We may attach the Velleman K8048 kit to the RPi via a simple interface circuit. This allows us to perform high voltage programming and basic experiments.

 TX/!MCLR/VPP     <- GPIO14
 RTS/PGC CLOCK    <- GPIO18
 DTR/PGD DATA_OUT <- GPIO24
 RTS/PGD DATA_IN  -> GPIO25

The pins chosen may not be optimal nor your preference. You can change the pins to any you like in your profile.

A 74HC(T)03 QUAD TWO INPUT NAND GATE OPEN-DRAIN is used as a voltage level shifter.

Three outputs drive three of four inverting NAND O/D gates and the single input drives the fourth remaining gate.

The 74HC03 device has a typical input high level of 2.6V and works here but is only guaranteed for operation with a 3.5V input level. The 74HCT03 variant of this chip is preferable if available and the HCT has a typical input high level of 1.5V.

 +5V------------+----------------------------------------Vcc
                |
               === 100n
                |
 GND------------+------------------------------GND D-SUB-9 5

                |--\           +----2K2---Vcc
 GPIO14(1)---+--|   \          |
             |  |    |O--------+-----------TX/MCLR D-SUB-9 3
             +--|   /
                |--/

                |--\           +----2K2---Vcc
 GPIO18------+--|   \          |
             |  |    |O--------+---------RTS/CLOCK D-SUB-9 7
             +--|   /
                |--/

                |--\           +----2K2---Vcc
 GPIO24------+--|   \          |
             |  |    |O--------+------DTR/DATA_OUT D-SUB-9 4
             +--|   /
                |--/
                          +----1M(2)----GND
                /--|      |
               /   |--+---+----4K7(3)--CTS/DATA_IN D-SUB-9 8
 GPIO25------O|    |  |  _|_
               \   |--+  /_\ 5V1 ZENER(3)
                \--|      |
                         GND

1. When using either GPIO14 or GPIO15 kernel logging and a serial console process must be deactivated on these pins which double up as a UART.

   sudo bash
   cp /etc/inittab /etc/inittab.dist
   sed -i 's/T0:23:respawn:/#T0:23:respawn:/g' /etc/inittab
   cp /boot/cmdline.txt /boot/cmdline.txt.dist
   echo "dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 \
   rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline rootwait"> /boot/cmdline.txt
   sync
   reboot

2. To stop stray noise pickup when the Velleman K8048 is disconnected. This is not required for normal and connected operation.
3. Velleman K8076 or compatible serial device only (untested). These are not required for operation with the Velleman K8048.

On the left we have the component side and to the right the solder (strip) side.
X marks where a track must be cut on the bottom with a stripboard surface cutter.

The serial header above is a standard P.C. motherboard header.
The stripboard is cut with a hacksaw and stanley knife along the centers (lengthwise) of the DIL headers.

Wire links are cut from CW1308 telephone cable.
The finished article has a corner trimmed to fit the R-PI case.

You may wire a pull-down resistor to IC pin 4/5 to GND to stop stray noise pickup when the Velleman K8048 is disconnected. This isn't needed for normal and connected operation.

For the Velleman K8076 (untested) you may replace the second from left link with a resistor then connect a zener diode anode to ground and cathode to IC pin 4/5. There is ample room to accomplish this modification along with the pull-up modification above.

DEVICE=RPI
SLEEP=10
BITRULES=0x0010
VPP=14
PGM=-1
PGC=18
PGDO=24
PGDI=25

The RPi queries the PICMicro to reveal that it's a PIC16F648A.

This serial header is a longer example than the one shown above but works just as well. The maximum possible length is unknown.