How to toggle RTS on comms link and

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Jan
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:40 pm

How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by Jan »

Hi, Iḿ trying to toggle RTS line on the comms link. Found this code snippet on Jaap's site:

global rtshigh%(2),rtslow%(2),a%
rtshigh%(1)=$71fe
rtshigh%(2)=$0339
rtslow%(1)=$7201
rtslow%(2)=$0339

rem to assert (raise) the rts line
a%=usr%(addr(rtshigh%()),0)

rem to de-assert (lower) the rts line
a%=usr%(addr(rtslow%()),0)

changed usr% to usr (without %) but still no luck

any clues anyone ?
MartinP
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:51 pm

Re: How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by MartinP »

Jan,
I assume the code snippet came from here:
https://www.jaapsch.net/psion/rsctrl.htm

That bit of machine code basically tries to poke a value directly to the port, which is quite risky and won't work. You can't run it on its own for several reasons. For example, the Comms Link has to be active first, otherwise its logic buffers won't be enabled, and the port lines won't be connected onwards to the RS232 connector.

It's kind of explained above on Jaap's page, but the mixture of OPL and assembler could be a bit confusing.

Andrew showed how to do this properly in the previous post to this, in the programming thread.
Did you try that? Are you having any problems with it?

If you could explain a bit more about what you're trying to do and why, it might help.

Martin P.
Jan
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:40 pm

Re: How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by Jan »

Hi Martin, it's the mix of machine code and OPL I am not comfortable with at this moment. I will study it more and try to understand. I could read Z80 assembly in the past so I should be able to get there.

What I am trying to do is connect my Organiser to my radio transmitter and have it send morse code . I can do this with my 3a via serial port so I thought it would be nice to try the same with the organiser. The organiser is from the same era as one of my radio's so they would match nicely.

One other piece of code I need is some sort of free running counter (FRC as on the 3a). I think the Organiser has this as well but I think I need a machine code interface to that part as well.

Interface to radio : https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/setup/interf ... ptt-keying

Example to send SOS : --- ... ---, x is time for 1 . (dit) At 15 wpm (words cw per minute) x = 0.08 seconds
RTS high for 3x : -
RTS low for 1x :
RTS high for 3x : -
RTS low for 1x :
RTS high for 3x : -
RTS low for 3x :
RTS high for 1x : .
RTS low for 1x :
RTS high for 1x : .
RTS low for 1x :
RTS high for 1x : .
RTS low for 3x :
RTS high for 3x : -
RTS low for 1x :
RTS high for 3x : -
RTS low for 1x :
RTS high for 3x : -
amenjet
Posts: 179
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2023 7:54 pm

Re: How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by amenjet »

Yes, you have to open the comms link in order for the hardware lines to be in the correct state for code to use the RTS line, as Martin says. The post he mentions is here:

https://organiser2.com/viewtopic.php?t=45

There's code in there that fiddles with the RTS line, feel free to use it. I used my assembler which is a Tcl script really to generate the opl that has the machine code embedded in it, but other methods will work. I think if you run that utility it will allow you to manually set RTS and so test the cable connections etc...

Andrew
MartinP
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:51 pm

Re: How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by MartinP »

Jan,
Doing the morse code timing might be tricky, does it need to be accurate? The 6303 processor has 2 internal timers, one is used for the keyboard interrupt and I don't know much about the other one.
Just an idea, but the keyboard interrupt is every 50 ms and is adjustable, so maybe you could slow that down to the 80 ms you want, and re-vector the keyboard scan routine to update the morse code first, then continue on to the normal keyboard scan?
There's an example of re-vectoring (or re-directing) the keyboard scan in Appendix B of Martin Reid's Organiser Technical Reference Manual:
https://sites.google.com/site/martin2re ... /technical
Martin P.
Jan
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:40 pm

Re: How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by Jan »

Thanks Martin and Andrew, this machinecode thing is a little too steep for me now so I'm taking another approach with a hardware device in between.

https://www.k1elsystems.com/WK3Serial.html I can just LPRINT commands via serial to this device which translates it to dits and dahs and keys the transmitter.

Thanks again, Jan
User avatar
Martin
Global Admin
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2023 5:18 pm

Connect an Organiser to a radio transmitter

Post by Martin »

Jan

I was watching this thread with interest and like you, MartinP and Andrew's machine code programming is way above me. I also thought there might have been a 'hardware' solution like the Dynasys Relay-Comm (here). If thesourcerer is watching this he'll let us know if there are any available.

I notice that the WK3 Serial Keyer Kit you propose takes its power from the serial port and thus the Organiser. I suppose if you connect it to an original Comms Link you can power that with an external power supply to 'help' the Organiser battery.

There is also an intriguing Prototype (here) which takes it signal from connctions to the buzzer, (they're just pressure plates and springs).. So I assume the signal is controlled with the beep command.

Is you intention to type and transmit 'live' or to create a text then 'send' it to the controller?

I would be interested to see your proposed OPL programme..
Sincerely
Martin
amenjet
Posts: 179
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2023 7:54 pm

Re: How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by amenjet »

As you are after a digital output then you could build a top slot board that provides some outputs (and inputs if you need them).

I did one using a Pico, I just noticed the github isn't public for that, I'll change that once I've tidied and checked the code.

I did do a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjPG9-fXxJ4

There's also a page I found with a logic chip based design. I can't find that at the moment...


Andrew
thesourcerer
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:00 pm

Re: How to toggle RTS on comms link and

Post by thesourcerer »

On the subject of connecting to radio I just obtained a COMPAS/SARSAT Beacon Tester (ARG5410) topslot unit on an LZ64. This is a 406MHz unit for testing Epirb beacons. Apparently they are still used and can be calibrated. Unfortunately the software is v1.15 which is obsolete now (current version 1.16). If anyone by any chance has a v1.16 of the software I would love a copy of it.
Jaap has one on his website and pictures of it dismantled.
From what I can gather the ARG5410 was probably one of the commonest beacon testers from around 1990 to 2013 when it was superseded by the Mark II version (which is not Psion II based, but still has the same designation (ARG5410 Mk II). The fact that these are still being used and calibrated after 30 years is yet another testimony to the reliability of the Psion II’s.
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