[hpsdr] New TAPR Product -- TASS Switch System

[John Ackermann N8UR]

Hi Mark --

I had to go back and look up the Metcon to remember what it did. :-)

Actually, the Metcon looks an awful lot like a prehistoric Arduino!

The TASS is quite different, I think.  The relays and signal paths are designed for RF, and there's no intention to have other types of sensor boards -- micros like the Arduino can already do all that stuff.  It might even be thought of as similar to one of the Metcon daughter cards, with the Arduino taking the place of the Metcon board itself.

John

> On Sep 27, 2015, at 3:57 PM, Mark DuMoulin <mark at metcom.com> wrote:
> 
> John,
> 
> Is this similar that the old Metcon board?
> 
> Mark DuMoulin Sr.
> WB2ERS
> 
> 
>> On Sep 27, 2015, at 12:05, John Ackermann N8UR <jra at febo.com> wrote:
>> 
>> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
>> 
>> A bit of shameless self-promotion, but hopefully of interest to the HPSDR community.
>> 
>> I've spent the last several months developing a computer-controlled relay switch system.  Some surplus switches I used in my time and frequency lab started failing and I decided to design a more modern replacement.
>> 
>> I ended up with an 8 port switch board controlled by an Arduino.  I think it will have applications for hams as well as time-nuts.  Like virtually everything I do, it ended up as a TAPR kit.
>> 
>> There's an introductory video at https://youtu.be/P-TUM2dOi4c
>> 
>> The relay board kit is $119 and we have a shield for the Arduino Mega 2560 that can control 4 relay boards and costs $19.  The software is open source.The boards are now available from TAPR at
>> http://tapr.org/kits_tass.html
>> 
>> (BTW, I contribute my designs to TAPR and don't have any financial interest in sales.)
>> 
>> Here's the TAPR product announcement:
>> 
>> ====
>> Now Available: The TASS Computer-Controlled Switch System
>> 
>> The TASS (Totally Awesome Switch System) is a general purpose 8 port DC-150 MHz relay-based switch. The hardware is designed to be very generic, with an inexpensive processor such as an Arduino providing the system logic. Control is via USB, with ethernet and other interfaces also available.
>> 
>> The TASS can be configured several ways, and multiple boards can be combined to create large switching systems. The TASS has many uses, from switching signal sources on a test bench or in a laboratory, to selecting receive antennas and filters in a ham or SWL station.
>> 
>> The TASS system has two boards:
>> 
>> *  The TASS-R relay board, which does the mechanics of signal switching and provides a very simple 10-pin interface.
>> 
>> *  The TASS-SHIELD board for use with an Arduino Mega 2560 microcontroller. The TASS-SHIELD allows up to four TASS-R boards to be controlled simultaneously.
>> 
>> Both boards are available now from TAPR as kits.  They use through-hole parts and don't require any special assembly techniques.
>> 
>> The final component is open source software for the Arduino that acts as an interface between a host computer or other input system, and the switching hardware.  The software is available for download from TAPR.
>> 
>> 
>> An introductory video is available at
>> https://youtu.be/P-TUM2dOi4c
>> 
>> or from TAPR at
>> 
>> http://tapr.org/~n8ur/TASS/TASS_Intro_26Sep15.mp4
>> 
>> Software and documentation can be downloaded from
>> http://tapr.org/~n8ur/TASS.
>> 
>> You may order the TASS-R and TASS-SHIELD boards by visiting
>> http://tapr.org/kits_tass.html
>> 
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