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Re: Not recieving packets when car is on
Noah,
It may be something as simple as wire or cable routing. Having your power cable running too close to electrically noisy engine components ( ECU, ignition coils, etc) would result in noise that only appears when the engine is running. Also, the placement of your GPS and antenna can be issues. Installing the GPS cable next to substandard coax ( RG-174u, or communist chinese foil cable) can result in GPS clock noise jumping between? systems by common-mode coupling. ( Note; Disconnect your GPS and see if decoding improves.
Your car's alternator raises the system voltage to as high as 15 Volts when the alternator is working hard.? This will result in a minor, but important, increase in your radio's audio volume, and the volume setting is the single most critical setting for decoding packets. When you decode packets from your radio's speaker output, that audio is munched upon by a bunch of things before it comes out the speaker, decompressors, CTCSS/DCS filters, voice formant filters, and other junk designed to increase the VOICE quality of the audio, etc. All these things notwithstanding, the audio distortion gets worse as a function of volume, and you will get your best decoding done when your audio is set as low as possible, this may be actually too low for you to hear it, depending on your ears and your radio. Setting the volume of received packets until they sound nice to human ears is not a solid practice, those two tones are miles apart from each other, and humans seem to actually like distortion on their audio ( Ever hear Tina Turner?) With the engine running,? I suggest keeping the TT4 settings default, and setting your speaker volume from all the way off and increasing until you see a noticeable sweet spot for decoding. ( I am pretty sure your 2200 does not have a line-out, is that correct?)?
In problematic installations, I have had good luck installing a 600:600 ohm (telephone) audio transformer in the speaker audio line. This can eliminate ground-loop noise, and will better match impedance between audio stages than a capacitor-coupled audio stage. With some pots ( No, not "Pot") you can also adjust your speaker and feed levels to the TT4 so you can keep using your radio for voice as well. At least sometimes...
I am doubtful that the tiny little amount of high frequency RF your BT makes, or even its clock and processor noise makes, is a serious factor affecting your decoding, but I have seen some BT modules that are really awful, so I suppose its possible ( About as likely as finding unicorns hiding in your sock drawer, but you never know!) Also, don't rely on that yellow LED on the TT4 to tell you much about the decodability of a signal, most of its activity is about noise, but you will notice that the flashing looks different when a decodable, or nearly decodable packet is received. You can put a dummy load on your radio and see how much that LED flashes to get an idea of how much noise the TT4 is seeing that may be intrinsic to your system or installation.
A big toroid or other ferrite-thingy is never a bad idea on the B+ line, but make sure it is installed closer to the rig than the battery. Installing the ferrite on the battery won't do anything of value. If in doubt, find a car stereo installer with the gung-fu- witchcraft skills necessary to troubleshoot car noise problems.?
One way I troubleshoot noise is with an old "Walkman" with the tape head remoted onto a plastic probe. Audio frequency noise is sometimes harder to find than RF noise, for which there is an abundance of tools.?
73,
Allen AF6OF
-----Original Message-----
From: Noah Chalker <ke5vql@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Thu, Dec 15, 2022 7:28 pm Subject: Re: [TinyTrak] Not recieving packets when car is on Geoffrey,
I am using an ICOM IC2200H in my 2001 Toyota 4runner. Perhaps I am getting noise on the interface cable but who knows where the source would be on that short of a connection.? I will check the difference between engine on and off with the MONITOR function. That is a good idea. I did run the setup on my way to work this morning with a LiPO4 battery but did not see noticeable improvement.?
The Bluetooth upgrade I did followed your setup shown on your website :)?? I might just need more bonding!? Noah |
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Re: Not recieving packets when car is on
Geoffrey, I will check the difference between engine on and off with the MONITOR function. That is a good idea. I did run the setup on my way to work this morning with a LiPO4 battery but did not see noticeable improvement.? |
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Re: Not recieving packets when car is on
Robert,
I am decoding and can see stations come in on APRSDroid. I only see the strongest stations with the engine on. That is a great suggestion regarding the BT interference. I have my phone paired with my car. I will see if that has an effect. Thank you!!! Noah |
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Re: Not recieving packets when car is on
Hi, Can you attach a computer to the TT4 and run the MONITOR command with and without engine turned on? Can you power the radio and TT4 from a different source while engine is on e.g. through a second battery ? How did you Bluetooth upgrade your TT4 ? Ferrites need to be placed close to the noise source. If the noise is already in the cable this will not help. ?
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Re: Not recieving packets when car is on
When you say "... decode rate plummets to almost nothing." , how do you know if it is decoding? I am guessing you are actually referring to no decoded packets received through Bluetooth (BT). Does your car have a Bluetooth connection to your phone? You may have to turn that off so that the communication between the TT4 BT and packet device can communicate. Did this TT4 setup in this same car work okay prior to the BT? ?? If that works, then the real issue is the Bluetooth is being interfered with. KB8RCO
On Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 11:28:09 PM EST, Noah Chalker <ke5vql@...> wrote:
thanks, I'll try an AM radio.? The TT4 and radio are tied directly to the battery with adequate gauged wire. I'll try the separate?battery idea!? Noah On Wed, Dec 14, 2022 at 6:45 PM Cliff Hall <cliffdhall@...> wrote:
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Re: Not recieving packets when car is on
thanks, I'll try an AM radio.? The TT4 and radio are tied directly to the battery with adequate gauged wire. I'll try the separate?battery idea!? Noah On Wed, Dec 14, 2022 at 6:45 PM Cliff Hall <cliffdhall@...> wrote:
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Re: Not recieving packets when car is on
Grounds and power for radio, BT, TT4 to the car battery with right size wire? I have sizable wire for radio directly to car battery with BT and TT4 tapped off of it. If an older car the spark plug wires could be an issue. On Wed, Dec 14, 2022 at 9:30 AM Noah Chalker <ke5vql@...> wrote:
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Not recieving packets when car is on
I recently put my TT4 in the car and added bluetooth to the unit. Works well, for the most part. The problem I am having is that when the engine is on, my packet decode rate plummets to almost nothing. If the engine is off, there is no issues. I assume that this is an RFI issue. When I listen to the radio with the engine on, I cannot hear any noticeable RFI over the speaker but I assume that this issue would not be detectable audibly like this. Suggestions on where to look? I added ferrites to all the TT4 cables to no avail. Thanks!? |
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Re: MicroTrak-MTT4B-mods? GitHub
Here is a status update I that little lost pad was hard to hold in place it took the hit, but its a GND pad just like the one next to it.
Anyway if you wondered if it was drop in, minus the testing on the AT command compatibility with the ATMEGA128 which is in a few waiting on more chips to evaluate on |
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Re: MicroTrak-MTT4B-mods? GitHub
Hey Rob, thanks for feedback - ?the documentation for MTT4 and TT4 are very intertwined so the terms are as well, my attempt here was to tie them together a bit.?
The MTT unit uses the PP-RTG cable to break out power and the GPS/DB9 port (the traditional Byonics GPSvoltage rolled cable) you can also for computer interface (in addition to the mini stereo jack Port A)? I didn't try but assume the Y cable is also not applicable here and didn't document much on that (because port is split to BT lines) other news, I got the HC-05 chip off the GND pads are close and I lost one but easy to remedy and no major impact waiting a few chips still they are trickling in)? kelly |
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Re: MicroTrak-MTT4B-mods? GitHub
I took a quick look at your MTT4B-Modes github.
I noticed that under Ports you reference a DB9 connector.? ? ? Does the MTT4BT have a DB9 (DE9) connector for the computer interface now? ? ? I don't have an MTT4BT. Neither the main manual or MTT4BT addendum mention a change in connectors. ? ? You seem to reference the 2.5mm jack correctly. I was wondering if that was a copy and paste from TT4 or the BT version has a different connector. Rob KB8RCO |
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Re: GPS question (TT4BT and APRSdroid)
On Sun, Dec 4, 2022 at 03:50 PM, <tone_klein@...> wrote:
You need to give some details on your configuration for help: As I read this, I feel the configuration looks something like ? ? ?GPS5 => TT4BT <=> Android <=> APRSDroid <= internal Android GPS? QUESTIONS: 1.?What "Smart Beacon" isn't working? ? ? a) TT4BT ? ? b) APRSDroid ? ? c) Both 2. Since you say you have a GPS5 connected, I assume it is connected to the TT4BT. ? ? Can you confirm the port settings are correct and the TT4BT is getting GPS data -> GPS LED status? 3. Since the GPS5 is connected to the TT4 and the GPS Status shows good reception(GPS LED), the TT4 smart Beaconing should work fine.? ? ? ? ? Does the TT4BT smart Beacon with the GPS5 connected to it and no Android connection? ? ? If you are trying to get Android GPS to the TT4BT, I don't think that is possible to do on the same port as packet transfer (APRS data with port type KISS or Text, etc.) 4. Assume it is working in the TT4BT, are you trying to get the GPS5 data to the Android, through Bluetooth? ? ? If so, the settings depend on the Bluetooth port type: ? ? ? ? If KISS you need to set GKRELAY. ? ? ? ? If Text you need to set both GRELAYBITS and GRELAYRATE ? ? THEN, the issue is whether APRSDroid will accept GPS data on the same port as incoming packet data. ? ? ? ? I am not familiar with APRSDroid and the interface ports. Rob KB8RCO |
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other software on byonics hardware
anyone else run 3rd party software? I am hitting some limits with this hardware, I purchased it after suggestions here to look at it, after purchasing other stuff. and now I feel I have hardware from 1990 that I cant use today to be honest, direwolf on a raspberry is 90% more functional let alone open source ESP32/STM TNC code out there.
I haven't had heard any word on any improvements or enhancements officially, my email here isn't likely helping. but like a broken John deer .. I dont care much, I have spent a lot on this stuff for the value to flop into the box of 1980 IBM keyboards that click with a TT3. I got some parts to actually retrofit the AT128 chip and replace with a SMT32 or ESP32 I will be tinkering around with but dont feel completely comfortable with publishing ?clearly here per-say, as I am not here to run a business, or detail more of my issues with this hardware. I thought would work better with bluetooth etc but turns out its my fault for not researching before purchasing. (still going to test next gen chips but its a waste of resources to run ESP as a UART translator to a ATMEGA and since more open software could be more adaptable its more attractive to try and accomplish.? (if your alert to the market the STM32 has a nice project on it and the ESP32 has some open source TNC's as well)? wondering if anyone has gone this path? be nice to see the source of this project opened up some day, I think it would help sale$ - I remember a story about APRSIS32 I think it was and the source code story there. Anyway ..? Kelly |
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Re: how to use PS2 keyboard?
Its a good thing we compulsively save things like old 386 PC's with their keyboards and mice! ( You knew that you would need them someday!) I have had no trouble finding NIB KB's, byt mni-KB's are harder to come by. A few years back, Byon bought a boatload ( A small boat) of CHICOM Mini-Keyboards, but these are long gone. You can still find them on Aliexpress and used on eBay.?
As I recall, you have all the functions listed, but F6 is just a functionless placeholder.?
73,
Allen AF6OF -----Original Message-----
From: Kelly via groups.io <kellykeeton@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, Dec 5, 2022 12:39 pm Subject: Re: [TinyTrak] how to use PS2 keyboard? I dug into a box with colicky IBM keyboards from 1980, the year St.Hellens blew up and it works! if anyone else comes across this if caps lock works you should be good to go.
Thanks for the tip. you said other function keys.. did I miss any? F1= Help F2=raw display F3=waiting messages? F4=new message F5=configuration F6=UI terminal It appears any newer unit might not work (all the nice mini ps2 keyboards on amazon didn't anyway) ?so takes the operational portability off the table, IMO outside of the F1OLG keyboard TT (in archives here) which was awesome. kelly |
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Re: how to use PS2 keyboard?
I dug into a box with colicky IBM keyboards from 1980, the year St.Hellens blew up and it works! if anyone else comes across this if caps lock works you should be good to go.
Thanks for the tip. you said other function keys.. did I miss any? F1= Help F2=raw display F3=waiting messages? F4=new message F5=configuration F6=UI terminal It appears any newer unit might not work (all the nice mini ps2 keyboards on amazon didn't anyway) ?so takes the operational portability off the table, IMO outside of the F1OLG keyboard TT (in archives here) which was awesome. kelly |
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Re: how to use PS2 keyboard?
F5 is the command for placing the TT4 into the Configuration Mode. By a strange coincidence, the words "Configuration Mode" should appear on your LCD when you push that button. The key won't bring up a menu, just a prompt.
?The most common problem for LCD interfaces ( Aside from having to hand-wire some of the devices) is that you pretty much have to have a "real" PS/2 keyboard to make use of the keyboard functions. A USB-to-PS/2 adapter won't generally work.??
Assuming that you can get the command line after hitting F5, you can enter many ( But not all) of the normal configuration definitions, like MYCALL, ALIAS1, etc. and change them. Entering the command MYCALL will for instance, result in MYCALL NOCALL (or whatever you have entered) Typing MYCALL XXXXX will change the parameter and it will display the new setting.?
Do your other Function Keys do anything when you hit them?? (Besides click...)?
73,
Allen AF6OF
-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly via groups.io <kellykeeton@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, Dec 5, 2022 10:51 am Subject: [TinyTrak] how to use PS2 keyboard? Question:I didn't find any documentation, could have missed it.
searched the forums here for found something on F5!? but when I press F5 nothing happens, I see text so.. what is supposed to happen? Tested on TT4 and MTT4 and same results one item of note the text rolls off 20 character display on MTT4B due to a longer product name. kelly |
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how to use PS2 keyboard?
Question:I didn't find any documentation, could have missed it.
searched the forums here for found something on F5!? but when I press F5 nothing happens, I see text so.. what is supposed to happen? Tested on TT4 and MTT4 and same results one item of note the text rolls off 20 character display on MTT4B due to a longer product name. kelly |
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Re: GPS question (TT4BT and APRSdroid)
I don¡¯t share your hardware so no experience but just trying to lend some ideas to resolution.? could it be the tt4 won¡¯t send this data to the phone?? possibly only phone gps to tt4, I don¡¯t have the app in question but other posts on topic seem to suggest that works but without details on how or any follow up. I assume it just worked. |
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