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QRP Labs ProgRock2 Manual

Triple gps-disciplined programmable clock
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ProgRock2: Triple GPS-disciplined

Contents

Contents.......................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................1
2. Design..........................................................................................................................................................................2
3 Connections..................................................................................................................................................................5
4 Installation ideas..........................................................................................................................................................8
5 Connecting terminal emulator....................................................................................................................................10
6. Firmware update procedure......................................................................................................................................16
7. Resources.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
8. Document Revision History.......................................................................................................................................19
1.

Introduction

ProgRock2 is the successor the popular ProgRock kit. It features improved performance, smaller
size, and is ready-assembled using all-SMD components. Configuration is via a micro-USB port
which can also be used to update the firmware.
Tiny size PCB, a little smaller than an HC6 crystal: 0.725 x 0.675 inches (18.4 x 17.1mm)
•
Factory assembled, ready-to-use (no assembly required)
•
3 independent 3.3V p-p squarewave outputs (2 if you use GPS discipline)
•
You can feed the outputs through LPF kits to get sinewave outputs
•
8 selectable "banks" of frequencies, chosen by 3 input control signals
•
Frequency range approx 2kHz to 200MHz from onboard Si5351A or MS5351M
•
Extended frequency range up to approx. 300MHz if you don't mind violating the Si5351A
•
datasheet specifications
Quadrature output mode (Clk0 and Clk1 on same frequency but configurable 0, 90, 180 or
•
270-degree phase offset)
GPS frequency discipline using 1pps from a GPS receiver
•
Power supply voltage 3.5 to 12V DC
•
Frequencies and configuration stored in non-volatile memory for next power-up
•
QRP Labs Firmware Update (QFU) bootloader
•
PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE MANUAL USE INSTRUCTIONS VERY
CAREFULLY BEFORE APPLYING POWER TO THE BOARD!
programmable clock
ProgRock2 manual 1.00b
ProgRock2
1

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Summary of Contents for QRP Labs ProgRock2

  • Page 1: Table Of Contents

    8. Document Revision History............................19 Introduction ProgRock2 is the successor the popular ProgRock kit. It features improved performance, smaller size, and is ready-assembled using all-SMD components. Configuration is via a micro-USB port which can also be used to update the firmware.

  • Page 2: Design

    All these are SMD components, pre-assembled at the PCB factory, onto the tiny ProgRock PCB. The Si5351A synthesizer chip is now used in many other QRP Labs products such as the QCX CW transceiver series and QDX digital transceiver. This is a Digital Phase Locked Loop (PLL or DPLL) synthesizer which provides three separate frequency outputs, each having a frequency range spanning 3.5kHz to 200MHz.
  • Page 3 STM32-series microcontrollers do not have onboard EEPROM and to save parts count and board area, no additional I2C EEPROM chip has been used in ProgRock2. Instead, the top 1KByte sector of the Flash memory of the STM32 is used as a non-volatile storage area for the configuration parameters.
  • Page 4 PCB component layout, top side: PCB component layout, bottom side: ProgRock2 manual 1.00b...

  • Page 5: Connections

    Connections This table shows the pinout of the ProgRock2 module: Bottom Bottom 13. USB - 1. USB + 12. V+ 24. CLK 2 14. SCL 2. SWDIO 11.BANK 2 23. CLK 1 15. SDA 3. GND 10.BANK 1 22. RXD 16.
  • Page 6 USB cable (see below), and using a power supply connected to +V at the same time. The USB cable +5V will power ProgRock2 via an onboard diode, resulting in about 4.4V supply to ProgRock2. If you have connected an additional external supply voltage to ProgRock2, and that is less than 4.4V, then your external supply will fight with the USB voltage, potentially...
  • Page 7 +5V power may also be supplied by the micro-USB connector. There is a diode feeding the +5V connection of the USB cable to the +V supply voltage of the ProgRock2. So if you connect only a USB cable, ProgRock2 will be supplied from that. If you are supplying an external voltage below 4.4V damage can occur, please see section above regarding power supply.

  • Page 8: Installation Ideas

    Installation ideas There are many ways to install a ProgRock2 module in your project. The most obvious is just to solder wires to the PCB itself. But here are some more ideas! 2x6-pin header strip A suitable pair of 2x6-pin header strips is available as an option when purchasing ProgRock2.
  • Page 9 Old-school edge connectors The 0.1-inch pitch pads fit in an old-school PCB edge connector socket. This is what we did at QRP Labs HQ to build the test and bootloader flashing jig. Install in an HC6 crystal case The pin layout was carefully designed so that at the left end, furthest from the micro-USB connector, has pads for Gnd, +V and the CLK 0 output.

  • Page 10: Connecting Terminal Emulator

    Terminal Applications mode; this will send all sorts of characters back to the PC (as ProgRock2 thinks it is now talking to a terminal emulator) and it will disable CAT command processing, so your PC digi modes software will not be able to talk to ProgRock2. Disaster.
  • Page 11 ProgRock2. I start PuTTY using command line “sudo putty” then connect to ProgRock2 on /dev/ttyACM0. It is necessary to know which serial port is being used by ProgRock2. There is also a guide to identifying the serial port at http://qrp-labs.com/qlg2...
  • Page 12 The notable screen elements are identified in this annotated version: ProgRock2 manual 1.00b...
  • Page 13 Editing may seem rather counter-intuitive because the cursor (arrow) keys do not function. The reason for this is that the ProgRock2 microcontroller has limited Flash memory so a very slimline editing tool was required, that does not take up too much code space.
  • Page 14 Hz, applied at each GPS discipline measurement interval (1 second). You could use a smaller value, for example, if you have well enclosed ProgRock2 such that any temperature variations will be slow. Or in some cases, you might wish to increase the value, to cope faster with sudden extreme temperature variations.
  • Page 15 3650’th of a Hz at 9,999,999.5 5. The last parameter (7 in this case) is the current step size, the amount the adjustment is adjusted, after every 1 second measurement period. The minimum value is the value expressed in Cal #1. ProgRock2 manual 1.00b...

  • Page 16: Firmware Update Procedure

    4MByte capacity and implementing a FAT16 file system. This virtual “Flash stick” contains a single file, the firmware program file in the ProgRock2 microcontroller. You may read the file from the ProgRock2, or write a new one, just by dragging files in your file manager application.
  • Page 17 The File Manager window will then open, and on my system looks like this: The ProgRock2 appears as a removable USB Flash device named “PR2”, and the folder shows a single file which is the firmware version file, 1_00.PR2 in this example.
  • Page 18 FAT16 and these are the specifications of the FAT16 format. You may check the properties of the file and will note that it is a 23.5K file. ProgRock2 firmware images are always a 23.5K file. The creation date and modification date etc. have not been set, because it was important to minimize the size and complexity of the ProgRock2 QFU bootloader, in order to maximize the space available to the application firmware.

  • Page 19: Resources

    7. Resources For updates and tips relating to this kit please visit the QRP Labs QDX kit page http://qrp-  labs.com/ progrock2 For any questions regarding the assembly and operation of this kit please join the QRP  Labs group, see http:// groups.io/g/qrplabs...

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