Quick Start Guide

Get up and running quickly with this condensed guide.

What You Need

Hardware

1. Arduino Mega 2560
2. Nextion NX4832K035 display
3. MAX3232 RS232 converter module
4. DB9 female connector + cable
5. Jumper wires
6. 5V power supply

Software

• Arduino IDE
• Nextion Editor (for display programming)
• This project's code

5-Minute Wiring

1. Power Connections (Arduino off!)

Arduino 5V  → MAX3232 VCC
Arduino 5V  → Nextion Red wire
Arduino GND → MAX3232 GND
Arduino GND → Nextion Black wire

2. Data - Radio Connection

Arduino Pin 18 (TX1) → MAX3232 T1_IN
Arduino Pin 19 (RX1) → MAX3232 R1_OUT
MAX3232 T1_OUT       → DB9 Pin 2 (Radio RX)
MAX3232 R1_IN        → DB9 Pin 3 (Radio TX)
MAX3232 GND          → DB9 Pin 5 (Ground)

3. Data - Display Connection

Arduino Pin 16 (TX2) → Nextion Blue wire (RX)
Arduino Pin 17 (RX2) → Nextion Yellow wire (TX)

Radio Setup

Configure your FTDX-10 for CAT control:

1. Press MENU button on radio
2. Navigate to item 056 CAT RATE → Set to 38400
3. Navigate to item 058 CAT RTS → Set to DISABLE
4. Press MENU to save settings

Software Upload

Arduino Code

1. Open ArduinoFTDX10.ino in Arduino IDE
2. Select Board: Tools → Board → Arduino Mega 2560
3. Select your COM port: Tools → Port → [Your Arduino]
4. Click Upload button

Nextion Display

1. Download and install Nextion Editor
2. Create project using NextionHMI_Design.txt as reference
3. Compile to generate .tft file
4. Copy .tft to FAT32 formatted microSD card
5. Insert card in Nextion display (powered off)
6. Power on display - it will automatically update
7. Remove card when update complete

First Test

1. Power on FTDX-10 radio
2. Power on Arduino (via USB or 5V supply)
3. Wait 3 seconds for initialization
4. Display should show frequency and mode

Quick Troubleshooting

Display is Blank

• Check 5V and GND connections
• Verify display power LED is lit
• Try adjusting brightness slider on display edge

No Frequency Shown

• Check radio CAT rate is set to 38400
• Verify TX/RX connections to MAX3232
• Open Arduino Serial Monitor (115200 baud) to see debug info
• Check DB9 cable wiring

Random Characters on Display

• Check display TX/RX not swapped
• Verify baud rates match (9600 for display)

Radio Won't Respond

• Verify radio is on and CAT is enabled
• Check MAX3232 connections
• Try swapping TX/RX on MAX3232
• Ensure ground connection to radio

Quick Test Commands

Open Arduino Serial Monitor at 115200 baud. You should see:

FTDX-10 Controller Starting...
Radio CAT interface initialized
Nextion display initialized
Setup complete

If you see radio responses like:

Radio: FA014074000;
Radio: MD02;

Controls Overview

Main Page

• Tap frequency up/down: Change frequency
• Tap MODE: Cycle through modes
• BAND+/BAND-: Jump between ham bands
• A/B: Switch VFO
• Power slider: Adjust TX power
• Hold TX button: Transmit (be careful!)

Settings Page

• RF/AF Gain sliders: Adjust receiver and audio gains
• Filter: Select wide or narrow filter
• NB/NR toggles: Enable noise blanker/reduction
• BACK: Return to main page

Pin Reference Card

Arduino Mega Connections

Pin 18 (TX1) → MAX3232 T1_IN
Pin 19 (RX1) → MAX3232 R1_OUT
Pin 16 (TX2) → Nextion RX (Blue)
Pin 17 (RX2) → Nextion TX (Yellow)
5V           → MAX3232 VCC + Nextion +5V (Red)
GND          → MAX3232 GND + Nextion GND (Black) + Radio GND

DB9 to Radio

Pin 2: Arduino TX (via MAX3232)
Pin 3: Arduino RX (via MAX3232)
Pin 5: Ground

Safety Reminders

Next Steps

Once everything is working:

1. Test all functions at low power
2. Adjust display brightness to preference
3. Verify all bands work correctly
4. Test mode changes
5. Calibrate power levels if needed
6. Consider permanent enclosure
7. Add ferrite beads if RF issues occur

Success Checklist

Getting More Help