I used WriteLog in this past weekend?s contest (CW only) and ran into an
anomaly for which someone out there on the reflector may have the cure.
(I set out to search the reflector archives but found that the "full raw
archives" are not available just now and didn't want to undertake a
month-by-month search!)
My station configuration is an Icom IC756PROII, Icom IC-PW1, Icom CT-17
level converter and a desktop PC running Windows XP Pro with WriteLog
version 10.33c. The transceiver, amplifier and PC each utilize a port of
the CT-17. WriteLog keys the transceiver via the PC?s COM 1 serial port.
What?s happening is this: At seemingly random intervals, the frequency
and mode indicated by WriteLog go haywire for a brief period of time. I
didn?t time it but I?d estimate this occurred at least every two minutes
throughout the contest.
Here are a few observations that perhaps a reflector member can relate
to and offer some advice:
1. WriteLog appears to receive bogus frequency/mode data from the
transceiver at random times.
2. The corruption of communicated data lasts about a quarter of a
second. During this brief interval the frequency displayed in the
WriteLog entry window (and on the WriteLog bandmap) goes to 5, 6, or 8
digit random numbers and the mode may change to FM or RTTY. Those of you
familiar with the IC756PROII will recall that the transceiver display
bakklighting dims momentarily when serial communication is initiated by
a logging program such as WriteLog. This momentary dimming occurs when I
start WriteLog, but the transceiver display backlighting is steady
through occurrences of the glitch.
3. The glitch occurred so frequently through the contest that there were
several occasions when I pressed the ENTER key to log a contact during
the brief glitch interval. For these contacts, WriteLog recorded a
random frequency and often times either FM or RTTY as the mode. It also
marked these contacts with a red ?B? to the right of the number and gave
me zero points for the contact.
4. The glitch occurs with or without WriteLog being logged onto a packet
cluster.
5. I changed serial link speed from 9600 to 4800 baud but noticed no
difference.
6. I have the ?[RIGS] / Icom IC-756PRO=0x64? entry in my ini file. The
address of the transceiver as displayed by the transceiver?s menu is 64h.
7. My general purpose logging software is YPLog, which uses the same PC
serial port (not at the same time of course) to communicate with the
transceiver. YPLog does not suffer this anomaly. This leads me to
believe something about WriteLog or its configuration is the culprit here.
8. Glitches occur whether I'm listening or transmitting, so I'm inclined
to think the problem is not rooted in RFI.
Anyone out there with an idea as to how to deal with this issue?
Thanks.
Steve
K8JQ
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