[WT-support] Sharing COM Ports

[Iain MacDonnell - N6ML]

Bob Wilson, N6TV wrote:
> I don't understand why it is important to share CAT control of a rig between
> CW Skimmer and Win-Test.
> 
> CAT Control in CW Skimmer only works with the Softrock-IF, and with a
> transceiver in 3 kHz (headphone monitor) mode, which isn't very useful.

I don't believe that's entirely true. I setup K3 / LP-Pan / LP-Bridge /
Skimmer / Win-Test for NAQP CW, and it all worked together quite nicely.
Skimmer did believe it was talking to a Softrock-IF, IIRC. I made 175 Qs
"playing around" in NAQP that way.

I/Q audio from the LP-Pan was received by Skimmer via an EMU-0202.

Both Skimmer and W-T were talking to the K3 via LP-Bridge, and both
allowed click-to-QSY. I had skimmer setup for telnet access, and
wtDxTelnet configured to connect to it, so my band-map in W-T was
populated by the signals that Skimmer decoded - in the 24kHz (?) that
it covers at a time.

Some of the other stuff you describe (below) sounds cool too, though.

     ~Iain / N6ML


> However, with some relatively simple software enhancements to Win-Test and
> wtDxTelnet, it should be possible to more tightly couple these two programs,
> without any COM port sharing.  There is no need to have special hardware
> like LP-Pan, or new OmniRig support.  Any SDR supported by CW Skimmer will
> work as a great band scope.  Any transmitter currently supported by Win-Test
> can be made to QSY by clicking on Skimmer's band scope.
> 
> CW Skimmer 1.3 and later were enhanced with important features.  When you
> click on the CW Skimmer window, CW Skimmer sends an "Announce" message to
> its TELNET server (the one wtDxTelnet is watching), e.g.
> 
> To ALL de SKIMMER <2014Z> : Clicked on "TI8/DL4MO" at 14012.9
> 
> It also has a "blind" mode (without CW decoding), so that you can use it as
> clickable band scope, without violating the single-op rules.
> 
> To ALL de SKIMMER <2015Z> :  Clicked on 14023.7
> 
> All Win-Test and wtDxTelnet have to do is watch for these annonce messages
> and move a VFO to that frequency in an intelligent way, for example, assume:
> 
>    Main Radio on 20m in Run mode
>    Secondary Radio on 15m in S&P mode
> 
>    Click on a 20m frequency in bandscope:  Win-Test sets VFO B of Main Rig
> to that frequency
>    Click on a 15m frequency in bandscope:  Win-Test sets VFO A of Secondary
> Rig to that frequency
>    Click on any another band:  Win-Test moves VFO B of S&P radio to that
> frequency
> 
> In single-radio mode, Win-Test could move VFO B of your rig when you are in
> Run mode, and move VFO A when you are in S&P mode.
> 
> Similarly, Win-Test could send commands to CW Skimmer via TELNET messages
> (through wtDxTelnet), to control it:
> 
> To move the CW Skimmer center frequency, it could send this mesage:
> 
>    SKIMMER/QSY 14017.0
> 
> To place callsigns on the CW Skimmer band scope (with highlighting), it
> could send this message:
> 
>    SKIMMER/STATUS F5MZN 14017.0 DUPE
> 
> I hope we get to see these features of CW Skimmer properly supported by
> Win-Test and wtDxTelnet real soon.  I think other programs are already doing
> it.
> 
> 73,
> Bob, N6TV
> 
> On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 12:24 PM, Stewart GM4AFF <stewart at gm4aff.net> wrote:
> 
>> Thanks to all for the superb response. Looks like I'm not the only one who
>> needs this! I will report back when I have a working solution.
>> Thanks and 73
>> Stewart
>> GM4AFF
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: support-bounces at win-test.com
>> [mailto:support-bounces at win-test.com]On Behalf Of Stewart GM4AFF
>> Sent: 29 January 2009 09:10
>> To: support at win-test.com
>> Subject: [WT-support] Sharing COM Ports
>>
>>
>> Does anyone know how to deal with (say) Skimmer talking to your radio via
>> CAT on a COM port, but you also need WinTest to talk to the radio on the
>> same 'CAT' port?
>>
>> 73
>> Stewart
>> GM4AFF
>>
> 
> 
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