[FoxHunt] 2m transmitters required.

[gerald boyd]

Jon,

Myself and Mike, K5ATM have been working on an DDS based software defined ARDF
transmitter. 

On march 5th our prototype exciter was demonstrated at the Albuquerque Amateur
Radio Club meeting. 

This hardware was a functional 2 band ARDF exciter that can generate CW on 80
meters. On VHF (2 meters) it has the following modulation modes; MCW AM, keyed
carrier MCW AM, MCW FM and keyed carrier MCW FM. (MOE,MOI,MOS,MOH,MO5 and MO) We
have also demonstrated other modes such as packet radio data transmission. 

It also has a simocast mode for practice sessions (80M and VHF at the same
time). 

Forgoing any development problems we hope to use the transmitters during the
Region II ARDF championships this summer. Our event website is
http://www.ardf.us Registration for the championships just opened this weekend.


We have been sending out progress reports about the transmitter on our two local
list servers ABQTHUNT and ABQARDF. 

Our project is currently in the advanced stages of development as we have
demonstrated basic operation with the first generation development hardware. All
that is required is to add the power amp stages and final version of the
operating software and spin the circuit board design. 

What additional functions or features would you like to see in an ARDF
transmitter?

73's

Jerry WB8WFK

-----Original Message-----
From: foxhunt-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:foxhunt-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Jon Sletvold SICI
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 12:58 AM
To: Radio Direction Finding
Cc: Mohd-Ayub.Suhaili at shell.com
Subject: Re: [FoxHunt] 2m transmitters required.

Hello.

I think the only "out of the box" ARDF transmitter available are from ok2bw.
There are kits available, but they need to be assembled. Perhaps others on this
list can add some information. The products are available from:
http://www.marecek.sky.cz/

The Norwegian ARDF association is also looking for transmitters, and I've done
some research using a microcontroller (PIC or ATMEL), a stable TCXO
(1ppm) and a DDS to design a 80m ARDF transmitter. The goal is to make light
weight transmitters that are fully configurable from a computer (not online in
the forest though!) and can be deployed in the field for a week and start and
stop at the desired time. This will allow us to have training course that can be
operating for several days, but also allow smaller batteries to be used as the
transmitters are only operating during the competition time.

What I need is more people to join in with this project in order to share
working load and reduce the "time to market". It's also a good idea to get
people with different experience or occupation as HW designers, SW designers,
mechanical engineers. I'm my self a HW engineer with a little SW and VHDL
experience. Are there any one else who might be interested and would join this
project?

Regards Jon / la9gna