SM7LCB, Antenna Switch Control

Last updated 4 February 2007. Back SM7LCB remote page

Presentation

This page will describe a simple general and/or antenna controller build around a PIC16F876 microprocessor. As a general controller you will easy set output lines to control different devices. The antenna control mode is developed for antenna switch unit used at SK3W but can maybe be used at other places also. The control interface used is based on the ICOM CI-V bus with the same physical interface and also data address format but commands are normal ASCII formatted text.

For this project I’m using PIC microprocessors see my PIC page for more information.

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Schematic

The schematic for the circuit is shown in the figure below. As you see it more or less are only a microprocessor and some interface circuits. Schematic will soon be updated!

BILD

Click on above picture for a PDF document.
  • The main part is a microprocessor from Microchip PIC16F876(A).
  • The connector J1 is used to program the microprocessor (ISP) and also for power supply to the unit (+5VDC).
  • The buffer IC2A/B is used as an ICOM bus interface (CIV).
    Other simpler interface possible to use.
  • Output driver.
    - ULN2803A as pull down driver.
    - UDN2981A as high driver.
  • Input network.
    Maximum input level is 5V, higher level will destroy the microprocessor.
  • Analog input.
    Maximum input level is 5V, higher level will destroy the microprocessor.
    Possibility to connect an LM50 for temperature measurement.

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Software

The microprocessor needs to be loaded with the rotor control software. You can download the software here and then you need programming software, which can download the file into the microprocessor over the program interface (see the schematic). The software is currently only possible to get in the HEX file format.

LCB-CTRL01-1.00

[?? ??? 2007]
First released version of the general/antenna controller.

The hexfile include fuse (configuration bits) setting for the PIC processor. But if the PIC programmer you are using don’t get the fuse (configuration bits) setting from the file you may need to set then manual in the PIC programmer, see table below.

Name Use Setting
FOSC1, FOSC0 Oscillator Selection bits. 01 = XT oscillator
WDTE Watchdog Time Enable bit. 0 = WDT desabled.
PWRTE Power-up Reset Enable bit. 0 = PWRT enabled.
BODEN Brown-out Reset Enable bit 1 = BOR enabled.
LVP Low Voltage In-Circuit Serial Programming Enable bit. 0 = RB3 is digital I/O, HV on MCLR must be used for programming.
CPD Data EE Memory Conde Protected. 1 = Code protection off.
WRT FLASH Program Memory Write Enable. Don't care.
DEBUG In-Circuit Debuger Mode. 1 = In-Circuit Debugger disabled, RB6 and RB7 are general purpose I/O pins.
CP1, CP0 FLASH Program Memory Code Protection bits. 11 = Code protection off.

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Start Up

After program load and new restart of the microprocessor you hopefully will get a message from the unit on the ICOM bus. It will tell you the current address of the unit and the program version it’s loaded with. 

“vLCB-CTRL01-01.00”

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Configuration

Before using the unit we need to configure the unit. During this configuration we will setup the ICOM CI-V address, operation mode etc. During this process it’s good practice to only have the unit for configuration on the ICOM bus. These to ensure that you don’t by accident reconfigure a used operational unit in the system during the configuration. It’s also good practice to have a unit address list with all used/allocated address so you now which addresses are used and what type of unit uses that address.

The configuration will be done using the M command, see table below and example below.

General Controller
“M30C8300FF”

General controller unit with address 0x30.
Enable timeout on output channel (0x83) 8, 3, 2 and 1.
Other settings not used in this mode.

 

Antenna Controller

“M40A4000FF”

Antenna controller unit with address 0x40.
Enable timeout on output channel (0x40) 7.
Last 'F' indicate using all four antennas.
Other settings not used in this mode.

 

Antenna Master

“M50M40FF”

Antenna master unit with address 0x50.
Enable timeout not used in this mode.
Master will control antenna unit with address 0x40.
Master will use fixed band selection mode.

 

 

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Command

All command to this controller is sent over the ICOM CIV bus and they are not following any used standard. The commands are using only ASCII characters for easy use. To get information how you shall embed these commands into the ICOM CIV bus please read link information for the bus itself.

In the ICOM CIV bus all ICOM radios have a common address (0x00). For LOGGER units on the same bus I have been using address 0x01 as a common address for units to broadcast information. In the command table there is notes if the message can be sent over this common address. There is also a note if the command will return the standard ICOM messages for OK and NOT OK command. Check this return message if you want to no if it when OK or NOT OK!

Table below show the common and setup commands for the unit independent of operation mode.

Command

Function

Common

Response

!

Get loaded code version from the unit.
Version string “vLCB-CTRL01-01.00”.

At power
on.

version string

M?

Get current mode, se below
(starting with a small ‘m’ character). 

-

see set mode

Maacttssbe

Set mode

  • Unit address in hexadecimal number aa = 33 will be address 0x33.
    Valid address range is 0x02 – 0xF0.
  •  Unit mode (c):
    ’C’ = unit as general controller.
    ’A’ = unit as antenna controller.
    ’M’ = unit as antenna master.
  • Enable output timeout setting (“tt”) (0x00-0xFF).
    Ex 8F enable timeout for output 8, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
    Timeout occur after 60 seconds last update of output via the ‘O’ command.

The following setting is only valid in the Antenna Master Mode.

  •  Slave address (“ss”) in hexadecimal number. Will be the unit address of the antenna control unit the master shall control.

  • Band selection type (‘b’) is used when slave address is set (none zero address). The input code on 4 inputs is used to set the selected band. There are 3 type of band selection.

    - ‘F’ as fixed (no band selection).
    - ‘5’ as 5 band selection.
    - ‘H’ as hexadecimal decoding.

    The band selection will add a value to set slave address and use this new address for sending commands to slave antenna unit (selected band).

 Antenna Control setting.

  •  The ‘e’ setting will enable which antenna the antenna control unit can control. This is a hexadecimal value 0 to F.

    - Bit 0 enable antenna 1.
    - Bit 1 enable antenna 2.
    - Bit 2 enable antenna 3.
    - Bit 3 enable antenna 4.
 -

CIV
OK/NOT OK

Ax?

Retrieve analog value from channel x (1-3).

Format “Axx;yyy;”

  •  xx is % value referred to 5V.
    Input range 0-5V.

  • yyy is analog value converted to temperature assuming temperature sensor LM50.

-

“Axx;yyy;”

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General Control Mode

The general control unit has 8 in/outputs possible to read/write from other units via ICOM bus commands. For each output it’s possible to enable timeout, clearing the output setting if no update the last 60 seconds. There are also 3 analog inputs, which can be read with percent value (range 0 – 5 VDC) and as temperature value in Celsius degrees when the analog input is connected to the LM50 temperature sensor.

Command

Function

 Common Response

Oxxxxxxxx

Switch output on/off (‘1’/’0’).
The outputs order is: “87654321”.

 - CIV
OK/NOT OK

Ox:y

Switch output channel x off/on.

  • x is output ‘1’ to ‘8’.
  •  y is setting off/on (‘0’/’1’).
 - CIV
OK/NOT OK

O?

Retrieve the output status.
Format “Oxxxxxxxx”.
The output order is: “87654321”.

 - “Oxxxxxxxx”

I?

Retrieve the output status.
Format “Ixxxxxxxx”.
The output order is: “87654321”.

 - “Ixxxxxxxx”

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Antenna Control Mode

Text

Command

Function

Common

Response

Sxyz

Set antenna selection.

  •  x is setting for antenna number 1 (‘1’-‘4’).
  •  y is setting for antenna number 2 (‘1’-‘4’).
  •  z is an optional data RX/TX status (‘R’/’T’)
    (not using during setting).

-

CIV
OK/NOT OK

S?

Retrieve current setting.
Format “Sxyz”.
For x, y and z see Sxyz command above.

-

“Sxyz”

Oxx

Switch output on/off (‘1’/’0’).
The outputs order is: “87”.

-

CIV
OK/NOT OK

Ox:y

Switch output channel x off/on.

  •  x is output ‘7’ to ‘8’.
  •  y is setting off/on (‘0’/’1’).

-
CIV
OK/NOT OK

O?

Retrieve the output status “Oxx”.
The output order is: “87”.

-

“Oxx”

change
of
state

When the unit get an updated via command or via key input the unit will send a status message “Sxyz” on the common LOGGER address (0x01).

Yes

“Sxyz”

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Antenna Master Mode

In the antenna master mode the unit will control an antenna control unit. Pushing the antenna selection key will send a command to the slave unit. There is also a possibility to add band selections switch to the unit to be able to select the slave unit handling the selected band.

Fixed Band Selection

…

5 Band Selection

…

Hex Band Selection

…

Command

Function

Common

Response

Sxyz

Set antenna selection.

  •  x is setting for antenna number 1 (‘1’-‘4’).
  •  y is setting for antenna number 2 (‘1’-‘4’).
  •  z is an optional data RX/TX status (‘R’/’T’)
    (not using during setting).

Note: ONLY from slave unit as response on “get status” request!

-

CIV
OK/NOT OK

change
of
state

When the operator via key input change setting the unit will send new status to the slave unit.

-

“Sxyz”

get
status

When unit start up it will retrieve the current status from the slave unit. It will also get status when changing band via the band selection input.

-

“S?”


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SM7LCB
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