Can you still beat the Cube?

Well,

In a feable attempt to prove that I can still write some code, I've been writing software to program the ADF4351 from last time using the STM32CubeIDE and a Nucleo board. The Nucleo boards are really neat because they are from the manufacturer so there is no risk of counterfeit devices, and they are also really low cost for the component count - they even include an on-board STLink programmer (which containst an MCU itself). Amazing really.

The first part of the development is to define the additional GPIO pins needed, in this case we need a CS line (for chip select - only really needed if we have more than one device), and the LE pin which is toggled after each registers data is sent.

Once thats done, I've defined a few variable to help me on my way:

Then we have the main routines:

And finally the output of the SPI pins viewed through a logic analyser:

This is exactly as required.

STM32 provide the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) library to give access to the MCU periferals and also the CMSIS library to access the internal CPU (which is an ARM Cortex from a 3rd party).

Using the Nucleo boards is very easy with STMCubeIDE, but can also now be programmed with the Arduino board manager addon for STM32.

I will now try and generate the same output using the Arduino IDE and see how I fare.

Interesting, don't you think?

It's Pill Time again

 You may recall that I used the SDM32 MCU range quite a lot and also the "Blue Pill" board for a lot of my projects.

Recently the board support package that I was using in Arduino has become depreciated and I wanted to document how I now use the boards with the Arduino IDE.

Firstly, in board manager I have added this to the "additional URL's" section:

https://github.com/stm32duino/BoardManagerFiles/raw/main/package_stmicroelectronics_index.json

This is the official board support file from the manufacturer.

Once that is complete, then you also need to install the STMCubeProgrammer, also from the manufacturer.

Once done, there are a number of options to upload from the IDE to the board, most require messing about with the boot jumpers, but there is a HID bootloader we can instal on the board for permanent conenctivity between the IDE and the board. Note the boot jumper settings below:

We then use the STMCubeProgrammer application to connect to the board using the FTDI COM port.

We can then download the appropriate binary from the selection here.

It's critical that you get the correct binary bootloader uploaded, I used the medium density PC13 for my board (PC13 is the pin the onboard LED connection).

Once loading is complete, move the boot jumper back BEFORE removing power, then bob is indeed your uncle.

Inside the IDE, I then used the following settings:

One of my boards didn't work using this method and I strongly suspect a counterfiet device - beware!

The Black ADF4351 Boards

 Well,

Some time ago, I did some expermimentation with black ADF4351 evaluation boards that are available at all good sites selling wares from the land where copyright means "lets copy it right".

I've bought some more recently and found that I couldn't get them to work.

Thanks to this post, I was able to deduce that the newer boards seem to be missing some bits - most importantly the CS line isn't tied high by a SMD resistor. Once I had pulled that pin high via 10K to the 3V3 line, the board worked as expected.

I've been using mine with a Pi Pico2:

You can see the additional 10K on the fritzing diagram above.

I have written some very simple code here to upload the register values to the device, and also have a spreadsheet here that will do the necessary maths from a target output frequency, channel spacing and clock frequency and generate the 6 register values needed to program the device.

Good stuff!

An EMI Spy?

 I've bought myself one of these kits from SDR Kits:

It's a german bit of kit marketed by Funk Amateur but sold in the UK by SDR Kits and is called the EMI Spy 2.0.

There's a load of bits and bobs in a neat box:

All of the SMD soldering is already completed, so in reality there are only a few components to solder to the board before assembly:

It went together really easily:

Once complete, there are 4 different antennas or probes you can use for EMI hunting.

This should prove a useful addition! I will report back once I've had time to try it out....

Playing in WPX

 Well,

This weekend is the grand-daddy of all CW contests - the WPX CW test. 

There are many words to describe the bands while this test is happening, my preference would be bonkers. There is CW everywhere - who says this mode isn't popular?

Here's a snapshot from 20M during the test:

I've been having nothing more than a play during some free time, 8.5 hours into the test I was already receiving serial numbers over 1100 - so thats an astonishing run rate from som stations - I wonder if this is really "amateur" radio?

Anyhow, after a few hours play, here is my log as a map:

This tells me that despite my (far from optimal) location, my HF station gets out OK. 

I've been specifically looking for VU7T on Lakshadweep Islands but so far haven't heard the station strong enough to try working him.

Fun, don't you think?

The Art of Rotator Control

 Well,

I watched a video the other day on the TechMinds YouTube channel all about a rotator control board sold by AF6SA.

This neat little board provides a controller for almost any rotator and then allow network control via web or other interfaces - neat!

I ordered one from accross the pond and it duly arrived.

I've put it in a box and set it up to interface to the 6-pin mini-din socket on the back of my Yaesu G-1000-something rotator.

I followed the calibration instructions in the manual and now the display aligns well with the rotator heading... so far so good.

Now to interface to my logging/control software.

More to follow!

More MA6B shenanigans

 Well,

Back in the midst of time, I installed an MA6B from Cushcraft - well, MFJ as they were. Sadly now defunct.

It's been a bit "out of bonk" recently with some SWR swings and I assumed I'd got a feeder issue.

I brought the antennas down and replaced the feeder from the antenna back to the shack - no change.

I then thought it might be the "junction box" in the centre of the antenna which is just that - there's no balun. The box seems to have deteriorated in the sunshine, but electrically it looked ok. Not that then, I don't think.

I found the SWR on 10M (28MHz) was the worst, and eventually I ended up taking the traps off the elements one by one and testing them with the spectrum analyser.

I found one of the CT1 traps to have only one "dip" rather than the expected two - so I think this is the route of my problems. Luckily I have some spare parts so I've just swapped it for a new one.

I'll take it to bits soon and see if I can find out what's actually broken.

Here are the SWR curves after I finished, mainly for the record:

I'll post more if I take the trap to bits - I mught just chuck it in the bin.