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- This document describes the use of the IBM Personal Computer
- with a Kantronics interface attached for RTTY operation.
- While I have designed around a specific Terminal Unit (TU),
- I have attempted to keep the program generalized such that
- any TU with an RS-232C interface could be adapted. The
- general use of the RS-232C lines is as follows:
-
- Transmit Data - Async data out
- Receive Data - Async data in
- Carier Detect - CW data in
- Request to Send - Key transmitter
- Data Terminal Ready - CW ID control
-
- The Kantronics interface does not provide an RS-232C level
- and also requires an external power supply. Additionally,
- the RTTY transmit line requires a normal space condition
- for receive to operate correctly. Based on these
- considerations, I designed a special RS-232C to Kantronics
- interface box. The schematic is included below. First,
- just a few words about the circuit. The interface chips
- used are the same as those used in the IBM PC, namely,
- the 75150 line driver and the 75154 line receiver.
- The 74LS00 is used to gate the Tx data signal with the
- transmitter key and to invert the RTTY transmit signal.
- I used two regulators to get +/-12 volts, then I cheated
- (just a little). The 75154 has a regulator built into the
- chip which will regulate the +12 volts down to approximately
- +5 volts. In actual measurement, it's closer to +6 volts,
- but I figured that it was worth the risk (for me anyway).
- I used the new +5 volts from the 75154 to supply the voltage
- for the 74LS00. The unused inputs of the 74LS00 are tied
- to ground to keep supply current requirements to a minimum.
- The recommended voltage regulators are the 7812 and the 7912
- or whichever regulator is your favorite. Just be sure to
- have enough filter capacitance on the input and enough heat
- sink on the regulators. There is nothing worse than
- intermittent problems.
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- _____________________
- | __________ |
- +-|1 |- +12v | ____________________________ CWID
- +-| |- +5v---' |
- `-| |- | ________________________ KEYIN
- DTR ---------| |----------' | __________
- Tx data -----| |-------, +--|1 |- +5v
- RTS ---------| |------- ------+--| |---,
- -| 75154 |- | ,-| |---+
- Gnd -|__________|--, | `-| |- |
- ________________| `---------| |---+
- | ,---------| 74LS00 |---+
- | | Gnd -|__________|- |
- | | `- Gnd
- | |
- | |_______________________________ RTTY
- |
- ___`_____________________________________________________ DECODE
- | ,
- | |
- | | __________
- | `--|1 |- +12v
- +------| |------------,
- `------| 75150 |--------, |
- Gnd -|__________|- -12v | |
- | |
- | |
- Rx data -------------------------' |
- CD ----------------------------------'
-
- Computer Kantronics
- Interface Interface
-
-
- Note: Intersections are indicated by "+"
- Non-Intersections are indicated by " "
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- Kantronics RS-232C Interface
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- The RTTY program is written primarily in BASIC for the
- IBM Personal Computer. There are two routines written
- in Assembly language to scroll half screens and to send
- the CW ID with accurate timing. The program will run
- under interpreter BASIC but performance is marginal.
- The compiled BASIC version seems to perform adequately.
- The program supports both BAUDOT and ASCII RTTY modes
- at BAUD rates of 45.5, 50, 56.9, 74.2, and 110. The
- received input can be directed to the printer or diskette
- as well as to the display. During receiving operations,
- a 4000 character transmit buffer can be filled from the
- keyboard or diskette. There are several predefined files
- which can be loaded into the transmit buffer with the stroke
- of a function key. The transmit buffer can be edited
- minimally by using the backspace key. Currently, only
- the last line entered is erased on the screen, however,
- pressing backspace will go further than the last line.
- Backspacing will not go further back than the last character
- sent to the Asynchronous communications code. In the transmit
- mode, a date and time stamp can be sent over RTTY, as well as,
- a predifined RTTY ID field. At any time during transmission
- a function key can be pressed which will stop sending
- characters to the Asynchronous communications routine, thus
- allowing a chance to send your CW ID by pressing another
- function key. Transmission of RTTY resumes when the function
- key is pressed again. The program is controlled by the use
- of the ten function keys on the keyboard. They are
- defined as follows:
-
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- General funtion keys
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- F1 - KEYS = Changes the function of keys F5, F7, and F8 (toggle)
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- F2 - PRTR ON/OFF = Directs received data to printer (toggle)
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- F3 - RX FILE = Allows direction of received data to diskette
- pressing a second time terminates file transfer
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- F4 - TX FILE = Allows specifying diskette file to be placed in the
- transmit buffer, pressing a second time terminates
- file transfer
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- F6 - RCV/XMIT = Places program in receive mode or transmit mode
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- Receive Mode function keys
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- (KEYS mode 1)
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- F5 - END = Terminate program
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- F7 - BAUD RATE = Displays/selects current baud rate (toggle)
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- F8 - BAUDOT/ASCII = Displays/selects current RTTY mode (toggle)
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- F9 - NEWLINE = Forces a carriage return during RTTY reception
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- F10 - CASE = Forces a shift to LETTERS during RTTY reception
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- (KEYS mode 2)
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- F5 - RESET = Restart the program
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- F7 - TX CQ = Read the predefined CQ file from diskette and
- place in the transmit buffer
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- F8 - TX RY = Read the predefined RY file from diskette and
- place in the transmit buffer
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- F9 - NEWLINE = See above
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- F10 - CASE = See above
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- Transmit Mode function keys
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- (KEYS mode 1)
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- F5 - END = Terminate program
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- F7 - PSE ON/OFF = Halts/starts RTTY transmission from transmit buffer
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- F8 - TTYID = Places the predifined RTTY ID into the transmit buffer
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- F9 - CW-ID = Sends the predefined CW ID in MORSE code
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- F10 - DT&TM = Places the current time and date in the transmit buffer
-
- (KEYS mode 2)
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- F5 - RESET = Restart the program
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- F7 - TX CQ = Read the predefined CQ file from diskette and
- place in the transmit buffer
-
- F8 - TX RY = Read the predefined RY file from diskette and
- place in the transmit buffer
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- F9 - CW-ID = See above
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- F10 - DT&TM = See above
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- The program is still in the development stage. One of the
- limitations is that when morse code is sent, the system is
- placed in a tight timing loop. In this tight loop interrupts
- can still be handled, but the overall function is impaired.
- For example, a character is taken from the keyboard only
- between morse characters and only one character is taken.
- Another limitation is the way the printer functions.
- Namely, the printer buffers a line and then ties up the
- system while the line is printed. Ideally, the printer
- should be buffered a little better. While not a severe
- limitation, the receive buffer is disabled during file name
- entry. The backup feature of the transmit buffer needs to
- be improved to backup past the beginning of the line.
- There are probably others that time will display.
-
- I would like to get the code written to receive morse code.
- I prefer to arrive at an algorithm which will accept a
- wide variety of code speeds and will allow for somewhat
- sloppy sending techniques. Then the basic split screen
- approach could be applied to morse code as well as RTTY.
- The morse sending program should offer adjustable code
- speed both character speed and word speed.
-
- If you have further comments or suggestions feel free to
- send them to
-
- Glenn Welman
- 2M2/203
- Boca Raton, Fl
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