Microlog AIR-1

[antiquekid3]

So I found this just laying around at my local radio club. By the looks of it, I'd say it definitely has something to do with ham radio..."Hand Key In", "Key Out", "CW", "AFSK PTT Out", etc. It has a 1983 date on it. But what is it exactly? It definitely has the same connector as you'd find on a Commodore 64.

Also, in the same pile, I found an AEA Com Pakratt cartridge for the Commodore 64 from 1987. It's made by ICS Electronics, Ltd. I also found an AEA DB-25 to some edge connector adapter. It's also from 1987. So what exactly is this?

I can't seem to find much of any information on the internet.

Kyle

 

[jthiemann]

Level shifter?

Level shifter?

My guess for the second item would be a 5V-to-RS-232 level shifter. There seem to be fairly few components, one could always trace out the circuit...

 

[saundby]

The first allows the C-64 to be used as an automatic keyer, and CW decoder. It also does TTY:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2604
Note that the Microlog that made this is not the same as the Microlog that made the Baby Blue board.

The AEA Pakratt allows sending and reception of packet radio on the C-64. There was also a popular RS-232 model.

The last item is an RS-232 adapter for the Commodores. It shifts the C-64/Vic-20 levels to full RS-232 (or at least close enough to work.)

 

[antiquekid3]

Alright, I figured it had something to do with Morse code, etc...now, if I end up getting a Commodore 64, can I just plug it in and start keying, or is there something else I'm going to have to find/do?

I hope to get a 64 soon...we'll have to see...

Now with the adapter...how does it plug into the Commodore?

Kyle

 

[carlsson]

The RS-232 interface goes into the user port on your left side, just next to the tape recorder. Please be careful so you don't insert it upside down. The computer has keying but the connector on the interface necessarily doesn't.

From what I've read, the Microlog Air-1 was quite popular among radio amateur for many years past both the VIC-20 and C64's life span. It is probably obsoleted today, but somewhat uncommon to find so it definitely holds some non-trivial value.

 

[Raven]

Am I to understand that the RS232 adapter he found would let you, say, use a null modem cable to connect the C64 to your PC in a fairly standard fashion (you'd probably have to code your own C64 programs for this ofc)?

 

[carlsson]

Yes, and depending on how it is implemented there already exists software for that.