07/02/2023

IC-7300 Paddle <> Key Switch Revisited




I have been using this mini controller for my IC-7300 almost daily since I first published it in 2017
It's still the most read post on my blog.

So far, I had only used two of the 8 buttons in the "antique" Nintendo Controller.
I'm still working on my "Big Controller" (see Part 1 ), but that project is going nowhere for the moment ...

So, recently I decided to "upgrade" my mini project, add some wires to the remaining 6 buttons, and write some more code for it. At the same time I changed the LOW POWER to 5W since I regularly do some QRP operation (NOTE : In my IC-7300 5W corresponds to 7% on the power scale).
And I added a 4-wire connection to program the Pro Mini, without opening the box.

The original circuit of those Nintendo Controllers contained a CMOS IC, type 4011.
This is an 8-bit static shift register.
But since I needed the space for my small Arduino Pro Mini, I removed that IC and used the solder pads to connect my wires to the Arduino. For those interested, I made the following connections:

Nintendo button    >>>  4011 pin number    >>> Arduino input >>> ic-7300 FUNCTION
A                    1             D9         PADDLE       [100W]
B                   15             D8         STRAIGHT KEY [5W]
START               13             D10        USB OUT = AF
SELECT              14             D11        USB OUT = IF
UP                   4             D2         SEND VOICE MEMORY 1
RIGHT                7             D3         SEND VOICE MEMORY 2
DOWN                 5             D4         SEND VOICE MEMORY 3
LEFT                 6             D5         SEND VOICE MEMORY 4

The new version of the Arduino sketch is on my github page.

Of course, it's now more than just a paddle/key switch.
You can easily modifiy the code to make the buttons do others things as well, you just have to find the correct CI-V commands to send.

At the moment, there is no way to stop the voice messages, so I may modify the code further, maybe make the AF/IF a toggle function with just one button, and use the other button as a STOP switch for the voice memories.

And you can use your own box with 8 buttons , and another Arduino model: UNO, Nano ...etc.

Good Luck !

73,
Luc ON7DQ

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