AE0S
Amateur Radio Station
AE0S
Amateur Radio Station

Please use new site at: https://cqqrz.github.io/projects/yaesu-bluetooth-cat\index.html


Yaesu Bluetooth CAT Interface

Adding bluetooth support for the CAT interface of my Yaesu FT-857d sounded quite interesting, especially for repeater usage while traveling. I was really close to buying one from K6VHF but somehow I missed the opportunity and he hasn't been selling any for a while.

Working with the bare HC-05 module is a pain so I decided to go with one that is mounted on the base board. The base board allows the HC-05 module be powered with 5V but the RX/TX signal are still only 3.3V which is a bummer. I decided to use level shifters for the signal lines to convert the 5V signals from the Yaesu to/from the 3.3V signals of the bluetooth module. Of course this setup means two voltage regulators since I needed 5V and 3.3V. Tip on the voltage regulators: The spec sheets show the pin layout from the bottom of the LP package, something I didn't noticed right away.

Yaesu Bluetooth CAT Interface Yaesu Bluetooth CAT Interface Yaesu Bluetooth CAT Interface

Note: The RepeaterBook app is locked to specific MAC addresses of bluetooth modules. So only BlueCAT dongles can be used with the app.

Parts List

Circuit Diagram and Prefboard (PCB) Layout

Yaesu FT-8x7 Bloothooth Cat Interface Circuit Diagram and Board.pdf

Other Resources:

Interesting Notes