Hardware:
The first thing you will discover:
DAMN!!! That is a lot of work.
to program my favorite list into the radio.
When you search on the internet, you probably found two commercial products and various USB to radio products.
The commercial products are very expensive and USB to radio products are still expensive when you do not have the components.
So I though, let's make a serial to radio converter.
Most of you still have a RS232 port or have a usb to serial port, like I do.
It is not so difficult because the USB cables work on the same principal only a different voltage level.
The programmer is very easy and cheap to make.
You can almost replace the BC547 NPN transistor with any other kind of NPN transistor.
Also the 1N4148 diode can be replace with almost any other general purpose diode.
The connection for the radio, I made them out of disassembled SUB-D female connector and use the pens of the connector.
Solder some wires on them and put a heat shrink sleeve over the contact to prevent any short circuit.
Good luck with building your own cable and have fun.
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PDF Documents.
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Software and Platform:
I tested with onboard and USB serial port (FTDI & PL2303 chipset) under Win XP and even under Win 7 RC.
Used program FTBVX8 http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/.
You have to buy the software if you want to write your list to the radio.
And it is worth it to spent less that 14 euro's for this great program.
Hardware:
Schematic and assembly drawnings:PDF File (Drawnings)
PCB Gerber Data:ZIP File (Gerber Data)
73's
PE4R, René van Dorst
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Radio and Program Cable.
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