<div dir="ltr">Hi Frank,<div><br></div><div>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:<div><br></div></div><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><div><div>CW keying (like LPT pin 17)</div></div><div><div>PTT keying (like LPT pin 16)</div></div><div><div>Active Radio (like LPT pin 14)</div></div><div><div>Headphones Control (like LPT pin 4)</div></div><div><div>Stereo RX Audio (like LPT pin 5 or 9)</div></div></blockquote><div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">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.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">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)).</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">Unlike the LPT port, a serial port can be marked <b>Active with</b> "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:</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">COMx: Other Interface, DTR = CW, Active with: Radio 1</div><div class="gmail_extra">COMy: Other Interface, DTR = CW, Active with: Radio 2</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">Then Win-Test automatically keys the correct radio.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">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.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">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.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">73,<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><div><div class="m_-1985824888939231287gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div>Bob, N6TV</div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jun 21, 2018 at 9:51 PM, Frank Steinke <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:frank@dl8waa.de" target="_blank">frank@dl8waa.de</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<div class="m_-1985824888939231287m_3009979669925642541moz-cite-prefix">Hi Bob,<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
The lack of LPT ports on new computers is a mess.<br>
<br>
73 Frank DL8WAA<span style="color:rgb(80,0,80)">EW</span></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div>