTMF hand mic) to the USB port of an AllStar node. This is intended to be a desktop node that feels more like a traditional radio because you use the hand mic to transmit.
Miscellaneous
I have not given up on trying to load Linux on an old Chromebox. The primary purpose for this would be to get an AllStar node running on this platform. Chromeboxes are solid little computers and inexpensive, used devices are still readily available.
The techniques to do this as published by MrChromebox have not worked for me. My next attempt will involve replacing the SSD in the Chromebox with a new, blank SSD. I’m hoping this will cause the system to force a boot from a USB port.
Maybe I can trick the system into letting me replace ChromeOS with Linux! If doing it this way works, then I can get an adapter that lets me wipe the SSDs that come in Chromeboxes and repurpose more than one to serve as Linux computers or AllStar nodes.
Closing
If any of these projects appeal to you, or if you just want to share some of what you are working on, please post a comment!
Tom - thanks for that update on your projects - definitely some food for thought there. Keep the progress reports coming!
One reason I've not fully embraced PNW DMR is that they are... (shall we say) "tightly structured", and thus don't "embrace" experimentation such as data over DMR. That's why when I do get more into DMR (one portable, one mobile) I'll probably hang out on Brandmeister repeater (fortunately, I have a few in my area) because they do encourage experimentation, including data over DMR.
One thing that has helped me organize my workshop (N8GNJ Labs - https://www.n8gnj.org) was someone mentioning the use of a commercial baking rack (example - https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/winco-aluminum-sheet-pan-rack-with-casters.product.11989605.html) for commercial size aluminum baking sheet pans. That is a brilliant idea; it lets me get (way too many...) projects in progress off my workbench. When I do have time, or parts arrive, or the mood strikes for working on a particular project, I pull out that project's sheet and load it onto my workbench for some progress.
It worked out TOO well - while the first one was found at a garage sale, complete with 25 sheets for < $50 total, I felt like a second one would be better, so I invested in a brand new one (see link above).
I'm heading down the Dell Wyze 3040 path as I'd like to put another node out in the barn which is about 80 meters from the house and~305' ASL so about 40 feet up the hill from the house. I use my one base node number for the two nodes I operate at present, so my clearnode ends in zero and my clearzero ends in "1". Keepin' 'em guessin'. I need to learn how to dial in using my hamshackhotline and hamsoverip phone kube and hamsoverip softphone on my iphone. Thank you for the prompting with all the Allstar work you're doing.
As for DMR, I have the earlier version of the Anytone 878UVPlus and several hotspots, but we have nothing like the PNW Digital Network here in the Philadelphia area. I'm envious. There are DMR repeaters I can hit with my HT, but despite nearly two years of off and on efforts, I've not found a DMR repeater/TG where I can "hang out."
As to the TYT-TH-9000D you might want to watch some/all of the video at https://youtu.be/otdZKhGqv6Y
It turns out that it's a clone of the Kenwood TM-271A radios and I can vouch for that radio. I have four of them. Two in full-time service, one on an RMS VHF Gateway for ~18 monts at full power no downtime due to the radio and one on a packet BBS/node for ~8 months. One is a cold backup sitting in the radio cabinet in the barn and the last one is on my bench waiting for me to take off the cover and solder in the 6-pin miniDIN pigtail cable to modify the radio for digital sound card use.
I very much enjoy your reporting of your ham radio adventures. 73 de K3FZT / Steve