She's Back!

The Retevis RT-95 has returned and its time to get this project back on the bench and get it FINISHED! (wishful thinking)

Today's Station:
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For those of you that don't like fun and just want the job done, the digirig will get you there.

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[temporarilyoffline]

This video is a follow-up to the APRS+RT95 Series. I've gotten APRS working on this radio in prior videos and now I'm trying to perfect the interface. Take a look here for more info!

[KHWI]

I ended up getting the Digirig kit for the radio. I set it up with UZ7HO soundmodem and OZ9AAR Greencube terminal to work APRS on the ISS. Worked great!

[bendeleted]

You know what I really like about this radio is it's a cheap way to have a standalone local EMCOMM radio to scan the various types of radios that people have lying around, and reply to any emergency radio traffic from them (FRS/GMRS, MURS, Marine, and the old color dot/star freqs. I have mine on a comet FC5NMO, and it's perfectly matched for those freqs. I hope it catches on because these radios are only 120 bucks.

[anonyninja]

If you go online and look for the pre-manufactured APRS cable for this radio - in the product details, it shows the pinout the product uses. I used pinout on that product and everything works perfectly - the one in the manual that comes with the radio seems to be incorrect.

[RayDabkowski]

Been looking forward to this follow-up, TO. You never disappoint.

[pnowikow]

Take the connector out of the equation. Get a plastic ethernet barrel connector, break it open then measure the inline amperage on each wire as you press the buttons on the microphone.

[WRCX]

Watched your very good video. Several months ago, I used pin 7 of the mic wire to power a cb radio power microphone. I also successfully installed a dc to dc boost converter board to change the 5 volts to 9 volts for the cb mic pre amp circuit. Keep up the great videos! WRCX212 - GMRS OPERATOR

[travis]

I'll be keeping up with this series. I had the same plan but life slowed the project down. I have the radio and just never got to figuring the pinout. This video will motivate me back to the project.

[brandonporter]

I think you made the same mistake I did on a similar project. The pin markings are for the head unit, not the hand mic plug. Pin 1 on the left side of the radio means your Pin 1 on the cable is on the right side of the connector. I can't speak for how the pins are labeled on you board, whether they are for the cable or the connector.

You may have just ran your test backwards. I'd suggest running it the other way and seeing if you get different results. Easiest way to confirm correct pin layout is go from +5V to GND. If you've got a different value than +5V, you're either on the wrong pins or there's something wrong with the board.

Also, you should be going across Pin 3 (Mic) and Pin 4 (Mic Gnd), not Pin 1, when testing the mic.

[aaron]

I'm glad to see you reviving this project! You should consider buying a usb logic analyzer. It might help you decode the digital signals passing along the speaker mic.

[kevin_wbpoh]

I suspect I may have told you, but I used to be a Senior RF Designer at Celwave, and my tech actually updated the design of that load. Those 150W (200W??) Celwave loads are rated for 150W at least with at least 25 dB return loss to 2 GHz. I have two of them in my shack - both purchased from Hamfests.

[EmJayArr]

Perhaps you could find an obvious ground inside the radio, like the ground from the power cable, and find which mic pin has continuity with it? Then maybe work backwards from there.

I know Motorola numbered their mic jacks backwards: RJ45 Pin 1 is Motorola Pin 8 & so on. I wouldn't be surprised if Retevis did that too.

[Dusty_Ham]

Great video, I look forward to the update when you figure this out! It's always fun watching the process of tinkering with things like this.

[Rabbit-Stu]

With the way the pins are staggered they will only fit on one side of the board. Pinecil irons are great. I have a couple.

[WILL]

Use a fine tip sharpie and write the numbers on the top of the metal casings of the RJ-45 Jacks.

[joshuahale]

I knew I wasnt crazy fighting a rt95 to use on a AIOC board. I gave up before I bricked my radio. I almost had it working but the PTT wouldnt stop TX.

[SDWNJ]

Regarding those DuPont cables - the plastic shrouds around the male or female connectors are singles but you can buy multi-pin shrouds to enable plugging in to multiple connectors at once. You just have to push something thin and pointy into the shroud to unclip it from the metal pin or socket and then push the pin or socket into the multi-connector shroud. That way you could plug in all four wires to the header or terminal block at once.

[justin]

Best thing to do is use the tyt9000d and do the db9 mod to it so it all comes out the back of the radio no need to plug anything into the mic or speaker jacks on the radio. Only thing is, the 9000d is monoband 2m only

[Littrell]

Digirig sells a cable to use with that radio I do believe. And it has a pin out too.

[RookieLock]

Sweeeet! Been looking forward to this one..