Tobis Blog

This was in my mail today…

It’s from Digi-Key! Let’s crack this sucker open…

Ok, I’ll see what I can do…

Look!!! I found an eZ430-Chronos!

The Chronos was on sale on tiDeals for $25 or so, so I bought one…

Little extra: The CHronos RF modem and a MSP-eZ430U Debugger (epic win!!)

As Dave would say: “Don’t turn it on, take it apart” (actually with the supplied screwdriver..), this is what you cet; the Chronos watch module (with debugging connector).

Unfortunately the Chronos is a little ugly (even more than on the website – so I think I won’t wear it.. ). Also it consistently measures the altitude 500m too high (haven’t found barometer setup yet). But it sure is a great toy and the MSP-eZ430U Debugger/Programmer is worth it’s money.

So.. Stay tuned!

Filed under: Projects by admin
No Comments »

I do (of course) have an antenna on my car, which was to date mounted with a pretty rusty old magmount. I don’t know; our local marten didn’t like that at all, the RG-58 which was unprotected ~20cm was completely torn to peices.

To cut it short; I didn’t document the process. I could only reuse the magnet from the original magmount, the connector was completely encased in PVC and thus irretrievable. So i turned a new connector holder out of delrin (POM) and milled the fitting for the connector with my CNC. After I de-rusted the magnet, drilled matching holes, applied a base coat and some layers of laquer I screwed on the holder with V4A INOX screws.

Tada…. (click for larger..)

Filed under: CNC, Ham Radio, Projects by admin
No Comments »

The Termometer for my FrancisFrancis! X1 is done…

CLICK HERE

Filed under: CNC, Projects by admin
No Comments »

My FUNcube Dongle Pro arrived today (via FedEx). Ingenious tool, the first tests after the firmware upgrade were very promising; even with the “universal”-antenna which I ‘stole’ from my trusty Yaesu VX-3E…

Using windows, the usage of the ‘FCD’ is easy. Even though I am able to change frequency under Linux, it is a matter of demodulation software there.

More about working with the FCD hopefully soon, now some exclusive images…

Filed under: Ham Radio by admin
No Comments »

Since my translation plugin is broken; this post will be primarily english – as long there is no working version of the plugin.

Some of you might remember my little Tweet on Nov. 16. about the PCB layout being ready for production. The pic isn’t actually the file I sent out for production; mainly because I found this bug…

So *surprise* the finished PCBs arrived; all 10 (I acutally got 11) were $29.90 shipped (to germany – I think I love you, ITead…)… (click for bigger image)

Beauty, aren’t they?! – so I got down into my lab and…

Har! Beauty

So. What is this anyway? CNCc is a CNC peripheral controller using an Atmel AtMega644 clocked at 20MHz and connected to the PC via USB (FT232). Features:

• USB 2.0 to serial using FT232
• 3x 10A / 250V Relais
• 1x 8A / 250V solid state relais, optocoupled.
• 1x 30A / 30V P-HEXFET motor driver. (For coolant pump)
• 1x high speed interrupt input
• 8x general porpose IO, configurabe as: GPIO, analog in and PWM out
• 1x NETSYNC header with high speed interrupt for net frequency synchronisation (for spindle RPM drive)
• 1x AUX header for general expandation (RPM sensor etc.). Features an I²C port.
• 2x Status LEDs, 1x Power LED and 3x LEDs indicating relais switched on.

I will use this baby to controll compressor, vac pump, shopvac and coolant flow (maybe spindle-RPM later too) via the PC.

The design isn’t fully tested yet, but tests are underway. I have the design and manufacturing files (CC-BY 3.0) here for you.

And then I got this package from seeed I ordered some time ago…

What might be in there…?

Wohoo! It’s the BusPirate 4.0! – Beauty!!

That’s all for now; maybe I will post something on MSP430 dev soon…

Filed under: CNC, Projects by admin
No Comments »