K3 / N1MM Logger Question - Using Up/Dn Arrow Keys to tune VFOs

[Tom Hammond-2]

Hi Folks:

Been using N1MM Logger for the past several years since most of my DOS PCs
have bit the dust and TRLog doesn't support Windoze (yes, I'm well aware that
TR4W was written for Windoze, but it's not 'ready for prime time yet).

When I WAS using TRLOG (way back then...) I become mildly addicted to using
the PgUp/PgDn buttons to tune my main VFO instead of having to reach over
(or around) the keyboard to manually access the VFO knob of the radio.  Of
course, N1MM Logger offers this feature with the Up/Dn Arrow keys... BUT...
I'm finding that N1MM seems to send the VFO tune command so INfrequently
to the radio that it'll literally take 10 SECONDS or more to get the K3 to
tune 1kHz in either direction.... e.g. BRUTALLY SLOW QSYing, and certainly
NOT useful in the heat of battle.

I've been in contact with one of the N1MM programmers who has laid all of
the blame on my 1GHz CPU PC, saying it's too slow, or that it's 'bogged down'
with too much other stuff loaded. 1GHz might be too slow (though I shouldn't
be) but when I'm running N1MM Logger, it's the ONLY program running!!!  So
the problem's NOT being overloaded with other conflicting software.

Has anyone else attempted to use the Up/Dn Arrow features of N1MM Logger to
tune their VFO?  If so, did you find it as slow to act/respond as I have
found it to be?  I find it pretty difficult to lay all the blame on the PC
at this time.

73,

Tom Hammond  N0SS

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[David Gilbert]

The communication between N1MM and the K3 is not one way.  N1MM is also
polling the K3 to see what the actual frequency is, which means your
baud rate setting is probably having some influence as well.  I'm using
a fast (quad core 2.4 GHz) computer and a 38,400 baud rate, and the
arrow keys gave me about 6.5 KHz change in frequency (in 0.1 KHz
increments) in ten seconds.

I personally wouldn't rely on that method for tuning.

73,
Dave   AB7E



Tom Hammond wrote:

> Hi Folks:
>
> Been using N1MM Logger for the past several years since most of my DOS PCs
> have bit the dust and TRLog doesn't support Windoze (yes, I'm well aware that
> TR4W was written for Windoze, but it's not 'ready for prime time yet).
>
> When I WAS using TRLOG (way back then...) I become mildly addicted to using
> the PgUp/PgDn buttons to tune my main VFO instead of having to reach over
> (or around) the keyboard to manually access the VFO knob of the radio.  Of
> course, N1MM Logger offers this feature with the Up/Dn Arrow keys... BUT...
> I'm finding that N1MM seems to send the VFO tune command so INfrequently
> to the radio that it'll literally take 10 SECONDS or more to get the K3 to
> tune 1kHz in either direction.... e.g. BRUTALLY SLOW QSYing, and certainly
> NOT useful in the heat of battle.
>
> I've been in contact with one of the N1MM programmers who has laid all of
> the blame on my 1GHz CPU PC, saying it's too slow, or that it's 'bogged down'
> with too much other stuff loaded. 1GHz might be too slow (though I shouldn't
> be) but when I'm running N1MM Logger, it's the ONLY program running!!!  So
> the problem's NOT being overloaded with other conflicting software.
>
> Has anyone else attempted to use the Up/Dn Arrow features of N1MM Logger to
> tune their VFO?  If so, did you find it as slow to act/respond as I have
> found it to be?  I find it pretty difficult to lay all the blame on the PC
> at this time.
>
> 73,
>
> Tom Hammond  N0SS
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>
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>
>  

... [show rest of quote]

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Tom,

How many other applications do you have loaded on that computer?  Many
of them create a lot of background activity even if they are not
running.  It may be time to clean everything off that old computer,
format the hard drive and then load only those things necessary to
support the ham station.

OR, re-format the hard drive and load a version of DOS if that will
serve your purposes (it is not the computer, but the operating system
and applications that is the problem).  I can likely dredge up a copy of
DOS if you have discarded all your copies.

Alternately, you can find an off-lease refurbished computer with a 3 GHz
CPU and 1 GB of memory for less than $300 - maybe it is time to upgrade.

73,
Don W3FPR

Tom Hammond wrote:

> Hi Folks:
>
> Been using N1MM Logger for the past several years since most of my DOS PCs
> have bit the dust and TRLog doesn't support Windoze (yes, I'm well aware that
> TR4W was written for Windoze, but it's not 'ready for prime time yet).
>
> When I WAS using TRLOG (way back then...) I become mildly addicted to using
> the PgUp/PgDn buttons to tune my main VFO instead of having to reach over
> (or around) the keyboard to manually access the VFO knob of the radio.  Of
> course, N1MM Logger offers this feature with the Up/Dn Arrow keys... BUT...
> I'm finding that N1MM seems to send the VFO tune command so INfrequently
> to the radio that it'll literally take 10 SECONDS or more to get the K3 to
> tune 1kHz in either direction.... e.g. BRUTALLY SLOW QSYing, and certainly
> NOT useful in the heat of battle.
>
> I've been in contact with one of the N1MM programmers who has laid all of
> the blame on my 1GHz CPU PC, saying it's too slow, or that it's 'bogged down'
> with too much other stuff loaded. 1GHz might be too slow (though I shouldn't
> be) but when I'm running N1MM Logger, it's the ONLY program running!!!  So
> the problem's NOT being overloaded with other conflicting software.
>
> Has anyone else attempted to use the Up/Dn Arrow features of N1MM Logger to
> tune their VFO?  If so, did you find it as slow to act/respond as I have
> found it to be?  I find it pretty difficult to lay all the blame on the PC
> at this time.
>
> 73,
>
> Tom Hammond  N0SS
>  
>

... [show rest of quote]

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[Kevin Rock]

If you want a good idea of which applications are taking CPU cycles open up Windows Task Manager.  Go to the performance tab and watch it as you use the up and down arrow routines in N1MM.  This will give you an idea of how much you are stressing the system.  Next go to processes tab to view which apps are using the most cycles.  You may be able to shut them down.  Otherwise you can muck around inside the OS to close down some of the system tasks which are not required for your amateur activities.  At least you will know which apps are sucking up your CPU cycles.  
   73,
      Kevin.  KD5ONS


-----Original Message-----

>From: Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]>
>Sent: May 3, 2009 12:52 PM
>To: Tom Hammond <[hidden email]>
>Cc: [hidden email]
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 / N1MM Logger Question - Using Up/Dn Arrow Keys to tune VFOs
>
>Tom,
>
>How many other applications do you have loaded on that computer?  Many
>of them create a lot of background activity even if they are not
>running.  It may be time to clean everything off that old computer,
>format the hard drive and then load only those things necessary to
>support the ham station.
>
>OR, re-format the hard drive and load a version of DOS if that will
>serve your purposes (it is not the computer, but the operating system
>and applications that is the problem).  I can likely dredge up a copy of
>DOS if you have discarded all your copies.
>
>Alternately, you can find an off-lease refurbished computer with a 3 GHz
>CPU and 1 GB of memory for less than $300 - maybe it is time to upgrade.
>
>73,
>Don W3FPR
>
>Tom Hammond wrote:
>> Hi Folks:
>>
>> Been using N1MM Logger for the past several years since most of my DOS PCs
>> have bit the dust and TRLog doesn't support Windoze (yes, I'm well aware that
>> TR4W was written for Windoze, but it's not 'ready for prime time yet).
>>
>> When I WAS using TRLOG (way back then...) I become mildly addicted to using
>> the PgUp/PgDn buttons to tune my main VFO instead of having to reach over
>> (or around) the keyboard to manually access the VFO knob of the radio.  Of
>> course, N1MM Logger offers this feature with the Up/Dn Arrow keys... BUT...
>> I'm finding that N1MM seems to send the VFO tune command so INfrequently
>> to the radio that it'll literally take 10 SECONDS or more to get the K3 to
>> tune 1kHz in either direction.... e.g. BRUTALLY SLOW QSYing, and certainly
>> NOT useful in the heat of battle.
>>
>> I've been in contact with one of the N1MM programmers who has laid all of
>> the blame on my 1GHz CPU PC, saying it's too slow, or that it's 'bogged down'
>> with too much other stuff loaded. 1GHz might be too slow (though I shouldn't
>> be) but when I'm running N1MM Logger, it's the ONLY program running!!!  So
>> the problem's NOT being overloaded with other conflicting software.
>>
>> Has anyone else attempted to use the Up/Dn Arrow features of N1MM Logger to
>> tune their VFO?  If so, did you find it as slow to act/respond as I have
>> found it to be?  I find it pretty difficult to lay all the blame on the PC
>> at this time.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Tom Hammond  N0SS
>>  
>>
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

... [show rest of quote]

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[Cady, Fred]

Hi Tom,
I've had some strange behavior with N1MM from time-to-time. It would
take a long time to update the frequency and if I were S&P and worked a
station it would wipe out the qso because, I think, the frequency would
suddenly catch up and N1MM thought I had qsy so it wiped the qso. This
happens when runnig 38KB but not when 4800 B. Just for giggles, how
about trying to use 4800 Baud.
Fred
KE7X

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Tom Hammond
Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 1:23 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 / N1MM Logger Question - Using Up/Dn Arrow Keys
totune VFOs

Hi Folks:

Been using N1MM Logger for the past several years since most of my DOS
PCs have bit the dust and TRLog doesn't support Windoze (yes, I'm well
aware that TR4W was written for Windoze, but it's not 'ready for prime
time yet).

When I WAS using TRLOG (way back then...) I become mildly addicted to
using the PgUp/PgDn buttons to tune my main VFO instead of having to
reach over (or around) the keyboard to manually access the VFO knob of
the radio.  Of course, N1MM Logger offers this feature with the Up/Dn
Arrow keys... BUT...
I'm finding that N1MM seems to send the VFO tune command so INfrequently
to the radio that it'll literally take 10 SECONDS or more to get the K3
to tune 1kHz in either direction.... e.g. BRUTALLY SLOW QSYing, and
certainly NOT useful in the heat of battle.

I've been in contact with one of the N1MM programmers who has laid all
of the blame on my 1GHz CPU PC, saying it's too slow, or that it's
'bogged down'
with too much other stuff loaded. 1GHz might be too slow (though I
shouldn't
be) but when I'm running N1MM Logger, it's the ONLY program running!!!
So the problem's NOT being overloaded with other conflicting software.

Has anyone else attempted to use the Up/Dn Arrow features of N1MM Logger
to tune their VFO?  If so, did you find it as slow to act/respond as I
have found it to be?  I find it pretty difficult to lay all the blame on
the PC at this time.

73,

Tom Hammond  N0SS

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