Oli Glaser wrote:
> People will probably have widely varying views on this one.

heh - exactly.

C on the smaller microcontrollers can be a real bear unless you are
already familiar with the part and the compiler.  If you are already an
expert on the chip it can be a real time saver.  But if you don't already
understand the chip, then it can be a real black hole unless you stick to
trivial problems.

On the other hand, some of the newer, bigger, faster parts take C quite
well.  Still, a microcontroller is not a mainframe, so programming it in C
isn't like programming C on a PC.  There is still a lot of grody detail to
learn, but with parts like the 16 bit PICs, it isn't nearly the minefield
it is with the 8 bit parts.

If you haven't already invested a bunch of time into the 16Fs (as a lot of
hams have and the IV3YNB makes me suspect you might be one of them), I
would suggest you get the biggest 24F or 30F you can get in a package you
are comfortable with and have at it.  (Many of the cooler parts only come
in hobbyist-hostile packages.) Even the most expensive of those PICs are
under about ten euro, and with a ton of memory and pins you won't be
trying to squeeze things in.  The 30Fs have the advantage of being 5 volt,
so depending on the DDS you choose they may be worth it even if you don't
need the DSP.  There are some differences in available features between
the 24 and 30 families, but the basic programming is identical.

Once you have a working prototype, if you then decide you want multiples,
it is pretty easy to move to another, cheaper part in the same family.=20
But if its just for you, then why not burn a couple of extra euro to save
yourself some frustration.,

If you don't mind spending a few euro I would suggest getting the Explorer
16 and a few of Microchip's protoboards to hold your circuitry.  That way
all the micro support is taken care of (not that there's a lot) and you
can focus on your own circuitry until you get more comfortable.  Plus,
Microchip has some example code you can play with to get the hang of it.=20
Kind of pricey but a nice way to get off the ground.

Of course, there is the reverse approach.  There is plenty of DDS code
around for the 16F family ... check out AA0ZZ's work for example.  Most is
for the AD98xx or si570, so if you are wanting to use a different DDS it
may or may not be helpful.  The 16F's are dirt cheap, and have been a ham
favorite forever.  But almost all the work there has been in assembler.  I
don't personally see that as a problem (for obvious reasons).  But if you
are just getting in now maybe it is better to dive into the newer, more
capable parts.

--McD


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