[WT-support] [Bulk] Re: Feedback from WPX SSB

Wed Apr 9 09:47:53 CEST 2008

Thanks to Braco and Jose for their suggestions. It looks like some of this
may be a little slicker with EZMASTER or MK2R+ where PTT from the footswitch
is sensed by the program.

Jose - yes - I can see that the CQ will stop as soon as you send a message
in CW, or a DVP message on SSB. Of course, when you reply to a station on
SSB you go for the footswitch, not a DVP message so it may a good way of
doing things on CW, but it's much less efficient on SSB! I guess I can
configure an empty DVP memory and press that before answering the station
though - a bit clunky though.

As to handling switching the callsign field between radio 1 and radio 2 - I
think I'll just have to get used to it being different. Braco suggested
using the footswitch which is a good idea, but I already have two
footswitches - one for PTT and one for switching Rx antenna so I'm not sure
I want a third! I need another leg!

73,

Andy, G4PIQ

-----
From: support-bounces at win-test.com [mailto:support-bounces at win-test.com] On
Behalf Of José Nunes CT1BOH
Sent: 09 April 2008 07:30
To: support at win-test.com
Subject: [Bulk] Re: [WT-support] Feedback from WPX SSB

Hi Andy

A couple of answers:

2008/4/8 Andy Cook, G4PIQ <g4piq at btinternet.com>:

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. 

I wrote the specs with F5MZN for SO2R in WT.
When you start typing something on the callsign field, the CQ is not
supposed to be dropped on the other radio as you ask.
The CQ must go on the other radio until you start transmitting (hit INSERT
ON CW) what you just typed. Only when you start transmitting the CQ ahould
be dropped.
This was the request and this is the way it should be to have the maximum
efficiency in SO2R Alternate Mode!

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. 

Ther are two things here

1- is how to access the call sign fields of each radio
2- is how to act on calls that are on the callsign fields

The CAPS LOCK / SHIFT KEY is there because there is only one keyboard (just
like Alt-D on TR). With this functionality you can still type calls on the
two callsign fileds (radio1 or radio2 callsign fields) particularly if you
are using the SHIFT key.
NO SHIFT- what you type goes to primary radio
SHIFT ON - what you type goes to secondary radio. 
With this way of doing things you can alternate calls on the two fields very
easily. I do this a lot when in intense SO2R.
WIth TR once you hit ALT-D you are locked into that field. To get out of
ALT-D you need to hit ESC. So if you are using WT, and Shift key, you don't
need to use the ESC key, one less key to push.

Now you have calls in the callsign fields of each radio.

With TR you are locked in the ALT-D filed and you can only act on the
"secondary radio" hitting space to start transmitting.
With WT you have one more option. You can start transmitting on primary
radio (INSERT) or on secondary radio (SHIFT+INSERT)

In conlcusion, WT behaviour was designed to be one step ahead in this
functionality, in situations where more intense SO2R require full control of
both radios.

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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-- 
-- 
José Nunes
CONTEST CT1BOH - http://www.qsl.net/ct1boh 

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