AEA CP-1

Advanced Electronic Applications AEA CP-1 Computer Patch

A Very Versatile RTTY - Packet - Amtor - Pactor - ASCII - CW Modem

AEA CP-1 Modem (Modified)
Made in the early 80's, the AEA CP-1 is a nice unit loaded with features such as Oscilloscope and L.E.D. bargraph tuning. The CP-1 uses a 4 pole active filter for demodulation and an XR-2206 dual tone generator for Audio Frequency Shift Keying (AFSK). Want to know more? Download the manual! (2.1MB) A CP-1 sells for about $10 at hamfests. Pictures of CP-1	The best picture I have of a CP-1 is the one I modified (3 toggle switches and 3 L.E.D.'s).

What's on this page
There is a lot of content about the CP-1 on this page, so here are the highlights: Tips, tricks and modifications for the CP-1, information on programs for the CP-1, CP-1 manual with schematic, checking for, installing, or building an RS-232 interface so the CP-1 can be used with a PC, link to serial port wiring chart for the CP-1. And last, more pictures of the CP-1 inside and out.

Tips, Tricks and Modifications for the CP-1
As you can see from the picture of the CP-1 at the top of this page, I have made quite a bit of modifications over time. The modifications I made are: Toggle transmit data polarity, making 300 baud packet possible with a CP-1, or better yet, making a separate demodulator just for 300 baud packet using an XR-2211 tone decoder, reducing the audio input level to the CP-1, making a serial cable for the CP-1 or CP-100 (also on this page), and adding RS-232 to the CP-1 for use with a PC (also on this page).

Programs for the CP-1
Some times the AEA CP-1 is mistaken for a TNC for the way it looks. There are no brains in a CP-1. Therefore the software does all the work. Special modem programs are needed for operation. Typical DOS based programs that work great with the CP-1 are:

BayCom - Packet - Free
Eskay Packet ( SP ) - Free
HamComm - RTTY, AMTOR, CW - Free
Terman ( AN-93 ) - RTTY, AMTOR, PACTOR - Free
BMK MULTY - RTTY, AMTOR, PACTOR, CW, FAX - Very expensive, Y2K bug!
And there are other programs out there. Note: BayCom and SP are packet programs. Both programs are capable of 300 and 1200 baud operation. The AEA CP-1, with an easy modification, would only be able to handle the 300 baud.

Why are there no Windows based modem programs for the AEA CP-1?
There are serial port timing issues with the non-syncronized data arriving from the modem. There have been modem programs for Windows in the past but never worked right. The DOS programs do not use the TXD and RXD lines of the serial port for data which cause the timing problem. Instead other serial data lines that do not have to be synchronized as such are used to send and receive the data to and from the modem. A chart on my RS-232 for the CP-1 page shows where these DOS modem programs expect to see data on a PC serial port. Luckily, they are all the same serial pins for each program!

What to do if you have a non-DOS system
Windows 95 and 98 are DOS based and you can exit out of windows to DOS or just boot to DOS to use a DOS modem program. However Windows XP, NT, and Linux are not DOS based. So what to do? Dust off your old DOS boot disk, and copy the modem program onto it. I have a boot disk that has several modem programs on it with disk space left over. Pop the disk in the floppy drive and turn the computer on. You now have a DOS system.

Upgrading the CP-1 for RS-232 communications with a PC ( RS-232 option )
To reduce cost, only a few CP-1's had built in RS-232 serial port communications right from the factory. Not many hams had a computer with a RS-232 port in 1983! You will most likely need to upgrade the TTL CP-1 to RS-232 signal level for a PC. It's not difficult or expensive depending on the route you choose to do so. Before doing anything you will need to open up the CP-1 and see if the RS-232 option is already installed. The CP-1 may have (most didn't) a DB-25 connector on the back, but this does not mean the RS-232 circuit is installed. Ready to see if you need to upgrade the CP-1 to RS-232?

Advanced Electronic Applications ( AEA ) is out of business
I thought everyone knew, but I guess not from the E-Mails I have been getting. AEA went out of business years ago. Or rather they got bought out by "Timewave". You can bet they don't support the AEA CP-1 OR CP-100 anymore.

Technical Data

Download CP-1 instruction manual with schematic 2.1MB PDF

Download AEA bulletin/RS-232 modification for CP-1 80K PDF

How to make a TTL to RS-232 interface for the CP-1

CP-1 tips, tricks, and modifications

DOS programs for the AEA-CP-1

Oscilloscope Tuning
	The AEA CP-1 and CP-100 has Oscilloscope output for accurate tuning. My favorite feature!

Views of the CP-1 Inside and Out
There are two pages of CP-1 pictures. The first page has external views of an original CP-1, rear view of all of the many connectors, and the CP-1 with tuning 'scope together. The second page has all internal views of the circuit board, and close ups of the RS-232 area, my RS-232 board, and a picture of the XR-2211 tone decoder for much improved copy of 300 baud packet.

Notice...
You are encouraged to check all of the pages on this web site for the information you seek, starting at the main page. Each page is possibly related to another. The information on each page is "as-is", try at your own risk, and so on. We can help you out some what, as time permits. Try to stay on topic. Please, do not ask to "engineer" or "re-engineer" a design to suit your special project. We do not sell parts or kits of any kind. All said, we are open to any suggestions on adding more material, as long as it is on topic with a particular web page of the Technicothica web site. An example of things that are not "on topic" are: Support for APRS, EMWIN, TNC's and sound card stuff. ~Thanks!

Site Created 9/18/99

Updated 1 January 2004

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