The basic chip for the interface is now ready. If you can solder and know basics about microcomputer and electronics you can build your interface by your own. The documentation is available here:

EN1001 preliminary datasheet

October 12, 2008

This page is dedicated to my ICOM PCR-1000 standalone interface. Why a stand-alone interface? The PCR-1000 is a brilliant semi-professional receiver (actually I won two), but booting a computer everytime I wanted to listen to the radio was too complicated for me. So I developed a stand-alone interface, that emulates a PC control program. This is the second version after the first served for 5 years, but lacked some comfort that has been added here:

• Manual control of the PCR-1000 radio without a computer
• RS-232 interface to link to PCR-1000 (PC emulation)
• Ethernet interface to link to a computer network (to be finished)

The setup is dedicated to the reception of the VHF air band between 118 and 137 MHz. It takes special care of the 8.33 kHz standard as used in European airspace. However, all other frequencies and modes are accessible of course.

The user interface is designed a bit like the ICOM R-10, although a very different radio, it has an easy-to-use key logic, that I like - especially the V/M switchover key. Compared to this my other portable scanner, an ICOM R-20 is a nightmare.

The interface is based on a microcontroller Atmel ATMega 162 that carries two serial interfaces, parallel ports, a bit of Flash ROM for the application and EEPROM to store memory channels.

The application is entirely written in AVR assembler and fits into the 4096 byte ROM of the microcontroller. The optional ethernet interface is handled by a Lantronix XPort.

Characteristics:

• Atmel ATMega 16 or 162 Microcontroller
• Lantronix Xport
• Supply 9 to 18V DC, on-board 5V and 3.3V voltage regulators
• MAX232 or equivalent RS232 driver
• 4 digital rotary encoders
• 10 push buttons
• LCD 20 chars x4 lines
• Frequency display in Mhz/Khz or AIR 8.33 channels
• Displays mode, bandwidth, step, AF gain, squelch, signal strength
• Scan speed 0.15 sec per channel
• Scan delay 1.5 sec

Functionality:

• Volume by rotary encoder
• Squelch by rotary encoder
• MHz dial or Memory Bank by rotary encoder
• kHz dial or AIR 8.33 CH or Memory Channel by rotary encoder
• VFO/MEM: selects VFO or Memory
• MEMWR: Memory Write (followed by: SCAN to store, MUTE to erase)
• ATT/AGC/NB: toggles ATT, AGC and NB settings
• MODE: toggles AM, LSB, USB, FM, WFM, CW and associated bandwidths 3, 6, 15, 50 , 230 kHz as available
• STEP: toggles VFO steps 0.1 ... 250 kHz
• SCAN: scan selected Memory bank (10 channels)
• SQ: open squelch
• MUTE: close speaker
• MIC: dial step 100 Hz or transfer Memory to VFO
• 8.33: toggle between AM 8.33/6 and AM 25/15 kHz settings for VHF Air Band (step/bandwidth)

Ethernet interface:

• UDP or TCP, transfers PCR-1000 commands. Can be intercepted by a computer and used to display radio status
• (remote control through ethernet interface, to be added)

If you are interested in building your own stand-alone interface using a preprogrammed ATMega 162 mail to: >>pcr-1000 a t  jetvision.de<<

Great PCR-1000 links:

The PCR-1000 is not sold anymore, but succeeded by the PCR-1500 which has an USB interface. PCR-1000 can be found at ebay, although not far off the original purchase prices, which show their outstanding quality.

http://www.qsy.to/pcr/

http://www.gm4jjj.co.uk/PCR1000.html

About memory corruption of the PCR-1000. This has no occurred with the stand-alone unit, but be aware it can happen http://www.mahy.demon.co.uk/faq/epfaq.htm

A very similar hardware project by I0CG http://www.i0cg.com/control_panel_for_pcr1000.htm

Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCR1000/

(c) jetvision.de 2008