CTR2-Dial is an enhanced version of CTR2-MIDI with a color touchscreen display. For simplicity I’ll refer to CTR2-MIDI as the MIDI and CTR2-Dial as the Dial for the rest of this post.
I’ve posted a video introducing the Dial on YouTube.
The Dial is based a MIDI controller on the M5Dial from M5Stack, a world-renowned provider of quality embedded control products. The code base from CTR2-MIDI has been extensively modified to support the Dial’s display and more controls have been added.
A Little History
CTR2-MIDI is a simple, compact, yet rugged MIDI controller designed with ham operators in mind. With a multi-function encoder and six dual-function pushbuttons it’s easy to remember what each control does. The physical knob and pushbuttons provide tactile feedback so you can “fly it blind”. Its small size and lack of a display means you don’t have to worry about throwing it into a day pack or your travel luggage. It supports an external paddle and brings true CW operation to remote operations. It’s also preconfigured and works with many radio control apps like Marcus’s (DL8MRE) excellent iOS/MacOS apps for Flex, Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu radios. It’s also perfectly at home controlling Thetis for your ANAN and Hermes Lite rigs. It even works great with Remote Ham Radio.
But with this simplicity comes some limitations. While it has 8 encoder functions, it’s up to you to remember which function is assigned to each encoder mode. Same with the six pushbuttons. Each button has a short and a long-press function and you need to remember which button does what. Due to the limited number of controls you may find yourself reaching for the touchscreen on you iPad of iPhone more often than you would like.
The New Kid on the Block
CTR2-Dial aims to overcome these limitations.
First, the Dial has a color touchscreen and only one physical button. Buttons and encoder functions (called dials on the Dial) are virtual. This provides for more options than ever before. The Dial has 42 button functions (enough for dedicated band and mode buttons) and 18 dial functions. You can add up to two additional physical encoders for a total of 30 dial functions.
Fortunately, every control function has a user defined label so there’s no guessing at what function a button or dial performs. The Dial’s small display (1.28″) becomes a control surface for your radio control app.
You can easily navigate between the dial, buttons, and knob menus with a finger swipe. Press the physical button on the orange ring to return to the Home page. Touching the label in the center of the Dial page opens the Dial menu. Turn one of the external encoders (called Knobs) to instantly change the parameter assigned to that control. Knob menu(s) on the Home pages allows you quickly choose which control(s) you want the knob(s) to operate.
The only drawback to the Dial is that since most of the controls are virtual you need to have “eyes on it” when operating it.
Built for the CW and Voice Op
Like the CTR2-MIDI, the Dial supports an external paddle, key, and/or PTT switch input, so bring your paddles, remote operation is about to get fun again! You do need to give up the second external encoder to get the paddle input jack.
The Dial also supports a virtual PTT switch. Just touch the display to key your radio. You can even assign the virtual PTT switch to act as a straight key, although the latency through the system limits your code speed.
What CTR2-Dial Is Not
CTR2-Dial, like CTR2-MIDI, is strictly a MIDI controller. It is not a complete radio controller like CTR2-Micro and it must be used with a control app that supports MIDI control. It only sends MIDI commands to the radio control app it is connected to. It does not receive status information back from the app or radio. Therefore, the value displayed for each parameter represent the last value sent to the app. If you change a parameter on the app that change will not be sent to CTR2-Dial.
Does it work with SmartSDR Windows?
Not directly. Like the MIDI, the Dial is optimized for use with Marcus’ (DL8MRE) iOS/MacOS apps, but these are not the only apps it works with. It works this many other Windows, iOS/MacOS, and Linux radio control apps that support MIDI control, like Remote Ham Radio, Thetis, SparkSDR, and SDR-Console, to name a few.
To use the Dial or MIDI with apps that don’t support MIDI control, like SmartSDR for Windows, you must run a MIDI translator app like CoyoteMIDI. This middleman app translates the MIDI commands from the Dial or MIDI to mouse scroll actions or keystrokes to provide limited control for just about any app. For example, using CoyoteMIDI the Dial or MIDI can control the frequency on SmartSDR for Windows, WebSDR, and wfView. It can even be used as a jog wheel on Audacity.
Enclosure Options
Multiple enclosures are available for the Dial. In addition, pre-cut enclosure kits with pre-wired encoders and paddle input jacks are available for those who want to buy their own M5Dial and build their own.
New Age Enclosure
A New Age S3A-352510 is used for this enclosure option. This enclosure has room for one external encoder with a 32mm aluminum knob (same one used on CTR2-MIDI and CTR2-Micro) and a 3.5mm stereo jack to connect your CW paddles, or two external encoders with smaller 15 mm knobs. The enclosure is CNC machined to insure proper fit.
This option will be available as a ready to build kit with encoder(s) and/or a 3.5mm stereo jack, rubber feet, and 16mm standoffs with rubber boots to tilt the enclosure if desired. The encoders and/or the 3.5mm jack come with wiring harnesses so no soldering is required to build the kit. Just add your own M5Dial to complete the build. A fully assembled and tested unit in the New Age is also available.
Altoids Tin Enclosure
We all know that to be a proper ham radio kit it must fit in an Altoids tin. Well, the Dial does! To build a Dial in an Altoids tin just buy a tin of Altoids mints, and an M5Dial. Order an encoder (or two) and a 3.5mm stereo jack (if using one encoder). Encoders and jacks are pre-wired assemblies with connectors. I won’t be providing machined Altoids tins because I hate cutting them 🙂
Third Party Enclosures
Without a doubt, there are others out there with way more expertise than me in designing custom enclosures for electronic gear. Neil, G7UFO, is one of them. He has designed a nice 3D enclosure for the Dial. He offers printed enclosures or complete, assembled Dial units on his Shopify shop. He’ll even share his STL files for others to print for non-commercial use. UK and EU customers can save on shipping when ordering from his shop.
UK and EU customers can save on shipping when ordering from his shop.
If you’re a 3D designer and want to design, or have designed an enclosure for the Dial, send me your ideas and photos. I’ll add them to my site. I’d love to have some community involvement on the Dial’s design.
Build Your Own
The Dial is a perfect project for those that like to build their own gear from scratch. You can purchase all the hardware yourself to build it. I have pre-assembled encoder and 3.5mm stereo jacks available with the required interface circuits and wiring harnesses pre-installed. The encoder and jack interface circuits provide “hard pull-ups” to 3.3 volts and RF filtering because the M5Dial does not provide these. If you want to wire your own, you can find the schematics on the CTR2 group’s File section under CTR2-Dial.
If you want to build your unit entirely yourself you’ll need to purchase a firmware license at a minimal cost. The firmware runs in Demo mode without a license. In this mode, it runs for 15 minutes and then shuts down. Everything is fully functional but you can’t save settings and map changes so after 15 minutes you have to start over.
But I Already Own a CTR2-MIDI
That’s wonderful and I appreciate your support!
If you’re running Marcus’ iOS/MacOS apps you can connect a Dial and a CTR2-MIDI to the app at the same time. Just connect one using Bluetooth to the CTR2 Controller object in the app’s Tools menu. Connect the second one using USB to the MIDI Controller object in the Tools menu. Select the XIAO_ESP32S3 device if connecting to a CTR2-MIDI, or the STAMP_S3 device if connecting to the Dial. Next, select DJ2GO2 in the Compatibility list and touch the Enabled button to connect. With two MIDI devices connected you can have up to four dials and knobs mapped to various functions, or have the Buttons menu open on the Dial to quickly select options what the other encoders are used for VFO tuning, RIT, XIT, volume, etc.
You can also run two or more MIDIs and Dials in Thetis using USB connections.
Which One is Right for Me?
By now, you might be wondering exactly that. The answer, as always is, “that depends”.
If you want something simple that just works, is small, rugged, doesn’t use a lot of battery power, and can be “flown blind”, CTR2-MIDI is the best choice for you. It’s also the best choice if you like kits that require soldering.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a full-featured MIDI controller with a color touchscreen display and a lot of capability and you don’t care too much about current consumption (the Dial draws up to 100 milliamps more than CTR2-MIDI depending on its settings) then the Dial is what you’re looking for. Heck, with user programmable control labels, the Dial can even be used with MIDI enabled musical instruments and controllers.
How Do I Get One
CTR2-Dial is available now! Go to the Shop and select the options you want to order. You’ll receive an email confirmation when you submit your order. I will capture your payment and send you the tracking # when your order is packaged and ready to ship.
For those that want to source their own material, you can buy an M5Dial from Adafruit, Mouser, Digikey, and many others, then purchase a firmware license in my online Shop. You can download the latest firmware from this page, or from the CTR2 Group CTR2-Dial Files folder.
In Conclusion
I want to give a special thanks to everyone that has supported my projects over the years. The Dial is a direct result of that support. Your support and encouragement along the way has given me even more reason to continue pushing my own limits of user interface and product development. I could just create these projects for my own use but building them and sharing them with others that truly appreciate my work is the most rewarding part of this endeavor.
73, Lynn, KU7Q