The June lecture, Build Projects for the Shack by Richard VK2ARH and Simon VK2YU, introduced two new club projects: an NTP (Network Time Protocol) Clock for the shack, and Pi-PicoRX, a software-defined radio receiver based in the Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller.
You can watch the lecture on VK2MB-TV.
The lecture proved very popular, and another club “build-a-thon ” is already in the works: Richard VK2ARH explains:
“Thanks to everyone who attended the lecture, we trust it generated a desire to drag out the soldering iron and give these projects ‘a go’.
“Yves VK2AUJ has established a spreadsheet on the google drive, so anyone who wishes to sign up for either an NTP Clock and/or a Pi-PicoRx Kit please go to the spreadsheet and enter your details and order. If you ordered last night, please also go to the google drive and check your details and order was entered correctly without any typos or errors. Instructions for filling in the spreadsheet are contained in the sheet.
Richard is planning to place orders for the components to pull the kits together on the 27th June and expects kits to be available about 3 weeks later.
Update, July 2025: the components have arrived!
Update from Richard VK2ARH, 25 July:
I have updated the PicoRx construction manual following feedback from some of the initial builders. The main item is a correction to the external TFT display connection diagram which has added a 3.3v connection to the reset pin on the display which was omitted from the original diagram. Phil VK2BDF seems to have been the first to build the PicoRx and discovered that his external TFT display was not working – hence the discovery of the missing connection. Great work on your build Phil. The new construction manual is available on my GitHub site: https://github.com/VK2ARH/Pi-PicoRx/tree/main.
…and another update from Richard, 27 July:
The video I showed during the PicoRx presentation, highlighting the use of the controls, CAT control, and some of the capabilities is now publicly available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/fX5HOjDwXiU?si=EN3Dn69SVJGa2Vps.
… yet another update, 31 July: NTP Clock Dimmer Control
…and yet another, 11 August:
For those interested, the Night Mode software which has been upgraded to allow toggle between Day/Night has been uploaded to my GitHub site and can be downloaded.
Look for the MWRS Version 2.2 – also see comments at the bottom of the read.me file in this subfolder. I think its a pretty ‘cool’ display and looks great. The picture doesn’t really to it any justice. Give it a try 🙂
The updates keep on coming… 12 August:
Pi-PicoRx Construction Manual has been updated to v1.3. The only change of relevance from the 1.2 version is additional documentation surrounding the installation of C1 – providing the option to install on the rear of the PCB to avoid any interference with the OLED display.
are these kits available to buy I am in the UK ?
Hi Simon,
Thanks for your question. I’ve been in touch with Richard VK2ARH, who comments:
“Yes I put the kits together myself from the individual components including the PCB fabrication. They are not available commercially.
“Happy to email Simon to steer him to my GitHub site where the gerber files for the PCB’s can be found. I don’t have any kits left over so I can’t help him one unless I purchase a few more components and more PCB’s.
“GitHub site with details of the projects can be found here: https://github.com/VK2ARH”
73 Richard VK2SKY