[WriteLog] WriteLog - MK II statup problem

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

 > Having gotten that far I tried making a few contacts in the IOTA
 > contest and a new problem appeared.  In USB the F key suddenly
 > stopped working to send a memory message.  I checked the Sound
 > Recording tab and found the Headset Microphone CODEC was shown
 > as "currently unavailable".  Don't know how or why but I eventually
 > got it to show Working and things worked again.

With Vista and Windows 7, when an application switches inputs the
unselected input is "not available."  However, unless one is recording
a DVK message, I don't understand how the unavailability of the sound
card mic input would effect output.

 > The Line LED on the MK II was flashing on and off so I knew there
 > was something wrong in Windows again.

Flashing "Line LED" indicates that the application selected the mic
input instead of the line input.

 > So at the moment I have some functionality, but am not sure why or
 > when Vista decides to make one of the CODECS unavailable.

Vista/Windows 7 does not decide to make one of the inputs unavailable.
An application has selected one of the other inputs on the sound card.

 > I will have to get in the habit of leaving the Sound Recording window
 > open on the desktop so I can see if one of the CODECS is suddenly
 > switched off by Vista.

You don't want to do that ... with the Sound Control Panel (either
Playback or Recording tab), applications are no longer able to
select inputs.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV

On 7/25/2010 2:58 AM, Gary AL9A wrote:
> Hi Joe,
>
> Yes, the "SC PTT" was checked on the PTT tab in router.  I have now cleared
> it off and I'll see what happens.  Since my earlier tirade I have done more
> playing around and have discovered a few things.  My loss of message key
> function was caused by WL losing everything on the Ports tab.  I suddenly
> noticed the Band Map was no longer working so I went to the Radio tab and
> discovered there was no longer a Comm port to select for CAT.  A check of
> the Ports tab showed the radio comm port info, K1EL keyer, sound board DVK
> and CW port selections were gone - completely blank!  Have no idea why WL
> committed hari kari, but once I got everything reconfigured things started
> working again.
>
> When I finally got things going in WL again some more investigation showed
> that the problem with the TX upon startup in SSB was due to the Echo
> microphone box being checked.  Apparently it is absolutely essential to have
> that box unchecked to have a prayer of getting things to work.  By playing
> around with the sound board mixer I have confirmed what you state below -
> with the MK II I can use all microHAM CODECS and get the memory message keys
> to work and get the recorder to function and get both sides of the QSO -
> send records the memory key or the headset mike and receive gets the
> incoming stuff.
>
> Having gotten that far I tried making a few contacts in the IOTA contest and
> a new problem appeared.  In USB the F key suddenly stopped working to send a
> memory message.  I checked the Sound Recording tab and found the Headset
> Microphone CODEC was shown as "currently unavailable".  Don't know how or
> why but I eventually got it to show Working and things worked again.  Then I
> switched modes to CW and was confronted by yet another problem.  The F keys
> would send the memory message, but RittyRite was deaf.  No characters
> displayed at all even though I had strong signals.  The Line LED on the MK
> II was flashing on and off so I knew there was something wrong in Windows
> again.  Another check of the Sound Recording tab now showed the Line CODEC
> as "currently unavailable".  I finally got it "available" by forcing it to
> be the default and then resetting the default back to the PC sound card.
> RittyRite still showed no reception so I closed it and reopened a new
> Rittyrite window which suddenly started printing characters on the screen.
>
> So at the moment I have some functionality, but am not sure why or when
> Vista decides to make one of the CODECS unavailable.  Perhaps unchecking the
> SC PTT box in Router will make a difference.  I will have to get in the
> habit of leaving the Sound Recording window open on the desktop so I can see
> if one of the CODECS is suddenly switched off by Vista.  I will try to do
> some more checking tomorrow sometime.  For now, a nice stiff drink is in
> order!  Thanks for the reply Joe.
>
> 73,
> Gary AL9A
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joe Subich, W4TV"<lists at subich.com>
> To:<writelog at contesting.com>
> Sent: July 24, 2010 9:53 PM
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] WriteLog - MK II statup problem
>
>
>>
>> Gary,
>>
>> Do you have "SC PTT" checked on the PTT tab in microHAM Router?
>> If so turn it off.
>>
>> I have no problem using The current version of Writelog just as in
>> prior versions with the single "microHAM CODEC" soundcard in MK II
>> (or with an old SoundBlaster Audigy 2ZS with the original microKEYER).
>>
>> Admittedly, I do not use VOX but even with older versions of WriteLog
>> is was not possible to use VOX and record contest audio at the same
>> time under Vista because the operating system permits a soundcard to
>> have only one active input and one active output at a time.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>>     ... Joe, W4TV
>>
>>
>> On 7/24/2010 8:55 PM, Gary AL9A wrote:
>>> I've been playing with this situation most of the afternoon and have
>>> finally
>>> concluded the problem lies not with the MK II the Router or WL asserting
>>> RTS
>>> on the CAT line at startup, but is completely a result of the
>>> "improvements"
>>> incorporated in WriteLog V10.77H as to how the sound card works.  I
>>> understand that Microsoft really screwed the pooch with audio device
>>> control
>>> under Vista and Win7, but this "fix" is a complete disaster from my
>>> perspective.
>>>
>>> I reread the release notes for 10.77 which led me to the Help manual
>>> section
>>> on "How WriteLog sets up sound board mixers".  From the section "On
>>> Windows
>>> Vista and later" I find the following:
>>>
>>> "Also note that on these operating systems, you must select the "DVK mic"
>>> and "rec to PC" on two separate sound boards in order to have both the
>>> "echo
>>> microphone" feature and the "continuous audio record to file" feature.
>>> These
>>> operating systems do not route audio directly from the microphone in mono
>>> to
>>> the same card's stereo output while simultaneously restricting the output
>>> to
>>> only the left or right channel. If you attempt to turn on Echo Microphone
>>> with these settings on the same sound card, then WriteLog will put up a
>>> message about the "resource in use"."
>>>
>>> My WriteLog Sound Mixer Control is setup as follows:
>>>
>>> xmit from PC - Headset Earphone (microHAM CODEC)
>>> DVK mic - Headset Microphone (microHAM CODEC)
>>> rec to PC - Line (microHAM CODEC)
>>> Audio review - Speakers / Headphones (Sigma Tel)
>>>
>>> The first three CODECS are from the MK II, the last one is from my Dell
>>> PC
>>> internal soundcard.
>>>
>>> After reading the Help file a bit I started WL and went to the
>>> Tools/Soundboard area and unchecked Echo microphone.  The radio quit
>>> transmitting.  So far, so good. I left the "continuous audio record to
>>> file"
>>> feature checked and tuned around the band a bit.  After a few minutes I
>>> listened to the recorded RX audio and it seemed normal.  I then switched
>>> onto my dummy load and sent a CQ from the F2 memory key.  It keyed the
>>> transmitter and sent the CQ.  I then went back to the antenna and tried
>>> to
>>> call a station.  PTT keyed the radio, but not the amp!  No idea why.
>>> After
>>> some playing around I finally got the both the radio and amp to transmit
>>> when I pressed the foot switch.  I then tried sending a SSB message from
>>> memory.  Nothing, all the F keys seemed dead and would not send any
>>> messages.
>>>
>>> I then tried playing around with the CODECS in the WL Sound Mixer Level
>>> Control to use two different sound boards as the instructions say you
>>> need
>>> to do.  Things got really goofed up now.  When I selected the PC sound
>>> card
>>> for DVK mic the radio went into transmit and the mic connected to the MK
>>> II
>>> was constantly on.  I moved the mic to the PC mic input and same result -
>>> I
>>> think. I put the DVK mic selection back on the microHAM CODEC and tried
>>> changing the rec to PC choice to the PC sound card.  Can't remember the
>>> exact sequence of events now, but I don't think anything was being
>>> recorded.
>>> The SSB memory keys still wouldn't work, and as a final bonus, when I
>>> switched to CW those memory keys wouldn't send CW either!  So everything
>>> is
>>> now pretty well hosed up!
>>>
>>> Is there anyone who can give me a clue how to make this @#$%&* thing
>>> work?
>>> Everything was working great under WL 10.76 and earlier under Vista
>>> without
>>> too many problems.  From my perspective this update is a complete
>>> disaster.
>>> If I can't get things sorted out soon I will be downloading N1MM and
>>> going
>>> that route.  I hate to say goodbye to WL, but this is absolutely
>>> unacceptable!
>>>
>>> Dismayed customer,
>>> Gary AL9A
>>>
>
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