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Using MixW to fully automate mode changes to and from RTTY with the K3

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NK7Z

Using MixW to fully automate mode changes to and from RTTY with the K3

Hello,

Having just purchased a Elecraft K3, (I had an Icom 756 PRO III prior to
my K3 purchase), and using MixW as my primary digital program I needed
to rewrite all of my radio specific Macros. I decided that in rewriting
these macros I would correctly manage the mode switching via MixW macros
for the K3 and not be forced to touch the radio in any way when changing
between RTTY and any other data mode if using MixW.

I wanted this process be as automatic as possible when I changed modes
to RTTY, or from RTTY, manually, clicking on a spot, (which changes
modes based on bands.ini to or from RTTY), or when starting the program
and having it be in RTTY mode upon software startup. ie. no matter how
I got there, when I got to RTTY mode I wanted the K3 to be in DATA mode,
data sub mode AFSK A, and inverted, and when I left RTTY, I wanted the
K3 back in a semi-normal state.

MixW appears to have no way to add a mode like "DATA", (much less sub
data modes), directly which would have solved all the problems thus far
described. I believe that changing to DATA mode directly, including any
sub mode change, and switching to LSB, all in one motion, using native
MixW commands, is simply not possible.

Problem:
There is a need to change modes on the K3, (and some other radios), to
something other than USB for proper operation during RTTY
communications, this mode is called DATA mode by several manufactures,
thus MixW can not accommodate current radios while in RTTY mode in-which
the mode "DATA" is a special mode used for RTTY.

Overview:
RTTY mode typically runs in LSB as opposed to all other sound card
modes, all of which appear to use USB mode. This difference is based on
historical reasons, and really not needed anymore, but it persists.

MixW decides what mode to place a radio in based on a file called
"bands.ini". When a decision is made as to which mode to select it is
made by looking at the bands.ini file, and selecting the mode based on
entries in that file, which are a simple lookup table, cross referencing
frequency to mode.

The author(s) of MixW appears to have defined a limited set of possible
modes, none of which include any sort of dedicated DATA mode. With the
lack of a dedicated DATA mode, the concept of sub modes to DATA modes
becomes irrelevant as they relate to MixW.

Elecraft's K3 provides a mode called DATA in addition to the normal USB,
LSB, CW, etc. modes. Selecting the DATA mode presets a number of
options within the radio, optimizing it for data transmission and
reception. Elecraft further provides several different data sub modes,
which further refine the internal settings of the K3 for different types
of data, ie. RTTY, vs. all other data modes.

Unfortunately DATA mode, and hence all data sub modes, are not supported
by MixW. While it is good that Elecraft has provided both DATA and data
sub modes, it makes automatic selection of modes quite complex when
using MixW to control the K3.

Two Conditions are needed:
If one looks at the K3, current use of RTTY, and data in the radio
community today, there are really only two presets that need to be
created, one for RTTY, and one "not for RTTY", but still for DATA, ie.
PSK, JT65, etc.

Method A (RTTY):
RTTY on a K3 wants to be in inverted "DATA MODE", and in data sub mode
"AFSK A".

Method B (Non RTTY, but still DATA):
Needs to be non inverted "DATA" mode, and in data sub mode, "DATA A".

The reduction to just two possible states simplifies the setting up of
MixW and the K3 a bit. Fortunately the author(s) of MixW anticipated
that the users might need to make changes to external hardware as they
enter and leave various modes, and provided a mechanism for this in the
form of two macros, called "OnStartMode", and "OnExitMode".

How to do it:
The approach below uses two macros, consisting of several commands to
either enter the DATA mode, and then correctly set the sub data mode for
RTTY to AFSK A, or upon exiting RTTY mode resetting the K3 back to a
more normal non-inverted DATA, with DATA A sub mode set.

The approach I used is as follows:

0. Select RTTY from the MODE drop down in the MixW toolbar.

1. Create a macro for MixW, using the following commands:
a. CONFIGURE > MACROS FOR THIS MODE, from the MixW toolbar.
b. Select "MixRTTY.mc", this is the macro file for RTTY
mode, and it contains all macros for RTTY only.
c. Select "EDIT", this places you in Macro EDIT mode.
d. Use the pull down menu on the left to select:
"OnStartMode"
e. For the K3, add this: "<CATCMD:MD9;> in the edit window.
f. Now add CATCMD:DT1;> as a second command below the first.

2. Click OK, DO NOT name your macro, just click OK.
3. Now create another Macro, as in steps 1(a through e), only
this time select "OnExitMode", and add "<CATCMD:DT0;>" as the
actual macro.
4. You are done, close out and return to MixW.
5. End MixW, by selecting File > EXIT from the tool bar.

It is very important that you exit MixW immediately after creating these
macro commands. Exiting MixW writes the commands you just created to
MixW's ini file. If for some reason MixW quits unexpectedly, the Macros
you just entered will not be saved, and you will be forced to start from
scratch.

How it works:
For the K3, "MD9" sets DATA mode "INVERTED", while DT1 switches data sub
modes to "AFSK A", from whatever mode it was in at the time the command
was issued, thus placing the K3 in DATA MODE, sub mode AFSK A, and
inverted, making it ready for RTTY operation.

Now if you change modes to RTTY manually using the pull down menu within
MixW, select a RTTY spot, or start MixW, and it is in RTTY mode, the
onStartMode Macro set will be executed dropping the K3 into DATA
INVERTED/AFSK A mode making the K3 RTTY ready.

The "OnExitMode", command simply places the K3 back in a simi-normal
state, of DATA mode, sub mode DATA A., as you leave RTTY mode by using
MixW to command the radio.

Thanks to all who provided the pieces of this fix to me! This would not
have been possible without all the help I received from everyone here...
--
Thanks and 73's,
For equipment, and software setups and reviews see:
www.nk7z.net
for MixW support see;
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info
for Dopplergram information see:
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info
for MM-SSTV see:
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info

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