After taking a long look at the features and design, I have decided on a completely new approach to the “rig-side” hardware design.  I’ve been trying to balance cost and complexity, against the need for optical isolation with some rigs to prevent ground loops and audio hum.  I believe I have come up with a good solution, and will need to build it to see how well it works.  I don’t want to sacrifice the ability to work with just about any serially connected device, which was a real strong point of the original USB interface kit.

I can tell you for sure that the new kit will be 100% thru-hole construction, no surface mount.  You will be able to easily and quickly change the polarity of all signals, and there will be a couple of LED indicators to tell you what’s going on.  I do plan to offer a very nice aluminum cabinet as an option.

That’s all the information I have to share right now — check back here for updates on the progress of the kit!

I’m excited to start the new year, and I’m going to get it started the right way – with new kits! Within the next couple of days I should have the hardware built for the new USB rig interface kit.  In the mean time I am working on the firmware.  This new kit will be all through-hole, the only exception being one very easy to solder connector.  Unlike the last kit there will be both a 1/8″ (3.5mm) 4-conductor jack, and a DB9 serial connector.  This kit will work with pretty much any rig that has a serial control interface, including CI-V, Yaesu CAT, most handies, and nearly all devices using regular RS-232 interfaces as well.  Firmware will be user-upgradeable via the USB port without even opening the case.

Speaking of the case — this kit will have an optional extruded aluminum cabinet with end panels pre-cut for the connectors. I am adding a small CNC milling machine to the workshop, and am very excited about the prospect of offering end panels and enclosures for this and other kits that require no additional drilling or cutting.  I’ll be announcing more information in a couple of months, as it will take me a while to get up to speed with the new machine.  As time permits, and as I run out of parts for older kits, I will look at re-designing them for new enclosure options.

I have a couple of other kits in the works, including (finally) one for PSK, RTTY and other sound card digital modes.  I hope to be able to introduce at least one new kit per quarter this year.  I will announce new kits as I get close to having them available, and I hope to have at least two ready in time for the Dayton Hamvention.

I’ll wrap up this month’s newsletter with a word about product reviews.  Word of mouth, and “word of web”, have been the greatest advertising since the beginning.  I have said it before, and I’m saying it again: If you truly believe your HamGadgets kit or MasterKeyer deserves a “5 out of 5″ rating, then please let others know.  Post a review on eHam.net and/or other ham radio web sites, let your local club’s newsletter editor know, and tell your friends about it.  If you don’t think it deserves a top rating, if there is some problem that you have or something doesn’t work right, please let me know.  I want to know what people don’t like as much as what they do like, and if you have a kit that doesn’t work or a problem you can’t get rid of, I want to get it fixed.  It’s really that simple!

Thanks & 73,
Dale – N0XAS

Check the web site starting 12/26 for some specials to end the year.  I can’t tell you what the specials will be, because I haven’t decided yet!  But, if Santa doesn’t bring you what you want for Christmas, you can always order it yourself.

I will be making an adjustment to the pricing of the MasterKeyer MK-1 in January.  My costs have gone up over the past year, as I had to move most of the soldering off of my own workbench and let the board assembler do it.  You’ll probably see a $20 increase in the price, so if you have been thinking about buying — now is the time.  I’ll have a very limited number to ship between now and mid January when the next batch of boards arrives, but you can get your order in at any time and get the current price.

I have most of the design for the new USB Universal Rig Interface done, but am up against a dilemma.  I can make it a solder-it-yourself kit with all through-hole parts, and keep the cost low and the “fun factor” high for kit builders.  Or, I have a layout for an all-SMT version that I believe I can fit into a little USB “dongle” about the size of a fat thumb drive.  It would be all pre-assembled and ready to go.  It would also be substantially more costly than the kit, possible twice as much.  If you have a strong opinion one way or the other, I’d like to hear from you.  I am hoping to have that kit (or non-kit) ready during the first quarter of 2011.

All the best wishes from us to you and your families and loved ones, and best wishes for the new year!

73,
Dale – N0XAS

• Firmware 1.3 for the MK-1.  I have been working on this for a while now.  While there are no major new features, I am adding automatic call sign recognition and storage.  The /L embedded message command will send the last call sign you sent from the paddles, instead of the last word as it does now.  I’m also working on an issue involving using the MK-1 with Logger32.
• I am working on a new USB rig interface.  I’m working on the hardware design now, trying to balance features and cost.  I’d give it a 90% chance this one will NOT be a kit, at least not in the traditional sense.  It will have all of the features of the original USB Universal Rig Interface kit, but in a smaller form factor.
• The ID-O-Matic II does a great job as a timer, beacon or fox controller, or a very basic repeater controller.  It lacks more advanced features like remote control, voice ID, USB interface, etc.  I’m working on that.

I’m happy to announce some new products in the HamGadgets web store! I have added some products from CW Touch Keyer, a purveyor of fine touch-sensitive paddles.  The prices listed include drop shipment direct from the manufacturer to US locations — DX customers will need to email me for a shipping quote for the time being.

I met Sumner, WA1JOS at Dayton last May.  After playing around with his paddles a bit, I was surprised at how much I liked them.  They really are a joy to operate, especially if you like a “light” touch — it doesn’t get much lighter than this!  There is no mechanical motion, no noise, and no adjustment.  They operate just like any paddle would, just with a little less hassle.

• The PicoKeyer-Plus kit is in stock, doing well, and I anticipate carrying it for some time to come.  I may make a couple of PCB refinements to make assembly even easier.
• The ID-O-Matic is in stock, with plenty left.  I hope to have a minor firmware update available in the next couple of months.  No big feature changes, mostly just a couple of new functions for otherwise unused pins on the PIC.  There are a couple of indicators people have asked for to make it easier to implement links and repeaters in some EU countries.
• The jury is out on the USB interface kit.  Right now I’m running low on PCBs and will be making the decision soon whether to have another run made, or discontinue the kit.  Watch this news blog for updates as I get closer to the decision.  I’ll for sure sell the remainder of what I have here, as soon as I get a chance to mount the SMT parts.

I am also adjusting the price – higher than the base kit, but lower than the SMD pre-install price.  Cable prices will remain the same, though the cost of the 4-conductor rig cables has gone up sharply from what  I had been paying before.