This is a build-it-yourself project at the moment. For something productized, see https://digirig.net/!
This KiCAD project is a schematic for an integrated CAT and audio amateur radio interface. It's designed with the Lab599 Discovery TX-500 radio in mind, but the only thing that makes it radio-specific is the GX12 connectors for CAT and DATA. The rest of the board is a generic USB-to-serial and audio interface and is suitable for many radios.
This is somewhat comparable to the Yaesu SCU-17 interface in that it provides both audio and CAT control. It is less like the SignaLink USB interface which only provides audio plus a VOX-based PTT signal but not CAT control.
My design goals are to make this much like the TX-500 itself: small, lightweight and rugged enough to be outdoors. As such, volume knobs and headphone monitor jacks are not incorporated.
Mechanical CAD drawings are hosted publicly in Onshape.
I've received a lot of advice from folks about improvements to this design. Thank you to those who have helped make this project better!
- Kari Argillander, @teksturi
- Elías Rodríguez Martín, @eliasrm87
- EEVblog Forum user mon2
- Dave Maciorowski, WA1JHK
- Nathan Conrad, @pigrew
- Andreas Jochum, @ctech4285
- The Gizmo Dojo
- Rocky Mountain Ham Radio