Denuo GPS Hits Rev B + Dongles...

This is a quick update on the REF-0 projects I have going.

REF-0s running my Denuo GPS board. All lights green.

The Denuo GPS has hit Revision B. There were very minor changes to the original board, mainly to tweak the BOM. I have also hit firmware version 0.6, which I feel is very stable and reliable. There is always room for improvement, but I am close to calling the firmware "done".

I have also been thinking on what a Denuo GPS retrofit kit for the REF-0 would look like. One of the important steps in prepping a REF-0 for standalone operation is eliminating the need for the interface cable. I have covered multiple techniques for doing this in my previous posts. However, a kit would have to be as simple as possible to install. Looking for unlabeled pins on the bottom of a PCB and soldering fine bodge wires is not a good installation method. Neither is jamming wires into a DB15 socket. For that reason, I made this:

A dongle to replace the interface cable on the KS-24361 units.

It is effectively a "magic dongle" for the KS-24361. It jumpers the necessary pins to eliminate the other box and the interface cable. Plug it into a REF-1 and the unit turns on the outputs and operates standalone. Plug it into a REF-0, install a replacement GPS internally such as the Denuo board, and it hums away all by itself.

There will still be soldering involved in any REF-0 retrofit. But this dongle should greatly simplify things.

As for the Tria GPS board, that project is coming along slowly but surely. Attempting to implement Oncore UT+ compatibility is a big undertaking, but I've made good progress. I have a solid plan to get to the finish line.

That's all for now. I should have something interesting to post about in a week or two. It's a brand new project involving...FPGAs.

Thanks for reading!

- Dan W.