ham and chipsarchive.nsarc.ca/hf/ham_n_chips.pdf · 1/8/2010 nsarc club meeting 1 ham and chips!...

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NSARC Club Meeting 11/8/2010

HAM and Chips

! About me" Bas Rijniersce, VE7RIJ" Licensed April 2008 (NSARC Basic Course)" Working with computers since age 8" Earning money in Information Technology (IT) since 1996" My hobby is also my work

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What is a PC

! Wikipedia, December 2009“A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose

computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator”

! No restrictions on form factor" “Normal” desktop" Laptop" Netbook" Handheld

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What is a PC: Some examples

! Gaming PC" Custom built" Expensive" Lot’s of cooling" Lights!

! This machine is built by Alienware (now Dell)

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! Standard PC" Cheap" Commodity" Wide range of capabilities

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! Lots of special “PC’s”

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What do I find inside

! What we find in a PC" Motherboard" Power supply (PSU)" RAM" CPU (with cooler)" Hard disk" Video Card

! That is a short list, nice and easy then?

! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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What do I find inside

! XT, AT, ATX, Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX, BTX

! PC Main, ATX12V, Molex, mini molex, SATA, 6-pin

! DDR, DDR2, DDR3, SO-DIMM, PC2100, PC2700

! Intel, AMD, Socket F, S754, AM2, LGA1156, Core2

! SATA, PATA, SSD

! ATI/AMD, Intel, nVidia, HD5750, 9800GT, GTX260

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Let’s have a look inside

! Motherboard

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! CPU

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! Hard disk" PATA

" SATA

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How to choose components

! CPU is the main choice" Select a dual core CPU (my personal preference is intel Core 2)" One core for Operating System, one core for user processes" CPU choice limits motherboard choices (ie Core2 = LGA775)

! Memory" Type determined by chip/motherboard choice" At least 2 gigabyte, 4 is not that more expensive

! Harddisk" SATA is current standard" Even smallest disk is big enough" 7200 RPM" SSD (Solid State) is getting affordable and provides a major boost to

responsiveness

! Videocard" Irrelevant unless you plan high end games (no Solitaire does not count!)

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Interface to radio

! Generally two interfaces needed" Audio interface" Radio control interface

! Audio interface is generally the AUX port of your radio to the soundcard in your PC

! Radio control interface is generally from the CAT port of radio to the COM port in your PC

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All standardized

! NO!! !" Every radio manufacturer has it’s own CAT

command set" Every radio has it’s own CAT pin-out and

port (although more similarities there)" Every radio has it’s own audio pin-out and

port (although more similarities there)

! But interfaces exist to make our life easier" Rigblaster by West Mountain

Radio probably most commonly used

" Several products available

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Rigblaster example

! Rigblaster Plug and Play" Audio interface" CAT interface" Supplies virtual comport

! Left side is USB (black plug) and audio

! Right side is audio cable! Right side is radio

specific CAT cable (not shown)

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Upper Side Band?

! USB = Universal Serial Bus! Used to connect peripherals

" Mouse" Keyboard" Digital camera’s" Hard drives

! Different plugs! Can supply 5V @ 500mA (2.5W)“buspower”! USB 2 = 480 Mbit/s (USB Hi-speed)! USB 3 = 3200 Mbit/s (USB Super-speed)! Cable max 5mtr, max 32 devices

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COM ports

! Most new PC’s do not have a “real” com port anymore

! Most radio’s do not yet come with a USB connection for CAT

! You need to buy a USB – Serial adapter in order to connect your radio (or an interface like Rigblaster P & P)

! I have good experience with Startech line of products

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Audio ports

! Most PC’s have a built in audio card

! Quality of these cards generally not to good

! Adding a second (better quality interface) has other benefits" Windows sounds go to primary

audio interface and not your radio" If a USB interface, can be moved

between PC’s

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How to make it all work

! Experiment, Experiment, Experiment

! Ask questions during club meetings

! We are looking into adding a forum section to the NSARC website as a way to ask/answer questions

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Questions / Demonstration

ham and chipsarchive.nsarc.ca/hf/ham_n_chips.pdf · 1/8/2010 nsarc club meeting 1 ham and chips!...

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