[WT-support] WT-support] CORRECTING: Win-test newbie questions Part I

[Bob Shohet, KQ2M]

Hi Bob,
My comments are interspersed below in two posts
due to file size limitations....
From: Bob Wilson, N6TV 
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2014 2:31 PM
To: Win-Test Reflector 
Subject: Re: [WT-support] CORRECTING: Win-test newbie questions

First, please download the Wiki documentation in PDF format, since it is often easier to search a PDF file for answers than to use the search feature on the Wiki site.  Just go to http://download.win-test.com/docs/en/ and download and save manual.pdf.  Do not bother with manual.zip at this time (it contains HTML files).

I have already spent many, many hours reading and re-reading the relevant manual pages before posting these questions.

Second, please use the search box on the following web page to search the Win-Test reflector archives for answers, e.g. enter they keyword "Doubler" and you will find lots of hits explaining how people got the DX Doubler working with Win-Test.

http://www.win-test.com/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=1720


That’s a very good idea.  I will be glad to do that.

In sum, you control the DX Doubler via the LPT (on one computer).  See 

http://lists.f5mzn.org/pipermail/support/2011-February/080824.html


Now I’m confused.  Since I am using two computers for my SO2R setup
and I want the lockout control and mic/keyer switching that the DX doubler provides, 
my understanding, perhaps incorrect, is that I need to connect the DX doubler to
LPT port on BOTH radios.

I have been warned by people to make sure that the FT1000MP band data goes directly to the
Band Decoders and and have that feed through to all the devices including the computer, rather than have 
the band data go from the radio to the computer to control the switching.

You are suggesting that I use connect the computer directly to the radio (like with CT) rather
than directly to the Band Decoders?

but you don't need to do any of that if you prefer manual SO2R switching as you have it today.

As I said in an earlier email, I want to be able to electronically switch everything; I just thought
that it would make sense to start with Win-test and the DX doubler to make sure that the most basic 
setup works.

Other info. below.

On Mon, Jan 13, 2014 at 8:08 AM, Bob Shohet, KQ2M <kq2m at kq2m.com> wrote:

  I am using two FT1000MP’s in an SO2R setup with two WIN XP computers which have an LPT port

  that I intend to use for keying with the W1WEF interface.

Win-Test supports computer keying via the LPT port, same as CT.  But paddle input on the LPT port is not supported.

That is one of the few things that was clear to me.  I assume that if I want paddle support (that is not controlled
by the DX doubler/Wintest), then I can still use a Y-adpater at the key jack with one of the inputs being the paddle and the other
being the DX doubler.  Correct?

  1) I believe that it is best to connect the DX doubler to the RS232 ports of each ‘MP and then use that output

  to drive Win-test and all the switching of the other devices, correct?

The DX doubler doesn't have any RS232 (serial) ports.  It has a 25-pin LPT port (J9) that connects to your computer.   See page 4 of the DX  Doubler Manual.  Leave all the wiring the way you had it working with CT.

Roger.

   2) Then does Win-test automatically sense the correct active ports in each computer to use, as well as the best radio settings or do I need to configure them specifically for the FT1000MP?  I assume that these radio settings should be identical to the ones that I used in CT DOS?

Nothing is "sensed" automatically.   You have to tell Win-Test which serial port on your computer is connected to the FT-1000MP.  Just start Win-Test, type SETUP [Enter] in the logging window, and fill in the form, setting Radio 1 to FT-1000MP (at the bottom).  Click the Configure... button next to the serial port and select "FT-1000MP default settings" to set up all the parameters in one click, then press OK (twice), and it should work right away.  Do the same thing on both computers.

Roger.

   3) If I understand correctly, Win-test asks you to manually assign ip addresses to each radio.  

Most radios, including the FT-1000MP do not have an IP addresses.   They are assigned to a serial port like COM1, COM2, etc.

  Since I have all devices connected to a 24 port switch connected to a LinkSys router, do I still need to manually set this?

There should be no Ethernet cables connected between your FT-1000MP and your LinkSys router or Ethernet switch, just a simple straight serial cable with DB-9 female connectors on both ends connected between your Windows XP machine and your FT-1000MP.  If you already have it working with CT, you don't need to change any wiring to make it work with Win-Test.

That’s entirely different from what I understood.  But then I still need a USB connection between the each computer and
the 24 port switch, correct?
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