SM7LCB, Transverter and PA Control

Last updated 28 January 2008. Back SM7LCB remote page

Presentation

This page will describe my transverter and PA controller build around a PIC16F876 microprocessor. 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.

Click on above picture for a PDF document.

The main part is a microprocessor from Microchip called 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).
  • -
  • -

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Software

The microprocessor needs to be loaded with the transverter/PA 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-XV1 version 1.00, transverter/PA control program for PIC16F876.

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 below

Name Use Setting
FOSC1, FOSC0 Oscillator Selection bits. 01 = XT oscillator
WDTE Watchdog Time Enable bit. 0 = WDT disabled.
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 Code Protected. 1 = Code protection off.
WRT FLASH Program Memory Write Enable. Don't care.
DEBUG In-Circuit Debugger 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

To start up the controller and to do the configuration/calibration you need a terminal program which can read/write ICOM CIV commands.

When you start up the controller you shall hopefully get a message from the controller there it reports it's software version etc.
It shall look like this "vLCB-XV1v1.00".

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Configuration

Before use of the controller there is a need to set some configuration information in the controller.This is done by sending a set mode command to the controller. Below show to example of configuration.

Not that the default address of the controller will first time be 0xFF.

Transverter controller configuration.

Maaa1234dddm
example
M067AAAA200T
  • aaa = unit address of the controller is 67 or 0x43.
  • 1 = -
  • 2 = -
  • 3 = -
  • 4 = -
  • ddd = RX/TX delay time to 200 ms.
  • m = T for transverter mode.

PLL configuration.

Pbxxxyyyzzz
example
P0254001002
  • b = PLL register number 0.
  • xxx = Decimal value of 1:st 8 bit to be loaded into PLL.
  • yyy =  Decimal value of 2:nd 8 bit of data to PLL.
  • zzz = Decimal value of the 3:de 8 bit of data to PLL.
"254001002" will be data 0xFF 0x01 and 0x02 and in bitstream
"111111110000000100000010" set to PLL.

Analog configuration.

Dxyyyy
example
DT0200
  • x = T for transmission ref value and R for recieve ref value.
  • yyy =  Ref value in decimal form here 200.

Save configuration.

Sx
example
S1
  • x = 1 to save current configuration in EEPROM.
    x = 0 to restore configuration from EEPROM.

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Control

The following command can be send to the contoller for any application program.



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Commands

All command to this transverter/PA 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 below there is notes if the message can be sent over this common address. There is also a note it 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! All commands are valid except that some of the command is not valid during calibration.

Command Function Common CIV OK PA mode
Configuration 
! Get the loaded software version information.
Example "vLCB-XV1v1.00".		 At power on. NO YES
M? Get current mode, see below.
The return status will start with small 'm' character.		 - NO YES
Maaa1234dddm Set mode,
  • aaa = unit address in decimal form 2-250.
  • 1 = -
  • 2 = -
  • 3 = -
  • 4 = -
  • ddd = RX/TX delay time in ms 0-999.
  • m = T for transverter mode.
    m = P for PA mode.
 - YES YES
Pb? Get current PLL setting, see below.
The return status will start with small 'p' character.		 - NO NO
Pbxxxyyyzzz Sett PLL setting value
  • b = PLL register number 0.
  • xxx = 1:st 8 bit to be loaded into PLL.
  • yyy = 2:nd 8 bit of data to PLL.
  • zzz = 3:de 8 bit of data to PLL.
"254001002" will be data 0xFF 0x01 and 0x02 and in bitstream
"111111110000000100000010" set to PLL.		 - YES NO
Dx? Get current ref setting, see below.
The return status will start with small 'p' character.		 - NO YES
Dxyyyy ddd
  • x = T for transmission ref value
    x = R for recieve ref value.
  • yyy =  Ref value in decimal form here 200.
 - YES YES
Sx Save or restore configuration from EEPROM.
  • x = 1 to save current configuration.
  • x = 0 to restore configuration .
 - YES YES
Control
Bx Change the analog PWM value. - YES YES
Cx Switch output IO ON/OFF. - YES YES
Gx Switch unit ON/OFF. - YES -
Status
Oattt Status message sent at OFF state.
  • a = indicat if configuration changed.
    Need to save configuration in EEPROM.
  • ttt = unit temperature in -50...100 degree C.
 YES NO YES
Rabcvvpppttt Status message send at RX state.
  • a = indicate if change in configuration changed but not saved into EEPROM.
  • b = status of output IO.
  • c = status of input IO.
  • vv = analog value 00-99.
  • ppp = current PWM value 000-254.
  • ttt = unit temperature in -50...100 degree C.
 YES NO NO
Tbcffrrttt Status message send at TX state.
  • b = status of output IO.
  • c = status of input IO.
  • ff = forward power value 00-99.
  • rr = reflected power value 00-99.
  • ttt = unit temperature in -50...100 degree C.
 YES YES YES

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