JamHamster

I've sort of lost count. 😂 I thought I'd add some pics of the setup in detail. I've used scooter chain and made sprockets that engage with every other link.

The bottom rollers keep the tracks straight and in line. 🙂

Just a standard Spektrum 6 channel tx and Rx.

I don't trust my programming skills enough for autonomy, I suspect there would be carnage. 😂

If I convert them to the wheelbarrow I'll try and cast some tyres in a tetradecagon shape making a sort of gear that'll engage with the flat spots on the inside of the tracks.

I have another project that may be closer to what you need. It has a more refined drive system and no slippage. 🙂

I used friction drive in the end and used the chains as guides.

The 'tyres' are made from 100mm bus radiator hose. 🙂

The only tracks I've seen are really expensive, I'd love to use snowmobile tracks.

I ended up making mine out of aluminium bars, and then bolting them to a bike chain on every other link.

That's marvellous! 😍

I think there might be a weight class issue if there was a battle. 🙂

It's surprisingly gentle. The tracks have a bevel at the edges and it has a square footprint.

If the footprint is too long, it forces the front and back to drag sideways in tight turns.

Sabertooth dual 60A drivers. They're overkill but consistent. They have an ultrasonic switching frequency so don't have the 'nyeeeep'. 🙂

The other is about 45 kilos and powered by 2 350w scooter motors, has scooter shocks, and is better for off road.

(And was coincidentally the right scale for a Barbie car shell) 😂

I'll have a look through my old videos. The one with the claw is surprisingly agile for 30+ kilos. 🙂

Just cleaning them as they were covered in dust and ick so I can put them away ready for summer. I'm planning on combining them into a tracked wheelbarrow with a tipper.

I've only really been posting since lockdown and I've been tinkering for decades. I should probably post my older stuff. 🤔

I might need to tap you up for knowledge as I've not used one before. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Power washed the tanks in preparation for the move.

Which is a completely normal thing to do. 😂

I'm really looking forward to it! 🙂

My MiSTer Multisystem2 Analogue arrived (at an alternative address) and with the move and everything I should be able to get to play with it some time in March! 😂

Thanks! It'll take a lot of work but it's going to be worth it! ☺️

Bobby D (Robert Dyas) is pretty good for 'bits in packets' at a pinch, that or an old fashioned proper hardware store. 🙂

I also built a test unit with the Schmitt trigger and pause combined onto a small PCB and added a switch to reverse the polarity. As a nice quirk of physics, I can do that by turning the tape over as well.
I'll need to scope each deck to find a happy medium head/coil wise but that'll have to wait. 🙂

It turns out that the tape deck I was using was responsible for the ringing and the signal is fine. 😂

I also think I know why the behaviour is different depending on the deck. The coil and the head are creating a transformer of sorts and each head is different, leading to variable behaviour.🤔

Thanks! ☺️

Contracts Exchanged! I had better get packing. 😀

That looks proper nasty, I hope it all heals up soon! 😲

That is lovely! 😍

Well, this is nice! The new trigger drives the coil evenly and filtering was a breeze. I don't even need the DC bias setup as max volume on the BT module puts the trigger point in the right place. The volume is pretty close to ideal too!

i'll get the pause bits set up and build it into a shell.

It rings like a bell with the coil attached and I've added some filtering but it looks like it's being unevenly driven.

It actually works pretty well as is, so I'm going to crack on with the tiny version and go from there.

I'll try and get the pause detection on the same board whilst I'm at it. 🙂

I made a big version to mess with. If I'm right, it should just be a case of matching the coil to the new setup and a little filtering/attenuation.

I'll need to balance the DC bias to trigger at dead center but I have a twiddler for that.

It'll either be brilliant, rubbish or on fire. 🙂

I've got as far as I can with an analogue output on the Bluetooth cassette.

There's too much variation in tape images/hardware and I can't get a one size fits all.

I'm going to try a Schmitt trigger setup which should add some consistency.

i'll assemble a board and see what it can do. 🙂

Thanks! I got most of them as parts or not working from eBay, and fixed them up. It took a few years but I learned a whole bunch and have some nice toys to play with. ☺️

Yeah, the soldering is fine but I swapped vcc and output in the PCB design.

I honestly wasn't expecting to get this far and another board revision is trivial (which is probably just as well!) 😂

It's not exactly neat but that'll do. ☺️