Winkeyer Function

[dj0qn]

I noticed that there is now a "mode-8, winkeyer" mode available in the serial settings.
I find no reference to this in the manual. Could you please enlighten us on what this
can be used for?

Since I extensively use Winkeyer for CW, this may be of interest.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N6ML]

I was going to ask about that too ... I'm wondering if it's a Winkeyer emulator, that talks the Winkeyer protocol on the virtual COM port, to drive the internal keyer.... haven't had time to poke at it yet....

[N6ML]

I got to try the Winkeyer option tonight. It works pretty much as I expected - with COM1 on the control end configured for Mode 8, I pointed WinWarbler (from the DXLab Suite) at it (the virual COM port pointing to COM1 via USB), as if it was a real Winkeyer, and it sends CW, honouring the speed pot on the RRC. WinWarbler doesn't seem to be able to read the RRC's speed pot, though - perhaps that's not implemented yet.

What I really need, though, is to be able to do Mode 7 (for rig control) and Winkeyer emulation (for sending CW from a contest logger) at the same time. Perhaps that will require an additional virtual COM port (like the COMFSK one).

[dj0qn]

One of our guys tested the Winkeyer function as well. We had similar results to what you report:

- If you change COM1 to use USB, then you can do both rig control (CAT over COM2)
  and CW over Winkeyer with COM1. It doesn't seem to work with a normal serial cable,
  only over USB. Not sure if this is a feature or a bug.

- The speed appears to be fixed to the pot setting on the RRC. It should be switchable to be
   independent.

- No sidetone, which should be fixed.

- When using Win-Test and the alt-V function key, the CW sent is garbled. This needs to be
   fixed. We had the keyer delay set to 100 ms and still had the problem.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[sm2o]

OK

We have not tested in real world and as I have never used winkeyer myself the function has been almost forgotten. Pse put together a list of bugs and what else need to be implemented to get a resonable functionallity so we can fix it to a later release.

73 de mike

[N6ML]

- If you change COM1 to use USB, then you can do both rig control (CAT over COM2)
  and CW over Winkeyer with COM1. It doesn't seem to work with a normal serial cable,
  only over USB. Not sure if this is a feature or a bug.

Could you explain this a bit more? How do you do CAT over COM2? BTW, when I say "rig control", I mean I have a computer program that wants to control the radio, using the "CAT" protocol. I have COM2 NOT configured as USB - otherwise the control radio is cannot participate. Perhaps your setup doesn't have a control radio - only software control?

The only way I can see "twin mode", "rig control (CAT)" and Winkeyer emulation all working at the same time is if there's an additional virtual COM port created for Winkeyer...

73

    ~iain / N6ML

[dj0qn]

COM2 is generally used for CAT in RemoteRig installations. This can be used
at the control end either by standard serial cable, or by turning USB support
on and using a USB cable instead. The radio side only uses a serial cable, the
control side is flexible. One of my checklists that I send on request walks users
through the process of setting CAT up over the RRC's.

An exception is the "Twin" products, which use the CAT port to communicate
with each other. Therefore, one must use COM1 in mode-6 or 7 for CAT
instead, but you can choose to use either USB or serial on the control side. In
the case of the "Twin" products, the "Winkeyer" function can therefore not be
used if you are using CAT on the control side, you are correct. A solution would
be a virtual port as you suggest.

Otherwise, I installed serial servers in several installations to control serial devices,
since you only have one port plus CAT, or no ports on "Twin" products, available on
the RRC's. I therefore tend not to use RRC's to control amplifiers, rotors, wattmeters,
etc. The Webswitch can also be used to control some devices, I even use them to raise
and lower masts.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[KU2C]

Is there anything new here?  I have a K3 Twin setup with the intention to use WinTest via Com 1, is there a way I can incorporate WinKeyer inorder to use the Function keys in WinTest?

[dj0qn]

Nothing new, but what are you waiting for? RemoteRig has had Winkeyer support for several years.

Just go to the serial settings on the control RRC and change COM3/COMEXTRA to Winkeyer and make
sure that a USB cable is plugged in. Go to the Windows Device Manager and see which port was assigned
to that serial port and use that port number in Win-Test as a native Winkeyer.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[KU2C]

Mitch,

Thank you (again)  .. I'll have to wait a week or so to try as the "Control" K3 went to Aruba for the weekend

Pete

[KU2C]

Okay, winkey functionality work great from Wintest,  but I can't seem to get wintest to track or command the band, mode or frequency?

It seems from page 217 of the Microbit manual it should be possible?   

I have the following Serial settings:   COM1 = Mode 7, 9600,8,1 (tried other)
COM2 = Logical parallel to COM0 and
COM3 = Mode 8 (winkeyer)

In WinTest COM 3 is configured for winkey ,  COM7 is set to Radio 1 (K3) at 9600,8.1

What am I missing? 

Pete

[dj0qn]

Here is the CAT checklist for the K3 Twin:


CAT Checklist for K3 Twin
----------------------------------
Note first that in a "Twin" configuration, COM2 is used to "tie" the two ends together and carries the CAT data. In order to access CAT, you need to get to COM2 without touching it. The easiest method is to duplicate COM2 over COM1 using a function in the RRC as follows:

- Change both RRC's COM1 to mode-7. Note that the baud rate does not have to be identical with COM2 to fit a lower bandwidth or software requirement.

- If using a "real" serial cable:
     - connect a straight through serial cable between the control RRC's COM1 and the PC. If using a USB to serial converter cable, make sure it is using an FTDI chipset.
     - note that if you also use the radio RRC's COM1, the pinout is not the standard straight-through serial port. Use the pinout description in the RemoteRig manual, or just try a null-modem cable which usually works (may need a gender changer).
     - the  serial setting for COM1 "Use USB Com Port as COM1" must be set to NO

- If using USB:
     - make sure that first Microbit Setup Manager is installed first on the control PC to get the drivers.
     - Then change the serial settings for COM1 to change "Use USB Com Port as COM1" to YES
     - connect the USB cable between the RRC and computer and wait for the drivers to finish installing
     - go to the Windows Device Manager and look at which virtual serial port was assigned to COM1 and use that for your software, taking the correct baud rate into account.

Note also that you can pull CAT data in parallel off of the radio RRC to use a PC on that end, or to sync with a remote device (amplifier, SteppIR, etc.)

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[KU2C]

Mitch,
Thanks, all good now !! 

"- the  serial setting for COM1 "Use USB Com Port as COM1" must be set to NO"

That was my nemesis!

73, Pete