[WriteLog] MMTTY/2Tone (now Hardware generated FSK with microKEYER)

Mon Apr 1 11:42:15 EDT 2013

I am noticing that when I turn on strict bps it slows way down. I can 
really hear the difference. I'm using the MKII

I have the same thing going on as AL9A and K7US

I didn't notice it yesterday but I didn't have much time to play with 
it. I also have removed the normal MMTTY plugin since trying it yesterday.

-- 
73

Steve AI9T

http://www.ai9t.com

AI9T DX Cluster

Version 4 AI9T   Telnet: dxc.ai9t.com port 7300
Version 6 AI9T-2 Telnet: dxc.ai9t.com port 7373 (CW + Skimmer)

On 4/1/2013 9:04 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>
>> The short answer is that you must go into the microHAM Router and
>> check "Strict BPS" when you use Rttyrite's Hardware generated FSK.
>> This may slow the data rate a bit, though Joe mentioned it was not
>> as bad as he previously thought.
>
> Ed is correct ...
>
> When "C: Limiting Speed" is selected in MMTTY's "USB Port" dialog, 
> MMTTY paces its FSK output - that is it sends one character to the
> serial port every 165 ms.  This allows MMTTY to know what has been
> sent (more importantly if there is still data to be sent) so it knows
> when to drop PTT.  This is necessary because the system level drivers
> for USB hardware have very large buffers that can not be disabled.
> Software that does not use some form of pacing gets confused and either
> sends too many diddles or drop PTT early (or both).
>
> The equivalent to "limiting speed" in the Eltima VSPAX used in microHAM
> Router is "strict BPS" which only sends a single character at a time to
> Router.  Unfortunately, because the VSPAX is dealing with 8 bit data
> instead of 5 bit (7.5 bit with start/stop bits) data, it calculates the
> character rate at 176 (22 x 8) ms instead of 165 msec which results in
> a slightly "slow" data (equivalent to 5N2 instead of 5N1.5).
>
> When using "Hardware generated FSK" in WriteLog one must use "strict
> BPS" in Router.  With MMTTY the alternative is to set no FSK port in
> RTTYrite and configure MMTTY to generate the FSK.
>
> Now that I have returned from my trip to Ohio for my mother's 90th
> birthday, I will update the WriteLog examples for all of the microHAM
> "Keyer" interfaces to document the new MMTTY interface and the option
> of "Hardware generated FSK" with "Strict BPS" or MMTTY with "C:
> Limiting Speed".  I had not expected a release while I was gone!
>
> 73,
>
>    ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 4/1/2013 7:03 AM, Ed Muns wrote:
>> This is similar to Jim N7US's experience he posted yesterday and its 
>> taken
>> me this long to register what the issue might be.  I saw the same 
>> symptoms
>> on a friend's system that used the original microKEYER, but the 
>> problem may
>> be the same.
>>
>> The short answer is that you must go into the microHAM Router and check
>> "Strict BPS" when you use Rttyrite's Hardware generated FSK. This may 
>> slow
>> the data rate a bit, though Joe mentioned it was not as bad as he 
>> previously
>> thought.
>>
>> The long answer ...
>>
>> I forget why this isn't a problem with the MMTTY Plug-in. Perhaps the
>> Plug-in gets the COM port number from Rttyrite's Port menu but still 
>> uses
>> MMTTY's FSK facility.  But, then I can't explain why this avoids the USB
>> buffering problem in the Router that Strict BPS gets around. Perhaps 
>> some
>> detail that differs between Rttyrite's hardware FSK and MMTTY's.  Joe 
>> will
>> know.
>>
>> An alternative, if you use MMTTY as your main decoder/encoder, is to 
>> select
>> "None" in the Rttyrite Port menu and use the MMTTY FSK feature, 
>> setting the
>> COM port number on the TX tab of the MMTTY Options window.
>>
>> If using 2Tone for the main decoder, you must use Rttyrite's FSK 
>> facility
>> since there is not true FSK capability.  If you use Hardware 
>> generated FSK,
>> set "Strict BPS" in the Router.  If you use Software generated FSK, 
>> it only
>> works with 45.45 Baud (60 wpm) RTTY.
>>
>> And, finally, there is the option of using 2Tone's "Pseudo FSK" mode but
>> this requires a special hardware interface.  It is described in the 
>> 2Tone
>> PDF:
>>
>> "TX FSK: The Pseudo FSK setting outputs a 5KHz tone on both left and 
>> right
>> channels of the selected
>> sound card. Tone is on for space and off for mark. A suitable detector
>> circuit can be found at
>> http://www.w1hkj.com/FldigiHelp-3.20/PseudoFSK.html but use 0.1uF in 
>> place
>> of 0.5uF. The output
>> connects to the FSK input of the rig. Search & Pounce: as the transmit
>> frequency does not change
>> with AFC, tune the rig so the small vertical AFC lines are 
>> co-incident with
>> or very close to the long
>> vertical lines. Not doing this will result in off frequency 
>> transmission."
>>
>> When Joe resurfaces, he may have further comment.  Let me know if this
>> helps.
>>
>> Ed W0YK
>>
>> Gary AL9A wrote:
>>> I seem to have hit a bit of a stumbling block...
>>>
>>> Downloaded WL V11.10G and installed the new update.  I
>>> already had XMMT.ocx registered on my Vista machine because
>>> of an earlier install of N1MM a couple of years ago. Cleared
>>> out my RttyRite section in the ini file and then followed
>>> Don's directions on his web page.  I can get both MMTTY and
>>> 2Tone to run using the ocx option on the TU Type menu, but
>>> there is something not right in both instances.  When sending
>>> a macro the text appears to jump instantly onto the RttyRite
>>> screen, but the transmission is a problem.  Either the TX
>>> drops out right away after just a few characters are sent or
>>> it sends a part of the string then hangs up for a couple of
>>> seconds and sends more of the macro then hangs up again.
>>> Sometimes it takes several seconds to TX to turn off despite
>>> having %E at the end of the macro.  This happens with both
>>> 2Tone and MMTTY under ocx control.  It sounds like those K3
>>> ops who are using a CW paddle to key their RTTY transmissions.
>>>
>>> When I switch back to the MMTTY plug in choice in the TU Type
>>> menu it transmits normally again.  The only thing I notice
>>> that is different is that with the ocx option selected in the
>>> Ports drop down list there are three FSK keying options.  The
>>> last one in the list is checked - Hardware FSK.  I have the
>>> microHAM Router software running and use the MK II for FSK.
>>> Is there a setting somewhere I'm missing in RttyRite, MMTTY,
>>> 2Tone or Router?  Not sure where to go or what to try next.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> WriteLog mailing list
>> WriteLog at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/writelog
>> WriteLog on the web:  http://www.writelog.com/
>>
> _______________________________________________
> WriteLog mailing list
> WriteLog at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/writelog
> WriteLog on the web:  http://www.writelog.com/
>