Building the shell

So I had the idea for the new console. After taking all the necessary measurements and making some rough cardboard templates, I set out on the design. I finally had to just make a decision, because Im the type of person that will changes things amid stream ( I have already the designs in my head for version 2 of this project)!

The body of the console is simple. I used some 3/8 inch plywood. The reason is that its lightweight, easy to shape and work with. With the cardboard templates I made, all I had to do was transfer the templates to the plywood, mark it off and cut it out.

This is the rough version 1 of the new console. Took no time at all to cut the body out, the templates made it really easy. Next with a little work on sanding with the demel tool, I got it to fit just right. I did discover that it needed some bracing, so I add some braces for the front.

Just some 1x2 inch strips to the back of the front piece allowed me to attach the front and give it some added support. Ill learn later, that I should have gone a step further, but that would spoil all the fun.

Lastly, I got to thinking of a finish. I had all the placement for the parts I wanted to mount on the front, but I didnt know if I wanted to cover the console in either a vinyl, to match the interior of the car, paint it to match, or perhaps use a plastic paint. After reading the reviews on the plastic paint, that was ruled out. Covering in vinyl would make it look cleaner, but I didn't want any seams, and I'm not that great with that medium. So I came up with this....

I figured to help strengthen the console, I could add car bonding compound. In reality this was the best choice and the biggest headache. While the bonding compound nicely hid the wood grain, it also was a bear to apply, and sand. I was forever sanding and filling small holes that I had left. In the end, Im going to go about this differently in the next version, but Im under a bit of a time constraint here, so it'll have to do for now. Still looks good, just time consuming......

So what was the lesson I learned in supporting this console and making it stronger? After only bracing the top piece, sanding, and more sanding.....it was time for primer. So I cut the holes for the added parts, and took it to the garage to paint. I applied 4 coats of primer, sanding between coats....it was looking great...then the dog....

I have a hyper....very energetic rat terrier that likes to jump. The console was in the garage and apparently he got overly worked up....long story short...he jumped, hit the stand my console was on, the stand and the console crashed to the cement floor, cracking the top and a few other bruises....SO back to the car bonding compound, more sanding, and more primer. This time though I had to build up on of the corners that was smashed when it hit the floor, matching it to the other side, Im now a week behind where I originally was.

In the mean time, the console switches arrived, the fabricator sent me the power supply boards I designed, and the parts are here for the supplies. Time to heat up the soldering iron, and track down the TFT screen I'll use.

Happy coding!

Springtime car/radio project

So with the repeater project stalled while trying to find more hardware ( duplexers and good radios are in short supply right now, and I still need a location as well) I decided that I would switch and do something on a smaller scale that was fun.

I had purchased a Honda Element a year or so ago, and had installed my 2M radio in it. With little options I just Velcroed it to the dashboard. It was ok, but I didnt like the mic hanging down, and it sitting in the sun all the time, so I eventually removed it and started to think. There was alot of room between the center console and the actual front of the dash....got me to thinking, what if I installed it down there, out of the sun ( and sight) and uncluttered the dash....so the planning began.

What actually just started out as a radio install, actually ballooned in to a much bigger project. I have biking season starting in a few weeks, and I have my usual BIG bike tour across the state of Kansas ( about 550 miles, over 9 days). This year my girlfriend is going to go with my son and I. She will be driving my car, and supporting us. With her separated from us most of the day, wouldn't it be cool if she could know where I am on my bike ride, and better I know where she is as well....enter APRS.

APRS in the amateur radio world is Automatic Position Reporting System. Using the amateur frequency of 144.390Mhz, licensed hams can report their positions in pretty much real time. If you want to look, hit the web at www.aprs.fi. There youll find exactly what I am talking about. SO, the project ( like so many I do) blossomed into something more.

I decided that I am going to outfit not only the car, but my bike with APRS. Its really isnt that hard to do. APRS encoders have made leaps and bound using either PICs or arduino. There are many commercially available encoders ( that send data from a GPS to the radio) on the market. There are even radios that have these features built in. My first decision was to use an older radio and encode the data for broadcasting my position. This way I could use another radio to talk to folks and use the dedicated radio to report my position....I had the gear, so the planning began.

Below is the version I settled on. I also added a TFT 3.5inch screen so I can monitor the data being transmitted by the radio. As youll see, I also parsed out more information from the GPS data stream so I can read speed Im traveling, altitude of the car, and the current time.

The GPS provides once its locked on, data to the arduino and to the Byonics encoder. I have to mention I used the encoder because its simple, came in a kit form I could build, and was reasonably priced. I have no stake in Byonics LLC, its owned by a fellow ham in Arizona. Their web site is www.byonics.com if you wanna check them out. I also wanted to use my own GPS, and not some pre packaged GPS. I wanted it interface-able with the arduino on the lowest level. I wanted to control what I parsed, and how I parsed the information...hence the reason I just didnt buy an encoder/GPS all-in-one and plug and play...after all I wanted a system I designed, and built....I need parts not total assemblies.

In the next part youll see what I got and how its put together..........

Happy coding!