Logic Analyzers are your friend...

Just wanted to post about how handy a logic analyzer can be.  Last Saturday spent several hours trying to debug why the SPI output to a HT1632 LED controller was working on my Arduino but couldn't get it working with my PIC.  After spending a few minutes with the logic analzyer and decoding the bits coming up from the PC that were true SPI, I then connected it to the Arduino and noticed the output there was NOT SPI per the LED documentation but just simple bit banging.  This also identified my ouput was noisey and not correctly switching the bits states to low.  After sorting out the output settings on the PIC and switching the port to the correct output mode, I can now finally communicate with the LED controller.  Definitely recommend the USB SX module... good price and great features (including 1wire, SPI and I2C decoding.)

Hardest soldering job of my life so far...

Feeling pretty good right now, just finished soldering one of the hardest devices I have ever done so far... A Microchip PIC18F97J60 100pin TQFP surface mount PIC.  Used the solder wick method, and only issue I had was one pin near the bottom shifted a bit due to too much pressure with the solder wick.  However was able to move it over carefully with a needle and the PIC fired up and is running my program. Now whether I find one of the ports dead 6mos from now is another story...  The pins are about the size if the "I" in the word "LIBERTY" on a penny.

Watch out for P20 and K1!

Just a heads up for those putting the boards together... I hope this will save someone else's sanity :-)  Make sure there are jumpers on both P20, and K1 (pin 1 and pin 2.)  P20 enables the 12v side to enable receive and transmit.  K1 controls transmit, so if pin 1 and pin 2 are open (not jumpered), it will instantly get stuck in transmit.  After a couple of hours of frustration, I remembered this the hard way...

PowerSWR Annotated

I attached some temporary jumpers now for testing, they will be replaced later when I have my SMA connectors to make cables.

Note on the drawing below, P1 and P2 are both single windings meaning only one pass thru of a wire larger than 30 gauge.  S1 and S2 are 13 windings of 30 gauge wire.  Also be careful with the pins for the header as pin 1 and pin 3 are reversed on the motherboard versus the Power SWR board.  When in doubt, look for ground with a meter, and work from there when figuring out pin numbers.

Minifilter Set A annotated

160m

80m

40m

20m

17/15m

12/10m

Annotated Toroid locations

I hope these help, they are from my notes so I believe they are correct, if anyone spots any mistakes, please let me know and I can update them:

 

T2 (top)

T3 (top)

T4 (top)

T5 (top)

Toroid orientations from a previos post (top)

Motherboard with SI570 calibrated

Nice to see everything is where it is supposed to be... 

PowerSDR calibrated against WWV

Filter example

Attached is an example of one of my filters, in this case it's the 160m.  Really no importance to colors other than to show what ones I ended up using with minifilter set A.

Filters added and first receive test

I will have to take some better photos of the filters (sorry for the awful pic), but it's working :-)  Now that receive is running, next challenge is to get transmit working.

Bench testing

Nice to see some stations on the waterfall

Time for testing and filters

Well connected it back to the SoftRock, and so far no flames, and the test looks good below.  Can't wait to get the replacement U4 so I can see the voltage. Time to start making a filter or two to test receive before moving on to the last bit for transmit.

Toroids and last Capacitor added (T2, T3, T4, T5, FB1, C28)

My most hated part of any radio project... the toroids.  Glad these are out of the way :-)  I'd recommend placing C28 after the toroids to make sure you leave enough room.

Toroids T2, T3, T4, T5 and FB1, and the Capacitor C28

T2, T3, T4, T5, FB1, C28

Headers added

Most of the headers and connectors are now added.  Make sure to put a jumper or put in a jumper wire across T1.

Filter and misc headers (top)

Modifed SoftRock 6.3 RXTX Board

In order to connect the motherboard, some minor changes need to be done to an existing SoftRock board.  The SW1 block needs to be removed if added, with a 4 pin female 2.54mm header added (included in the kit), and it's the middle row of pins.  You also need to jumper JP1 to 3.3v, one symptom of this missing is the I2C bus will not work correctly.  Lastly add the included 2 pin female 2.54mm header o the PITT-I and GND pins.  The U6 PIC socket can remain, but the PIC needs to be removed.  I will probably end up building up a dedicated SoftRock as a spare for the Motherboard as many of components around U6 are not necessary.

Modified SoftRock 6.3 RXTX board

Close up of 3.3V jumper that needs to be added

Transistors and headers added (Q1, Q2, Q5)

I am probably going to replace several of the headers with KK molex as I like how they pair so you don't need to worry about plugging in backwards.  I'm not sure which ones yet I am replacing, but will probably be most of them as I go thru.  They are not stock with the kit.  I've also removed SW1 as it's not necessary unless I want to change I2C addressing.

Note: I've replaced P32 as there is an included header so it can go direct to the SoftRock board without needing a jumper wire.  The bottom image is what it should look like.

Transistor Q5 and some headers added for testing (top)

Transistors Q1 and Q2 and headers added for connecting to the SoftRock board  (bottom)

Q1, Q2, Q5

Off to bed...Disaster averted!

Well after spending a few hours debugging, looks like U4 in the Google Files group had a PDF with the chip backwards  As a result it was a bit cooked by the time I found it.  After thinking the whole I2C bus was bad, I realized I missed a jumper on the SoftRock 6.3 RXTX board.  I now have the temperature sensor functioning correctly as well as I2C querying of the SI570 :)  I'll update tomorrow with latest pics and info of the board and the modified SoftRock 6.3 RXTX board.  Definitely a fun project, and can't wait to get receive working!

Regulators, Inductor and Voltage Monitor added (U1, U12, U14, L1)

Voltage regulator U1 and U12, Voltage Monitor U14, and Inductor L1 (top)

U1, U12, U14, L1

RV1, and LCD added. (RV1, LCD1) Basic Testing.

So I can start testing, I added a couple of the components to fire up the LCD. Right now I'm seeing 255C for the temperature so something isn't right, but I was at least able to program the CPU and fire up the LCD, so for the most part I'm in good shape.

Note: I've removed SW1 since this was first posted as it's not necessary unless I want to change I2C addressing.

Variable resistor RV1 and LCD connection LCD1 (top)

CPU is working, but something still not right with the temperature reading.

RV1, LCD1

Switches, USB and Diodes added (SW2, SW3, J1, D3, D4)

Getting close to testing the CPU...  according to mailing list, the directions for the ESD diodes D3 and D4 do not matter.

Switches SW2 and SW3, USB connector J1

ESD Diodes D3 and D4

SW2, SW3, J1, D3, D4

ICs added (U2, U3, U4, U6, U7, U8, U10, U11, U13)

Added several of the ICs, again be careful of their direction, especially on the really small ICs.
UPDATED: Has correct orientation for U4.

U2, U6 - FST-3251
U3 - PCF8574
U4 - AD7991
U7 - TMP100
U8 - FST-3253
U10 - GTL2002D
U11 -  AD5301
U13 - ADUM1251
 

ICs (bottom)

IMAGE TEMPORARY REMOVED UNTIL CHIP IS REPLACED

U11 and U4 close up

U7 close up

U2, U3, U4, U6, U7, U8, U10, U11, U13

LEDs added (D1, D2)

Be very careful about the placement for their direction!

LEDs D1, D2 (top)

LEDs close up

D1, D2

CPU and Crystal added (U15, X2)

I started out soldering pin by pin on the CPU, but then ended up settling on the solder wick method.  Essentially you run a line of solder across all the pins, then run a solder wick parallel to the pins on the top of them and suck up the excess solder.  It eliminates solder bridges, but the solder remains under the pins since you ran the wick across the top.

AT90USB162 CPU U15 (Top)

Close up of CPU

16Mhz Xtal X2 (bottom)

Close up of Xtal

U15, X2

Got the missing parts...

Thank you to Art for a quick turn around!  Got all the parts yesterday that were missing, and now that I am back from my trip, I can get back to work :-)  I just replaced any temporary components I had placed as well as added the missing ones.  Now back to the grind stone to getting this done!

That's all for tonight...

I'm busy for the next couple of days, so my next update probably won't be until Monday or Tuesday.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Also if anyone sees any issues, please let me know and I can update the photos or comments as needed.

10ohm, 2.2ohm and 0.2ohm Resistors added. (R44,R56,R32,R43) All Resistors are now in place.

At this point all the resistors should be on the board both top and bottom (minus R58 that I am currently waiting on.)

10ohm Resistors R44 adn R56, 2.2ohm Resistor R32 and 0.2 Resistor R43 (bottom)

R44,R56,R32,R43

49.9ohm and 22ohm Resistors added (R59, R45, R46)

49.9ohm Resistor R59 and 22ohm Resistors R45 and R46 (bottom)

R59, R45, R46

33ohm Resistor added (R60)

33ohm Resistor R60 (top)

R60

330ohm and 249ohm Resistors added (R55,R33)

330ohm Resistor R55 and 249ohm Resistor R33 (bottom)

R55,R33

120ohm Ferrite and 100ohm Resistors added (FB2, R51, R52)

The picture attached is if you choose to use the SMT version of FB2 rather than wind a toroid yourself.

120ohm Ferrite FB2 and 100ohm Resistors R51 and R52 (top)

FB2, R51, R52

750, 1k and 499 Resistors added (R31, R61, R57, R58)

Note: R58 is currently not placed as it was missing from the kit.  You should have a 499ohm resistor there however.
From Mike Collins:
"You will need R58 for sure to Transmit, this is the bias for the TXPREAMP. The value should be 400 to 600 ohm or so, ideally near the 499 spec'ed."

750 Resistor R31, 1k Resistor R61, and 490 Resistors R57 and R58 (top)

R31, R61, R57, R58

1.5k Resistors added (R38, R39)

1.5k Resistors (bottom)

R38, R39

221k and 4.7k Resistors added (R27, R1, R34, R37, R53)

4.7k Resistor R53 (top)

221k Resistor R27 and 4.7k Resistors R1, R34, R37

R27, R1, R34, R37, R53

.01uf and 1000pf Capacitors added. (C37, C38, C39, C40, C45, C46) All Capacitors are now in place.

At this point all the capacitors should be on the board both top and bottom.

.01uf Capacitors C37, C38 and 1000pf Capacitors C45,C46 (top)

.01uf Capacitors C39, C40 (bottom)

C37, C38, C39, C40, C45, C46

.1uf 1206 Capacitors added (C24, C25, C26, C29)

.1uf 1206 Capacitors (top)

C24, C25, C26, C29