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

Mon Apr 1 16:55:01 EDT 2013

Gary and all

This is the same thing I am seeing. Gary explained it well.

Steve AI9T

On 4/1/2013 4:36 PM, Gary AL9A wrote:
> Ok, just had a few minutes to play with the RttyRite/MMTTY/microHAM 
> router settings and have found the following...
>
> 1. When using the original MMTTY plug-in and COM port RttyRite keys 
> normally and the transmit speed is normal as well.
>
> 2. Checking the Strict BPS setting in router and using the TU type of 
> XMMT.ocx with MMTTY and my normal COM PORT under Port solves the 
> buffer timing problem, but the transmit speed is significantly slower 
> due to the Strict BPS setting.
>
> 3. Unchecked the Strict BPS setting in router and still using the TU 
> type of XMMT.ocx with MMTTY and the Port set to None in RttyRite and 
> the COM port set in MMTTY results in good RTTY transmission at what 
> sounds like the normal speed I am used to.
>
> The only real difference I can see in using the XMMT.ocx choice 
> variations in RttyRite is the full string of macro text populates the 
> RttyRite screen when you press any F key and when the TX starts 
> sending you cannot determine which character in the string is being 
> sent.  Under the MMTTY plug in the text being sent prints on the 
> screen one character at a time.  Because the MK II has a scrolling 
> display window I can see the characters being sent in that window, but 
> not in the RttyRite window.
>
> At the moment I intend to stick with choice #3 from above just to see 
> how it works under contest conditions.  Now to tackle the clone 
> windows issue.  I want to setup two clones, one for MMTTY with a 
> different profile setting, the other for 2Tone receive only.  Also 
> want to try the new ini command to restore the clone windows.
>
> 73,
> Gary AL9A
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists at subich.com>
> To: <writelog at contesting.com>
> Sent: April 01, 2013 5:04 AM
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] MMTTY/2Tone (now Hardware generated FSK 
> withmicroKEYER)
>
>
>>
>>> 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.
>>>
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>>>
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>>
>
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>

-- 
73

Steve AI9T

http://www.ai9t.com

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