Raspberry Pi for Yaesu FT-857

[ToddDubya]

I have a great deal on a Yaesu 857 (I don't believe it's the D version) that has the typical tiger striped display problem. My first thought was who gives a damn, then was to replace the screen, and now I'm thinking I might use a Pi for CAT control (and other stuff?) and just not even bother with the head unit.

Years ago I built the KM4ACK Build-a-Pi into a Pi with a 7" display. It worked okay, but the screen was too small for things like FT8, etc. Now I'm thinking about just using it for CAT control. I'll have to power it up and see what it has for that, and maybe do a new build with just what I need to control the radio and nothing more.

Anybody have any experience with this sort of thing?

 

[pastera]

No experience witha pi for radio but used one on proof of concept for a camera controller on 688 class subs (final design done on a US made industrial SBC with a similar processor)

At home I have a Lebre La Potato running klipper and PiHole
$35 Pi 3 clone - Available and works perfectly.

 

[42!]

I've done a few primative things with the Pi. Use them as a VoIP Proxy device, eliminates all the issues with firewalls between the cloud PBX and the phones onsite. Remote access/diagnostic box (a jump box), gives me a good local presence but can be slow. And an old school serial console server, add this to the remote access and you can do console only functions from anywhere. Played with a Windows export for the Pi, do not recommend. And a bunch of stuff others built.
What it comes down to is they are super versatile, and there is a HAT that will fit any application.

 

[ToddDubya]

I found this thing which might do what I need. There are other devices that are prettier with a higher price tag. I was kind of hoping to do this with the Pi/display I already have, but this would be a good solution for short money.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803526554773.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.2284432afoNLAS&algo_pvid=b299be3f-5aa1-43ff-9680-3aa65ef3bb99&algo_exp_id=b299be3f-5aa1-43ff-9680-3aa65ef3bb99-1&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2194.00%2147.0%21%21%2194.00%21%21%40210321c716918679434495104e8455%2112000026902781783%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=L7DHfNgi5mMA

The guy in this video was able to get a manual for it. It shows that you can connect to the CAT via the microphone port, so you connect your mic to this device, then this device to the mic port on the radio. He says you give up the Up/Down button functions on the mic, which I rarely use anyway.

I'll look around some more and see what shape it's in anyway. The guy I'm buying the radio from is honest to a fault and he was trying to find reasons to charge me less for it, and the display may be useable just not perfect. I counter offered for more money but he won't hear it.

 

[MaverickNH]

I had a BlueCAT dongle for my FT-857 that worked great. I sold the radio and gave away the dongle just a few months ago.

My BAP is running a 40/20 WSPR antenna off a QDX transmitter in downtown MHT (KC1MMS) - it works fine on WSJT-X & JT8CALL but I never tried simple CAT control for voice. No reason to think it won’t work fine.