Re: Other comments from build of Hilltopper 40
Leland L. Bahr
Also, R8 on page 12 is listed as "yellow brown, orange" instead
of the correct coding "yellow, violet, orange." Lee, w0vt
On 12/4/2020 9:09 PM, Richard Dodd
wrote:
I saw Jim W3BNO's comment about the Hilltopper instructions on the main subgroup.
|
|
Other comments from build of Hilltopper 40
Richard Dodd
I saw Jim W3BNO's comment about the Hilltopper instructions on the main subgroup.
I have a few more items I found while building the 40 meter version. I think the new manual has the same information. 1. In the build list, R8 is listed twice. Once on a line listing R8, R9 as 22KOhm resistors. Immediately below it as just R8 as a 47K Ohm resistor. This is the correct value. However, here the colors are listed as Yellow-brown-orange. It should be Yellow Violet Orange Gold 2. In the build list, L3 and L4 – Should be Brown grey black gold, not brown grey gold gold When you get to the group 6 instructions they are referred to as having brown-blue bands. It should be brown-gray. 3 In Group 3 Assembly board image, SW2 is marked as if it is to be installed in that group. It is installed in the final section. Richard K4KRW
|
|
Re: J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit
Charles W. Powell
Sparks,
How goes it with the Hilltopper? My 20 meter unit puts out 6 watts and the 40 meter rig puts out 7 watts, measured with my scope. I wish all the radios I built worked that well. 72, Chas - NK8O
|
|
Re: J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit
NV1F
Dear Chas - NK8O:
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Thanks for prompt response and the explanation. I am sure I will have more questions in the future. Now---I just need to keep soldering, taking my time to avoid mistakes, and "go out in the field" before the snow flies. Regards, "Sparks" NV1F
On 9/5/2020 9:28 PM, Charles W. Powell via groups.io wrote:
Dear Sparks,
|
|
Re: J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit
NV1F
Dear Jeff-n0MII:
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Thank you for the prompt response: I'm taking your advise "For now, [to] keep soldering" taking my time, but I am sure I'll have more questions as I go. Regards, Sparks, NV1F
On 9/5/2020 4:03 PM, Jeff Logullo N0̸MII wrote:
Hi Sparks, and welcome back to the Amateur ranks!
|
|
Re: J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit
Charles W. Powell
Dear Sparks,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
First, congratulations on your return to the hobby.?? Second, the one set of "extra" pins is for serial port access and CAT/computer control, and the other is for a digital display.?? Both require re-flashing the chip to add the extra functions, and neither is necessary.?? The radio works quite well "right out of the box."?? I have built four of them and I have made the modifications, but I honestly just use them with the original case and no additions when I go out in the field with them. 72, Chas - NK8O
On 9/5/20 3:03 PM, Jeff Logullo N0??MII wrote:
Hi Sparks, and welcome back to the Amateur ranks!
|
|
Re: J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit
Hi Sparks, and welcome back to the Amateur ranks!
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Re J5 and J6: they aren’t strictly needed, if you just want to get on the air and have CW QSOs. One header gives access to the I2C bus, and the other to the serial data lines (perhaps for in-circuit reprogramming of the CPU?). I venture to say that 99.95% of the Hilltoppers build don’t have those headers installed. For now, keep soldering! 72, Jeff N0̸MII
On Sep 5, 2020, at 2:15 PM, NV1F <Giulietti@gmx.com> wrote: --
Jeff N0̸MII
|
|
J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit
NV1F
Dear Hilltopper 40 Subgroup:
I am a 78-year-old returning amateur licensee having lost my 1968 Extra-Class call (w1dh) earlier this year for failure to renew. With the assistance of ARRL VECs I was retested in March and am now licensed as NV1F. Earlier this week I received my Hilltopper 40 kit and am starting the build: At page 6 of the rev. 16 April 2020 manual it states in red ink: "Please note that the J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit." It continues in normal black ink: "See the "Files' section of the subgroup for more information." Please advise: (1) Where do I obtain the J5 & J6 header strips not provided in this kit.." What do header strips look like and where would I obtain them, now that radio shack has closed and (2) how do I see "the 'Files' section of the subgroup for more information. Regards, "Sparks", NV1F
|
|
Re: Hilltopper tales?
Colin Evans M1BUU
My Hilltop(per) tale comes from way back in April 2017. I'd just finished building my Hilltop 20 and took it on it's first SOTA outing. I had climbed Red Screes, a SOTA qualifying summit in the English Lake District. (SOTA ref G/LD-017). My first QSO was with KA1R in Massachusetts. N1EU was next in the log from near Albany, NY. N4EX in North Carolina rounded up the trilogy of transatlantic contacts. I was quite pleased as I had put a lot of effort into building the rig. I'm looking at revisiting this rig to update the firmware with the Hilltopper sketch from the group files. I need to check pin assignment etc. 73, Colin
On Sun, 3 May 2020, 05:06 John, <AL7JK.John@...> wrote: Too nice to stay indoors today during the 7QP event. Setup out on the deck
|
|
Re: Hilltopper tales?
Too nice to stay indoors today during the 7QP event. Setup out on the deck
in the backyard, HT20, T1 tuner & a 43ft wire suspended from a spiderbeam mast. Lotta fun, HT20 was singing cw rite along among the contesters. Love that HT20 ! 73 de AL7JK, John
|
|
Re: Hill Top 20 firmware update (and hello!)
Colin Evans M1BUU
When I'm feeling brave enough I'll tear down the rig and reflash the Nano with the code from this group. I guess that I'll have to study the code to make sure pin assignments are OK etc.
I do tend to 'work up' to doing something, at the moment I'm just in the thinking phase, the doing will come much later :-) I wasn't happy with the alignment that I did, my filter crystals had a different charasteric so the centre frequency took some experimenting to find out. I need to go back in and try to characterize the filter whilst the rig is in bits. 73, Colin
|
|
Re: Hill Top 20 firmware update (and hello!)
Dave Benson
Hi Colin- Great job on the transatlantic QSOs! I'm pretty sure I'd put in more effort on the keyer before it became a production item. I do remember that mode B gave me fits! 73- Dave, K1SWL
On Sat, Apr 4, 2020 at 11:44 AM Colin Evans M1BUU <colin.evans2@...> wrote:
|
|
Re: Hill Top 20 firmware update (and hello!)
Colin Evans M1BUU
Yes Bob, it was my first experience with a Nano. I used a cheap clone, it worked fine. The first HT20 was developed by Dave for his own amusement I believe, without an intention to turn it into a kit. It was simpler to use Arduino and SI5351A modules rather than have to place all the programming interface on the PCB and have to solder the tiny PLL chip. 73, Colin
On Sat, 4 Apr 2020, 13:58 WA1EDJ, <bobc784@...> wrote:
|
|
Re: Hill Top 20 firmware update (and hello!)
WA1EDJ
Colin, Is the attached photo an early HT20 or ?? I never knew it used a Nano as a controller. Bob WA1EDJ
On Sat, Apr 4, 2020 at 8:46 AM Colin Evans M1BUU <colin.evans2@...> wrote: Hi to the group members.
|
|
Hill Top 20 firmware update (and hello!)
Colin Evans M1BUU
Hi to the group members.
I'm Colin, M1BUU, and I've built many QRP transceivers over the years. Several years ago I built an early Hill Top 20. The rig is impressive, however my code sending skills are not! I cut my teeth on KD1JV MTRs and I can send mostly good code with them, however, if I swap to a different kind of rig, I find myself sending garbage. I have used my Hill Top 20 and managed transatlantic QSOs but I do find that I have to argue with the keyer quite a lot (almost certainly a fault with me). I joined the group to learn more about the rig to find out it little quirks. As we're effectively in lockdown here in England, I'm using my spare time to revisit old projects and do the tweaks that I always intended to do. I'm thinking about trying to put new firmware on my HT20, I haven't studied the 'production' firmware but I'm sure I'll be able to tweak it to make it work with my rig. I'm hopeful that the keyer timing might work better for me. 73, Colin
|
|
Re: Programming new Chip for HT20 - Problems
WA1EDJ
Dave, I had a 328P from an Uno board with a bootloader installed. I just uploaded know good V2.0 code for HT20 and it worked fine. The sidetone was correct speed. I tried to burn a bootloader on a virgin chip and had nothing but problems. I've done it before on other Arduino chips but this time I keep getting an "invalid chip signature". And the burn attempt locks the chip out of further ISP attempts. I fortunately have a fuse restorer for Atmels and was able to bring the chip back. I do a sanity check with Avrdude to make sure I'm talking to the chip. It also reads the fuses. The sanity check does not work on a good working HT20 328P. To me that means the chip is locked from further ISP attempts. Anyway, I'm going to try to ISP program the bootloader. I think the file is out there. I don't know why I always have so much trouble with Arduino projects. I do eventually get them going but with great effort. But I do learn...... Bob WA1EDJ
On Thu, Mar 12, 2020 at 7:42 AM Dave Benson <davek1swl@...> wrote:
|
|
Re: Programming new Chip for HT20 - Problems
WA1EDJ
TNX Dave! I'll try the bootloader tonight if I can. Bob WA1EDJ
On Thu, Mar 12, 2020 at 7:42 AM Dave Benson <davek1swl@...> wrote:
|
|
Re: Programming new Chip for HT20 - Problems
Dave Benson
Hi Bob- // It sounds like you're aiming to be the King of 21 meters! <g> I'd considered looking at 13.56 MHz for Scouting purposes- using a small loop antenna with a series resistor for short-range code practice. I never tried out the idea, though- too many projects! The obvious candidate was the RockMite. It does sound like the fuse settings are suspect. Programming via the bootloader sounds like a good way to test that theory. If need be, I can probably dig up the hex file, which should reveal the fuse settings. 73- Dave, K1SWL
On Wed, Mar 11, 2020 at 6:43 PM WA1EDJ <bobc784@...> wrote:
|
|
Programming new Chip for HT20 - Problems
WA1EDJ
I plan to burn a version of the HT20 arduino code with a start-up freq of 13.555 400.
So to verify I can do it, I compiled the current V2.0 code, 20M, used he correct Etherkit 5351a lib and got a good compile.
Burned a virgin 328P with default fuses via a TinyUSB ICSP. No bootloader.
On power up, the sidetone was very, very slow. It was the right CW just SLOW.
I noticed the Low fuse default is 0x62 which is Clock divide by 8. I changed it to 0xE2
which is NO /8 for clock.
That improved the CW speed and now it is about 1/2 of normal.speed. Still slow though.
The rest of the radio seems ok, it receives fine. Of course the 5351a synth has its own clock and only gets I2C commands from the 328P.
Some on the group have said that no changes are needed to the default fuses but that does not seem to be the case for me.
I burned direct ICSP, no boot loader with avrdude. Not using the bootloader should make no difference.
I tried to read the fuses from the stock micro supplied with the kit but it seems locked so could not read it. That would tell me a lot.
Some fuse settings on Atmel chips can lock out any further ICSP programming. That may be my case.
Does everyone program using the bootloader? Maybe I should try that?
Any ideas?
TNX!
Bob
WA1EDJ
|
|
Re: programming the Hilltopper Arduino chip
WA1EDJ
Steve, Good job on getting it going. I also want to add a display to my HT20. What version of HTXX code did you use? In the files section of the Hilltopper group I see Hilltopper20_display_and_rit_mod.ino. Is this the version you used? Maybe Dave can pipe in on which is the accepted display version to use. Other question is: does it really matter if the Arduino IDE uses the bootloader or direct burn to chip (ICSP)? My understanding is the code will end up in the same memory address so should not care. I use both methods to DL. I bought some blank 328P's so no bootloader on board. I did see Daves comments on which chip to select when burning bootloader. I did get some 2x20 I2C LCD's off ebay for this project. All look pretty similar. Need to pay attention to the I2C address though. Thanks! Bob WA1EDJ
On Fri, Oct 25, 2019 at 12:24 AM Steve Szabo <sszabo1@...> wrote: Yes, I now have a newly programmed chip and a two-line display!
|
|