Fldigi/Flrig and KX3 control investigation. (Before I re-invent the wheel!)

[g8kbvdave]

Hi All.

Before I dive in, and go about creating or fixing drivers for people
who seem to have trouble with the KX3 and Fldigi(Flrig) etc, I took
a look at the current state of things.

On Windows (XP SP3) with Fldigi (V3.21.70, the *Latest* is 3.21.72)

The built in Hamlib driver (V1.2.12) for the K3 works as far as I
can tell (A plesant suprise, no audio connections, and no RF
launched, just basic rig control tried.)  Even the PTT via Hamlib
command worked, as did tuning and frequency control, also mode
changing but you need to select PKTUSB to get the rig into DATA A
mode.

I also tried on Linux (Lubuntu with Fldigi and Flrig.)  That machine
has a later version of Hamlib (V1.2.15) also the needed driver is
listed as "K3/KX3 Beta", not just "K3".  Again, as it is, it all
seems to work at present, no code changing done at all.

The K3 selection in Flrig works the KX3 too, PTT control, mode and
bandwidth settings seem to work OK.

I've not yet tried the K3.XML file, I ran out of time, but that is
next.

However, AFICT, basic rig control of the KX3 is already do-able from
Fldigi and Flrig, with what is there already, Windows and Linux.

I was using a standard KXUSB cable, that created a COM3: alias on
the Windows machine, and ttyUSB0 on the Lubuntu machine.  The serial
data rate was 19200bd, 1 stop bit in both cases.

I will check things later when I get home (domestic management
permitting) on Win7 (Home Premium, 32 bit) if the place hasn't been
washed away in the storms, or suffered a direct lightening zap.

More news when I have it, otherwise..  Enjoy it as it is now!.

73.

Dave G0WBX.


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[Nate Bargmann]

* On 2013 29 Jul 08:03 -0500, [hidden email] wrote:

> Hi All.
>
> Before I dive in, and go about creating or fixing drivers for people
> who seem to have trouble with the KX3 and Fldigi(Flrig) etc, I took
> a look at the current state of things.
>
> On Windows (XP SP3) with Fldigi (V3.21.70, the *Latest* is 3.21.72)
>
> The built in Hamlib driver (V1.2.12) for the K3 works as far as I
> can tell (A plesant suprise, no audio connections, and no RF
> launched, just basic rig control tried.)

Dave did a bunch of work about six weeks ago to be able to include the
current development branch of Hamlib in Fldigi for Windows builds.  The
problem is a library we use in Hamlib and we are considering removing
that library which should allow Fldigi to use Hamlib in the future
without so much trouble.

The 1.2.12 release of Hamlib was from before I bought my K3 and then
fixed up a lot of issues in our Hamlib code.  Since Hamlib 1.2.13 the K3
support is fairly stable and I may well change it "Stable".  I added the
KX3 based on Wayne's comment at the time that the two radios would
support the same command set.  However, the KX3 may benefit from its own
definition as in the future some things (not used by Fldigi) will be
slightly different as in a couple of places I rely on emulating button
presses on the K3, but those will probably be different on the KX3.

> Even the PTT via Hamlib
> command worked, as did tuning and frequency control, also mode
> changing but you need to select PKTUSB to get the rig into DATA A
> mode.

That is pretty much a Hamlib quirk of naming.  PKTUSB is intended to
support radios that have a difference between AFSK and FSK.  Perhaps we
may look toward either adding a new name or renaming this value to be
more clear.

> I also tried on Linux (Lubuntu with Fldigi and Flrig.)  That machine
> has a later version of Hamlib (V1.2.15) also the needed driver is
> listed as "K3/KX3 Beta", not just "K3".  Again, as it is, it all
> seems to work at present, no code changing done at all.
>
> The K3 selection in Flrig works the KX3 too, PTT control, mode and
> bandwidth settings seem to work OK.

I appreciate the feedback.  For Fldigi users the radios are close enough
that the same definition works.  For other software things like reading
the S-Meter are likely different due to testing the K3 firmware version
for SM versus SMH command support.

> I will check things later when I get home (domestic management
> permitting) on Win7 (Home Premium, 32 bit) if the place hasn't been
> washed away in the storms, or suffered a direct lightening zap.

The Win7 support should be the same as for XP as far as Hamlib is
concerned.

73, de Nate >>

--

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all
possible worlds.  The pessimist fears this is true."

Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://www.n0nb.us
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[g8kbvdave]

On 29 Jul 2013 at 12:00, [hidden email] wrote:

> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 25
> Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 08:46:48 -0500
> From: Nate Bargmann <[hidden email]>
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re:  Fldigi/Flrig and KX3 control investigation.
> (Before I re-invent the wheel!)
> Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> * On 2013 29 Jul 08:03 -0500, [hidden email] wrote:
> > Hi All.
> >
> > Before I dive in, and go about creating or fixing drivers for people
> > who seem to have trouble with the KX3 and Fldigi(Flrig) etc, I took
> > a look at the current state of things.
> >
> > On Windows (XP SP3) with Fldigi (V3.21.70, the *Latest* is 3.21.72)
> >
> > The built in Hamlib driver (V1.2.12) for the K3 works as far as I
> > can tell (A plesant suprise, no audio connections, and no RF
> > launched, just basic rig control tried.)
>
> Dave did a bunch of work about six weeks ago to be able to include the
> current development branch of Hamlib in Fldigi for Windows builds.  The
> problem is a library we use in Hamlib and we are considering removing
> that library which should allow Fldigi to use Hamlib in the future
> without so much trouble.
>
> The 1.2.12 release of Hamlib was from before I bought my K3 and then
> fixed up a lot of issues in our Hamlib code.  Since Hamlib 1.2.13 the K3
> support is fairly stable and I may well change it "Stable".  I added the
> KX3 based on Wayne's comment at the time that the two radios would
> support the same command set.  However, the KX3 may benefit from its own
> definition as in the future some things (not used by Fldigi) will be
> slightly different as in a couple of places I rely on emulating button
> presses on the K3, but those will probably be different on the KX3.
>
> > Even the PTT via Hamlib
> > command worked, as did tuning and frequency control, also mode
> > changing but you need to select PKTUSB to get the rig into DATA A
> > mode.
>
> That is pretty much a Hamlib quirk of naming.  PKTUSB is intended to
> support radios that have a difference between AFSK and FSK.  Perhaps we
> may look toward either adding a new name or renaming this value to be
> more clear.
>
> > I also tried on Linux (Lubuntu with Fldigi and Flrig.)  That machine
> > has a later version of Hamlib (V1.2.15) also the needed driver is
> > listed as "K3/KX3 Beta", not just "K3".  Again, as it is, it all
> > seems to work at present, no code changing done at all.
> >
> > The K3 selection in Flrig works the KX3 too, PTT control, mode and
> > bandwidth settings seem to work OK.
>
> I appreciate the feedback.  For Fldigi users the radios are close enough
> that the same definition works.  For other software things like reading
> the S-Meter are likely different due to testing the K3 firmware version
> for SM versus SMH command support.
>
> > I will check things later when I get home (domestic management
> > permitting) on Win7 (Home Premium, 32 bit) if the place hasn't been
> > washed away in the storms, or suffered a direct lightening zap.
>
> The Win7 support should be the same as for XP as far as Hamlib is
> concerned.
>
> 73, de Nate >>
>

Hello Nate (and others) long time etc.

Nate. Not sure if you remember, but you gave me guidance/encouragment some
time back, when I was trying to get into Hamlib, for other needs.  Sadly, that
opportunity passed by, as much caused by me using Cygwin on Win2k, and the
yawningly long build times as a result..  Also, as I found the Skanti radio I had
that time, was also very slow to respond to commands, so.....

Anyway.

All understood re the above K3/KX3 history in Hamlib, function/filter naming and
such, and indeed for the same version Fldigi, Hamlib's use with the KX3 is about
the same on Windows (XP..7 and Linux.)

I'm going to look at the filter selection options, as the K3.xml file for Fldigi does
much the same as Hamlib (selects RTTY filters, for "Data" modes)  OK for RTTY,
but useless for anything else (unless you like to monitor two PSK signals
perhaps....)

I'll see what I can discover and do with the .xml file first off, then report back.  
But for general use "USB" cut's it at present, so long as you have manually
disabled compression, and equalisation etc.   Tuning and TX/RX control all work
fine.

The better option for KX3 users, is to use Flrig as the radio interface for Fldigi,
(select the K3 option in the radio configuration dialog) as it is posible to get the
"DATA" filter set correctly with that, then AFIK any manually set equalisation (TX
and/or RX) plus compression etc, is automaticaly disabled in DATA mode, but the
settings remain for when you revert to manual voice modes.

Select DATA in the filter control dropdown, then the bandwidth you want, and
use the IF Shift control to center it where you want.  Typically, 3000Hz width,
and 1500Hz center.  (The shift defaults to 1000.)
The KX3 of course, will go wider.

I'll look at the sources for Flrig, and see what I can learn from that, and apply to
the .xml.   Any changes needed to the existing K3.xml specific to the KX3, and
I'll create a new KX3.xml file.   I'll also report back what I found, so those with
access into Hamlib's sources etc, can consider adding a KX3 specific option
perhaps.

That's going to take me a little while, as I've got to re-learn the nuances of
Fldigi's RigCAT .xml file format etc.

73.

Dave G0WBX.

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Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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