RRC PC Remote Client - Feature Suggestion

[W9KB]

When using the RRC black boxes, I use a program written by Walter-HB9ZS to control my Alpha87 via com port 2. It's a great program available at:

http://www.qslnet.de/member/hb9zs/

I recently added RRC PC Remote Client to my setup, since it reduces my PC 'footprint' when operating. The only issue here is that the RRC PC Remote Client uses com ports 20, 21, & 22. My interface program will not 'see' com ports above 16. I contacted HB9ZS and he stated he uses the Microsoft communication module 'Mscomm32ports.ocx' which only supports ports 1-16.

Is there any chance to make the port values user defined or lower them to 16 and below?

73
Ken-W9KB

[dj0qn]

Ken,

You can manually change the com port assignment in Windows.

Basically, you use the following steps:

1) Go into your Device Manager
2) Go to Ports (COM & LPT)
3) Look for the Microbit port you wish to change
4) Right click and go to Properties
5) Go to "Port Settings"
6) Click on "Advanced"
7) Change the port number below as required

Save and you should be ok.

Caveat: I noticed that for some reason the Port Settings tab is missing from my
installation. I assume that this is a bug, and may or not be available in other Windows
installations. These directions are generic for all COM devices in Windows.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W9KB]

Mitch, I tired that apporach first, but these ports do no have the 'Port Settings' tab available when you right click on properties. They are somewhat different than any other serial port type I have experienced. The description under Device Manger is as follows:

Microbit SerialUDP Device (Com21)

I tried a freebie port mapping program without success.

My 'Port Find' program sees them without a problem.

73
Ken-W9KB

[Jan (Microbit)]

Ken:

Can you try this program:

http://www.remoterig.com/forum/index.php?topic=411.msg1630#msg1630

and let us know what it says.

Edit: Changed the URL

[dj0qn]

Jan,

This link no longer works, Do you have a correct URL?

Thanks & 73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[Jan (Microbit)]

Thanks for your sharp eyes! URL changed above 

[dj0qn]

Jan,

This program does not appear to do anything under XP. Do you know
otherwise of any way to change the COM port number of the virtual
ports of the PC Client? I also can't find the registry entry that is
mentioned. The driver also does not allow the port number to be
changed as usual.

My XP put my ports at a number over 30, which TRX-manager can not
address. HRD works just fine with these ports, but that is not my
standard software.

Thanks & 73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[Jan (Microbit)]

Do you mean that http://www.remoterig.com/downloads/Win32SerialPortTest.zip doesn't do anything?

Here is a screen dump from running it on XP:



Which port numbers are really in use by your system?

[Jan (Microbit)]

Also, it *might* be possible to assign a different com port number by modify the keys under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DEVICEMAP\SERIALCOMM". A reboot might be necessary. Note that messing around with the registry might wreck your computer 

[dj0qn]

The program says that every single serial port from 1 through 59 is in use,
except for 55! It says it successfully reclaimed 55, which is higher than the
port PC Client uses now. It also has no effect on PC Client.

When I look at Device Manager, it shows 8 ports in use.

This is really strange!

I can try the registry key you gave me when I have time for
a reboot.

Thanks & 73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[Jan (Microbit)]

The Win32SerialPortTest program asks Windows' COM port database for information about which COM ports are free and which are in use. In your case it seems that the content of that database is almost insane. It looks like something, like an installation(maybe done several times), has claimed a lot of COM ports, which I assume not are in use as Device Manager shows only 8 ports?

I read in some Windows documentation that using the COM port database when installation is unfortunately not required for all kind of drivers using COM ports. That opens up interesting possibilities of conflicts between driver using it and those not using it... Our COM ports are installed utilizing the built in automation of getting next available port number from that database. If the content of the database is like yours then it gets less perfect so to say...

The program isn't supposed to have any effect on the PC Client. It only tries to claim the first available port to see if the way an additional installed virtual COM port would be installed is working.

I think it would be possible to make a program which allows the user to "free" ports in the database and so get lower numbers when installing. It would however require great care not to free something actually in use, and might have other side effects.