This document is best viewed by Nescape V1.2 or later.

FF-800 Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Warranty
• Money Back Guarantee Terms
• 1. Specifications and Features
  • 1.0 Specifications
• 2. Operational Overview
  • 2.1 Transceiver Assignments
    • 2.1.1 COS inputs
    • 2.1.2 PTT outputs
    • 2.1.3 Voter logic inputs
    • 2.1.4 PL COS inputs
  • 2.2 DTMF Command System
    • 2.2.1 Control Receiver input
    • 2.2.2 Control Auto Patch input
    • 2.2.3 Auxiliary DTMF input
    • 2.2.4 Main and Link Channel input
  • 2.3 Serial Port Interface Command System
  • 2.4 Speech Synthesizer
  • 2.5 Telephone Interface
  • 2.6 Serial Peripheral Expansion Bus
  • 2.7 Logic Outputs
  • 2.8 Logic Inputs
  • 2.9 Analog Inputs
  • 2.10 Automatic Command Execution
• 3. Physical Installation
  • 3.1 Power
  • 3.2 Receiver Audio
  • 3.3 COS and Logic Inputs
  • 3.4 Local Microphone
  • 3.5 Control Receiver Audio and COS Input
  • 3.6 Transmitter Audio Outputs
  • 3.7 PTT and Logic Outputs
  • 3.8 Telephone Line
  • 3.9 Adjustments
• 4 DTMF Commands
  • 4.1 Security and function management
  • 4.2 RF control commands
  • 4.3 State management
  • 4.4 Autopatch
  • 4.5 Control autopatch
  • 4.6 Courtesy tones
  • 4.7 Message Management
    • 4.7.1 Repeater Identification
    • 4.7.2 Special Words (phrases)
    • 4.7.3 Message Command Functions
  • 4.8 Macros and scheduler
    • 4.8.1 Macro Management and Execution
    • 4.8.2 Scheduler and Clock Functions
  • 4.9 I/O Interface Management
    • 4.9.1 Output Control
    • 4.9.2 BCD Frequency Control and the Doug Hall RBI-1
    • 4.9.3 Analog Inputs
    • 4.9.4 Digital Potentiometer Interface
    • 4.9.5 Local Autopatch Connector -- P24
    • 4.9.6 The FF SPI Bus and Enhancement Interfaces
    • 4.9.7 The FF-8010 Display Interface
  • 4.10 Serial terminal interface configuration
  • 4.11 Paging Functions
• 5 Serial Port Interface Commands
  • 5.1 Terminal Configuration and Support
  • 5.2 Autopatch Support
  • 5.3 Message Support
  • 5.4 Courtesy Tone Edit and Support
  • 5.5 Miscellaneous Support Functions
• APPENDIX A. BCD and RBI-1 interface schematics
• APPENDIX B. Part Placement Diagrams and Schematics
• APPENDIX C. DTMF Command Code Reference/Index
  • GENERAL Level Codes
  • CONTROL Level Codes
  • CONFIGURATION Level Codes
  • Alphabetic Index
• APPENDIX D. Serial Port Interface Command Codes
• APPENDIX E. Speech Synthesizer Word Index

  ---

  Introduction

  Thank you for purchasing the FF-800 Repeater Controller. This product will give you years of reliable service. The FF-800 Repeater Controller represents the state of the art in microprocessor control systems. It has the flexibility to control everything from the simplest to the most complex repeater systems. This manual describes the installation and operation of your new controller. Each option offered by FF Systems comes with its own manual -- thus, depending on which option(s) have been purchased, there may be other manuals that the reader must consult.

  Warranty

  FF Systems warrants its products to be free from defects for one year from the date of shipment. FF Systems may opt to repair or replace (at our option) any defective product. FF Systems does not warrant any defect due to lightning or other natural disaster. Any user modifications or repairs to any product sold by FF Systems will void this warranty. All returns must be accompanied by a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number provided by FF Systems prior to shipment. Shipments that do not have the proper return authorization prominently noted on the outside of the package will not be accepted. The purchaser is responsible for all shipping charges for any service procedure(s) performed by FF Systems (including warranty service).

  30 Day Money Back Guarantee

  FF Systems offers a 30 day trial period on all products. The 30 day trial begins 5 calendar days after shipment from FF Systems. If the purchaser decides to return a product they must contact FF Systems for a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number on or before 6:00pm central time within 35 calendar days of the original shipment date. The purchaser then has fourteen additional days to return the merchandise to FF Systems. FF Systems claims no liability for lost or mis-directed shipments. The purchaser is responsible for all shipping charges.

  Product Condition

  Products must be in new condition or warranty repairable to qualify for refund. If merchandise incurs damage not covered under warranty, the refund will be delayed until the unit has been repaired and the cost of that repair shall be deducted from the refund. FF Systems is not responsible for damages incurred during shipment -- the purchaser should insure the merchandise for the purchase amount to avoid possible loss due to damage during shipment.

  Contact Address

  Mailing address:

  
  FF Systems
  P.O. Box 5533
  Round Rock, TX 78683
  (512) 238-7580 (voice)
  (512) 388-3709 (fax)
  joeh@rollanet.org (e-mail)

  ---

  1. SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

  1.0 Specifications

  The FF-800 represents some of the latest technology in microprocessor control systems. It features a 68HC711E2 microprocessor and has 96K of ROM (expandable to 108K), and 10K of non-volatile RAM (expandable to 34K). This large on-board memory capability gives the FF-800 plenty of room for new features. The speech synthesizer is a Texas Instruments TSP53C30 with a vocabulary of over 400 words. There are also several "control phrases" that allow special messages (like time of day, temperature, digital voice tracks, etc...) to be interspersed with speech synthesizer words. Try an Overview of FF-800 features for a closer look at some of the operation of the FF-800. Other system features include:

  • Digital potentiometers for control of receiver, transmitter, and courtesy tone levels. The digital levels can be entered by a DTMF command, or through the serial terminal interface.
  • 8 user programable courtesy tones . Each receiver can have a separate courtesy tone (as assigned by the sysop). The tone generator features sine wave synthesis with two- tone (chord) capability, attack and decay, and frequency sweep.
  • 8 predefined courtesy tones.
  • Voter interface logic -- for systems that utilize an external voter system -- allows separate courtesy tone for each of up to 8 receivers in a voting system. The tone can be selected by last active or most active voted receiver.
  • Over 80 sysop programmable system and annunciator messages -- allows the sysop to customize many of the controller responses. The various sysop definable responses include:
    • 6 rotating ID "bulletins & 2 rotating "welcome" ID "bulletins
    • 8 tail messages (rotating or individual)
    • Auto Patch
    • Auto Patch Disconnect
    • Auto Dial
    • Control Auto Patch up
    • Individual messages for each of 10 Emergency Auto Dial codes
    • Repeater Time-out message
    • ...plus many more.
  • Full featured autopatch with number readback supress, custom user defined hang-up code, and redial capability. Control via phone, and reverse autopatch are also supported. Phone line interface includes a "line busy" logic input and an off-hook logic output for shared line environments. There are 4 autopatch prefixes, three of which can be disabled by the sysop on demand. Each patch command has its own sysop programmable annunciator message. The FF-800 autopatch features a Lock- Out list to allow the sysop to restrict toll calls, calls to a specific exchange, or even calls to a specific number.
  • 250 slot auto dial memory, includes 10 emergency auto dial slots (each emergency slot has a separate, sysop programmable annunciator message).
  • Autopatch dial out prefix capability for phone systems that require a prefix code for access to an outside line.
  • Remote autopatch support allows the FF-800 to connect to a remote phone line via a full or half duplex link.
  • Sysop selectable DTMF cover tone modes. Four modes are allowed: 1) mute DTMF digits with no cover tone. 2) individual tones; mute with beep after each DTMF release. 3) continuous tones; mute with constant rate (1Hz) beeps as long as DTMF tones are received; 4) no muting of cover tones.
  • DTMF code log -- The FF-800 stores all valid DTMF digits into a special buffer that can be viewed via the serial port. The buffer is a wrap-around type which will store up to 200 of the last digits entered.
  • 64 command macros -- these allow a series of commands to be executed with one command code.
  • 52 event scheduler -- schedule events by month, day (or day of week), and time. Events are defined by programming a macro with the desired commands for each event.
  • 6 repeater states that store timers, courtesy tone assignments, and other status information. Sysop may recall any state on demand.
  • 8 on-board and 8 external digital outputs that can be turned on and off, or pulsed. The external outputs are captured off the synchronous serial bus using sysop supplied shift register ICs .
  • 20 sysop programmable system timer controls, including: Tail delay -- sets minimum time between tail messages. Repeater Time Out. DTMF access activity time -- time of inactivity required for repeater to automatically shut down when DTMF access mode is enabled. ID time -- maximum time between IDs. Courtesy delay -- delay between loss of signal and courtesy tone. Hang time -- delay between courtesy tone and repeater drop Auto patch time -- maximum time for a normal auto patch.
  • 4 analog inputs for remote sensing temperature or voltage. Scaling and configuration commands allow customization of the metering range and units.
  • 4 digital command inputs that can be configured to execute a different macro command on rising and falling edges.
  • 4 sysop definable receiver inputs, a local microphone input, a control receiver input, and 4 transmitter outputs. TX/RX pairs can be defined as main, link, or remote base.
  • RS-232 serial port that can accept commands from a terminal or modem. Supports baud rates of 75 to 9600 baud.
  • Synchronous serial expansion bus for adding advanced features such as the FF-8070 Digital Voice Recorder, or the FF-899 advanced rig interface (IC901, IC735, Yaesu CAT rigs, or Kenwood HF). Also supports shift-register capture of BCD frequency data for controlling thumb-wheel type radios or the Doug Hall Kenwood radio interface.
  • over 60 sysop programmable access codes. Each user level command can have a 1 to 4 digit code.
  • Three level security access. Control and configuration commands are segregated into separate security levels.
  • Built-in paging functions for two-tone, five and six tone paging sequences. Also capable of supporting CTCSS and DTMF paging.
  • Personal ID Numbers for up to 200 users. Allows each user to have their own 4 digit security code for access to the FF-800. The sysop may configure specific commands to require a PIN number, or all commands may require the user's PIN.

  ---

  FF-800 Electrical Specifications

  Power requirement	(+Vpwr) = 10 - 14Vdc @ 350 mA
  Digital signals:
  COR Inputs, CMD inputs	0 - (+Vpwr)
  Phone busy input	0 - 12 V
  Peripheral bus input	0 - 5 V
  Peripheral bus output	0 - 5 V, 3 mA source/sink max
  KEY and OUTPUT lines	0 - 40 V, sink 500 mA max
  Analog signals:
  A/D input	0 - 5 V
  Audio inputs	0 - 8 Vp-p
  DTMF valid range (no noise)	0.8 - 8 Vp-p (this level is adjusted at the receiver)
  Audio output (normalized)	4 Vp-p
  RX audio input amplifier:	AC coupled
  Gain (adjustable)	-23 to +23 dbV range adjustable in 256 steps
  Input impeadance	50 Kohms
  Input DC offset	+/- 150 mV
  TX audio output:	DC coupled
  Impeadance	~175ohms
  Board dimensions	8.5" x 10.5"

  ---

  ---

  

  ---