[WriteLog] Erratic CW

[Ron Stordahl]

Garry

You have two realistic options:

1) Go back to DOS (maybe that's not so realistic)
2) Get the W5XD Keyer (expensive but its a total solution)

To say that Windows is not multitasking is all in the terminology.  Actually
no single processor machine can execute more than one task at a time (where
we understand a task to be a program).  Instead it just switches between
tasks so quickly that it appears to be running several concurrently.  At any
time only one task is actually executing.  The switching time (its called
context switching) is dependent upon the hardware and the OS.  Windows was
not designed, nor was the hardware to be a 'real time OS' where context
switching must be extremely fast and response time guaranteed.

It's kind of humorous that CW generation is an example of an application
which needs real time response.  PC's with fast processors are 'fast' in
terms of total throughput, yet they are dogs compared to 20 year old
minicomputers designed for real time (such as process control system) use.

With enough tinkering with your system, by canceling the myriad of running
tasks, you might be able to get a satisfactory result, but the code will
never be perfect...and the faster you do CW the less satisfied you will be
with direct CW generation.

The W5XD works, I wouldn't go back to the old way...it's all about making
choices.

Ron N5IN


----- Original Message -----
From: "Garry Shapiro" <garry@ni6t.com>
To: "WriteLog Reflector" <writelog@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 11:09 AM
Subject: [WriteLog] Erratic CW


> Amazing...within 24 hours of posting my message about erratic computer CW
> keying with WL, almost two dozen replies pop up on the Reflector! This
> problem is apparently widely experienced, but the solution is no slam
dunk.
>
> Here is a summary of what we have, so far.
>
> * Several tout the W5XD Keyer as a workaround to keying issues with
Windoze.
> Waitaminnit! What kind of sense does it make to buy a several hundred
dollar
> keyer to ensure functionality of a $90 piece of software, especially when
I
> already have an external keyer? It would make more sense to go back to CT
> for CW contests.
>
> * Several suggested adding CW_ON_PIN1=1 to [PORTS] in writelog.ini.
Cool--I
> did not have that in my writelog.ini---but others said they do have it,
and
> the problem is unaffected. Worth trying, I suppose---maybe I will be among
> the lucky ones. I recall a discussion of the "LPT1 Problem" but I do not
> recall what that problem was.
> * Several suggested that RFI might be the culprit. This is always a
> possibility, and my keying line is longer than previously due to the
> computer being on the floor. This is not difficult to check out and I have
> plenty of beads, but I suspect this will not prove to be the problem. In
my
> shack, 10m and 160m have had problems in the past, but I spent most of my
> time in WPX on 15 and 20.
>
> * Several suggested that Windoze might have too many processes running in
> the background. Indeed, I am seeing a helluva lot more than Explorer and
> Systray! Even with no other applications open, I have six HP printer
drivers
> for my G95 All-In-One running on my network, Realplay, Mediadet, Ctnotify,
> Alogserve and Ahqtb. Could one or more of these be grabbing the CPU's
> attention every so often? I have no idea what some of them are! This
> suggestion reminded me that I am occasionally seeing sluggish responses to
> such mundane acts as typing in an email address in Outlook----this one is
> starting to look interesting.
>
> * One contributor suggested that I disable my Anti-Virus program. Also
worth
> trying...
>
> * A local contester observes that, when he has this problem, it correlates
> with hard disk activity, i.e. something else is happening at that time.
This
> in turn could be related to all those other drivers in the background.
K5ZD
> says this has to do with the way Windoze DOESN'T handle multitasking, and
> suggests unloading all the printer drivers. Verrry interrrrresting. I
think
> I would rather unload Writelog. Tell me again why we abandoned DOS-based
> contesting programs...
>
> * OTOH---at least one guy said he has the same problem with CT....go
figger.
>
> * Some guys suggested getting rid of Findfast.exe. My version of Office
> apparently does not have Findfast.exe. Next suggestion...
>
> * Computer not fast enough? One guy is running a 1 GHz P4 and has the same
> problem.
>
> OK---it looks like I will need to slog through these one at a time--modify
> writelog.ini, beads on leads and dummy loads, disable applications, remove
> printer drifvers (oh, no, what a PITA!). I suspect it will wind up being a
> Windoze background process issue, since I am pretty sure it worked without
> incident back at CW SS, and I probably added something since then that is
> resource-greedy.
>
> Whew! This is more confusing than SO2R after drinking a sixpack. What do
> people do who have real lives? I go sleep now.
>
> Thanks to all,
>
> Garry, NI6T
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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