Jekyll2021-12-31T10:58:29+01:00https://www.guiduc.org/feed.xmlGuillaume’s digital homeElectronics, Computer Science, Radio Amateur, Aviation...DCC command station and remote control firmwares version 0.12020-08-23T00:00:00+02:002020-08-23T00:00:00+02:00https://www.guiduc.org/dcc/2020/08/23/dcc-firmware-0-1<p>I have just finished to develop the first version (0.1) of the
firmware for the DCC <a href="https://www.guiduc.org/projects/dcc/command_station/">command station</a> and <a href="https://www.guiduc.org/projects/dcc/remote_control/">remote
control</a>. They
are working fine but are limited. I have also updated the roadmap for
future versions.</p>I have just finished to develop the first version (0.1) of the firmware for the DCC command station and remote control. They are working fine but are limited. I have also updated the roadmap for future versions.First test of the DCC Remote Control 1.02020-05-31T00:00:00+02:002020-05-31T00:00:00+02:00https://www.guiduc.org/dcc/2020/05/31/first-test-dcc-remote_control<p>I have just begun to test the first version of the remote control for
the DCC Command Station. This remote control is described in <a href="https://www.guiduc.org/projects/dcc/remote_control/">this
page</a> and is
part of my <a href="https://www.guiduc.org/projects/dcc/">DCC Control System</a>.</p>I have just begun to test the first version of the remote control for the DCC Command Station. This remote control is described in this page and is part of my DCC Control System.First test of the DCC Command Station 1.02020-03-30T00:00:00+02:002020-03-30T00:00:00+02:00https://www.guiduc.org/dcc/2020/03/30/first-test-dcc-command-station<p>I have just finished successfully test the first version of my DCC
Command Station. This station is described in <a href="https://www.guiduc.org/projects/dcc/command_station/">this page</a> and is part of my
<a href="https://www.guiduc.org/projects/dcc/">DCC Control System</a>.</p>I have just finished successfully test the first version of my DCC Command Station. This station is described in this page and is part of my DCC Control System.First FT8 QSO2019-04-08T00:00:00+02:002019-04-08T00:00:00+02:00https://www.guiduc.org/radio/2019/04/08/first-ft8-qso<p>Several months after my <a href="/radio/2018/08/12/first-hf-qso.html">first HF QSO</a> (as I live in a flat in the middle of Paris, I can only deploy my HF antenna when I am on vacation), I have just made my first QSO with JT8.</p>
<p>Here is my setup:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=102&encProdID=36B7B98621AF7554C9A03C8B190C5079&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0">FT-818</a> HF/VHF/UHF radio</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ldgelectronics.com/c/252/products/18/45/1">LDG Z-817</a> antenna tuner</li>
<li><a href="http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/DM_MiniPro_SC.htm">DigiMaster MiniProSC</a> computer interface</li>
<li><a href="http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/YaesuCAT.shtml">USB CAT interface</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/bandspringerMidi40m30m20m/">SotaBeams Bandspringer Midi</a> antenna</li>
<li>My 10 year old MacBook Pro with <a href="https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html">wsjt-x</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2019-04/20190406_104851.jpg"><img src="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2019-04/20190406_104851-small.jpg" alt="Bandspringer Midi antenna" /></a></p>
<p>After several tries on 20-meter, I have successfully performed 4 QSO on 30-meter band. I was located in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maidenhead_Locator_System">grid square</a> JN07 (middle of France) and made two full contacts in Denmark, one in Poland and one in Italy.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://pskreporter.info/">PSK Reporter</a>, my signal was received and decoded across Europe and even in Svalbard and Florida, more than 7,000 kilometers away! I find it really amazing considering the 5-watt transmission power (less than the power needed to light up a low-consumption light bulb), my less than perfect antenna setup and the low solar activity.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2019-04/pskrep.png"><img src="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2019-04/pskrep-small.png" alt="PSK Reporter" /></a></p>
<p>For those who are curious, FT8 is a “digital mode”. The application (wsjt-x) on the computer encodes the message and error correction code to transmit (using frequency-shift keying) and sends it to the radio via the computer interface (here my DigiMaster MiniProSC which is basically a USB sound card). On the next 15-second period, the radio receives signals, the computer interface converts it to a digital audio signal and the software looks for replies. The process is similar to a modem used on old telephonic lines.</p>Several months after my first HF QSO (as I live in a flat in the middle of Paris, I can only deploy my HF antenna when I am on vacation), I have just made my first QSO with JT8.First HF QSO2018-08-12T00:00:00+02:002018-08-12T00:00:00+02:00https://www.guiduc.org/radio/2018/08/12/first-hf-qso<p>Two days ago (on the 10th of August 2018), I made my first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_(amateur_radio)">QSO</a> (contact) on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_frequency">HF</a> (more precisely, on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40-meter_band">40-meter amateur band</a>) since receiving my amateur license.</p>
<p>I used a <a href="https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=102&encProdID=36B7B98621AF7554C9A03C8B190C5079&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0">FT-818</a> portable transceiver transmitting 5 Watts (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QRP_operation">QRP</a>) and a <a href="http://www.ldgelectronics.com/c/252/products/18/45/1">LDG Z-817</a> antenna tuner.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2018-08/20180805_093640.jpg"><img src="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2018-08/20180805_093640-small.jpg" alt="FT-818" /></a></p>
<p>The antenna was a <a href="https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/bandspringerMidi40m30m20m/">SotaBeams Bandspringer Midi</a> portable longwire. The radiating wire antenna was suspended on a branch of a tree about 3.5 meters above the ground (on the following image (click on the image for a larger version), the orange insulator on the yellow antenna wire is attached to the blank rope):</p>
<p><a href="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2018-08/20180805_093534.jpg"><img src="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2018-08/20180805_093534-small.jpg" alt="Bandspringer Midi antenna" /></a></p>
<p>The other end of the radiating wire and of the counterpoise are attached on the ground using a peg.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2018-08/20180805_093551.jpg"><img src="https://www.guiduc.org/assets/images/radio/2018-08/20180805_093551-small.jpg" alt="Bandspringer Midi antenna" /></a></p>
<p>The Z-817 tuner worked perfectly and was able to tune the antenna on 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30 and 40-meter bands.</p>
<p>During the few days before the contact, I spent several hours listening on all the bands. From my position (near Orléans, France), I heard several stations, mainly in Portugal, Italy on 40 and 20-meter bands, the other bands were quiet. I tried several time to initiate calls (calling CQ) or to answer to other calls in vain (probably due to the low transmission power) until the very last hour (I was on holidays away from home) when I successfully replied to a call from another French station.</p>
<p>Thus, the result of my holidays is positive thanks to this contact!</p>Two days ago (on the 10th of August 2018), I made my first QSO (contact) on HF (more precisely, on the 40-meter amateur band) since receiving my amateur license.Migration from Wordpress to Jekyll2018-04-28T15:04:33+02:002018-04-28T15:04:33+02:00https://www.guiduc.org/news/2018/04/28/from_wordpress_to_jekyll<p>I have decided that the first step before publishing new content was
to update the site by itself. After having investigated
<a href="https://gohugo.io/">Hugo</a>, I have finally chosen
<a href="https://jekyllrb.com/">Jekyll</a>.</p>
<p>Most of the content of the old Wordpress site is being migrated here.</p>I have decided that the first step before publishing new content was to update the site by itself. After having investigated Hugo, I have finally chosen Jekyll.Some news2017-11-01T08:58:02+01:002017-11-01T08:58:02+01:00https://www.guiduc.org/news/2017/11/01/some-news<p>Since the birth of my first daughter three years ago, I have had no free time so all my personal projects described on this website are for the moment stalled. However, I have recently passed the French amateur radio exam so I have now new project ideas in my mind. I hope to be able to describe them here soon.</p>
<p>Thanks for your patience and stay tuned!</p>Since the birth of my first daughter three years ago, I have had no free time so all my personal projects described on this website are for the moment stalled. However, I have recently passed the French amateur radio exam so I have now new project ideas in my mind. I hope to be able to describe them here soon.USB HID example for ChibiOS/RT and Olimex STM32-E407 board2014-12-26T19:11:55+01:002014-12-26T19:11:55+01:00https://www.guiduc.org/2014/12/26/usb-hid-example-for-chibiosrt-and-olimex-stm32-e407-board<p>I have just made available an example application demonstrating how to
communicate using the HID (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_interface_device">Human Interface
Device</a>) class
over USB.</p>
<p>The example uses <a href="http://www.chibios.org">ChibiOS/RT</a> operating system
and targets the <a href="https://www.olimex.com/">Olimex</a> <a href="https://www.olimex.com/Products/ARM/ST/STM32-E407/open-source-hardware">STM32-E407
board</a>. A
client application using the
<a href="https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/hid/hidraw.txt">HIDRAW</a>
driver of the Linux kernel is included to test the two ends of the
communication.</p>
<p>The project is available on my GitLab account:
<a href="https://gitlab.com/guiduc/usb-hid-chibios-example">guiduc/usb-hid-chibios-example</a>. Feel
free to use it as a basis for you own application.</p>I have just made available an example application demonstrating how to communicate using the HID (Human Interface Device) class over USB.