PIC24FJ64GB002 hello world on Microstick II

Had to document the fact i started to dig into the series 24 of the PICs (PIC24FJ64GB002), after some time in the PIC16F (887 and 886 mainly) and some PIC18.

This time, im using the Microstick II board.

My intention is to start looking at the USB stack !!

/*
**
** Hello1.c my first PIC24fj program in C
*/
#include <p24FJ64GB002.h>

// this is the config bits that work for me on my microstick II
_CONFIG1( JTAGEN_OFF        // disable JTAG interface
        & GCP_OFF           // disable general code protection
        & GWRP_OFF          // disable flash write protection
        & ICS_PGx2          // ICSP interface (2=default)
        & FWDTEN_OFF)       // disable watchdog timer

#define DELAY   1600       
// use just 10 to speed up the simulation with MPLAB SIM 

unsigned char count;    // an 8-bit counter (also see chapt.4)

main()
{
    // init control registers
    TRISA = 0xff00; // all PORTA as output
    T1CON = 0x8030; // TMR1 on, prescale 1:256 Tclk/2
    
    // init counter
    count = 0;
    
    // main application loop
    while( 1)
    {
        // increment counter value
        count = count+1;
        
        // output counter value and wait 
        PORTA = count;  
        TMR1 = 0;
        while ( TMR1 < DELAY)
        {
        }
    } // main loop
} // main