Ham Applications

This section is still under construction and has a long ways to go. Eventually, with your help and input it will become more filled out and structured. In the meantime, enjoy browsing through the great applications we have already found.

We've tried to segregate the various applications into categories. Of course, whenever one tries to do that there will be exceptions and cases where a project fits into more than one category. Suggestions are always welcome to make it easier to find things.

If the project has a photo associated with it, we have sought to receive permission from the owner -- and to date, no one has turned us down. If your photo appears here without your OK and you object, please notify the webmaster.

Have a project using the Atmel AVR that is ham radio related but not shown here? Let us know about it and show off your genius to the world! If you run across something on the web that should be on these pages, please inform us.

Serial Communication

- RS232, RS422, RS485

USB

Ethernet

Morse Code

- keyers, decoders, beacons, ID-ers

Macrobug Keyer Keyer DK5JG Photos
DK5JG's AVR-Microcontroller in the Ham-Shack (keyers and more)
Burkhard, DK5JG, has a bunch of keyers and projects on his web pages.

Coming soon, the "Colt-45" and the "Friendly Keyer"

BA1FB balloon beacon
BA1FB's balloon beacon
Jerry, BA1FB, has several projects here including this beacon, keyers, and programmers.

CW Ider
Morse Code CW Identifier - The unique automated Morse Code CW Identifier is designed around the ATmega8L microcontroller.
Morse Code CW Identifier

Fox Hunt Keyer

Digital Modes

- PSK, RTTY, modems, TNC, packet controllers, SAME weather

ATmega8 based UI TNC - design by Carl Ott

Experiments with AVR Microprocessors and APRS Packet Radio by Carl Ott
Atmel AVR 90s2313 based POCSAG encoder and other projects by Carl Ott.

G4XYW Photo
9600 Modem by G4XYW

SAMEgen
AE5K Photo
The compact SAMEgen is a test generator for the National Weather Service's Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) coding. The ATtiny45-based system is useful for both the development of decoding circuitry and the testing of SAME-enabled receivers. SAMEgen Link

PSK31
PSK31 Adapter - The ATmega8 microcontroller-based PSK31 Adapter is an innovative sound card interface. An electronically programmable and adjustable potentiometer automatically optimizes audio levels, eliminating the need for manual adjustments.
PSK31 Adapter

Reliable Low-Cost Radio Packet Controller - The Reliable Low-Cost Radio Packet Controller is built around an AT90S2313 microcontroller that's programmed entirely in BASCOM-AVR Basic. When interfaced to a host controller, it enables reliable half-duplex serial RF data communication among a maximum of 15 devices in a simple, low-speed radio network. The modular design allows RPC characteristics to be easily adapted to suit other applications like RF repeaters, data loggers, transponders, and remote controllers.
Reliable Low-Cost Radio Packet Controller

Measurements

- frequency, power, SWR, antenna, field strength, resistance, capacitance, inductance, weather (meteorological)

MegaMeter display Don Carveth Photos
MegaMeter using ATMega128 - volts, Hz, Amps, logic, freq gen

KD1JV Photo
KD1JV's Digital SWR Meter Project - A very neat project using the Atmel AVR Butterfly.

W0CH Photo
4SQRP/KD1JV's SWR & Power Meter - being offered as an inexpensive kit by the 4-State QRP group.

Power Sensor DL5NEG Photos
DL5NEG's Handheld Power Meter

Dick Cappels Photos
30 MHz Frequency Counter
prescaler Dick Cappels Photo
Pre-amp/pre-scaler for Freq. counter.

50 MHz Freq counter
50 MHz frequency counter

70 MHz Freq counter DL5NEG Photo A microprocessor based frequency counter up to 70MHz

Digital Milliohmmeter Dick Cappels Photo
Digital Lock-in Milliohmmeter

Dick Cappels Photo
LC Determination

Freq Meter/Pulse Gen Dick Cappels Photo
RS-232 Freq. Meter/Pulse Generator

Dick Cappels Photo
Digital RF Field Strength Indicator
NOTE: Dick Cappels has just loads of AVR projects on his web pages. Try this link!

Infidigm Photo
Windmeter/Anemometer

Video

- Amateur TV (ATV), test generators

S51KQ Photos
ATV Video Generator

Composite Text Video Display - This system can generate a 25 x 40 character display on a standard television screen through the composite video input jack. The ATmega8 microcontroller-based circuit supports the NTSC and PAL standards. The efficient software uses only 3 KB of program memory, which leaves enough space for a 512-character font.
Composite Text Video Display

Frequency Generation

- synthesizers, marker generators

QEX Cover KE5FX Photo
KE5FX's AVR controlled Hybrid Synthesizer

DL5NEG Photo
DL5NEG Waveform Generator

DL5NEG Software DDS - A software DDS for producing the 10MHz reference signal for 2.5GHz PLL

Mini DDS Synthesizer

DDS and PLL Experimental Direct Digital Synthesis Based On a Microcontroller and PLL

KD1JV "Melt Solder" DDS Controller
AVR Butterfly controller for NJQRP 9850 DDS

SmartDDS VFO & SmartAVR

DTMF & Tones

- DTMF encoding/decoding, tone encode/decode

DTMF decoder Infidigm Photo
DTMF decode and display

Battery

- chargers, indicators, voltage conversion

Battery sAVR - The effective and efficient Battery sAVR logs the discharge of a single primary or secondary cell over a period of time. The ATtiny26 microcontroller-based battery capacity meter can emulate constant current, power, and resistance in real time.
Battery sAVR

LCD

- LCD Displays

AVR Chip Programmers

- stand-alone, in-system

Jesper AVR Prog. Jesper dongles
AVR Programmer by Jesper

Pony programmer logo
Lancos Pony Programmer

SP12 Dongle SP12 programmer

AVR dongle for programming
Program to drive AVR dongle

Microcontroller In System Programmer UISP

ATtiny11 Programmer

Programming the AT90S1200 Microcontroller

AVR Bootloaders

Bootloader for ATMega8 - DL5NEG

Software Programming

- assemblers, compilers, debug tools, JTAG

Blitzlogic
Learn and experiment yourself to see how to write a simple program using C language for the AT90S2313. Write a C source program, compile, and download the HEX code to the chip directly, connect DC adapter and debug the program until it works to the designed objective.
Blitzlogic - AVR Interfacing using C

NASA C-style Guide (PDF file)

CodeVisionAVR C compiler

Imagecraft AVR Compiler

AVaRICE - interfaces the GNU Debugger GDB with the AVR JTAG ICE

AVR "ICE-Cube" JTAG In-Circuit Emulator Interface

AVR Assembler Site (if you can stand the pop-ups!)

How To guides

- smd/smt soldering, starting out, development systems, evaluation kits

Great beginner's website! www.avrbeginners.net

Infidigm Photo
Nice SMD Soldering Guide by Infidigm

AVR-DEV PCB AVR-DEV board W8DIZ Photos
W8DIZ's AVR-DEV info, lessons, etc.

Projects - large

- complex projects using AVR

FM Receiver - The user-friendly FM Receiver monitors polar orbiting weather satellites operated by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It tunes from 60 to 800 MHz with an IF bandwidth of 50 kHz. The IF bandwidth was chosen because it's optimal for the NOAA polar orbiting weather satellites; however, the FM Receiver also receives narrowband FM, television audio, and commercial FM stations. An ATmega8-16PI microcontroller is the heart of the high-performance receiver, ensuring good frequency stability. The MCU also enabled the inclusion of a tuner with a built-in controller, which provides fast tuning. The project features one of each of the following components: tuner, ceramic filter, second mixer, second oscillator, IF filter, audio integrated circuit, keypad, LCD, and power supply.
60-800 MHz. FM Receiver