[WT-support] Feedback from WPX SSB

[Andy Cook, G4PIQ]

I ran my second serious contest with Win-Test as M6T SOAB during WPX SSB. I
had SO2R better configured this time but I still ran across a few problems. 
 
1. There were occasions where pressing any of the DVP keys would put the
active radio into transmit, but would connect the microphone rather than
play the DVP message. I think this was usually after aborting a DVP message
on the second radio (e.g. via shift F4 and pressing Esc before the message
completed). Needed to restart Win-Test to get everything working again.
Probably happened about 20 times during 36 hours operating. 
 
2. Sometimes the outgoing DVP messages would become chopped-up as if another
process was getting CPU time priority. Again - needed a restart. Happened
about 10 times during 36 hours operating.
 
3. When running alternating CQs in SO2R mode (using the default macro), when
it came to answer a caller (so using the microphone, not sending a DVP
message) sometimes the PTT and microphone line would be directed to the
wrong radio. I think I cleared this with a couple of presses of the * key
and then sending a DVP message. Only happened about 5 times, but I didn't
use alternating CQs very much (< 1 hour). 
 
4. I couldn't see how to configure Latch mode. I only had 2 COM ports on the
PC and those were being taken up by the radios. I tried (briefly)
configuring various other fake SO2R controllers on one of those COM ports as
a test, but still couldn't get Latch mode to work. So my technique for
working someone on the second radio was a rather clunky, SHIFT-F4, *, enter
callsign, send report, hit enter, *.
 
Then I have three feature requests. These fall into the category of - can we
make Win-Test behave more like TR Log - for which I apologise. I used TR for
a long time and it really does have a very slick SO2R interface - but
equally, I'm happy to be told that I'm just not using Win-Test right though!
 
1. When in alternating CQ mode, as soon as you start to enter a callsign,
drop the CQ on the second radio and return PTT and microphone to the radio
where the caller is. Currently Win-Test seems to wait until the end of the
DVP message to do this (or at least doesn't abort quickly enough with Esc)
and I was left with a lot of awkward pauses. 
 
2. Strangely, I find having to either toggle CAPS LOCK on or off, or hold
the SHIFT key down to enter a callsign in the 2nd radio window awkward
(especially when your fingers are frozen!), and more so having to hit
SHIFT-F11 to clear the window if it's a dupe, or SHIFT-CTRL-ENTER to clear
it and put it into the bandmap. Is there any config which makes this as
simple as TR's ALT-D, enter Callsign, ENTER to do a DUPE check, MULT check,
band map enter and if not a dupe line up ready to call with just the SPACE
bar. 
 
3. Aborting CQs with Esc isn't instant - it takes a few hundred ms which
means a few more lost characters when you realise that someone was just
starting to call you as you hit F1 or the auto CQ went off. 
 
Configuration was P4 1.6 GHz, 1 Gb RAM, Win XP Pro SP2, Homebrew SO2R
controller from LPT port.
 
If anyone can shed any light on any of these problems (do others see them as
well), that would be really helpful. I've made the switch to Win-Test now
(reconfigured my SO2R controller!) - just need to get it working 100%.
 
73,
 
Andy, G4PIQ
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