Finishing Touches on the Computer

6-pin Mini-DIN connectors in the back panel

I just finished up the configuration for the computer to make it clean looking.  The last bit of work that I intended to do on it was to mount some 6-pin mini-DIN connectors to the rear of the case that plugged into the node adapters.  This way I could keep the case sealed and not have any ugly pig tails hanging off of them.  I purchased some bulkhead connectors from DigiKey (I got an excess of them to save on the outrageous shipping charges, so if people need a couple for one of their projects, I have like 8 left).  The part number is: CP-2860-ND.  They were all of $1.56 apiece, but I ordered 10 of them just to have a round number.  I'm figuring I can rework my APRS Digi computer to use a couple of the connectors as well.

External view of the Mini-DINs

It works out fairly well so far.  I currently have stolen the Kenwood TM-271A off of my APRS Digi setup to be a radio for the D-STAR hotspot.  I'll put CRVLS back on the air as soon as I finish playing with the D-STAR stuff.  I've constructed a cable with a 10µF capacitor in series with the receiver's output to take the DC offset off of the line.  I don't know if the Tait repeater is going to require it or not, so I've held off on building it into the connector on the back of the computer.  If it does, I'll probably solder it internally to the case.  The hotspot is currently on 146.45MHz here in Corvallis and I've kept it linked to REF010 C to talk to some of my friends back in New England.  It's performing fairly well for what it is.  I'm running Scott's (KI4LKF) Linux based repeater software with relatively little problems.  I actually had more issues running the Windows hotspot software.  I think there are still some USB issues with Satoshi's v7 board that rear their ugly head with newer motherboards such as mine.  I may try out one of the alternative boards next go around for the 2m side of the repeater.