¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

ctrl + shift + ? for shortcuts
© 2025 Groups.io
  1. FT-857
  2. Topics

Homebrew Control Panel

[email protected]
 

This tweet got my attention -



OE9TKH's QRZ page?


Has this link -



Has anyone gone this route? Does it look good to you?


I'm learning a little Python so I can play with his code. I think it is definitely in my plans to build an Arduino or 4DSystems controller.


??

Tracy N4LGH
 

Hi Tracy,

that sounds like an interesting project! A Arduino front panel would be great.
Feel free to update the protocol documentation if you find something missing or incorrect:

And let me know if you have questions.

vy 73!
Tom, OE9TKH
[email protected]
 

Thanks, Tom, I may well take you up on your offer!

So far your info is all I have found on this except Tobias' tweet from a couple of years ago. How far has anyone else gone with this?

YOU rock publishing this protocol. I'm really hoping it's not much different from firmware to firmware, I've had my '857 for over a decade...

It has been a very long time since I did any coding of this type.

For now I'm building skills to get there. I need to learn enough python to play with your scripts. Python is new to me so I will have a bit of a curve. I also have to put together a couple jigs to connect the radio and control panel to my 'pc' and arduino or launchpad. (My 'pc' is an Odroid XU4 running Armbian or Hardkernels Ubuntu 18.04.)

Basically, I'm doing my prep work. I'll buzz back here in a couple weeks when I have the equipment and courage to hook up the '857. I was kind of hoping to be a little less of a pioneer hihi
Tracy N4LGH
[email protected]
 

Getting ready to back up the '857, do you have instructions you trust to back up the rig settings? Memory settings are of little importance to me, but those critical rig settings are and I've never tried to back them up.

Looking for instructions I found some neat data -

K6XX is using CAT through the mic jack. Do I need to worry about any transistors? I think he did this to isolate the lines.

He has an interesting 'quirk' page -


YO3GGX made a Java app to find eprom info


He has a link in the article to an eeprom map -


But still the only way I've found is to hold down the three keys to get to the hidden menu and write the values down.? IW5EDI made a nice chart -


Just a bunch of links but I wanted them in one place for my reference ;]
Tracy N4LGH
 

Greetings Tom,

Quick question, what equipment did you use to sniff the data lines?
I saw a reference to 64 kb/s which isn't standard. If I did the math right, I ended up with 5818 baud (11 bits/symbol).

Thanks!

Best regards,
Fred N7FMH
?
 

K6XX is using CAT through the mic jack. Do I need to worry about any transistors? I think he did this to isolate the lines.

They are there to convert from RS232 to RS232-TTL. If I recall, the CAT cable has a signal converter in it as well. If you had a small cable adapter, you should be able to plug your CAT cable into and plug into the front of the radio. The same adapter would also have a place to plug in your MIC. If you have the accessory MIC, I think the UP and DOWN buttons don't work. I am testing old memory cells so you would be wise to verify.

Plan on the really cool stuff to disappear over time. While the links here are great, you should be saving the actual pages on your own system. I have stuff that dried up year ago that I can still reference because I kept a copy.

1 - 6 of 6