RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
Thanks. This did the trick. Mine was close but didn't have the 47K from the base to the emitter. I just started from scratch on the circuit and after fixing some mis-wiring from not paying close enough attention (I am still in a fog from being out playing with my band last night) everything works great. Thanks everyone for the input and help with this. I now have my repeater running echostation and echolink on the same PC using a com port splitting program. Hopefully it will stay stable. From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Thomas Oliver Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 9:59 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT This the circuit I have always used to key a Mastr II with cos voltage source inside the Mastr II. It requires a positive going voltage to key the Mastr II I know +7.5 volts works with the values listed. tom
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
With the simple echolink interace which has a NPN transistor doing the switching the voltage across the PTT line and ground is 7v when the com port is not active and 6.5v when it’s active. So I am only getting a ½ volt drop instead of a total short to ground. Is it because the transistor can’t pull it down far enough? Will a transistor with a higher power dissipation help? Thanks, Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Vernon Densler Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 6:54 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT OK. I am at my whit’s end here. The transistor won’t bring the PTT line down enough to trigger. The optoisolator won’t either. The mechanical relays can’t be latched by the com port. The SSR latches but won’t unlatch with DC. So do I run the SSR into an AC mechanical relay? Sounds like a serious Rube Goldberg way of doing it but it should work. There has to be another way though. It worked fine with the RC 1000 keying it so what does Ron have in that circuit that does the magic? Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ralph Mowery Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 5:56 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT You probably overlooked the simple thing. The PTT line is DC and once the SCR fires it will latch. If you had AC then the voltage goes to zero and the SCR unlatches. --- On Fri, 4/17/09, Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com wrote: From: Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 17, 2009, 4:35 PM I got a Solid State Relay and the com port will trigger it. (same thing I use to control my Christmas lights from my computer). However for some reason the PTT won’t drop when the SSR shuts off. I know there is some voltage bleed on them but I can’t figure out why it would stay grounded afterwards. Any suggestions on that one? image001.jpgimage002.jpg
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
Say what? Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry -Original Message- From: Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:05:35 To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT With the simple echolink interace which has a NPN transistor doing the switching the voltage across the PTT line and ground is 7v when the com port is not active and 6.5v when it’s active. So I am only getting a ½ volt drop instead of a total short to ground. Is it because the transistor can’t pull it down far enough? Will a transistor with a higher power dissipation help? Thanks, Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Vernon Densler Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 6:54 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT OK. I am at my whit’s end here. The transistor won’t bring the PTT line down enough to trigger. The optoisolator won’t either. The mechanical relays can’t be latched by the com port. The SSR latches but won’t unlatch with DC. So do I run the SSR into an AC mechanical relay? Sounds like a serious Rube Goldberg way of doing it but it should work. There has to be another way though. It worked fine with the RC 1000 keying it so what does Ron have in that circuit that does the magic? Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ralph Mowery Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 5:56 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT You probably overlooked the simple thing. The PTT line is DC and once the SCR fires it will latch. If you had AC then the voltage goes to zero and the SCR unlatches. --- On Fri, 4/17/09, Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com wrote: From: Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 17, 2009, 4:35 PM I got a Solid State Relay and the com port will trigger it. (same thing I use to control my Christmas lights from my computer). However for some reason the PTT won’t drop when the SSR shuts off. I know there is some voltage bleed on them but I can’t figure out why it would stay grounded afterwards. Any suggestions on that one?
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
It would help if you would post a schematic showing how you are wiring it, and what is is you are wanting to do. When you said there is only 1/2 volt difference between on and off, it indicates that your transistor is wired incorrectly. Working from memory (and that is suspect!), you wouldn't need any resistors in the collector-emitter circuit, just a resistor in the base circuit for current limiting, and another from the base to the emitter for bias. Additionally, if you are switching a relay, you'd need a reverse biased diode across the relay coil (if there isn't one internally) to prevent damage to the transistor. I don't think you'd need a relay to switch PTT on a MastrII, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong. A typical repeater controller uses an open collector transistor to switch external devices, which is a fancy way of saying that the transistor acts like a switch, and can be used to switch PTT. When the transistor is turned on by the controller CPU, it simply pulls the PTT line to ground, thereby keying the transmitter. Without looking up the specs of a Com port, I couldn't say if it can be used for that, especially since I don't know which control signal you are using. Someone else mentioned using the printer port and it seems to me that it would be ideal for your application. Richard http://www.n7tgb.net/ www.n7tgb.net _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Vernon Densler Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 3:06 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT With the simple echolink interace which has a NPN transistor doing the switching the voltage across the PTT line and ground is 7v when the com port is not active and 6.5v when its active. So I am only getting a ½ volt drop instead of a total short to ground. Is it because the transistor cant pull it down far enough? Will a transistor with a higher power dissipation help? Thanks, Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Vernon Densler Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 6:54 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT OK. I am at my whits end here. The transistor wont bring the PTT line down enough to trigger. The optoisolator wont either. The mechanical relays cant be latched by the com port. The SSR latches but wont unlatch with DC. So do I run the SSR into an AC mechanical relay? Sounds like a serious Rube Goldberg way of doing it but it should work. There has to be another way though. It worked fine with the RC 1000 keying it so what does Ron have in that circuit that does the magic? Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ralph Mowery Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 5:56 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT You probably overlooked the simple thing. The PTT line is DC and once the SCR fires it will latch. If you had AC then the voltage goes to zero and the SCR unlatches. --- On Fri, 4/17/09, Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com wrote: From: Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 17, 2009, 4:35 PM I got a Solid State Relay and the com port will trigger it. (same thing I use to control my Christmas lights from my computer). However for some reason the PTT wont drop when the SSR shuts off. I know there is some voltage bleed on them but I cant figure out why it would stay grounded afterwards. Any suggestions on that one?
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
Sounds like the transistor isn't biased on all the way. Could be the series resistor on the transistor base is too high a resistance value or the transistor choice was bad. A 2N3904 or 2N should work OK. If you really want a hard low, use a power mosfet instead of the transistor - like a 2N7000 or a VN10LP. In that case, the gate would correspond to the base connection, the Source goes to ground, and the Drain is your connection to the PTT on the radio. Chuck WB2EDV - Original Message - From: Vernon Densler To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 6:05 PM Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT With the simple echolink interace which has a NPN transistor doing the switching the voltage across the PTT line and ground is 7v when the com port is not active and 6.5v when it’s active. So I am only getting a ½ volt drop instead of a total short to ground. Is it because the transistor can’t pull it down far enough? Will a transistor with a higher power dissipation help? Thanks, Vern
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
You need to back up and check things one at a time. Does the master II key when you hard ground the ptt line with a solid jumper wire? What is the voltage at the resistor in series with the base of the transistor when the interface is active and when it is inactive? When it is inactive the voltage should be real low, when it calls for ptt it needs to be high enough to cause the transistor to turn fully on taking the collector to near ground (.6 above ground typical) The 2n transistor and a couple of resistors (usually 10k in series with the base lead and a 47k from base to ground) are all that are required to key a Mastr II reliably. I have built several. Now if you only have 5 volts at your interface when it is suppose to be keyed you may have to decrease the resistor value in series with the base of the transistor. Please attach a schematic of what you are using for an interface it would eliminate many guesses as to what is your problem. And pencil in the voltages you observe when active and inactive. tom - Original Message - From: Chuck Kelsey To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: 4/18/2009 8:14:30 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT Sounds like the transistor isn't biased on all the way. Could be the series resistor on the transistor base is too high a resistance value or the transistor choice was bad. A 2N3904 or 2N should work OK. If you really want a hard low, use a power mosfet instead of the transistor - like a 2N7000 or a VN10LP. In that case, the gate would correspond to the base connection, the Source goes to ground, and the Drain is your connection to the PTT on the radio. Chuck WB2EDV - Original Message - From: Vernon Densler To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 6:05 PM Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT With the simple echolink interace which has a NPN transistor doing the switching the voltage across the PTT line and ground is 7v when the com port is not active and 6.5v when its active. So I am only getting a ½ volt drop instead of a total short to ground. Is it because the transistor cant pull it down far enough? Will a transistor with a higher power dissipation help? Thanks, Vern
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
Is this the serial port or the parallel port on the computer that you are using? The serial port I always thought met RS-232 standards which swung from positive to negative. I used to use a RS232 to TTL logic converter back in the good old days to convert the signals but it was a commercial computer, not a PC. Measure the voltage out of the computer and see what you really have. A half volt swing is not enough. Gary - K7NEY Chuck Kelsey wrote: Sounds like the transistor isn't biased on all the way. Could be the series resistor on the transistor base is too high a resistance value or the transistor choice was bad. A 2N3904 or 2N should work OK. If you really want a hard low, use a power mosfet instead of the transistor - like a 2N7000 or a VN10LP. In that case, the gate would correspond to the base connection, the Source goes to ground, and the Drain is your connection to the PTT on the radio. Chuck WB2EDV - Original Message - *From:* Vernon Densler mailto:m...@highwayusa.com *To:* Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com mailto:Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com *Sent:* Saturday, April 18, 2009 6:05 PM *Subject:* RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT With the simple echolink interace which has a NPN transistor doing the switching the voltage across the PTT line and ground is 7v when the com port is not active and 6.5v when it’s active. So I am only getting a ½ volt drop instead of a total short to ground. Is it because the transistor can’t pull it down far enough? Will a transistor with a higher power dissipation help? Thanks, Vern
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
This the circuit I have always used to key a Mastr II with cos voltage source inside the Mastr II. It requires a positive going voltage to key the Mastr II I know +7.5 volts works with the values listed. tom attachment: Cos.jpg
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
I got a Solid State Relay and the com port will trigger it. (same thing I use to control my Christmas lights from my computer). However for some reason the PTT won’t drop when the SSR shuts off. I know there is some voltage bleed on them but I can’t figure out why it would stay grounded afterwards. Any suggestions on that one?
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
You probably overlooked the simple thing. The PTT line is DC and once the SCR fires it will latch. If you had AC then the voltage goes to zero and the SCR unlatches. --- On Fri, 4/17/09, Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com wrote: From: Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 17, 2009, 4:35 PM I got a Solid State Relay and the com port will trigger it. (same thing I use to control my Christmas lights from my computer). However for some reason the PTT won’t drop when the SSR shuts off. I know there is some voltage bleed on them but I can’t figure out why it would stay grounded afterwards. Any suggestions on that one?
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
OK. I am at my whit’s end here. The transistor won’t bring the PTT line down enough to trigger. The optoisolator won’t either. The mechanical relays can’t be latched by the com port. The SSR latches but won’t unlatch with DC. So do I run the SSR into an AC mechanical relay? Sounds like a serious Rube Goldberg way of doing it but it should work. There has to be another way though. It worked fine with the RC 1000 keying it so what does Ron have in that circuit that does the magic? Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ralph Mowery Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 5:56 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT You probably overlooked the simple thing. The PTT line is DC and once the SCR fires it will latch. If you had AC then the voltage goes to zero and the SCR unlatches. --- On Fri, 4/17/09, Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com wrote: From: Vernon Densler m...@highwayusa.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 17, 2009, 4:35 PM I got a Solid State Relay and the com port will trigger it. (same thing I use to control my Christmas lights from my computer). However for some reason the PTT won’t drop when the SSR shuts off. I know there is some voltage bleed on them but I can’t figure out why it would stay grounded afterwards. Any suggestions on that one?
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
I tried my normal echolink circuit but it won't kick the PTT on the MII. From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of wb8art Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 7:59 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT Vern, If your relay coil doesn't draw very much current it probably would work. I would say using a opto isolator or minumum a transistor switch would be a more practical method. I use a simple 2n transitor to fire a MII for echolink. Randy --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com , Vernon Densler m...@... wrote: I am trying to key my MASTR II from my PC. Is there any reason I can't use a 5v 1a relay connected to the serial port and the PTT line on the MASTR II to do this? Thanks, Vern KI4ONW
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
OK more information. When I connect the PTT line to my echolink circuit which has a transistor on it, I can hear the relay click a little bit but that is when echolink isn't keyed. When I key echolink I don't hear any change in the relay and it doesn't kick the transmit. The echolink circuit shows as open when not keyed and shorted to ground when keyed according to my meter and has worked on every other radio I have tried it on. Any suggestions? Thanks, Vern From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Vernon Densler Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 8:45 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT I tried my normal echolink circuit but it won't kick the PTT on the MII. From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of wb8art Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 7:59 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT Vern, If your relay coil doesn't draw very much current it probably would work. I would say using a opto isolator or minumum a transistor switch would be a more practical method. I use a simple 2n transitor to fire a MII for echolink. Randy --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com , Vernon Densler m...@... wrote: I am trying to key my MASTR II from my PC. Is there any reason I can't use a 5v 1a relay connected to the serial port and the PTT line on the MASTR II to do this? Thanks, Vern KI4ONW
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: MASTR II PTT
does the relay have a diode installed across the coil ? is it the correct polarity ?
