UPDATES ON PROJECTS PROGRESS
5/22/25
* Sent Letter to Zach Deigle BSA Program Director on 5/7/25 requesting help in setting up a Merit Badge Session in RADIO and a Boy Scout Sound Card Interface Project For Somerset Troop 21 at the VFW Post 8500
* Sent Email to UCLA Berkely Radio Club NU6BX regarding inforation on a plastic enclosure they used for the same PCB as we are using 5/13/25
* Wheat, N1YCQ drove to my QTH 5/22/25 and we reviewed and updated the instruction booklet (Manual) with corrections on spelling, syntax, and mislabling - ETS to make corrections to the booklet
* Called BSA HQ and spoke with Roberta the administrative assistant for Zach. Stated he was on vacation and she wold email him as well as the regional Scout Master who is on the executive committee to have one of them call back and acknowledge the request for Troop 21 Merit Badge Session and Boy Scout Project
5/30/25
* Updated the instruction booklet (manual) and received a response from the manufacturer of the plastic enclosure which should work
* Purchased a few more kits for experiment on connecting DB-9 and the Audio Cables.
* As of Sunday June 1, 2025, the BSA has not responded will call Monday
6/2/2025
* Membeship meeting Old Business regarding Interface, spoke about the updates by Wheat, N1YCQ and Mike, KC1LIK along with the updates on line of the new Ver.2 of the Instrctions. ETS to find out about BSA CORI requirements for scout project build out. Also, Kevin, N1KJS will be in contact with ETS for contact people at Home Depot and ETS will check with ARRL for youth projects.
* Provided Skip, KB1CNB with the Interface Board completed and the fabrication by Skip using his 3D printer. Possibility to Copyright and then Patent portioins of the construction. ETS will check with the Copyright and Trademark office and search the entire project. Currently the interface board is in public domain.
6/10/2025
The components to connect the PCB Sound Card Interface to both the Radio and Computer were selected and a copy of that exemplar is attached here in jpeg format:
The full constuction and materials list were sent to the four club members who are currently involved in the preparation and construction of the BCRA PCB Sound Card Interface. I have now received enough equipment to populate 10 of the PCB Interface Boards. After the Custom Made Plastic enclosure is complete, a completed working model of the finished project will be available. Expected date of the completed project minus boxing will be on or before the end of June.
Will call and make an appointment (time and date certain) with the BSA leadership and a companion meeting with the leadership of Somerset Troop 21, thereafter coordinating with the BCRA members as to a date for the Boy Scout Construction Project.
7/21/2025
Skip, KB1CNB completed design and constructionof the the sound card interface enclosure. Now its time to wire it and give it the "smoke test". Photos of the completed board, installed connectors and db-9 connector is show below. Skip did a great job, better than anything available commercially
7/27/2025
Next step is the wiring the components to the interface board. Below is the setup I used and sent to Wheet,N1YCQ forhis input. If this wiring diagram below meets the schemeatic diagram I made, then I will hard wire it and bata test it on 20 Meters 14.070. IF that works, then the components, (Some pre wired), along with the hardware, the plastic enclosures with the components and wire along with the wire diagram. The construction/user manual will be competed when I finish still photographing the construction and wiring. All the boxes, enclosures, and plastic sleves and wire are on board so below are the photos.
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