[Fourlanders] N1MM update

[Bob Lear]

Progress to date:  After the 2m EME antenna workday last Tuesday, Johnny 
suggested he and I spend some time on N1MM after we had lunch and 
confirmed that the 2m antennas were back tracking and the station 
operative.  Of course, this was for Bouvet, but unfortunately that is 
off the table for now.

The 222 contest station was still completely set up from the contest.  I 
connected the 2m computer to my 897 with a CAT cable to fake a 2m 
station.  We put the FT-2000 on the 6m computer.  Remember Johnny has 
some experience with N1MM and I've never really looked at it.  Within a 
pretty short time, we had the three computers networking together, 
showing the common log, gab, etc.  It turned out to be pretty easy.  We 
just designated one of them to be the 'master' as N1MM does not require 
a server.  Seemed pretty straightforward.  We also quickly got the 222 
station interfaced using our usual interface cables and properly doing 
PTT and calling CQ on CW.  We did not attempt to work on the audio 
paths.  Probably spent about two hours total that day.

Johnny came up again on Saturday and we worked a couple more hours with 
the 6m station and got it working with CW and Phone, recorded messages, 
proper PTT, etc.  The settings ended up being exactly the same as we 
were used to with WL, using my same interface and cable.   We did have 
some problems getting all the right configuration settings, but in the 
end it came back to what we were used to.  Maybe all logging programs 
'test' us on setting up!

So things look pretty good to me as far as making a jump to N1MM. Bill's 
suggestion of getting some of us together to hook up 4 stations in a 
fake contest environment and log Q's, call CQ, fake calling real 
stations, gab, etc. is certainly something that we should do, just as we 
did that with WL and recently with the new computers.   From the 
response to my first post about possibly doing this, no one was against 
it.  Now we just need to proceed with testing but it looks like it going 
to be a good change for us.  I'd say the only thing I didn't like so far 
was the QSO entry box set up.  I suspect it is an editable thing or 
something we could ask N1MM to address but not a deal breaker by any means.

Again, I suggest you download your free copy, connect to your own radio 
and see what it's like.

73, Bob  off to Orlando tomorrow for a week of FL sunshine and it better 
be there!!