[WT-support] Can you do this already?

[HRS I4UFH]

Well I really know that most of time you disagree an idea because for you or
in your experience you have not  found it useful.

I will try to details better my ideas. Regarding the direction switch, at
FY5KE you really  spend most of the time with the hand on the beverage
switch ... !!

Well I still think that have also the antenna switch available on the
keyboard allow you to don't loose concentration during a pile up, I admit
that using a double key as SHIFT 0-9 coulf not be the short way, but using
the numeric keypad from 1 to 9 that mimic the direction of the antenna 8 =
North,2 =  South, 4 = West,6= East, and 0 to switch in "Auto Mode" could not
be a ad idea.

Most of us have a good typewriting, and numbers are typed from the topline
of keys on the main keyboard ( not same in France if I remember well ! ) and
the keypad is useful at leat for the INS or + keys, the numeric keypad is
always under the right hand in few ms, easy to remember easy to do,
switching the antenna with the keypad could be a breeze..

About automatic selection, well I am waiting your answer about the issue of
partial call, the same one discussed in Germany with Oliver, there are
simple tricks that can be used, simply switch the right antenna only when
you are sure of the call, this means at least with aknowledge of the Country
AND a valid prefix this means if I am beaming US and "Japan Alpha" call me
WT don't switch the antenna because a valid prefix has not been aknowledged
( JA without a number is most of the time a not valid PFX if you don't add
the mumber 0 for fulling the prefix ), so you still beaming US and work
K4JA. But if you type JA4, well the antenna switch in the JA direction.
Obviously there will be a sort of ecceptions in this logic that cannot be
added and so the manual overriding is needed ( easy with keypdad  choice the
antenna, manaing you pileup of JA's and that back to "auto mode" pressing 0,
for example ) but most of the time at least 85/90% an automatic system is
great !!

Switching beverage during a pileup is annoing, I remember the 80m sunrise
pile up from FY5KE and the back and forth switching between the beverage
from USA and EU was frustating, you have only 30 min to close the band with
EU to get the juiceble mult's and have West Coas calling you too, my right
hand were always on the switch and typing only with the left ... Even boths
direction could be listened with different strenght, some time if an
European was readable on the US beverage i dind't switch preferring to use 2
hands instead of one to speed up the QSO, probable is only a my personal
point of view not shareble or may be I think a lot .....

I don't agree the the rotary switch is the best choice, could and must be a
backup way to do that, I can compare at least with CW keyers, paddle are the
"old way" to do that but now if you don't have the computer hooked to the
Radio for CW you can't squeeze you, as operator, and the capabilities of the
software ...obviously having a paddle hooked to the radio allow you to
override the PC control .....

BTW I know that the Rotor Control interface that Oliver is working on has a
similar approach, setting the beaming range of a defined antenna and with a
sort of key sequence after typing the call the software send commands to the
rotor to beam in the right direction. My idea is little be simple with the
add of the "automatic mode", so it not far from your approach at least a
simple mods that can be take care... Most of the time a simplest solution
can be added as a subsytem of a one more complex .....

Apologies for this long topic ..

See you in Germany in 2008 , to comment with useful functions !  :)

73 de Fabio I4UFH







Hi Fabio

HRS I4UFH a écrit :

> Does your Rotators Control include also the discussed issue of Switching
> different antennas on a same band, with a sort of CTRL 0-9 or best related
> to the call edited in the call field  :)  ??
>
> This a 2 year long discussion with Oliver each time we meet in Germany !!!
> The main idea is to drive an external device ( EZMaster or parallel port
pin
> or, other devices ) that can switch in a easy way several antennas in a
> defined band. Both in manual and automatic mode.
>
> This could be a row/column table where you select the output that you want
> to open/close ( the antenna ) and the degrees of the beaming of this
> antenna, so you can manually select the antenna with suggested CTRL 0-9
> keys, or using the beaming information switching the proper antenna
related
> to the call ( after the country ackwoledge ). Great tool for stations with
> fixed antennas in different directions tha nned to have a external manual
> control box to do that ...

I can't speak for Olivier, but IMHO this kind of feature is "nice", but
totally counter-productive :

1/ It means that when using this feature, you will hv to use the
shortcut (Ctrl-# or other) everytime you want to change direction. It is
much more advisable to use a rotary switch which permits you in one
gesture (meaning 180° max. wrist rotation) to do that. And, on the other
hand (pun intended) you can still enter callsign with your left hand,
and switch antenna with the right hand. Try to enter a callsign while
switching 2 or 3 antennas with Ctrl-#, now...

2/ Now, the "auto-selection" by callsign. I'm in the middle of a heavy
pile-up, and hear "Japan Alpha", I enter. The JA antenna is
automatically switched. "Japan Alpha Five Nine Fifteen !". Sssshhhh...
"Japan Alpha Five Nine Fifteen !" What the hell ? Back the US beam
(manually) "Japan Alpha Five Nine Fifteen !" "Roger - Kilowatt Four
Japan Alpha - Five Nine Five"... You see the point ?

Honestly, the good old rotary switch under the right hand is the best
way to switch antennas and being productive. Not very high technologic
stuff but highly efficient !

> Yes I know may be a need for fews ... but this is the must of WT have
> features that other one don't have ... and this could be one !!!

Not so convinced ;-)

See you in Germany in 2008 ;-)

73

Larry - F6FVY

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