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Navigator Software Defined Interface
Specifications Part1:
Below are precise and detailed specifications for everyone
to view. Can our competition
say, "Made in USA, FCC Class B Certified, RoHS, CE & ICS
compliant"? No, but
we can. Keep your hard earned money in the USA where it belongs. It's good business.
The Navigator
by US Interface is a full featured digital multi-mode interface connecting a
Ham Radio Transceiver to your Personal Computer.
Connection to the PC is by a single
USB cable. The Navigator provides all audio and control functions required as well
as
powerthrough this single USB cable . A block diagram of the Navigator is shown below.
NAVIGATOR Block Diagram
All USB devices are controlled through an internal 4 channel USB Hub controller. Full
duplex, dual channel audio is provided by the USB Audio Codec. Three dual USB UART
devices provide 6 COM ports. These
COM ports are assigned to interface functions and
provide compatibility with all existing software applications. The assignments
are:
Hub channel 1 Channel 1
- USB Dual Channel Audio Codec I/O
Hub channel 2 COM port A - Rig CAT Control
COM port B - PTT/CW control & DCD input
Hub channel 3 COM port A - WinKey V2.1 CW Controller
COM port B - RTTY/ FSK Controller
Hub channel 4 COM port A - General Purpose DB-9 RS-232 DCE port
COM port B - Navigator Options Controller
All Navigator options are Software Defined ・there are NO jumpers
or switches to
connect or change around at all. So you will never have to open up the Navigator to
reconfigure
it for different transceiver. ALL configuration is done via our NavOptions
software shown at the bottom of this page.
An
audio monitor with volume control is provided within the interface so that you can hear
the side tone of all audio generated modes
such as PSK. Side tone monitoring of the
WinKey CW controller as well as the FSK Controller are also provided.
The
Navigator is designed for use with a PC using the Microsoft 2000, XP and Vista
operating systems. Earlier versions of the Microsoft
operating system as well as MAC
versions are under development.
The Navigator Interface is made in the USA and is FCC Class
B certified for a USB
digital device. The Navigator also meets RoHS, CE (European) and Industry Canada
Standard compliance
standards.
USB Device Serial Numbers
Each device connected through
the hub carries a unique serial number so that the
Navigator
is assigned the same COM ports each time it is plugged in, or power is
turned
on.
Multiple Interfaces on One Computer
This unique serialization also allows multiple Navigator
Interface devices to be
attached to an XP or Vista computer
and the COM assignments for each interface
will be assigned their own
block of port numbers. This allows multiple copies of
the operating
software to be running simultaneously, provided that each instance
澱elongs・to it痴 own directory (or folder) within the computer.
This also means that each instance can be operating either
the same or different
types of transceivers.
If a transceiver with dual receive such as the Icom IC-7800 or Yaesu FT-1000D
are
connected, only one instance of the operating software is required, since the
Navigator interface has two input channels one for
the receiver and sub-receiver.
USB Hub
Bus Powered
Total
current for Hub and all Interface devices is less than 160mA.
Current
draw during Hub enumeration less than 30mA.
Soft power control of
VBUS for downstream devices.
Removes VBUS when in suspend.
Power LED is activated when Hub is enumerated and VBUS is applied.
CW and PTT controls are disabled for 10 seconds during device enumeration.
AUDIO FUNCTIONS
USB Audio Codec
Standard
Microsoft Audio Device
2 channel Output DAC 16 bit
2 channel Input ADC 16 bit
Codec operates at sampling rates up to
48,000 Hz*
*Most Amateur software applications set the
sampling rate to 11,025 Hz.
Analog interface 2 channel ・ Input
Transformer
Isolated with separate analog and digital grounds
1:1 isolation transformers
for each channel
Level controlled by front panel potentiometer
for each channel
Software Defined input attenuation
0dB or -15dB for each channel
Dual receiver transceivers
are supported, each receiver with its own
separate
input channel
Analog interface 2 channel ・ Output
Channel
#1 used for audio monitor
Channel #2 used for audio drive
to the transceiver.
Transformer isolated, separate analog
and digital grounds
600 ohm audio transformer
1
uFd Blocking capacitor on output
Output filter: Sallen-Key
Low Pass Filter
Level of audio driving RF Output controlled
by front panel potentiometer
Software Defined output attenuation:
0dB or -20dB.
Audio Monitor
Listening level controlled by front
panel potentiometer
Internal speaker frequency response:
500 Hz to 4000 Hz
Modes Monitored
All
modes generated via the Audio Codec such as PSK, MFSK, Olivia, MT63,
Throb,
AFSK RTTY, SSTV and more.
CW
side tone from WinKey controller. Software controlled enable/disable
directly
from the WinKey WK2MGR Setup Manager.
FSK
side tone generated by FSK controller gives a clear audio representation
of signal sent to digital FSK. Software Defined disable of FSK Side Tone.
DIGITAL INTERFACE FUNCTIONS
CAT and Rig CONTROL
Serial COM channel dedicated to CAT functions. Data rate settable up to 115,200
baud. You can set the actual data
rate compatible with your transceiver.
CAT Interface combinations
supported are:
Half duplex TTL level high true ・two wire, open collector transistor drive.
TTL receive.
A 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) connector is provided at the rear of the Navigator as an
auxiliary output for CI-V applications. The CI-V signal provided for Navigator
control
of the transceiver is also provided on the DB25S connector.
The CI-V Aux connector is used for other ICOM devices which may be under
control of the software operating the Navigator.
Full duplex TTL level high true ・three wire, open collector transistor output
drive,
TTL receive.
Full duplex TTL level high true ・three wire, TTL output drive, TTL receive.
Full duplex TTL level low true ・three wire, inverted TTL output and input.
Full duplex RS-232 level low true ・three wire, RS-232 bipolar levels for input
and output.
Other control signals
All transceiver interface signals are available at the DB25S connector on the
back of the Navigator interface.
The pin outs are compatible with all cables
for the older RigExpert, RigExpert Plus and RigExpert Standard interfaces.
Output control
signals include PTT, CW, and FSK. These are all open
collector transistor outputs.
Input signals include the DCD input to the
PTT/CW UART, for use with VOIP
applications such as Echolink and IRLP that need to know when the rig
Squelch has been activated.
RFI
Filtering ・all input signals and bi-directional input/output signals to the
interface are filtered at the Navigator connector
to reduce stray RF from
entering the unit.
A TTL level PTT is also provided for transceivers that require it.
No power from the transceiver is used to power the interface.