[WriteLog] RTTY PPT delay

Mon Apr 29 20:15:42 EDT 2013

Gary,

Are you sure you don't have WriteLog also sending PTT commands via
CAT?  That is *notorious* for causing PTT problems - late release
in particular.

It also appears that Writelog may have some issues in correctly timing
FSK - both WriteLog Hardware/Software generated FSK and the amount of
time taken for MMTTY/XMMT.ocx to send a given message - based on Ed's
reports of sent text leading actual transmission by a variable amount
of time (although my tests show a constant three to four character
lead).

Before anything else - make sure that Writelog's Ports Set-up has COM
PTT set to *NO*.  With COMM PTT set to no (or with the IC-706mkIIg
which does not respond to command PTT), I never see excessive PTT lag
with XMMT.ocx.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV

On 4/29/2013 5:01 PM, Gary AL9A wrote:
> I think the PTT delay culprit has been found!  I had previously checked
> my WL Ports setting to make sure the radio PTT was set to Off so there
> wouldn't be a conflict between software and hardware PTT.  After reading
> through Don's comments I reread Joe W4TV's comments below in reply to my
> first query about the PTT delay.  As I was in the middle of two
> different contests, the SPDX and the BARTG 75, I didn't give the Joe's
> note the thorough reading and thought it deserved.  However, upon
> further review...
>
> Joe refers to XMMT.ocx as "... asserting PTT on Winkey (all mode PTT)"
> and ended that I could check it "...by temporarily setting the WriteLog
> port to 'None' in Router's Ports tab."  At first I thought Joe was
> talking about the FSK port assignment for WL in the router Ports tab,
> but then it struck me he may have meant the Winkey port assignment
> setting.  So I set my Winkey port, which is normally COM4, to none and
> changed the TU type back to XMMT.ocx and reset up the MMTTY settings.
> Ta Da - no PTT delay with the Winkey (all mode PTT) port disabled!  Just
> to check I reset the Winkey port back to COM4 and when sending with
> XMMT.ocx the delay is back.
>
> So apparently the secret for those of us who use the microHAM router and
> Winkey is to disable the Winkey port setting when running the XMMT.ocx
> interface.  I will create a new router preset, WriteLog XMMT, which will
> feature the Winkey port set to none.  Should I want to revert back to
> using the MMTTY plug-in I can just select my normal WriteLog preset and
> the Winkey port will again be defined for COM4.
>
> Thanks to both Don and Joe steering me in the right direction - AGAIN!
>
> 73,
> Gary AL9A
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don AA5AU" <aa5au at bellsouth.net>
> To: "Writelog Reflector" <writelog at contesting.com>
> Sent: April 29, 2013 10:06 AM
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] RTTY PPT delay
>
>
> While testing WriteLog on my laptop after installing hardware PTT via
> the ACC connector on the back of my TS870, I noticed a delay in PTT. I
> found that I had forgotten to disable PTT via radio control after
> enabling hardware PTT.
>
> It's been well documented that using both hardware and software PTT will
> cause problems with PTT and delay is one of those problems. I don't know
> if this could be the source of your delay, but it should be checked.
> Once I disabled PTT via radio control, all worked normally. If you are
> connected for hardware PTT, go to the Setup menu in the WriteLog window,
> and select Ports. Make sure Comm PTT is set to NO on the port connected
> for your radio.
>
> In the BARTG Sprint 75, I used 2Tone as the main window for both radios
> and used hardware generated FSK. Despite the blue characters going out
> ahead of what was actually sent, this setup worked very well. I didn't
> use my laptop because it doesn't have any legacy COM ports, only a USB
> to serial adapter. I have 5 legacy COM ports on this PC. Two were used
> for radio control and two were connected to transistor interfaces for
> FSK and PTT. There was absolutely no delay in PTT.
>
> 73, Don AA5AU
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists at subich.com>
> To: <writelog at contesting.com>; "Gary AL9A" <al9a at mtaonline.net>
> Sent: April 27, 2013 1:57 PM
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] Fw: RTTY PPT delay
>
>
>>
>> I see no difference in PTT lead/tail times with either the SM6SRW
>> MMTTY plugin for Writelog or WriteLog's XMMT.ocx support.
>>
>> What are your WinKey Lead/Lag times in Router?   WriteLog's XMMT.ocx
>> support will assert PTT on Winkey (all mode PTT) while MMTTY is
>> asserting PTT on DTR of the FSK port.
>>
>> You can check to see if it is the all mode PTT by temporarily setting
>> the WriteLog port to 'None' in Router's Ports tab.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>>    ... Joe, W4TV
>>
>
>
>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Keith Goobie <keith at goobie.org>
>> To: Gary AL9A <al9a at mtaonline.net>; Writelog Reflector
>> <writelog at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 8:32 AM
>> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] RTTY PPT delay
>>
>>
>> Hi All
>>
>> I played as well in the SPDX RTTY contest (as part of VE3FJB) and I can
>> support the observations of Gary regarding PTT delays. It is quite
>> noticeable.
>>
>> I am running writelog 11.11c, both 2Tone & MMTTY through XMMT.ocx, and a
>> Flex 3000 connected through DDutil. We just upgraded to 11.xx version of
>> Writelog prior to this contest and we were using this as a shakedown
>> contest.
>>
>> Prior to the changes, we were running a version 10.xx Writelog with the
>> MMTTY plugin. No delays in PTT and it was snappy with the Flex / DDUtil
>> combo.
>>
>> Based on this info, I did notice in the contest that some stations I
>> communicated with had longer turn around times - quite noticeable -
>> and it
>> does make one ponder were they using Writelog?
>>
>> Please view my feedback as constructive.   Writelog is a super great
>> program. We are not straying. We did make some 300 contacts in SPDX in a
>> mostly search and pounce operation.
>>
>> Keith - VA3YC
>> One of the Ops at VE3FJB
>>
>>
>> On 4/27/13 1:23 PM, "Gary AL9A" <al9a at mtaonline.net> wrote:
>>
>>> I've been struggling to make a few QSOs in the SPDX RTTY contest and
>>> band
>>> conditions are simply awful. However, it is providing a bit of a test
>>> bed for
>>> the new XMMT.ocx interface. I've been noticing two things on
>>> transmit. One,
>>> in the main Rttyrite screen that prints in blue italics text, my macro
>>> messages print erratically. Sometimes they print out character by
>>> character,
>>> as with the MMTTY plug-in, other times the entire macro dumps onto
>>> the screen
>>> as soon as the F key is pressed, and still other times I see part of
>>> the macro
>>> print to screen, then a slight pause and then the rest of the macro
>>> dumps onto
>>> the screen. Both of my clone windows, one with 2Tone the other with
>>> MMTTY,
>>> print the macros correctly character by character. I don't know what the
>>> problem is with the main Rttyrite screen, but it seems to be sending ok
>>> despite the weird appearance.
>>>
>>> On another note, I use the microHAM MKII keyer and router software
>>> with my FSK
>>> setup. It seems to me by ear that both the PTT lead and tail are
>>> longer than
>>> what I'm used to hearing with the MMTTY plug-in. The PTT tail seems
>>> particularly long and I've tried adjusting that setting on the PTT
>>> tab in
>>> router to no avail. Is there something in XMMT.ocx that is causing this?
>>> Anyone else notice it or just me? I think I will reinstall the MMTTY
>>> plug-in
>>> and see if that makes a difference.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Gary AL9A
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> WriteLog mailing list
>>> WriteLog at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/writelog
>>> WriteLog on the web: http://www.writelog.com/
>>
>> --
>> keith at goobie.org
>> Keith Goobie
>> Richmond Hill, ON, CANADA
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> WriteLog mailing list
>> WriteLog at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/writelog
>> WriteLog on the web: http://www.writelog.com/
>>
>>
>>
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