Allan, ZS2R has developed PIC software used on a number of Eastern Cape repeater sites as an upgrade to the dated CMOS technology as designed specifically for the Storno repeaters and links extensively used throughout the Coastal Repeater Network. The upgrades were made necessary by the replacement of the 24V Storno equipment with more modern synthesised 12V equipment. The PIC is used to control the links and repeater connections at a site, as well as simple telemetry using DTMF commands and responses in Morse Code. But be ready - the code speed is above that of a beginner…!
When a link is switched off (or an alarm disabled) the PIC controller will send a number of short beeps . This convention is used throughout. (broken tone/beeps = broken link)
When a link is switched on (or an alarm enabled) the PIC controller will send one long beep. This convention is used throughout. (solid tone = solid link)
Door Alarm:
If a door alarm is triggered, the PIC controller will send an alarm sound. The
alarm sound is an emergency fire engine "weeeuw-weeuw" alarm, followed
by a CW message of the alarm's ID code. For example, if the door alarm at the
700 repeater is triggered, an emergency fire engine alarm followed by a CW
message "70017" will be sent.
In order to be able to prevent nuisance alarms when working on site, the door
alarm can be de-activated. The status of the alarm can also be checked at any
time by sending the alarm's ID code only. The response will be a long tone, if
enabled, followed by the alarm sound if it has been triggered, or 8 beeps, if
disabled, also followed by the alarm sound if it has been triggered. If the
alarm has not been triggered, the long beep or short beeps will be followed by
the CW message "clear".
Mains Fail Alarm:
The mains alarm sound will be a "bee-baah" sound repeated 5 times,
followed by a CW message of the alarm's ID code. So for example, if the mains at
the 700 repeater should fail, a "bee-baah" repeated 5 times followed
by a CW message "70019" will be sent. When the mains power is restored
a CW message "mains on 70019" will be sent. The alarm will sound every
20 minutes while the mains power is absent. The status can be interrogated by
sending the DTMF ID code only, at any time. The response will be the long tone
for enabled, followed by an alarm sound if it has been triggered (mains failed )
or 8 beeps for disabled also followed by an alarm sound if it has been
triggered. No alarm sound after the long tone or 8 beeps indicates that the
alarm has not been triggered, and mains power is present.
Battery Volts:
The PIC analogue port can measure analogue values of temperature in degrees
Celcius or potential difference in volts. How this is used depends on the
hardware wired on site. For example should a 62518 code be sent to the Longmore
repeater, the response would be a CW message indicating the battery potential in
volts (e.g. 13.8V). The temperature option is not currently used although it is
available on the current PICs.
Repeater Control Codes: 145.625 repeater at Longmore
62511 - VHF Repeater (* to connect, # to disconnect)
62512 - UHF Link (* to connect, # to disconnect)
62513 - UHF Link to Baviaanskloof (* to connect, # to disconnect)
62514 - Digi and Baviaans link power control relay (for power saving)
62515 - UHF Link channel number, as follows:
625151 - Ch 1 = 438.650 (link to Town UHF Rept)
625152 - Ch 2 = 438.700 (link to Slipper)
625153 - Ch 3 = not used yet
62517 - Door alarm
62518 - Battery Voltage
62519 - Mains Fail alarm (not connected - no mains here yet!)
Repeater Control Codes: 145.700 repeater at Lady Slipper
70011 - VHF Repeater (* to connect, # to disconnect)
70012 - UHF Link (* to connect, # to disconnect)
70013 - 7.098kHz HF set (* to connect, # to disconnect)
70014 - BBS PC power control
70015 - Wifi system power control
70016 - HF set power control
70017 - Door alarm
70018 - Battery Voltage
70019 - Mains Fail alarm
11 October 2012,
ZS2R