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FW: K2/Writelog computer interface

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Dan Barker

FW: K2/Writelog computer interface

That's silly! Modern computers are WAAAAAY more capable than that. Someone
in charge of one of these keying programs needs to look into the Win-32 API
for starting threads with differing priorities. I'm not one of those
programmers, but I KNOW you can make the opsys dispatch you often enough, if
you "promise to be good" (ie, not loop<g>).

Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456

<snip>
... Windows NT based OS (NT/2000/XP), the cw timing problem is an artifact
of Windows.
</snip>

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Jack Brindle

Re: K2/Writelog computer interface

Guys, Jim is correct. A PC running windows and most contest/ham
programs will key the K2 (or any other CW-capable rig) very nicely. But
only if the computer is fast enough to handle all its tasks AND the CW
functions as well. Don't expect an old slow Pentium 3 system to handle
it very well. I use a 1.7 GHz Celeron running N1MM logger with great
success (except for RFI problems...). If you are trying to do this with
a 350 MHz P3 system, then it is definitely time to trade up.

At the same time, it is good to bug the software authors to add support
for the K2's KY command. This command is also supported in newer
Kenwood transceivers, so adding it for us also gets a lot of other
rigs.

On May 11, 2005, at 12:30 PM, Dan Barker wrote:

> That's silly! Modern computers are WAAAAAY more capable than that.
> Someone
> in charge of one of these keying programs needs to look into the
> Win-32 API
> for starting threads with differing priorities. I'm not one of those
> programmers, but I KNOW you can make the opsys dispatch you often
> enough, if
> you "promise to be good" (ie, not loop<g>).
>
> Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456
>
> <snip>
> ... Windows NT based OS (NT/2000/XP), the cw timing problem is an
> artifact
> of Windows.
> </snip>

- Jack Brindle, W6FB
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------

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W7RY

Re: K2/Writelog computer interface

Not true...

I run Writelog with MMTTY which is a RTTY plug in with rig control and it
works just fine on an 800 MHz CPU.

I also have used it running CW transmit, CW decode (with the sound card),
packet screen, rig control, (FT-1000MP) and rotor control with NO PROBLEMS.
I use a home brew optoisolator interface for PTT, FSK keying for RTTY, and
CW Keying output. These are all hooked to the COM-1. I use a an after
market 4 port card (Equinox) for my other 4 serial ports.

BTW the K2 is fully supported in Writelog. Just select it as you would your
Ken-Icom-Yae.

Always works fine. I've won many a RTTY contest with it.

73
Jim W7RY

At 12:46 PM 5/11/2005, Jack Brindle wrote:

>Guys, Jim is correct. A PC running windows and most contest/ham
>programs will key the K2 (or any other CW-capable rig) very nicely. But
>only if the computer is fast enough to handle all its tasks AND the CW
>functions as well. Don't expect an old slow Pentium 3 system to handle
>it very well. I use a 1.7 GHz Celeron running N1MM logger with great
>success (except for RFI problems...). If you are trying to do this with
>a 350 MHz P3 system, then it is definitely time to trade up.
>
>At the same time, it is good to bug the software authors to add support
>for the K2's KY command. This command is also supported in newer
>Kenwood transceivers, so adding it for us also gets a lot of other
>rigs.
>
>
>On May 11, 2005, at 12:30 PM, Dan Barker wrote:
>
>>That's silly! Modern computers are WAAAAAY more capable than that.
>>Someone
>>in charge of one of these keying programs needs to look into the
>>Win-32 API
>>for starting threads with differing priorities. I'm not one of those
>>programmers, but I KNOW you can make the opsys dispatch you often
>>enough, if
>>you "promise to be good" (ie, not loop<g>).
>>
>>Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456
>>
>><snip>
>>... Windows NT based OS (NT/2000/XP), the cw timing problem is an
>>artifact
>>of Windows.
>></snip>
>
>- Jack Brindle, W6FB
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>---------------------
>
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Mark J. Schreiner

Re: Re: K2/Writelog computer interface

In reply to this post by Dan Barker

Okay, so is it really time to upgrade my from my C64? Just kidding. I meant to mention that the keying issue I noted was during a contest in October and/or November using my work laptop, which is a P4-1000 to key my "big" rig. The test last night was with my desktop which was running a P3-550, and I did have lots of other things running in the background. But the results were the same. Maybe I'll try another keying program and see what it does if I have time tonight. Both compukers running W2kPro.

Does anyone know what rigs currently support the KY keying? I would bet that if the S/W developers know how many rigs would benefit from the support rather than "Hey, I'd like it if you did this to support a feature in my K2". I probably could list other folk that have some of those new Kenwoods (oops, sorry, I shouldn't actually admit that I know people that don't use Elecraft here, should I).

Okay, so far nobody has mentioned any logging programs that use the new KY feature. Anyone?

Mark, NK8Q

Craig Rairdin

RE: Re: K2/Writelog computer interface

> Okay, so is it really time to upgrade my from my C64?
> Just kidding.

Actually, if you had a C64 your timing problems would be solved. I wrote a
CW send/receive program for Atari back in the 80's and it worked great.
(6502 processor, same as your Commodore 64.)

The problem (if it exists -- there are probably ways around this) is the
preemptive multi-tasking OS. It has so many other things to do that the gap
between a dit and a dah looks like a good time for it to go off and do
something else for a while. It may or may not get back to your dah in a
timely fashion. On the Atari and the C64, once your code was running, it was
the only thing running so you could be sure you weren't going to lose the
machine's attention.

Craig
NZ0R
K1 #1966

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