[WT-support] using LPT1 band data info on a USB to parallel adapter

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

Hi Frank,

Some may not realize that Win-Test supports using Pin 4 (DTR) and Pin 7
(RTS) of any serial port (or quality USB-to-Serial adapter) for many of the
functions supported on the LPT port, including:

CW keying (like LPT pin 17)
PTT keying (like LPT pin 16)
Active Radio (like LPT pin 14)
Headphones Control (like LPT pin 4)
Stereo RX Audio (like LPT pin 5 or 9)


With FTDI USB-to-Serial adapters from Edgeport and GearMo supporting up to
four serial ports on a single USB cable, an LPT port isn't as essential as
it once was.  Perhaps some day F6FVY will add the missing BCD Band Data and
legacy DVK control pins as options for the RTS and DTR pins, making it
possible (with enough serial ports) to support those functions as well.

For now, microHAM's MK2R/MK2R/micro2R can support "Classic Auto Control" on
either LPT pins or virtual COM port pins (or via microHAM control protocol,
but I've had better results using Classic Auto Control with Win-Test)).

Unlike the LPT port, a serial port can be marked *Active with* "Radio 1",
"Radio 2", or "Both Radios".  So, with two serial ports and two keying
circuits, you don't need a CW switch connected to Pin 14 of an LPT port.
You can simply set:

COMx: Other Interface,  DTR = CW, Active with:  Radio 1
COMy: Other Interface,  DTR = CW, Active with:  Radio 2

Then Win-Test automatically keys the correct radio.

With several of the newest radios, you don't even need a keying circuit or
USB-to-Serial adapters, since the radio's USB virtual serial port can be
configured to support CW keying and PTT on the virtual DTR and RTS pins,
which is completely compatible with Win-Test.  You can have rig control and
CW/PTT all on the same serial port.

Win-Test's CW timing on serial ports or USB-to-Serial adapters seems to be
just as good as the CW timing on the LPT port, as long as you avoid
Prolific USB-to-Serial adapters.

73,
Bob, N6TV

On Thu, Jun 21, 2018 at 9:51 PM, Frank Steinke <frank at dl8waa.de> wrote:

> Hi Bob,
>
> I’m faced with the same issue since years, but found no solution so far.
> My SO2R setup is as simple as possible. Key device is a CW switch which
> passes the CW signal to radio 1 or 2, based on the radio information on LPT
> pin 14. I have no understanding to buy a MK2R+ SO2R box or something
> similar for almost 1000 € to cover just this single usecase, where the LPT
> interface cable was made in half an hour with a few parts out of the tinker
> box.
>
> The lack of LPT ports on new computers is a mess.
>
> 73 Frank DL8WAAEW
>
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