VA6TA Satellite Polarity and Preamp Control

I helped out a good friend with a project of his, a portable satellite ant system.. This is the custom touch control I helped him build for the two polarity switching boards and preamp power switching.. Plus a few other goodies using the Nextion and PIC systems.

[@whiskeymike5154]

Enjoyed this Skip, thanks for the work. -- Wayne K3WM

[@jacdebruijn5456]

Another great Video… nice engineering Skip .. keep going 73s de Jac, PA3DZL

[@howardling9998]

Will be in touch, you got me interested in doing something similar. Never used Nextion, PIC'S serial data etc so I have a lot to learn so I can do what I want.

[@falsedragon33]

The Nextion products are kinda neat. They are really fast to implement. Its kind of a waste of an STM32 though. It's just as simple to build an STM32 project, use a capacitive touch screen, and Qt embedded for the GUI. The great thing about Nextion, is they use the same constructs as most GUI frameworks. The way you send information from the PIC to the Nextion is the same concept as Qt's signal and slots. So the learning curve isn't as bad as people think, and Qt is beyond superior.

[@rjy8960]

Lovely project! I work as an FAE for Microchip although with Ethernet products rather than our MCU's. I didn't know about the Nextion screens -they look like an excellent way to add a great looking HMI to a small project. Thanks, Skip!

[@VE6BGT]

Well hearing a comment from you really makes my day haha.. Yes the Nextion screens really beat using a simple plain old 4 line LCD.. It's a fairly simple project as you saw but I have been wanting to show others how great PICs are and make a great embedded processor for applications.. A lot better than a Ardreno I think. But what i know, i am just a tinker and builder who has a lot of fun.. Thanks, Skip

[@rjy8960]

@@VE6BGTJust a tinkerer! Yeah...right! What you have created in your shack is just nothing less than amazing! I am in awe every time I watch one of your video's Skip.

[@VE6BGT]

Honest, thats all I am!! I was a TV repairman back in the 70s and 80s then in the oilfield electronics.. I guess I just enjoy it to much.. Thanks again.. Skip

[@PY1SAN]

Amazing

[@falsedragon33]

Nice project. I just added Polarity Switches myself to the house and camping setup. I milled a duplicate version of the M2 switches. I usually don't mind buying things, but those were expensive enough for me to make. I also got to up the quality on them while I was at it, while only spending about 60 bucks for both. I ended up making 10 sets of them. Not sure what I am going to do with 6 of the sets. 73's AG7VD

[@VE6BGT]

Hello Mike, sounds good.. I dont know what those switches you are talking about look like.. I bet they are costly though.. Send me a pix of them, would like to see that... Skip

[@SimjetAU]

I love watching your videos...wish I could do code..I have a hardware brain and am good at design....but the software ?..try as I might I can only seem to do very simple coding...my brain isnt wired to do that voodoo stuff. VK4MDK

[@VE6BGT]

Heh dont cut your self short.. I used to say the same thing.. Basic code language is the answer, let the editor and compiler do all the work.. Now I am comfortable with PICs, ardrenos and Pis are a different matter Haha.. Skip