Homebrew Remotehead for DMA Uniden

[exkalibur]

This might just be the project that gets me back into coding!

Not related to scanners...I have some GE Orion radios without control heads. I'd love to make something like this work for them! Done some prelim work and found the baud rate and some simple commands... Hmm, something to ponder

VERY impressed with your work!

 

[richk107]

Trixter - Glad that to hear that it works. It's always something simple that causes the biggest grief.

I took a look at my display with channels that have 16 character long names and I'm not seeing any characters being lost. Could you take a picture of what you are seeing?

Rich

 

[richk107]

Trixter - I think it might be an easy fix. I beleive that you might have the program configured for a 20x4 display instead of a 16x2. Look for these two variables: lcdColumns and lcdRows. It is towards the top of the program after all the comments. Try setting int lcdColumns = 16 and lcdRows = 2.


Rich

 

[richk107]

Nope, same code for either display. I thought it would be easier for everyone.


Rich

 

[Forts]

I'm really looking foreward to giving this project a try.... but, thanks to Canada Post being on strike I'm stuck waiting for parts. Sigh...

Keep up the good work guys, this sure has a lot of potential. I'm curious to see the 'permanent' housings that get developed as well.

 

[kb0nly]

Got this put together and working great!! One question...

What value did you use for the Trimpot for the Contrast adjustment?? I wired mine correctly but the trimmer i used must not be right, it won't adjust, from one limit to the other on the pot doesn't make any perceivable difference.

 

[kb0nly]

My 20x4 display and Arduino Uno, now to get it in the case i made.

 

[richk107]

kb0nly - Glad it works. Not bad for doing your version blind.

What size potentiometer are you using? The one I used is 10K. You should see some change as you sweep the dial back and forth to each extreme.

Just as a check:

The center pin shoudl connect to your contrast line on your LCD. For my LCD it is pin 3. The left pin should go to 5V and the right goes to ground. You could try flipping the 5V and ground, but this shouldn't make a difference.

Rich

 

[kb0nly]

Hmm ok will try a lower value trimmer, mine is a 25k, just what i had in the junk box.

Here it is complete except for the left end plate which is off to feed power to the Arduino for testing. The power will be supplied through the serial connector once its done, have to make custom cable to run to scanner from remote head now.

 

[richk107]

Looks great. Glad it works. I need to start my own.

Where did you find the case?


Rich

 

[kb0nly]

Junk box... lol

It's a piece of aluminum extrusion and a couple end plates that i saved from something else. Cut a opening for the display and modified an existing opening for the DB9 to panel mount. Then i painted it... Nothing special just good junk!

 

[richk107]

Trixter - I'll see what I can do. I have a 396XT which should act the same as your 996XT.

Rich

 

[richk107]

That is strange. That wasn't there before if you look at the old videos. Some bad code got placed somewhere now the fun part will be to find it.


Rich

 

[richk107]

Sometimes its just a matter of changing just single character that makes all the difference.

This line:

if (scannerInput.length() <= 12) {

should be:
if (scannerInput.length() <= 15) {


the 12 should be a 15.

The output on the 996T is 12 characters long but on the 396XT it is 15. It's a quick and dirty check. The number change shouldn't cause a difference.

I've also noticed that the frequency has a leading zero. A frequency that should read 123.4500 now reads 0123.4500. Not a show stopper but I'll try to clean it up anyway.


Rich

 

[tvnews]

if it's not too late count me in

If I'm not too late I'd like to help out



QUOTE=xeno194;1540084]Just wanted to let you all know that in the upcoming days i will be working on a homemade Arduino based remote lcd head for Uniden DMA scanners. If anyone would like to be a part of this project with me then please send me a PM. Im not looking to take this to market but i do want to put the plans online or on here so people can make these and use them maybe make them a kit

It will function just like this but with 2 knobs (vol & squel) and 1 big dial and of course the LCD. The whole unit will be about the same size as a deck of cards. If anyone wants to do this with me than please let me know

This is not my video its just for ref
YouTube - 'Bearcontrol2' Uniden Scanner Remote Head

Thanks
Mike[/QUOTE]

 

[richk107]

Fixed the frequency leading zero bug.
Find this:
freqNumber = scannerInput.substring(commaLocations[0], (commaLocations[1]-1));
freqNumber = freqNumber.trim();

Replace it with this:
freqNumber = scannerInput.substring(commaLocations[0], (commaLocations[1]-1));
freqNumber = freqNumber.trim();
if (freqNumber.substring(0,1) == '0') {
freqNumber = freqNumber.substring(1,freqNumber.length());
}


Not sure why the trim command isn't working. Might be library issue. The added two lines just delete the first zero.

Rich

 

[richk107]

tvnews - I wrote the code already and some people have already gone ahead and made their own encloures with displays. If you look thru some of the earlier posts you can see some example pics and video. The code and what hardware is needed has already been posted.


Rich

 

[kb0nly]

Doesnt seem to like any serial speed below 19200 though. I tried it at 9600 to attempt a wireless control head using a pair of serial transceivers and it goes haywire. That same speed of 9600 between the scanner and Proscan seems to be ok.

Any ideas?

 

[Viper43]

tvnews - I wrote the code already and some people have already gone ahead and made their own encloures with displays. If you look thru some of the earlier posts you can see some example pics and video. The code and what hardware is needed has already been posted.


Rich

After reading all the posts there were some changes, including LCD and no where is there a COMPLETE list of the parts, I think thats what tvnews wanted so maybe a more complete list would be helpfull and save people from trying to look back and then find out something changed later. Just a thought....

 

[richk107]

Viper - You are right that there was never a specific list, but the diagram that I uploaded, which is on page 4, list all of the components. The LCD did not change but support for a 4x20 display was added. There is a line inthe cose that must be changed depending on which you wish to use. This is commented in the code.

There is some room for customization. You really don't need to use the buttons. You have your choice of displays, 2 line or 4 line. YOur choice of an enclosure is entirely up to you.

Here are links to parts on Sparkfun.com. This is where I have bought most of my parts. The only thing I purchased elsewhere was the Serial to TTl converter.

MAX232 RS232 Serial to TTL Converter Board PIC | eBay

Basic 16x2 Character LCD - White on Black 5V - SparkFun Electronics

Mini Push Button Switch - SparkFun Electronics

Arduino Uno - SparkFun Electronics

Trimpot 10K with Knob - SparkFun Electronics