Author Archives: glenenglish

About glenenglish

electronics, bikes, mountains, propagation, RF systems, modems,

New AnyLocker- radio reference locking board

Posted on May 12, 2018 by glenenglish

Project sources, schematics (in PDF also), and a readme https://github.com/glenenglishgithub/Locker-4 Recent changes : Added LVDS diff receivers for better performance and more sensitivity at low frequencies. Modified input amplifier to have better midband gain. change to 2 layer PCB, 0603 … Continue reading →

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New digipeater for Mt Ginini VK1RGI

Posted on January 3, 2018 by glenenglish

The performance of the VK1RGI packet digi on 145.175 MHz was clearly degraded on its best, or capability, and so it has been replaced.. The original install was a 1990s TNC2 and a FM-828 PMR radio.  FM828s make good split … Continue reading →

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RF check of QYT KT-8900R Chinese origin Dual bander S/N 1608181253

Posted on January 2, 2018 by glenenglish

A friend gave me this radio to evaluate just how clean or dirty this low cost ($100) 146 / 440 MHz 25W mobile dual bander might be. The answer is pretty bad. It has a similar in-sub band spur output … Continue reading →

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Ryzen7 and Xilinx Vivado and B350+

Posted on November 4, 2017 by glenenglish

I’m putting a Ryzen system together for evaluating the AMD work. It’s important to support the Intel competition. My system is a 1700  on a B350+ Asus , 128GB M2 SSD, 4 xGB DIMMs 2400. 8GB? this is a cheap … Continue reading →

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Paste jetter – inkjet lessons

Posted on May 18, 2016 by glenenglish

I ordered my Piezo actuator today. My Piezo actuators came from  http://www.piezodrive.com/    I got a -30>>150V actuator type SA050520.  Have been learning about making small features, including  EDM The block that houses the delivery chamber will be temperature controlled I’ve done alot of … Continue reading →

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random thoughts toward a successful paste dispenser.

Posted on May 14, 2016 by glenenglish

These are RANDOM thoughts out loud, right now….there are a few things that need to be done to make the paste dispenser work, I have studied the various syringe/ auger constructions, their claims over others etc etc extensively. rough drawing…… … Continue reading →

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Guides arrived…

Posted on May 12, 2016 by glenenglish

From “Jiean Robot” in Zhejiang, China. “Zhejiang Sikete Technology co ltd” Very easy to deal with Chinese company, good customer service, understood my needs, able to customize, and 7 day delivery once TT received. Well priced also, about USD400 each … Continue reading →

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PnP : On stereo imaging and more focus

Posted on May 9, 2016 by glenenglish

I had in my plans for two cameras in a stereo scopic setup for down vision so I could figure out depth and distance to things on the table . However. doh! , I was playing with my fancy PointGrey … Continue reading →

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OpenPNp multithreaded directions..

Posted on May 8, 2016 by glenenglish

added here  from my post in the forum.. I had a chat to Jason about this a week ago.. essentially… after component pickup, Open PNP motion thread tells motion-controller (external)  to go to the target location (PCB place) motion thread … Continue reading →

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L6470 ST stepper driver

Posted on May 2, 2016 by glenenglish

Wow, this baby is complex. Read this first…L6470 presentation I bought two eval kits from digikey/mouser $25 each. (mouser: 511-EVAL6470H-DISC ) It  has a USB interface, JTAG interface and some buttons. The eval software for the board is  comprehensive. There is alot … Continue reading →

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Nozzle pitch

Posted on May 2, 2016 by glenenglish

The main reason I went to NEMA14 for the  Z axis was the need to pack the nozzles in tighter. NEMA14 body is 35mm versus ’17 which is ~43. Ideally my nozzles will be the same pitch as the tape … Continue reading →

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Stepper component rotation accuracy mitigation

Posted on May 2, 2016 by glenenglish

More on this subject (see other post at component rotation…   Did a bit more playing. Got some Nema11s today, also (hollow) . These seem to be worse on  in accurate microsteps than the nema8s or 17s I have. But – … Continue reading →

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Nozzle Z probing ideas

Posted on May 2, 2016 by glenenglish

Using pressure sensitive resistor. At about 10% spring compression, resistor drops from 10M to about 50k,  and about 10k >50%. The nema8+adaptor (85g) sitting up top  compressed the nozzle spring about 85%

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PnP Z axis lift requirements- what size stepper

Posted on May 1, 2016 by glenenglish

Z axis must be fast. ideally I want 50mS for 20mm travel. 12.5 mS to full velocity maybe use a big NEMA14 stepper with rotor inertia  18g/cm2 Total lift weight  – 16g (carriage) +20g( stepper mtging plate) + 120g (NEMA11 … Continue reading →

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PnP frame – Aluminium cut

Posted on May 1, 2016 by glenenglish

2020 and 8020 extrusion. wow it is big. big because while travel is 800×600, you need a fair bit each side of the travel.  The single bits of 2020 on top are the top table supports- three tables. Not shown … Continue reading →

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component rotation…

Posted on May 1, 2016 by glenenglish

On Friday I investigated reported forum issues of not being able to rotate a component with the component on the end of the hollow stepper with sufficient accuracy and resolution. I set up a job to test this on a … Continue reading →

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Head prototypes

Posted on April 28, 2016 by glenenglish

latest head design The intended placement of the two cameras is visible, also Belts are not shown, have not figured out how to do belts in Fusion360 yet…      

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Pick and place Update page

Posted on April 24, 2016 by glenenglish

I added a bit more last night on my PnP story, particularly items on up and down vision, and feeders. i also added a bit more  on stepping resolution, particular belt drive calcs that show when microstepping is using, the … Continue reading →

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Rpt linking using CODEC2

Posted on March 13, 2016 by glenenglish

The PCB is designed for linking  analog radio repeaters by  using David Rowe’s CODEC2  speech codec codec2. It takes audio from an analog repeater audio output (ideally the FM detector so that it can  measure SNR) , and encodes this … Continue reading →

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Cyclist’s Black Box

Posted on January 28, 2013 by glenenglish

A road cyclist’s next problem after he is hit by a motorist  is that the motorist gets away scott-free when fault is theirs.  I’ve been stewing on this project for 3 years now, lacking the time and money to put it … Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling | 6 Comments

Stabilised universal references for precision radio work

Posted on July 13, 2012 by glenenglish

I developed a GPS stabilised frequency reference that goes about disclipining an oscillator in a different way than most.  It can also function as a stand alone WSPR beacon. The power point file is available on this site named ddsref.ppt … Continue reading →

Posted in comms | 10 Comments