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rig control...

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John Ragle

rig control...

As has already been mentioned, SignaLink/USB has no provisions for rig
frequency control. Also you should note that DigiPan itself has no
provisions for rig control. If you are content to adjust frequency
manually then DigiPan is a very nice, /simple(!),/ program, perfectly
adequate for BPSK31 QSO's. DigiPan will run on almost any kind of Intel
computer, from "pencil sharpener" to mainframe.

If you want more control, I highly recommend FLDIGI over the several
other available programs. Its interface is very straighforward, and the
screen is not crowded. I've used almost every program available, whether
free or not, and have settled on FLDIGI as the best, *no-compromises*,
one to use. It is now in Ver. 3.21.4, installs easily, and is kept
up-to-date. Google for the FLDIGI download site. The one downside to it
(a minor one) is that the waterfall is not very high on the screen, so
if you like a tall waterfall, you will be annoyed by this at first. You
can always run Spectravue simultaneously with FLDIGI if you want more
viewing turf. This quirk of FLDIGI is much more than offset by the
variety of modes available!

The one detail to which you will have to attend is making a serial
connection from your computer to your transceiver. If your computer is
an older model, it will have COM ports available. The K3 also has a
matching COM port, and the problem devolves to finding a cable. IF, on
the other hand, your computer is a newer model, it will probably NOT
have COM ports built in. You then have two choices: (1) buy a simple,
inexpensive card that fits inside the computer on the mother board,
comes with drivers either already in Windows or on a CD or mini-CD, or
(2) to use a USB-2.0 to Serial adapter. In this last case, beware! as
many of the commercially available USB-to-serial adapters will NOT work,
for various reasons. Be prepared to buy an "industrial-strength"
USB-to-serial converter, or better stilll, buy the one that Elecraft
offers (it comes with a guarantee to work!).

Good luck. Feel free to email me if you have further questions. Everyone
was a newbie at the beginning.

John Ragle -- W1ZI
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Bill Allen

Re: rig control...

I just tried FLDIGI recently and liked it very much. I like that it is a
truly cross-platform program so that no matter what type of computer I am
using - Linux, Windows, etc.- I have a program with the same interface to
use.

I recommend the Belkin F5U409 USB to Serial adapter. I have used this for
years without any problems. Unlike some USB to Serial adapters, this one
provides all the serial lines and the full protocol. It usually can be
found for $25 or less. On my Ubuntu 10.04 system, this adapter is picked up
plug and play without having to install anything and presents itself as
/dev/ttyUSB0.

73,
Bill - WA5PB

On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 01:13, John Ragle <[hidden email]> wrote:

> As has already been mentioned, SignaLink/USB has no provisions for rig
> frequency control. Also you should note that DigiPan itself has no
> provisions for rig control. If you are content to adjust frequency
> manually then DigiPan is a very nice, /simple(!),/ program, perfectly
> adequate for BPSK31 QSO's. DigiPan will run on almost any kind of Intel
> computer, from "pencil sharpener" to mainframe.
>
> If you want more control, I highly recommend FLDIGI over the several
> other available programs. Its interface is very straighforward, and the
> screen is not crowded. I've used almost every program available, whether
> free or not, and have settled on FLDIGI as the best, *no-compromises*,
> one to use. It is now in Ver. 3.21.4, installs easily, and is kept
> up-to-date. Google for the FLDIGI download site. The one downside to it
> (a minor one) is that the waterfall is not very high on the screen, so
> if you like a tall waterfall, you will be annoyed by this at first. You
> can always run Spectravue simultaneously with FLDIGI if you want more
> viewing turf. This quirk of FLDIGI is much more than offset by the
> variety of modes available!
>
> The one detail to which you will have to attend is making a serial
> connection from your computer to your transceiver. If your computer is
> an older model, it will have COM ports available. The K3 also has a
> matching COM port, and the problem devolves to finding a cable. IF, on
> the other hand, your computer is a newer model, it will probably NOT
> have COM ports built in. You then have two choices: (1) buy a simple,
> inexpensive card that fits inside the computer on the mother board,
> comes with drivers either already in Windows or on a CD or mini-CD, or
> (2) to use a USB-2.0 to Serial adapter. In this last case, beware! as
> many of the commercially available USB-to-serial adapters will NOT work,
> for various reasons. Be prepared to buy an "industrial-strength"
> USB-to-serial converter, or better stilll, buy the one that Elecraft
> offers (it comes with a guarantee to work!).
>
> Good luck. Feel free to email me if you have further questions. Everyone
> was a newbie at the beginning.
>
> John Ragle -- W1ZI
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

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Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU

Re: rig control...

Administrator

In reply to this post by John Ragle

You can adjust the fldigi waterfall height with a menu.

Configure / Waterfall / FFT Processing, then there is a slider.
The max is 160 pixels. Would you like it bigger?

Also, you can do this:

Configure / Waterfall / Mouse, then check the box "Left click replays history"

Then when you click on a signal that's been transmitting a while, it will decode the last few seconds on the screen.

You might also like (on the same dialog) "INsert text on single left click" and put in the string
<FREQ>
Then it will put in a blue line with the frequency and mode every time you click to another signal, so if you want to go back you can just click on that blue line as if it were a hyperlink and it will take you back.

Leigh/WA5ZNU

Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU

Re: rig control...

Administrator

Sorry, the strong to type in for "Insert text on single left click is"
<FREQ>

Leigh/WA5ZNU

On 03/09/2011 10:07 AM, Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU wrote:

> You can adjust the fldigi waterfall height with a menu.
>
> Configure / Waterfall / FFT Processing, then there is a slider.
> The max is 160 pixels. Would you like it bigger?
>
> Also, you can do this:
>
> Configure / Waterfall / Mouse, then check the box "Left click replays
> history"
>
> Then when you click on a signal that's been transmitting a while, it will
> decode the last few seconds on the screen.
>
> You might also like (on the same dialog) "INsert text on single left click"
> and put in the string
>
> Then it will put in a blue line with the frequency and mode every time you
> click to another signal, so if you want to go back you can just click on
> that blue line as if it were a hyperlink and it will take you back.
>
> Leigh/WA5ZNU
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/rig-control-tp6109689p6154784.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>
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