SOUTH AFRICAN AMATEUR RADIO DEVELOPMENT TRUST CONSTRUCTION

COMPETITION
2010

Listen Amateur Radio Mirror International
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  7205 kHz
  7082 kHz
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Mondays 19:05 UTC
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LINKS:
SARL
SA AMSAT


WIN A MICROCHIP
PICDEM Touch Sense 1 Development Kit
IN THE 2010 CONSTRUCTION COMPETITION

Entries are invited in the 2010 construction competition which this year is a competition with a difference. We are looking for an innovative approach to a construction project that has application in Amateur Radio but based on microchip technology.

The overall winner will be awarded a PICDEM Touch Sense 1 Development Kit  and a PICkit 2 Kit sponsored by Microchip

There are runner-up prizes of PICkit 2 and ARRL Handbooks

STAGE ONE: Paper Design

Develop a project of your choice using a microchip and submit a short write up of the project including  a circuit diagram and description of operation.

The closing date for stage one is 31 March 2010

Three entries which in the opinion of the judges are the most original coupled with their usefulness in Amateur Radio will receive R500 to build a proto-type for entry in to the second stage of the competition.

The stage two entry must be complete, suitably packaged and operating.

The entry must be accompanied by all the necessary paperwork as well as an article with circuit and illustrations for publishing in Radio ZS.

The winning entry will be awarded the  Microchip PICDEM Touch Sense 1 Development Kit , a PICkit 2 plus an ARRL handbook. The runner-ups will each receive an ARRL Handbook.

The closing date for stage 2 is 7 May 2010

The winner will be presented with the prize at a gala lunch on 17 May 2010 at the Midrand Protea Hotel

Get an entry form here

 Some suggested projects

SWR warning device
No connection to co-ax wrap around the outside. Battery operated PIC stays in sleep mode until needed. Auto scales for different power levels. Sound warning beep if SWR exceed set value 

RF Remote Antenna Direction Indicator
Uses RF link AP or Licence free. Sends elevation and azimuth to the top of mast unit.   Should be battery driven. 

Any Band Spectrum Indicator
Shows stations above S2.  Runs from Acc Socket on recent rigs.  Can use its own RX and antenna. 

Radio Amateur Bulletin Audio Leveller 
Taken  4 or more inputs. Does switching to more than 3 outputs. Can use a rs232 input from PC Controls. Click free changeover 

Stand Alone APRS decoder
Uses Audio only for older rigs. Displays on LCD or Oled display. RX Only            
LED Transceiver
Portable. Both side are TX/RX.  Speech transmitted via digital or analogue 

Digitally Controlled 30 Amp Power Supply
Small size in line with SMPS. Very Good Safety and close down features. Low radiation with the PIC controller standby features 

PIC VLF Transceiver
Modulation / Demodulation Frequency selection

These are some ideas, you may have others

Rules

  • The competition is open to all radio amateurs and electronic hobbyists
  • Each entry must include a bibliography and references
  • The entries will become the property of the SA Amateur Radio Development Trust and may be published on the web and/or in Radio ZS
  • No extensions will be given on the closing dates
  • The  judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into

The PICDEM™ Touch Sense 1 Development Board and Diagnostic Tool provides a platform to introduce users to Microchip’s Capacitive mTouch™ Sensing Solutions. This board is a completely sealed application example using three different touch sensor configurations in the form of a Directional pad, Keypad and Slider section. A factory programmed firmware application provides the user immediate access to all of the board’s features through the use of the accompanying Windows® based Diagnostic Tool and PICkit Serial Analyzer. The Diagnostic Tool provides the user a platform to analyse application critical information in “real-time” as it relates to touch sensor behaviour