HP41 82161A HPIL tape drive emulator based on PIL-Box interface and a Arduino Mega board Wolfram Perrey 2019-01-10 | This is an HPIL 82161A tape drive emulator connected to a HP41, operating a CAT instruction to show the content of one specific 128k tape container. The actual capability of the drive is:- It simulates two different tape drives at the same time- It contains a basic printer emulation on the TFT display (Still very basic)- Capable to control the virtual exchange of tape cartridges (LIF files) by programmable custom HP41 instructions- Capable to hold the whole available LIF File library from the HP LIF Project in a single drive.- Capable to manage 2GB for LIF containers, means all around of 2.097.152 KB in binary. Divided by 128k for each tape it could store and handle of about 16.384 virtual tapes cartridges on a single cheap 2GB SD card.Power consumption: The actual power requirement of the drive is around 200mA. In this example video the whole drive emulator is powered from a cheap Chinese power bank with a capacity of 3700mAh. This permits a operation autonomy of around 18h. This autonomy could be greatly expanded by implementing a standby power mode.Operation Speed: The read and write speed can not be compared to the original drive. The seek operation on a LIF container stored on the SD card takes some fractions of ms compared to some seconds or minutes of spooling and searching on the original tape drive. Such a behavior is something disturbing when You are accommodated to the behavior of the poriginal tape drive. Since the emulator drive is capable to handles all operation request and the data transfer in fractions of time compared to the relatively slow HP41 master, the calculator remains in this data transfer configuration as the bottleneck.The operation reliability of the drive emulator is something completely extraordinary since I never faced any data loss or corruption during many many data operations. The reliability of the semiconductor based storage method is not comparable to the weakness of a magnetic tape storage. How it works:For the physical layer interface I made the use of a home build PIL-Box interface from J-F Garnier (http://www.jeffcalc.hp41.eu/hpil/index.html) This PIL-Box interface was build as an Arduino head PCB to stack it on top of the Arduino Mega controller. On top of the PIL-Box hat is placed a chinese TFT display board as a basic data interface and the paperless printer emulation. This display board also provide the SD Card interface for data storage. From the SW side on the Arduino runs a ported version of Christoph Giesselink the Windows Ilper SW. (https://hp.giesselink.com/hpil.htm)You can manipulate the whole drive by HP41 commands, eg. mount lif container as tape medias, create, delete and so on. The whole thing simulate a HP9114B disk drive and a HP82162A Thermal Printer in once and give some additional features like a high precision DS 3231 RTC clock. I'v done it while I was not happy enough to get original an working tape and printer devices. But I didnt start from zero while there is just the PIL BOX HW available and a other smart guy has just nicely ported the ilper SW to run on the Arduino that I only modified and expanded for some extra features.
mcHF V0.6 with ELEKRAFT K3 heat-sink on CW contest Wolfram Perrey 2020-04-19 | mcHF receiving with a indoor antenna CW signals during contest. On top of the case is a Aluminum heat-sink installed that was derived from a ELEKRAFT K3 TRX. This heat-sink fits almost perfect on the mcHF case since the external dimensions of both transceiver are almost identical. With this cooler its possible to send a 10W CW signal for ever without overheating.
Solid state Iambico CW paddle with load cell sensors 1 Wolfram Perrey 2020-03-25 | This is a first feasibility study to use load cells as solid state replacement of the common used mechanical paddle switches. Two 500g load cells are connected to cheap chines HX711 breakout boards. The HX711 breakout board includes a complete bridge amplifier and ADC converter with a simple serial data interface for sample readout and programming. The HX711 breakout board was slightly modified to work with a 3.3V supply and a increased sample rate of 200 sample/s. (Default sample rate is usually 9 samples/s and 5V supply) Data readout and signal processing of the HX711 load-cell amplifier is done with a cheap Bluepill board. The very fast STM32C103 core of the Bluepull board enables very neat DSP options to make the paddle to feel very sensitive and snappy. Paddle sensitivity and dynamic reaction ("snappiness") is freely adjustable in accordance of the preference of the operator and his sending speed. The CW operator on the video is not the best, I know, but the paddle reaction feels really grate!
Solid state Iambico CW paddle with load cell sensors 2 Wolfram Perrey 2020-03-25 | This is a first feasibility study to use load cells as solid state replacement of the common used mechanical paddle switches. Two 500g load cells are connected to cheap chines HX711 breakout boards. The HX711 breakout board includes a complete bridge amplifier and ADC converter with a simple serial data interface for sample readout and programming. The HX711 breakout board was slightly modified to work with a 3.3V supply and a increased sample rate of 200 sample/s. (Default sample rate is usually 9 samples/s and 5V supply) Data readout and signal processing of the HX711 load-cell amplifier is done with a cheap Bluepill board. The very fast STM32C103 core of the Bluepull board enables very neat DSP options to make the paddle to feel very sensitive and snappy. Paddle sensitivity and dynamic reaction ("snappiness") is freely adjustable in accordance of the preference of the operator and his sending speed. The CW operator on the video is not the best, I know, but the paddle reaction feels really grate!
MCHF V0.6 UI build, first light after assembly. UHSDR FW: V_2.11.55 (BL: V_5.0.4) Wolfram Perrey 2019-05-24 | This is the first light of a MCHF V0.6 UI board. The touch display is running under ISP configuration. The display is connected to the UI board by the use of a very flat SAMTEC socket (PN: CLT-120-01-F-D). The original buttons where replaced by flatter, more reliable and and smoother operating CTS Electronic buttons (222AMVBBR (h=5mm - F = 260g)). The smaller actuator force of the CTS buttons makes the push button haptic much more smoother and gives the operator a more reliable and professional user experience. With this very convenient and simple modifications the whole UI assembly also fits much better, without dragging, pushing and bending in the so called MCHF "China enclosure". The display unit remains removable by the SAMTEC socket rather then fixed by soldered connections that are time consuming difficult and risky to remove.The assembly of the UI PCB consists of about 210 components which took about 10h for the manual placing and soldering. Flashing was done with the boot0 jumper method using the Dfu USB connection and the ST DfuSE Tool. There are two more methods to bring the UHSDR binary's in the uC. All where tested and are working grate. Boot0 Dfu method with ST DfuSE Tool is the recommended way for first light flashing. ST LinkV2 would also do the job, specially when the unit was bricked due to a broken link or mishandled flash programming.After flashing of the UHSDR Bootloader V_5.0.4 and V_2.11.55 FW UI board fired up instantly. Board was powered by an external 5V Power Supply.
HPSDR HL2 FT8 operation with SparkSDR on small indoor spiral loop antenna - 1 Wolfram Perrey 2019-05-14 | This is a small demo of the HL2 TRX capabilities to capture weak FT8 signals also under very difficult circumstances. The HL2 TRX is a 3rd generation HPSDR direct converting sampling transceiver with full digital numeric processing of ADDA converted RF signals. ADDA conversion is performed right behind a minimal RF LNA stage. Digital RF signal processing for IQ sample generation is performed by a FPGA. IQ samples are streamed via Ethernet to a frontend application. In this example SparkSDR application was used to decode FT8 and WSPR signals, both simultaneously from the same radio. Due to the FPGA based signal processing HL2 can run until 8 seperate independent receivers simultaneously sourcing the same RF signal from his ADDAC stage. The FT8 capture operation shown in this video was performed in the noisy environment of Sao Paulo city connected to a indoor placed (ridiculous) small and simple 40m spiral loop antenna. The environment of the operation was inside of a apartment room in a 15 stage concert structure condom building. Please take notice of the noisy section in the waterfall very close to the right side of the FT8 frequency range. It came from a PSU close to the antenna and was maintained to see how reception performs eave under more difficult circumstances.HL2 TRX is a community based open source project from Steve Haydalhttp://www.hermeslite.com/SparkSDR HPSDR frontend application ist a open source project led by Alan Hopperhttp://www.ihopper.org/radio/SM0VPO style Spiral Loop is a very simple, cheap and easy build magloop type antenna extensively described by Frank F. Dörenberg (N4SPP) https://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/frank_radio_antenna_SM0VPO.htm
HPSDR HL2 FT8 oparation with SparkSDR on small indoor spiral loop antenna - 2 Wolfram Perrey 2019-05-14 | This is a small demo of the HL2 TRX capabilities to capture weak FT8 signals also under very difficult circumstances. The HL2 TRX is a 3rd generation HPSDR direct converting sampling transceiver with full digital numeric processing of ADDA converted RF signals. ADDA conversion is performed right behind a minimal RF LNA stage. Digital RF signal processing for IQ sample generation is performed by a FPGA. IQ samples are streamed via Ethernet to a frontend application. In this example SparkSDR application was used to decode FT8 and WSPR signals, both simultaneously from the same radio. Due to the FPGA based signal processing HL2 can run until 8 seperate independent receivers simultaneously sourcing the same RF signal from his ADDAC stage. The FT8 capture operation shown in this video was performed in the noisy environment of Sao Paulo city connected to a indoor placed (ridiculous) small and simple 40m spiral loop antenna. The environment of the operation was inside of a apartment room in a 15 stage concert structure condom building. Please take notice of the noisy section in the waterfall very close to the right side of the FT8 frequency range. It came from a PSU close to the antenna and was maintained to see how reception performs eave under more difficult circumstances.HL2 TRX is a community based open source project from Steve Haydalhttp://www.hermeslite.com/SparkSDR HPSDR frontend application ist a open source project led by Alan Hopperhttp://www.ihopper.org/radio/SM0VPO style Spiral Loop is a very simple, cheap and easy build magloop type antenna extensively described by Frank F. Dörenberg (N4SPP) https://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/frank_radio_antenna_SM0VPO.htm
Hermes Lite 2(2) Wolfram Perrey 2019-02-21 | 40m spiral antenna tuned to 7050 khz with 100khz bandwith. Tuning capacitor realized with two peaces of FR4 PCB board.
Hermes Lite 2(4) Wolfram Perrey 2019-02-21 | CW reception of a weak signal with 200 hz bandwidth fiter
Hermes Lite 2(3) Wolfram Perrey 2019-02-21 | Rádio France broadcast emission from France in SAM modulation on 7205 khz
DEC Commecial: Connection for the 90's Wolfram Perrey 2017-04-22 | This is a very funny DEC commercial from the 90's offering there network solution. Its supporting there proprietary network solution just very close to the beginning of the internet age. The company DEC is also known as DIGITAL or Digital Equipment Corporation and was very famous and successful by there excellent service and solutions in there time. Anyway, there despairs from the market was result of the many innovations that the computer industry characterize. One wrong step and there where gone, like them and many others in this industry. Anyway, its a funny commercial for taking a look back, showing there technology and its 90'th livestyle.
HP54645A Demo: 2-Channel 100 MHz Deep Memory MegaZoom Oscilloscope. Wolfram Perrey 2017-01-20 | The HP 54645A 2-Channel 100-MHz deep memory and Megazoom oscilloscope, 2ns/div sweep speed and 200 MSa/s acquisition, coupled with its unique high-speed display, gives you the view of your critical digital control signals needed to ensure proper circuit operation. In addition, the HP54645A's very deep memory and 50-second/div sweep speed allow you to capture transducer and analog signals at a higher sampling speed at long timebase settings.Often in mixed-signal systems the events of interest either take place over a long time span or they are widely separated from the trigger event. With 1 million samples per channel, MegaZoom technology captures long time spans with a high sampling speed, allowing you to see the fine detail needed to solve elusive mixed-signal problems.- Dual-channel 100-MHz scope with 200 MSa/s- 1 MB of memory per channel- HP MegaZoom technology allows deep memory capture and a responsive display- Simple, easy-to-use controls- Glitch triggering- For complete details, click on the Data Sheet link.http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-1000001437%3Aepsg%3Apro-pn-54645A/2-channel-100mhz-deep-memory-megazoom-oscilloscope?cc=BR&lc=por
Scroll demo with TFT 3.2 - Controller ILI9481 Wolfram Perrey 2016-12-27 | This shows a pimpt TFT_HX8357 library from Bodmer where I added a HW scroll function. The display scrolls in every defined way on the vertical direction. It scrolls on partial area, scrolls also "infinitive roll around" or "roll around clear". This functionality was implemented for a scrolling terminal application. The scroll function include also a SW implemented "soft scroll optic" (Unfortunately this display controller has no HW softscroll implementation)
PIL-Box as Arduino MEGA shield - First testing with FTDI on HP41 Wolfram Perrey 2016-08-03 | This is a DIY PIL Box build up as an shield for the Arduino Mega. For the first testing purpose it was connected with a FTDI adapter to a PC to confirm proper functionality. This is what You see on this video. Later on I stacked the HW between a Arduino Mega and a 3.2' TFT display with SD card reader.On the Arduino runs a ported ilper sketch with the LIF containers stored on the SD card. A TFT display on top shows what comes out as the printer output. You can manipulate the whole drive by HP41 commands, eg. mount lif container as tape medias, create, delete and so on. The whole thing simulate a HP9114B disk drive and a HP82162A Thermal Printer in once and give some additional features like a high precision DS 3231 RTC clock. I'v done it while I was not happy enough to get original an working tape and printer devices. But I didnt start from zero while there is just the PIL BOX HW available and a other smart guy nicely ported the ilper SW to the Arduino.
