tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57653749822349459432024-03-12T21:06:33.383-07:00VU2BBB -matheran repeaterVU2BBB -matheran repeaterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-4582453622892669892008-07-08T01:47:00.001-07:002014-02-17T09:55:09.979-08:00VU2BBB Location:- Matheran, Maharashtra, Near Mumbai<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHk2jSnpIqI/AAAAAAAAAmU/yLvEjtzrKwc/s1600-h/04112007123_DCE.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHk2jSnpIqI/AAAAAAAAAmU/yLvEjtzrKwc/s400/04112007123_DCE.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222265222834234018" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 100%;"><strong>VU2BBB</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 100%;"><strong>Freq. 145.000Mhz +600 Khz Shift</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 100%;"><strong>LOCATION:- MATHERAN , MAHARASHTRA</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 100%;"><strong>HEIGHT 2467 Feet,</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 100%;"><strong>Cordinates N 19. 00.500 , E 73. 17.013.</strong></span></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: arial;"><u><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">CURRENT STATUS- ON AIR</span></span></u></span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><u><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: Arial;"></span></u></em></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: red;"><em><b><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This blog gives an idea of an initial experimentation done with PIC MCU
based homebrew repeater interface to control <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>repeater in a very remote location. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After serving for a while interface and repeater were damaged
by lightening.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></em><br />
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<span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: red;"><em><b><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: blue;">At present repeater is fully functional without remote interface.</span></span></u></b></em></span></span></div>
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</span> </span><span style="font-size: 85%;">DTMF Interactive(morse code) Interface-Telemetry. </span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">DTMF # 1, returns outside temp. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">DTMF # 2, returns battery voltage. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">DTMF # 8, returns system status,'A' for AC & 'B' for bat</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">DTMF 6 digit code for remotely switching ON and OFF repeater.</span></div>
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VU2BBB <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_repeater" style="color: red;">repeater</a> was started by Bombay Repeater Society in late 1980s. Licence to the repeater was issued on 1st November, 1988. It was in service for many years. But in recent years due to technical and locational problems it was not on air. We are happy to put it back on air, at a better location,<a href="http://www.matheran.org/aboutmatheran.htm" style="color: red;"> <span style="color: red;">Matheran</span></a>, a small hill station near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai" style="color: red;">Mumbai</a>. This repeater site is given to us by the Collector's office, Thane.</div>
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This repeater is regularly accessed by VU2HOC from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valsad" style="color: red;">Valsad</a> (182km), from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pune" style="color: red;">Pune</a> by VU2UPQ (little noisy) and from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashik" style="color: red;">Nasik</a> by VU2CVD (little noisy). Some signals may be noisy due to topography of the region.</div>
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Repeater is accessible all over Mumbai with a good signal strength. </div>
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Known problems:- Repeater gets irregular power from main power line, which is more or less normal for that area and may become severe in monsoon, which may keep it off air for some time. Future plan includes installation of solar panel.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-46847635676071326072008-07-08T01:42:00.001-07:002008-07-15T08:19:09.262-07:00SIMPLE PIC INTERFACE<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHy_kpUlCnI/AAAAAAAAAnU/Pf8NJFJ3ty8/s1600-h/interface.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223260304131295858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHy_kpUlCnI/AAAAAAAAAnU/Pf8NJFJ3ty8/s400/interface.JPG" border="0" /></a>I homebrewed interface based on Microchip PIC16F628 for controlling the repeater. Just few lines of coding was required and the interface worked very well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-25646328227095058912008-07-08T01:41:00.001-07:002014-02-17T09:55:17.447-08:00CLOSE UP - TELEMETRY INTERFACE<div align="justify">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMoXrgfsUI/AAAAAAAAAhw/D2vOlvj4A9Y/s1600-h/MCU-2.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMoXrgfsUI/AAAAAAAAAhw/D2vOlvj4A9Y/s400/MCU-2.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220560780333658434" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> As a remote location it was necessary to tackle different problems like long hours of load shedding , battery charging etc. I wrote another program for Microchip microcontroller PIC16F72 and made interactive interface which could reply about various parameters in Morse code, a simple telemetry. Complex program consumed 80% of flash memory of pic16f72. Program does everything right from reading voltage, reading temperature , driving display, math's, generating Morse , ptt, Morse tone and reading BCD data from MT8870.</div>
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Parameters includes battery voltage, system running on AC or Battery, outside temperature , low battery warning and low battery cut-off. By simply pressing DTMF key #1 you can get out side temp in Morse code, by pressing #2 gives battery voltage, by pressing #8 gives you "A" for a AC or "B" for battery. While having QSO if battery voltage falls below 11.7vdc , small beep is given every 10 seconds, alerting users about battery status. If battery voltage falls below critical level 11.4 vdc, relay disconnects power (not used any more, due to inverter).</div>
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Recently I have updated the program and it includes remotely switching ON -OFF repeater. It uses DTMF six digit code to do the operation in a specific sequence, there are 2 different codes for ON and OFF. It has to be incorporated to prevent fishermen entering in to input frequency of the repeater, as the 2m band highly infested by fishermen in Mumbai. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-49277420062102226202008-07-08T01:39:00.001-07:002008-07-11T20:32:08.333-07:00COMPLETE INTERFACE<div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMoD08H3wI/AAAAAAAAAho/r8qZfVXUW3E/s1600-h/complete+interface.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220560439268073218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMoD08H3wI/AAAAAAAAAho/r8qZfVXUW3E/s400/complete+interface.JPG" border="0" /></a> Both PIC mico-controllers are linked together and monitor the entire repeater system. Pic16f72 ADC port monitor 12/180AH battery voltage. It has its own 5v smps adaptor (cell phone charger), to check if mains supply is present or not.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-91476767657946099662008-07-08T01:37:00.000-07:002008-07-09T21:43:35.078-07:00TX, BATTERY AND INVERTER<div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMnh-tVQjI/AAAAAAAAAhg/bsyYDCOCPhE/s1600-h/TX-Bat-invt_DCE.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220559857774838322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMnh-tVQjI/AAAAAAAAAhg/bsyYDCOCPhE/s400/TX-Bat-invt_DCE.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="justify">Entire setup may look ugly, but everything will be neat and tidy shortly</div><div align="justify">To deal with long hours of load shedding a 12v/ 180AH battery was installed. Branded Microtek inverter can charge the battery efficiently even in low AC voltage (100-300VAC). Inverter gives uninterupted ture sinewave powers to SMPS power supply , which powers both the radio. Tx Radio, Icom 2200H is kept cool by AC operated cooling fan.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-11285739760959593642008-07-08T01:36:00.001-07:002008-07-08T08:43:41.021-07:00REPEATER RX<div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMnPu6B9yI/AAAAAAAAAhY/akxCh4yEVoA/s1600-h/100_3955_DCE.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220559544295487266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMnPu6B9yI/AAAAAAAAAhY/akxCh4yEVoA/s400/100_3955_DCE.JPG" border="0" /></a> Homebrew max232 programing interface was constructed and radio was programmed to 145.6mhz as Rx, its accesory port was also configured.<br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-53406589890549878922008-07-08T01:35:00.001-07:002008-07-09T10:19:42.605-07:00CLOSE UP OF DUPLEXER<div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMm7hH1G1I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/Oz8lHY5u1OQ/s1600-h/duplexer.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220559196997884754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMm7hH1G1I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/Oz8lHY5u1OQ/s400/duplexer.JPG" border="0" /></a> Since duplexer was not used for few years, it required retuninng. It took 2 session and almost 3-4 hrs to get it perfectly working, while doing on air test. We are using Heliax coax about 37 meters in length. Stack 5/8, 6db gain antenna is on the 100 feet height Tower </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-19038773270662085292008-07-08T01:34:00.001-07:002008-07-12T15:51:08.811-07:00TEAM WORKING ON TOWER<div align="center">VIEW FROM TOP</div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHk04bvpO-I/AAAAAAAAAmM/kYT2YVFzoxI/s1600-h/04112007124_DCE.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222263387037711330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHk04bvpO-I/AAAAAAAAAmM/kYT2YVFzoxI/s400/04112007124_DCE.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>DENSE FOREST</strong><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHkzgrYvHPI/AAAAAAAAAl8/g4w0S_q8hNE/s1600-h/20012008223_DCE.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222261879408106738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHkzgrYvHPI/AAAAAAAAAl8/g4w0S_q8hNE/s400/20012008223_DCE.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="center"><div><div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMmt7vbmTI/AAAAAAAAAhI/ByKqy2Ev_eA/s1600-h/DSC00013_DCE.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220558963625138482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMmt7vbmTI/AAAAAAAAAhI/ByKqy2Ev_eA/s400/DSC00013_DCE.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div></div><div>Team members working on tower and trying to secure thick heliax cable.<br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765374982234945943.post-24004492875356366882008-07-08T01:32:00.000-07:002008-07-08T08:48:19.609-07:00GARMIN GPS<div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMmYevSYPI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Bz7nQDdJrpI/s1600-h/GPS+disp_DCE.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220558595062653170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jL8g0VotdQI/SHMmYevSYPI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Bz7nQDdJrpI/s400/GPS+disp_DCE.JPG" border="0" /></a> Garming GPS , Etrex H, showing latitude & Longitude of the repeater site, It show elevation roughly around 2600 feet.<br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1