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Cybiko What does it do? UI Messaging is an APRS application that uses small inexpensive handheld devices to send and receive APRS message packets. Why do I want it? Because its way cool! Is this system portable? You don’t have to lug around a PC to send and receive messages. With a HT, GPS, TNC-X and a Cybiko you can use APRS and be very portable and battery operated. Is this multi-user? Oh yeah, several hams can send and receive messages through a single gateway. What hardware is required? You need a Cybiko handheld computer(s). These PDA like computers are toys, like a gameboy. They didn’t sell well in the U.S. At $99.00 a pop, I guess most parents didn’t give them away as Christmas gifts. There are two models of the Cybiko, the classic and extreme. The classic has a RS-232 port where as the extreme has a USB port. There are two versions of the classic model. The two versions work alike however; the older version 1 has an on/off button on its side. The newer version 2 has a hard reset button where the on/off switch used to be. (To turn on/off the Classic version 2 hold down the escape key.) Version 2 has a 80K of extra memory because of a more efficient storage method of the OS. Other than, these differences they all functionally the same.
Do I need a TNC? You will need a TNC that is KISS compatible. This is where the new TNC-X would come in handy. It runs on a 9-volt battery and is very small and best of all cheap! You will also need a null modem cable to connect the Cybiko to the TNC. How Many Cybikos do I need? If you just want to send and receive messages via APRS, you can get by with just one classic. If you want to be really cool and wireless up to say, 300 feet that is, you’ll need to have at least one classic for the gateway and an Xtreme or classic for the messenger If you want to use a GPS, you will need two classics Where do I get Cybikos? Now the bad part, the classics are not being produced anymore. The extremes are much more plentiful and supported in the UK. Now here is the good part. Classics are cheap! After Christmas like most toys they are tossed into the bottom of the toy box or show up on Ebay. You will find them used on EBAY.COM or HALF.COM for $4.00 to $10.00 each. Extremes cost little more say, $10.00 to $20.00. Make sure you are buying the USA version of Cybiko. Don’t buy from UK sellers! The UK versions are using 800 MHz, where as the USA versions are 900 Mhz. Even rarer are some of the options, 1 meg option card, MP3 player and travel case. Now the really suckie part, every classic I bought, except for one has had bad and leaking batteries. These batteries are a strange duck. They are type F6, whatever the crap that is. I have found a few of them on the internet for $6.00 each plus shipping. That is Crazy… Now the good parts, the two F6 batteries in the Cybikos are 1.2 volt NiMH at 700 mAh in series. I added an (series style) AA battery pack from radio shack that fits nicely where the F6 batteries use to be. I cleaned the acid from the PCB pads and tined them up nicely. I just ran the power lead into the case and soldered the leads to the PCB. I installed two AA NiMH 2500 mAh batteries in the new battery pack. How long do the batteries last? The original batteries would last 8 to 10 hours. My new setup runs 3 days on a charge. The built in charging system works fine with the larger batteries or better yet, I just replace them with a freshly charged set. The Cybiko is just a toy. How far can it transmit? 150 – 300 feet, there is a setting in the APRS software to increase the RF output power by 10db. This will consume more battery power but what the heck! I have 3200 more mAh to work with! Can I use an external antenna? Just for fun, I installed a 6-db gain Yagi antenna to one of my Classics. Wow, I was getting packets more than 500 feet from the gateway inside my truck!
Hey, anyone have a spare 900 MHz amp I could use? What’s under the hood? The Cybiko uses a FR2915 FSK chip rated at 10mw. Check out this document for more information of the RF chip 11MHz Hitachi S8H 32-bit Risc processor 512K working memory What software is required? Before installing the APRS software, be sure and update the OS on the Cybiko. Bad part, every classic unit I had, the OS was out of date. You need Service Pack 57. Do not install 58, this is only for the UK versions. If you install 58 on your US Cybiko, you will jack it up! OK, how much is the new OS for the Cybiko going to cost me? The OS upgrade is free! You need to get a login to http://www.cybiko.com/index_uk.asp so that when you download software you will get the USA versions. Download and install the autoupdate program to your PC. INSTALL THE WALLWORT POWER SUPPLY! You do not want to run out of battery power during the upgrade. Run autoupdate to upgrade the OS to .57. I would suggest doing the option 3 (full upgrade); this will make your Cybiko factory fresh with factory defaults. Whoops, I ordered the UK version of the Cybiko Classic. Am I screwed? No, you’re not screwed. If you’re only using the classic as a massager, it’s no big deal. But, if you are planning on using it with other Cybikos you will have some compatibility issues. I found an easy fix for this. Just replace the .58 firmware (UK) with the .57 (USA), reboot. Whala, your Cybiko just defected to the US. Cybiko will now transmit and receive on 900 MHz. Now what do I do? Remember this is a toy; we need to remove the games to make room for some serious ham stuff. Using the Cybiko’s menus, go to the apps and then to file manager and delete all of the games. Interface your Cybiko to your PC with the supplied serial/USB cable. For Classic Download and install Cyberload software from cybiko.com (it to, is free). Run the Cyberload software, configure the comport for your PC. For extrem download USB drivers and Ezloader Where do I get the APRS software? I bet it’s going to cost me a bundle of cash! Before you get started, read the manuals! They are well written and easy to follow. The APRS software that you will need is on http://www.kr1st.com and guess what, it to is free! Download and unzip files.zip and install.zip. You should have two files called files.app and install.app. Double click on these two files. The Cyberload software should automatically upload them to your Cybiko. Now, using the Cybiko menus go to the apps menu and then select install. Run it and then configure it using the kr1st manual. Can I use maps with this software? Yes you can, In fact they are the same maps used in UI-View32. Down sample the UI-View32map to BW and 2 grays with MS Paint. You will need to remove much of the detail and thicken the lines and save the map as a .BMP. Load the .BMP into the PC Convert software from Cybiko (it’s free). Save as the Cybiko .PIC format. Rename the .PIC file to .MAP. Upload the .MAP and the .INF to the Cybiko’s memory. The APRS software will add this map to the list. Is the Cybiko hackable? Yes! I hacked into the OS of my Cybikos using the SDK pro software. The OS uses a Unix like command set. I removed many of the hidden files that I didn’t need. I replaced the logo.app with the uigate.app file so that the UI-Gate is loaded at boot time. This is a lot of software; do you have all that I need in one location? Yes, I have everything you need on this site. Just click the links below and save to your hard disk. APRS Software: Cybiko Classic Software: Cybkio Xtreme Software: Install these in this order! In addition, for those more daring or skilled… SDK Be very careful with this one! SDKcommands help file Are there any other uses for the Cybiko? There are hundreds of free applications for the Cybiko.. Some folks have used these as a controller for robots. For a boat-load of apps this site out, http://www.cydevr.net/files/ . If you have the skill set, you can write your own programs in Cybasic or C. The Cybiko is a very open OS and best of all its cheap! Here are a few programs to try: MorseCode two way communications. Send code via 900 Mhz, new meets old! Magic Converter Converts units of measure. VTTerm VT100 terminal program with help file, Use it with your TNC! Power will adjust the output power of the transmitter. '73 Ronn Folk AD5JN
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