I had some challenges with PIC programming for start, but with Dirk's help these were solved and program could start. I will tell goals of project and structures and design when project goes on and updates comes.

Prototype Well, problems were solved. PIC is programmed and system is fully working. PIC is designed for PIC 16F84-04P microcontroller. And it Should work just fine witj PIC 16F84A series chips without any changes. But there is still some troubles with PIC programming. Reason is unknown. One possible problem may be NS232 serial chip what i use instead of MAX232. Pure MAX232 is not sale on local electronic store. When system started to work i just bolted both cards to test board and soldered few switches and one rotary so i could test how this works. It worked without any troubles. Smaller card is COMIII what is serial connector between PC and other cards, is +5 volt power supply and generates 13.6v programming voltage for PIC when in programming mode. Larger card is key interface.

Ready cards Now one card is fully working, so i started to count needs of key-connectors and rotaries. I came to solution that i needed second key card. Well here is solder side of all three boards.

Frame Because all boards were fully working i had to continue building different way. I take CAD program and made first versions of panel layout, what shows controls positions and measures. I little bit extended these measures for future. Main plan is to attach tweo 6.25 racks to front panel. And allmost all equipments are attached to these racks. With this i get modular system what is quite easy to modify. 6.25 inch comes from Bendix standard radio equiment width. Framing is build from L-shaped plastic list. Lenght of side is 15mm. Lists are tied togerher with small screws. Again, modifying was on my mind.

Equipments on frame When i got frame finished i had to think how to install boards and other things to inside of framing. Just because this is easier to do now before side panels are attached. My plan is to use normal PC-AT power supply for every voltages what are needed. FSBUS COM card wants 9 volts but after my studies there should not be any problems to use 12 volt supply. But this is not sure yet. Also i got 5 volts for displays and back lights from PC power.

Covering frame I got matte finish 2mm black plastic board (polyehylene), what i clipped for few evenings and tried to get on place. Back sheet is still missing. Result is seen on photo. Front side holes will get avionics.

Connectors and power Because covering were almost finished i started to work with back of casing. I already knew that this part will cause troubles. Because i needed to install power and other connectors in back. Also i want to put whole panel quite close to wall so there is no enough space for connectors. So i had to make cut-out for power and other connectors. Currently i have small 800mA 9 volt unrequlatod power supply but i will not use this with final panel. I ended to use 200 watt PC-AT power what gives 5 volts for displays, panel backlightning and for everythinf else what is needed. And 12 volts for FSBUS. I think i will not run out of power.

In original schematics COM-card wants 9 volts but after quick investigations i ended to that it will accept 12 volts without any modifications. Biggest mystery was 555-timer what gets directly that 9 volts. For everything else power is requlated 5 volts. Timer generates about 13.5 volts for PIC-programming from 9 volts. And for this 12 volts from PC-power is not enoug. PIC programmin voltage should be between 12 and 14 volts. Timer has to be on COM board for programming mode. When i studied 555-timer datasheets i noticed that it cun run even 16 volts. So there should be no any problems to use 12 volts with FSBUS. I plugged 12 volts to COM-card only and measured all voltages on board with oscilloscope to see voltage level and possible spikes. All were just normal and everything worked like them should. My next idea is to rip off 7805 (+5v requlator) and give 5 volts directly from PC-power supply.

Buttons, switches and other things Case itself started to be ready and waited for other things. So Autpilot was good place to start. All research and other minor things was already done, so places for buttons and rotaries were known. But it is really lot's of work to solder all buttons, cables and connectors. And you have to use lot's of wire for few buttons, as you can see in photo.

Few more switches more. Cleaning my desk and Finally i got it to test. There is "little" things missing from panel. But Autopilot works fully without needing keyboard and mouse. Also half of electrics are included too.

At this point it was good to include another part of this projest. LCD-displays. I just quickly soldered needed cables and made prototype modules for display units. So that tape is Not final way to attach display modules to case. Also i soldered NAV1 and NAV2 radios, so long mouse...

I just noticed that there is so many buttons and switches that it is hard to remember what is for what. So logical solution is to make labels. I used CAD for module panels and texts. Finally i just printed them to A3 sized paper and cut out needed parts. Here is prototyping this system. Paper is simply attached behind switch screws. On final version labels will be laminted or under thin bright plex.

And because half of modules still were attached with tape, i just cut out rest of module plates. Drilled holes to cornes and screw them to panel. This solution gives me possibility to change one module without making whole front panel.

From here we continue...

And what is Plan

Updated: 9.02.2009