Sneak Preview: UHF Data Transceiver Kit

Model 5812A UHF Data Transceiver functions as a half duplex wireless UART link between a host and a remote device. The on-board Z8 Encore! MCU allows the user to flash his own program, effectively transforming the kit into a z8 wireless development platform.

e-Gizmo latest kit, a UHF data transceiver, is on final stage of testing and production is underway, with a few units becoming available within the first week of September. This UHF wireless kit is the first of a series of low cost UHF wireless data link slated for development this year by e-Gizmo.

Model 5812A UHF Data transceiver is built using ATMEL ATA5812 transceiver chip operated by an on board Zilog z8F042A Encore! Microcontroller chip. In its default configuration, the MCU chip is pre-loaded with programs that takes care and hide from view minute details of the control and operations of the ATA chip, churning out clean data in ready to use serial UART format.

If you are an advance user, you can even work and load your own program on the MCU chip, essentially turning the kit into a Zilog Encore! wireless development platform. It is possible to program the kit to function as a stand alone specific function wireless module, making it work like, for example,  a remote I/O module, a wireless data logger, and host of other possibilities. The MCU in-circuit programming port is readily available for this purpose. Likewise, all unused MCU I/Os are made accessible for user functions through the SIL header connector.

The transceiver frequency can be changed within a limited range by simply replacing the crystal. The crystal is socketed and can be replaced quickly without soldering.

 
Following is a short list of features of UHF Data Transceiver kit, Model 5812A

Frequency: ISM 315MHz

MCU Chip: Zilog Encore! Z8F042A

I/O: Serial UART TTL level

Communications Settings:

• Baud Rate: 9600bps
• Data:   8 bit
• Parity: None
• Stop bit: 1
• Handshake: none
• Mode: Half Duplex

 

A debug port (3 pins) and MCU I/Os are available for advance users who may want to reprogram the kit for a application specific function.

A quarter wave antenna made using a solid AWG 14 TW wire can be directly soldered on the RF out port. In fact, the ine of sight LOS was performed using this simple setup. A more complete technical description will be included in the product documentation.

At your option, an SMA or SMB RF connector can be mounted and soldered on the RF out port of the kit. This connector is not included in the basic kit to keep the cost low.