ARRL

Register Account

Login Help

Forum Home - Rules - Help - Login - Forgot Password
Members can access, post and reply to the forums below. Before you do, please first read the RULES.

Anyone using microcontrollers ?

Feb 6th 2012, 04:17

WB9IXS

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Just wondering if anyone else is using any of the many microcontrollers out there like Basic Stamps, Arduino or PIC's ? I have done a lot of work with stamps and the Arduino and now I am getting back into Pic's. It would be nice to share some tricks or experiences with other users. I want to program the Pic's in basic like the stamps and I have seen a few programs out there but they are not cheap. So be fore I spend that much money I thought I could find someone else that has used the same stuff.

I have built a nice digital rotor control and a really neat weather station just to name a couple.

Hope to meet some other "hackers".
73 Jim
WB9IXS

Feb 6th 2012, 13:53

KD4SBY

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Jim,
I am in the same boat as you are, I like to be able to use PICs after using the STAMP. The STAMP does not have the amount of ports I like to have and is relatively expensive. I have been on the Microchip's website and got completely overwelmed by the amount of information available. I have not been able to make any sense out of it, and therefore like to get in your circle of "hackers" to see if I can learn that way.
I bought the PICstart3 with the 44pin Demo Board Kit and found out too late that the Demo Board is not what I wanted. Also the CD that came with it, would not load. I have not been able to get the PICkit3 to work at all, I can not find the info how to use it. I had hoped that it would be on the CD, but no such luck.
I have not seen any BASIC for PICs in my searches, just assembly and C. But like I said, there is so much information that I could easily have overlooked it. I prefer Assembly, for I do not know C.
73's
Bernie.
Feb 11th 2012, 21:14

WA5LUY

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Bernie,
Boy that sounds familiar. I bought a PIC Kit 1 and had the same problem. I found out on Microchips forum the version of MPLAB was bad. I downloaded a later version and it does work but like you I am very confused.
Wayne WA5LUY
Apr 8th 2012, 22:54

N1AHH

Joined: Sep 11th 2010, 00:38
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
I play with arduinos. Now building a monitor for my solar system (and other equipment) that will key a transmitter and send me a morse code message when something gets out of spec. So far so good. Have the morse section programmed. Working on the data gathering/storage/reporting function now.
May 23rd 2012, 04:50

KG6IRW

Joined: Nov 12th 2001, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Another PIC guy here. Have been hacking in them for over a year. Used the ARRL book on PIC programming -the first version to learn on. Did spend a lot of time figuring out the programming of the chips with the PicKit stuff. You do have to understand the MPlab software architectures to install some updates. A bit quirky for sure.

Have built a keyer with a PIC chip. Also playing around with Arduino stuff mainly for the cool add on modules you can get. It is another level up from PIC programming, though.

Cheers,

David/KG6IRW
May 24th 2012, 02:31

kk4hfj

Joined: Feb 28th 2012, 11:57
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
I'm a professional Arduino programmer. I build process controls and equipment testing platforms based on the Arduino. For my Ham Shack, I built a weather station, and most recently, a battery monitor that reports volts, amps, watts, amp hours and watt hours.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Amp-Hour-Meter-Arduino/

Steve / KK4HFJ
May 25th 2012, 03:49

aa6e

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
I've been working with the BeagleBoard XM for a few months. It's more than a microcontroller. Really it's an 800 MHz ARM PC on a small board, running Ubuntu Linux. At $150, it's a little expensive, but not if you want HD video, audio in/out, 4xUSB, Ethernet all on board.

I just got an Arduino UNO to try. It has a very smooth development system, but only 16 Mips (integer) and 2K of SRAM. a lot less per dollar than the BB. Still, it should be just right for a lot of projects.

73 Martin AA6E

Back to Top

EXPLORE ARRL

Instragram     Facebook     Twitter     YouTube     LinkedIn