CW and Voice memory keyer for ICOM IC-7300

After a long time I decided to came back to CW.

Just for fun and to use the Pandemia holiday I thought will be interesting to have a little remote for the Voice and CW memory.
While the Voice memory callback is relatively simple with CI-V protocol, for CW memory there are no commands provided by ICOM.
Therefore, the keyer will store the preset messages (10 messages) and send them using a 4 x 4 keypad.
The uC of choice is an Arduino with Atmega 328 on UNO platform.
The keypad is also used to Power On and OFF the radio and TUNE the ATU (I use an AH-4).

The 4 x 4 keypad is able to send: -In CW, 10 preprogrammed CW messages, each of 128 bytes; -in SSB, AM, FM, 8 prerecorded voice messages -"A" is Power ON -"B" is Power OFF -"C" is TUNE

Here is a small video on youtube about this


Here is the code

Triggering preset Voice memories and CW Memories on IC-7300

1. Voice memory M1 - M8

The PC send to the radio the following:
$FE $FE $to $from $28 $00 $## $FD
## - Memory Location

2. CW Memory M1 - M8
It cannot be sent directly by a dedicated command via CI-V. (found it hard way, confirmed HERE)
Therefore, a workaround can be done like this:

1. Read the memory by sending
$FE $FE $DEV $RADIO $1A $02 $## $FD (## 1 to 8)
 the radio will respond with byte string 
$FE $FE $DEV $RADIO $1A $02 ____ 70 bytes $FD

2. Load the bytes into an Array
      Mem1[77] ; The Array will have 6 bytes preamble, 70 bytes message, 1 byte STOP BYTE (EOM)
3.  For (int i = 6, i<=76, i++)
    { byte CW = Mem1[i];
       sendPreable();
       sendCW();
       mySerial.write(CW);
       sendSTOP();   
    }
       This will send the stored message.

ICOM CI-V IC 7300 commands

Here are some finding:
-All end on $FD

Send CW characters 

 "A" - 41

$FE

$FE

ra

$E0

$17

$xx

$FD

Tuner On/Off

$FE

$FE

ra

$E0

$1C

$01

$01

$FD

1C 01 00 - tuner OFF

1C 01 01 - tuner ON

1C 01 02 - TUNE START

Delta TX On/Off

$FE

$FE

to

fm

$05

$21

$00

$08

$13

$01

BCD format / LSB first

Ex: $21 $00 $08 $13 $01 is dTX -1.308

Voice Memory Keyer

$FE

$FE

to

fm

$28

$##

$FD

## - Memory slot

CW Memory Keyer

$FE

$FE

to

fm

$1A

$05

$01

$56

$##

$FD

## - Memory slot

For 1.30 FW revision:

Automatic DLR with chasing lights

For some time I wanted to put LED DRL (Day Running Lights) on my car.
It was some pain in the a*** to run the wires into the car and I was looking for a simple and elegant solution.
And I was hit by inspiration!

I found the solution!
A DRL which power ON at the engine start and goes OFF a few minutes after the engine is stopped!
But how?

Simple, with an Arduino we test the battery voltage and decide to go ON or OFF because the lead-acid car battery goes under 12.8 V when the engine is stopped and above 13.4 when the engine is running!

Here is the code:

New Winlink CMS rules

All,

If you are a US-licensed station that routinely connects to a foreign gateway, or a non-US-licensed station that connects with a US gateway, you may be affected by new CMS behavior. The Winlink CMS now will enforce US Third-Party Message rules. 

Because Winlink is being severely criticized for allowing US client and gateway operators to violate US amateur radio third-party traffic rules, we are today starting to test automatic enforcement of these rules. Part 97.3(47), 97.115 and 97.117 apply.

If you attempt to send or receive a third-party message between a US-licensed station and another station the US does not have a third-party communication agreement with, you may receive a service message saying the message will violate the applcable rules and that the message is refused (if you're sending) or being held at the CMS (if you are receiving). Alternative means to successfully send or receive the message will be explained. The US has treaties with most countries in the North and South America, but not most European, Asian and Pacific countries. 

If you are a US-licensee, you should have no trouble sending and receiving to/from internet addresses if you connect with another US-licensed gateway, or one licensed in Central or South America — as long as the US has a third-party agreement with the licensing country. 

If you are a non-US licensee, you should have no trouble sending and receiving to/from internet addresses if you connect to non-US licensed gateways.

We wish this was not necessary, but we have relied on US client and gateway operators to know the rules and obey them—and most have ignored them, unfortunately for all of us. In order to clean up the violations we are taking these measures to keep US Winlink operators legal. All licensees have an obligation to study, know, and obey the Amateur Radio Rules. 

New monitoring and enforcement measures are coming into play with the establishment of a new Volunteer Monitor Program, now being set up by the ARRL at the request of the US FCC. We're doing this to make it easier for US operators to avoid loosing their licenses!

We will be tweaking the behavior of this new mechanism to make it as friendly and informative as it can be. Please bear with us as we make changes. 

Thanks and 73,

Lor W3QA
Winlink Development Team