[volt-nuts] TASS Computer-Controlled Switch System

[John Ackermann N8UR]

That's actually one of the use cases I had in mind, and why we worked 
pretty hard to get acceptable performance through 2M.

If you daisy-chain boards, the VHF performance will be reduced.  But if 
you can stand some SWR and a dB or two more insertion loss, it should 
still be fine.

I thought the DP4T (or DP8T with two boards daisy-chained) might be 
useful for transverter switching if you have separate RX and TX lines.

73,
John
----

On 09/27/2015 12:37 PM, David Smith wrote:
> John,
> Very Cool! Thank you! I plan to use your board to switch six microwave transverters to my 144 MHz IF radio. Actually I will be replacing a Multi-port Transco relay.
> I'll pass along your info to VHF rover community.
> 73,
>
> Dave - W6TE
>
>> From: john at pcsupportsolutions.com
>> To: volt-nuts at febo.com
>> Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2015 12:07:05 -0400
>> Subject: Re: [volt-nuts] TASS Computer-Controlled Switch System
>>
>> Thank you John!
>>
>> John K1AE
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: volt-nuts [mailto:volt-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf Of John Ackermann N8UR
>> Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2015 10:20 AM
>> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement; volt-nuts at febo.com
>> Subject: [volt-nuts] TASS Computer-Controlled Switch System
>>
>> Every so often, I hijack the list to do some shameless self-promotion
>> when I think it would be of interest to the 'nuts community.
>>
>> I've spent the last several months developing a computer-controlled
>> relay switch system.  The impetus was failure of the old HP 59307A GPIB
>> switches in my PPS measurement system and discovery that replacement
>> relays are unobtainium.  The only similar remote switches I could find
>> cost >$1K, which seemed a bit rich.  So, I decided to roll my own.
>>
>> We ended up with an 8 port switch board controlled by an Arduino.  I
>> think it will have lots of T&F applications as well as usefulness in ham
>> shacks.  Like virtually everything I do, it ended up as a TAPR kit.
>>
>> There's an introductory video at https://youtu.be/P-TUM2dOi4c
>>
>> The relay board kit is $119 and we have a shield for the Arduino Mega
>> 2560 that can control 4 relay boards and costs $19.  The software is
>> open source.The boards are now available from TAPR at
>> http://tapr.org/kits_tass.html
>>
>> (BTW, I contribute my designs to TAPR and don't have any financial
>> interest in sales.)
>>
>> Special thanks to time-nuts Bob Camp and Tom Holmes for a lot of
>> engineering assistance.
>>
>> Here's the TAPR product announcement:
>>
>> "
>> Now Available: The TASS Computer-Controlled Switch System
>>
>> The TASS (Totally Awesome Switch System) is a general purpose 8 port
>> DC-150 MHz relay-based switch. The hardware is designed to be very
>> generic, with an inexpensive processor such as an Arduino providing the
>> system logic. Control is via USB, with ethernet and other interfaces
>> also available.
>>
>> The TASS can be configured several ways, and multiple boards can be
>> combined to create large switching systems. The TASS has many uses, from
>> switching signal sources on a test bench or in a laboratory, to
>> selecting receive antennas and filters in a ham or SWL station.
>>
>> The TASS system has two boards:
>>
>> *  The TASS-R relay board, which does the mechanics of signal switching
>> and provides a very simple 10-pin interface.
>>
>> *  The TASS-SHIELD board for use with an Arduino Mega 2560
>> microcontroller. The TASS-SHIELD allows up to four TASS-R boards to be
>> controlled simultaneously.
>>
>> Both boards are available now from TAPR as kits.  They use through-hole
>> parts and don't require any special assembly techniques.
>>
>> The final component is open source software for the Arduino that acts as
>> an interface between a host computer or other input system, and the
>> switching hardware.  The software is available for download from TAPR.
>>
>>
>> An introductory video is available at
>> https://youtu.be/P-TUM2dOi4c
>> or from TAPR at
>> http://tapr.org/~n8ur/TASS/TASS_Intro_26Sep15.mp4
>>
>> Software and documentation can be downloaded from
>> http://tapr.org/~n8ur/TASS.
>>
>> You may order the TASS-R and TASS-SHIELD boards by visiting
>> http://tapr.org/kits_tass.html
>> "
>>
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