July 31st, 2013
I know this little project isn’t all that complicated, but I wanted to share.
I have been wanting a GPS hooked up to the Icom ID-880 since installing it in the FJ, but I never got around to figuring out how to attach one. Over the weekend, I was cleaning my office and came across small GPS receiver, which I obviously bought for the ID-880. So I decided to spend the time to install it.
The first problem is the GPS needs 5v and I really only have 12v floating around the radios. So I started looking for the parts to make a voltage convertor, when it occurred to me that all these USB adaptors I have lying around already do that. So I found one that had a broken case and started pulling it apart. Other then needing to replace one of the diodes that I broken when getting the case off, it was pretty easy to adapt to what I needed. One end got new leads with Anderson PowerPoles and the other got leads that run out to the 6-pin DIN that the GPS plugs into.
The jerry-rigged wiring to test out the GPS on the bench.
The next step was figuring out the RS232 side of things. The documentation for the GPS was a little iffy, plus I ultimately have to wire this thing into a 1/8 stereo plug for the ID-880. So I decided to just jerry-rig up a DB-9 to figure out the wiring. So after a little playing, I started getting output from the GPS. I’m always shocked when these new GPS’s are able to get a signal locked when inside the house and in this case, half under ground. I’ll wire up the 1/8 stereo plug next and jam the whole thing into some sort of case.
Output from GPS
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July 28th, 2013
Breakfast with Isaac @12thAveCafe, then swimming and then onto Fry’s for supplies.Lookout, I cleaned the workbench&warmed the solderingiron.
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July 19th, 2013
My friend Kelly is soon to be moving from the west coast to the east coast. While he is in transit, I offered to host his website for him. He had done all the setup so it could be moved to a Raspberry Pi, so I brought up my Pi and pointed one of my static IP’s at it. (Well after a little head scratching to figure out why the Pi wouldn’t talk to the Comcast cable modem) Then I discovered the 8GB thumb drive wasn’t going to be enough space for his website, so I had to add a USB HD I had lying around my desk. In the end there was more cables and crap then I wanted to stare out, so the whole thing needed to move into the laundry room with the other servers.
So today I shutdown the Pi and was looking around the office for some way to ‘package’ it up. I ended up stuffing the mess into a old 3Com USB or Puma modem box. I’m happy to report the Pi is doing well in its new home.
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July 9th, 2013
Whoever is blocking traffic into downtown Seattle, could you please stop,,,,, Thanks
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July 5th, 2013
I took today off and planned to spend it with Isaac, but he wanted to go to Steve and Kate camp so he wouldn’t miss the 5th of July parade.(little ouch) So today I started the deck clean up project. Managed to wash and strip the whole thing before getting Isaac, tomorrow we can start the staining process. I’m very happy I paid the money for the plastic floor boards, because only the railing has to be stained.
After picking up Isaac and getting him a hair cut, we stopped by the Apple store and I bought a new Airport AP. Required a little hoop jumping to get it going, but I now have all the laptops and iOS devices in the house on 5Ghz. Biggest pain was getting the dumb devices like our Nest thermostat and my Fitbit scale moved over to the new WiFi SSID. Everything seems faster, since I can see about a dozen SSID’s on 2.4Ghz from the living room, I’m sure there was a little interference going on before.
So I’m typing this update on my new iPad mini. I sold my Kindle Fire and the hand me down Gen1 iPad a whole ago. The plan was to replace them with something, I just wasn’t sure what. I spent a long time thinking and finally decided the mini is the perfect size for what I need/do with a tablet. The full size iPad is to big and I wanted the speed, something the Kindle Fire doesn’t have. I’m very happy with my choice. I can finally read QST now online!
This weekend it is just us boys, since Rosie went on a backpacking trip.(left this morning early) This is something that happens quite a bit in July and August, since Rosie loves hiking. We always have so much fun doing what ever, I am including a few more ‘chores’ this year, now that Isaac is bigger. But we will do lots of fun stuff, we both are looking forward to the new despicable me 2 movie and getting to eat at places Rosie doesn’t like.
It is just about the perfect evening tonight, sitting on the deck with the lights all off. Still just enough light for a picture of out neighbor HF beam…
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July 5th, 2013
Since the Lego store was closed, Isaac and I went to the Apple store. Couldn’t help myself… http://t.co/kF5VcoXekg
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