[Skimmertalk] Multiple Instances of CW Skimmer

[Dick Green WC1M]

It sounds like the ini files for the two instances are set to use the same OmniRig radio. When you load CW Skimmer for each SDR independently (i.e., not together), is the correct radio set in the CAT tab? When you run them together is the correct radio set in the CAT tab in each copy? If not, you might have a problem with the ini files or the shortcuts where you've specified which ini file to load. Here are some tips:

I take it that you have located the folder where CW Skimmer finds its ini file. On my Windows 10 system, it's here:

C:\Users\dickg\AppData\Roaming\Afreet\Products\CwSkimmer (where dickg is my user name -- substitute yours).

The pathname might be slightly different on Windows 7.

I also trust that you have configured CW Skimmer by saving two copies of the ini file with different names in the above folder, e.g.:

Skimmer1.ini and Skimmer2.ini

And I trust that you've created shortcuts to CW Skimmer for each instance with these (example) command lines:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Afreet\CwSkimmer\CwSkimmer.exe" ini="Skimmer1.ini"

and

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Afreet\CwSkimmer\CwSkimmer.exe" ini="Skimmer2.ini"

Finally, I trust that you ran each instance and set the OminRig port to use in the CAT tab -- in my example, Skimmer1 uses radio 1 and Skimmer 2 uses radio 2.

If you did all that, go to the CW Skimmer AppData folder shown above and examine the two ini files. The ini file for Skimmer1 should have "RigNo=1" under the [sdrSR] category and Skimmer 2 should have "RigNo=2" in that category.

If you have everything setup as detailed above, the only thing I can think of is that there's a problem with your virtual serial port setup. I think com0com can handle multiple simultaneous virtual ports, but if not try VSPE (Virtual Serial Port Emulator). There's a modest license fee, but I think it's a superior product with more options.

FYI, I have three instances each of HDSDR and CW Skimmer running to manage three Afedri SDRs. The setup differs from yours in that the Afedri allows HDSDR to use the network for I/Q and CW Skimmer to use the USB audio port, and I don't use OmniRig for CAT because at one time my contest logger, Writelog, didn't support OmniRig. Years ago, I wrote custom station control software that does all the antenna switching in my rather complex SO2R station, and it communicates with Writelog via OLE (inter-process communications on Windows) to get the rig frequencies so it can switch the antennas for the current band. When it came time to setup my three SDRs (one follows each rig and one is independent), I modified my station control software to set the LO frequencies in each copy of HDSDR and CW Skimmer. I does so for HDSRD via VSPE virtual COM ports, and for CW Skimmer via a Telnet port unique to each copy of CW Skimmer (which is also used by Writelog to receive spots from CW Skimmer.) 

In reviewing the configuration options to see if I could help you, I wondered why I didn't elect to have Writelog, my station control software and CW Skimmer all use OmniRig, which they can now. I think it's because I wanted to set a fixed LO rather than have CW Skimmer follow rig tuning. Also, there would be no way to set the frequency for the third copy. So all three copies of Skimmer are configured for Softrock instead of Softrock IF (i.e., no CAT, no OmniRig), and the communication is via Telnet.

I hope this helps.

73, Dick WC1M

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Parsons <ve3zi at yahoo.com> 
Sent: Monday, May 7, 2018 10:21 AM
To: n6tv at arrl.net
Cc: skimmertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [Skimmertalk] Multiple Instances of CW Skimmer

I think I am going to admit defeat at this point. Everything works perfectly when I switch between the two possible SDRs provided that only one receiver is 'ON' at a time, but not when both are.

I believe that I have investigated all the helpful suggestions which have been made, but I have not been able to change the behaviour of the set-up.

73 Roger
VE3ZI