[Trlog] TR4W
k0dq
k0dq at analog.org
Mon Jun 28 18:55:40 PDT 2010
Thanks, Bob. Very helpful post. And all the best at WRTC.
To summarize, I think there are three major tasks involved with implementing
SO2R under TR4W when computers with only USB ports are available.
As I (barely) understand it:
1. CAT/computer control of radios. No problem via USB/Serial converters
for radios one and two.
2. CW keying of two transmitters, separately switchable. No problem if you
have a rig (e.g. K-3) which allows using COM port RTS/DTR for keying and
PTT. If you have an older rig (e.g. FT-990) still may be doable (I believe)
with WINKEY (one or two?), but I don't have any experience yet.
- As an aside, I haven't seen the stutter problem yet, but I haven't
graduated to spots, telnets, etc. yet. Just trying to duplicate reliable
old faithful TRLog in windows.
3. Headphone switching. That seems to be the last - and most gnarly -
problem, which I infer you are referring to when you say "much of the job."
As you note, that's solvable with an LPT port, using pin 14, but not sure
how to do that without an LPT. THAT'S where I'm coming up short. (I
suppose you could, in theory, build a box that takes the radio PTT signal
for Radio 2, sent via COM Port DTR/RTS, and have it key a relay actuating +5
volts for Radio 2.)
Don't intend to ask any three letter agencies for translation help, but
wonder if there's something on the wiki about implementing SO2R under TR4W.
Happy to buy a Micro2R, YCCC box or some such. Much happier if I can use my
DX Doubler (and maybe SO2Rxlat).
Plan B is to take several of my old HP Omnibook 500's and other older
laptops with LPTs and/or PCMCIA/Express sockets, load them up with TR4W, and
take them to P4 until they all die. That may not be long.
Thanks
Scott
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Wolbert, K6XX [mailto:k6xx at ihwy.com]
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 1:21 PM
To: 'k0dq'; 'Tod -MN'; trlog at contesting.com
Subject: RE: [Trlog] TR4W
Gentlemen,
TR4W is working well for me, and has been used exclusively here for about 18
months. Well enough that we will use it at WRTC in a couple of weeks.
At home, Alt-R functionality works normally with a relatively modern Core-2
duo PC (2008 Lenovo desktop with an honest parallel port) and the older WX0B
SO2R box (similar to the DXD). Using a laptop without a parallel port, the
WinKey thing can simulate the second radio switching to a certain extent.
USB-serial converters also will do much of the job; you may key the rig
through the same port as you use to control it, with TR4W automatically
directing PTT and keying to the proper rig.
I do see some issues with this USB-serial port keying in TR4W, especially if
I'm running something that bogs down the processor like HamCAP (propagation
display program) when it updates at the top of the hour. Keying stutters
slightly during these updates, with the stutter severity dependant upon PC
processor. A 1.6GHz "dual core" stutters badly, while the 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo
(a much faster processor family, independent of clock speed) hardly notices
the loading. With the parallel port keying, I have never heard stutter.
Using the WinKey, you will never hear any stutter.
Scott, I imagine your Russian is a heck of a lot better than mine--or at
least you have the resources to accurately translate the technical documents
available on the TR4W Russian-language "Wiki". Look at what Dmitriy has done
with the serial port. He has implemented external hardware and code to
emulate much (all??) of the functionality previously available on the
parallel port. Paddle input, for example... but last time I tried it, the
paddle was non-iambic. Hopefully, the radio control bit is also available
now on a serial port.
Alt-D functionality also works, and in fact has been improved from that in
TR (DOS) in several ways. Preeminent among the improvements, IMHO, is the
way it will automatically load a callsign into the second rig window if that
call is in the bandmap. But there are some operational differences between
TR4W and TR that you must learn. The most bothersome is the difference in
functionality when you don't get the second rig Q on the first call. On the
second call, it sometimes works, but sometimes doesn't. TR has the same
issue, but with a different threshold. I haven't figured out either one!
73 de Bob, K6XX
> -----Original Message-----
> From: trlog-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:trlog-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of k0dq
> Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 9:04 AM
> To: 'Tod -MN'; trlog at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Trlog] TR4W
>
> Tod,
>
>
>
> Thanks. All that makes sense and am doing that with my older
> computers (desktops and laptops) that have 'real' Parallel /
> LPT ports. Haven't used it in a 48 hour contest yet, but all
> works well unless there's some hidden deal. I'm only
> interested in CW, BTW, and am trying to figure this out for
> the 'take a laptop to Aruba' setup. The Alt-D SO2R function
> is the one I'm particularly trying to preserve.
>
>
>
> USB-serial ports can do virtually everything EXCEPT switch
> the DXD from radio 1 to radio 2. While USB-serial ports work
> well, USB-LPT ports don't work. That's the challenge -
> getting the LPT pin 14 Radio Select A/B signal from a USB
> only computer.
>
>
>
> Blessings
>
>
>
> Scott
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tod -MN [mailto:tod at k0to.us]
> Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 11:11 AM
> To: 'k0dq'; trlog at contesting.com
> Subject: RE: [Trlog] TR4W
>
>
>
> Scott:
>
>
>
> I presently am using a Desk Top type computer with 'real' COM
> ports and a
>
> 'real' Parallel port. I have tested TR4W using a USB COM port
> and that works
>
> very well. I do not [yet] have a USB to LPT cable so have no
> experience with
>
> that.
>
>
>
> I do not use the LPT line to specify the band that a
> particular radio is on
>
> -- I have the TopTen Band Decoders. The LPT lines are only
> used to provide
>
> PTT and the computer CW keying signal. I do not use the
> paddles connected to
>
> the LPT inputs to generate a 'keyer' type CW output since
> there simply
>
> seems to be no way for anyone [N1MM, etc.] to get the correct
> timing turn
>
> around to allow paddle CW as we used to have it in the DOS version of
>
> TR-Log.
>
>
>
> I have not implemented the footswitch.
>
>
>
> The DVP function works correctly but the ALT-R and ALT-W
> options that were
>
> available for the DVK board in TR-Log are not available in
> TR4W -- at least
>
> not as far as I can tell.
>
>
>
>
>
> I have converted some of the documentation from Russian into
> English --
>
> particularly tables and the command statements for the CFG files.
>
>
>
> My experience has been that it seems one must put all of the
> RADIO ONE and
>
> RADIO TWO command statements into the TR.ini file for things
> to work. I am
>
> not absolutely certain about that, because the computer and radios are
>
> located in Idaho and I am in Minnesota for the next few
> weeks. I know that I
>
> had to do something unusual to get statements into the
> correct directory
>
> before they did what I expected them to do.
>
>
>
> Once the Radio One and Radio Two statements were locate in the correct
>
> directory with the correct name things worked exactly as they
> do/did when
>
> running TR-Log under DOS.
>
>
>
>
>
> Tod, K0TO
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
>
> > From: k0dq [mailto:k0dq at analog.org]
>
> > Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 8:42 AM
>
> > To: 'Tod -MN'
>
> > Subject: RE: [Trlog] TR4W
>
> >
>
> > Tod,
>
> >
>
> > Where do you connect the LPT cable on your computer? Do you
>
> > use an LPT port or PCMCIA/Express card converter?
>
> >
>
> > Trying to figure out how to do it with a computer with only
> USB ports.
>
> >
>
> > Tnx,
>
> >
>
> > Scott
>
> >
>
> > -----Original Message-----
>
> > From: Tod -MN [mailto:tod at k0to.us]
>
> > Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 9:46 AM
>
> > To: 'k0dq'
>
> > Subject: RE: [Trlog] TR4W
>
> >
>
> > I use Dxdoubler and TR4W.
>
> >
>
> > What seems to be the non-functioning thing?
>
> >
>
> > Tod, K0TO
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > > -----Original Message-----
>
> > > From: trlog-bounces at contesting.com
>
> > > [mailto:trlog-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of k0dq
>
> > > Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 8:05 PM
>
> > > To: trlog at contesting.com
>
> > > Subject: [Trlog] TR4W
>
> > >
>
> > > Trying to figure out how best to make the transition to
>
> > Windows based
>
> > > contest logging program for SO2R. Preferred option is
>
> > TR4W, which I
>
> > > have working on machines with an LPT.
>
> > > I do have a PIEXX SO2Rxlat and hoped to utilize my trusty
>
> > DX Doubler,
>
> > > but doesn't appear to be compatible.
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > > Is anyone successfully using TR4W on a modern laptop (i.e.
>
> > > only USB ports)
>
> > > in SO2R? If so, how.
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > > Thanks,
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > > Scott, K0DQ
>
> > >
>
> > > _______________________________________________
>
> > > Trlog mailing list
>
> > > Trlog at contesting.com
>
> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/trlog
>
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Trlog mailing list
> Trlog at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/trlog
More information about the Trlog
mailing list