The BITX40 PTT is a simple circuit: A switch grounds out the PTT Relay and the transceiver goes into transmit. As a stripped down SSB radio, this works fine and is simple and uses few parts. Why modify it?
The challenge is that the PTT circuit is not solid state. The PTT circuit is just a relay connected to a switch. Most digital interfaces use an opto-isolator which does not conduct enough current to energize the coils in the PTT relay.
BITX40 PTT: A Single Transistor Solution
I came across a solution to the BITX40 PTT relay issue while reading through Allard’s modifications where he’s got a simple circuit for controlling PTT with the Raduino for CW. His solution for CW is the same solution for controlling with an opto-isolator.
One of my goals was that I wouldn’t have to modify the BITX40 circuit board itself. I made a modular circuit that plugs in between the BITX40 PTT switch plug and the actual PTT switch. Here’s the schematic:
It’s embarrassingly simple, but solves the problem nicely. +5v is provided to the PTT switch. The PTT switch closes the circuit and provides +5v to the base on a NPN transistor when engaged. The emitter is connected to PTT+ and the collector to PTT-. Allards circuit uses +5v from the Raduino. I accidentally used a 47KΩ resistor rather than a 4.7KΩ and so I had to power it with +12v. You will be able to use 5v if you build it correctly, unlike me!
Building for simplicity
I built the circuit on prototyping board that I cut down to size after building, and then used some heat shrink tubing to tidy it up. A quick note about that prototyping board– it rocks! Couple it with some 24ga tinned bus wire and some Hakko wire cutters to cut it to the size you want and you can build a lot of things! I’ve used these exact parts to build the pluggable filters on the Multiband BITX40 conversion as well as several other small boards including this one.
As you can see, the PTT amplifier plugs in between the PTT from the microphone and the BITX40 PTT connector. 5v is provided by the the LM7805 that powers the QRP Labs VFO at the front of the radio.
When in operation with a standard microphone, there’s no difference in BITX40 PTT operation. The PTT circuit is now sensitive enough to be triggered by the opto-isolator in most digital interfaces. I’m using the Easy-Digi interface that’s sold on Ebay, and a USB to Serial adapter as outlined on this previous post. I’ve have confirmed that PTT now works as controlled by the PC. You’ll need to make sure that your digital interface does not share the PTT ground with audio ground, however.
I hope you find this useful for your BITX40 PTT woes!
Edit 7/12/2021: I finally got around to fixing this, and I’ve edited the article: Use a 4.7KΩ resistor and power it with 5v, it works great. I also realized that if the PTT device doesn’t work at first, reverse the PTT leads coming from the opto-isolator. The opto-isolator output is polarized, since it is a photo-transistor. You can read more about opto-isolators at the Wikipedia page on the subject: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator
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just curious, if the the bitx40 is sensitive enough to transmit via opto coupler, shouldnt the radio be able to transmit with just the easy digi setup and two audio cables to the computer?
example:my icom 746, im using audio out the backside designated external audio. I take that and run it in to the easy digi. the mike uses two wires for mic since it has vox.and out of the easy digi goes two audio cables. one for mic pc input and audio pc output.,with no usb to computer serial. I have an ubitx v6 and a bitx40.so if you were to make an audio cable assembly with what you built couldnt you just plug it in to the front of the radio and it would act like other radios on vox?
the bitx40 ,i installed the 1.29 version software and found the bitx40, i bought off another ham, had 3 function buttons and a rotary encoder for tuning. Found that i had to change the encoder to a regular 10k pot .The software didnt like the encoder,which im going to change to a 10 turn pot. I have one function button. the others, i had to cut out. Im not going to run cw with it.I have a patcomm pc-500 for that. just hooked the function button from a3 to ground if i remember.anyway I removed the c91 c92 capacitors for the usb mod. still have to calibrate the lsb and usb yet but i was getting a strong ft8 signal on 7074.In your opinion, would an easy digi work without the serial connection since you have a basic vox?Still learning on this bitx and my ubitx.
Nice documentation on the bitx40 and a nice website.
73
David Todd
ac9xh
gud through qrzcq,ham call,and FCC website,and thru ARRL callsign search
P.S.
I removed my callsign from qrz.com because i really didnt want to be listed there.They have a monopoly on callsign searches and i think if someone is going to make money off a site like that, i dont want my callsign involved. Anyway try looking someone up if they are not on qrz.com. qth classifieds etc link to that website. dont hate them but alot of hams have been branded fake,fraud just because they are not listed on qrz.com
[…] DSB rigs are selling for about $40. That’s definitely cheap, but is it a value? For $59 and a little bit of hackery you can have a BITX40 that is frequency agile and can be used on any digital mode or […]