OmniRig support in PowerSDR??

Radi

Is there a possibility or plan to add OmniRig support to PowerSDR to allow interfacing with other radios in the shack?? It would be great !

Ed - W2RF

You can accomplish that with my RigSync program, available free at http://www.ehr.net

Greg

Holy cow are you two brothers...twins? Your pics look almost identical 73 Greg

Greg

Ed may be loosing a bit of hair sooner but still...

Radi

Hi Ed, Did not know I had a twin brother, ! I wish to sync my FT1000MP controlled by DX4WIN logger with my SDR RX. Do I have to install the CW skimmer for this or the sync can work without it? Best 73, Radi F6GNZ

Ed - W2RF

Hi Radi, Skimmer is not needed. However I'm not sure how DX4WIN fits in. If it doesn't, you might try WriteLog, which is tightly integrated with RigSync. 73, Ed w2rf

Neal_K3NC

I have been working on a SmartSDR ini file this weekend, if I ever get it to my satisfaction I will post it. 73

Radi

Thanks Ed, I will try it with my Dx4WIN/microKEYERII combination. I've been using DX4WIN since it's first release for over 20 years so ... 73, Radi F6GNZ

Ed - W2RF

If DX4WIN supports OmniRig, there is a good chance it will work. Let me know of questions or problems. I'm interested to know how it works out! Ed w2rf

Radi

Thanks for the offer Ed, Here are my settings: DX4WIN: FT1000MP/4800/com4/dtr high MicroKeyer2: CAT1: com4, open, 4800 8N2 CAT2: com14, open 4800 8N2 OmniRig: rig1: POwerSDR/com2/57600/8N1 rig2: FT1000MP/com14/4800/8N2 W2RF RigSync options: rig1: active rig2: active Auto/250/750/All RigSync display: Only Rig2 ticked as active and frequency/modes display follow FT1000MP settings But, nothing else! Do not know what I can do further to get PWRsdr displayed on RigSync window and make it synchronize the FT1000MP... 73, Radi F6GNZ

Ed - W2RF

So the FT1000MP (Rig1 on COM4) is working, but PowerSDR (Rig2 on COM2) is not. For PowerSDR you need a virtual com port pair, say COM2/12, and PowerSDR needs to be set on 12. Is this your setup? Ed w2rf

Radi

No, my PowerSDR is set to the port2. Why do I have to set it to com 12 and connect it to com2 via this virtual port?? Radi F6GNZ

Radi

I have installed Com0Com, tied com2/com12 and set PowerSDR to com12, keeping CAT2 in mKeyer on com2. Now, RigSync window shows ft1000MP frequency, rigs 1 and 2 ticked but rig1 box is gray and nothing happens when I click on the SDR console except changing the SDR frequency! Do not know how to proceed... 73, Radi F6GNZ

Ed - W2RF

I can't explain why PowerSDR is not connecting on Rig1 with virtual ports com2/12. The symptoms you describe seem to indicate that the virtual ports are not working correctly. You could try connecting to COM2 from some other program, or run another OmniRig app and see if your results are different. But until you get PowerSDR CAT working through the virtual com ports, no app is going to connect. Ed w2rf

Radi

Hi Ed, I found a problem: it was in Com0Com which had **** up everything, very weird application, asking to reset PC after port changes etc...Uninstalled and tried Vcom from N8VB, it wouldn't install drivers in Windows 7, so deleted it also. Finally, found and installed the FB program VSPManager from K5FR, created virtual port pair COM2->COM22, started RigSync and configured TX1 and TX2 in OmniRig. microHAM uRouter was configured to control FT1000MP through CAT1 by DX4WIN on COM4 and to control it from OmniRig TX2 through CAT2 on COM14. On the attached Word file that I sent to your personal mail (couldn't attach it here) you can see the configurations. Now, everything seems to be working as supposed and when I click on Sync and change my SDR frequency , FT1000MP frequency/mode follows. BUT, I need your instructions and advice to avoid blind efforts to make it work every time: in the beginning, after configuring OmniRig windows and clicking Apply, the RigSync window seemed almost "dead": the Rig 1/2 checkboxes turned to gray, than white, than again gray; display was showing FT1000MP Frequency but very pale, not red illuminated as later, then suddenly after re-opening and closing some OmniRig windows it went alive, permitting selection of Rigs and displaying the relevant frequencies in Red, but with several seconds delay. And, when I clicked Sync it did synchronize my FT1000MP with the SDR console frequency/mode. However, this also with some longer delay, not acceptable during HAM traffic when one has to respond to a station. Maybe some modifications have to be made in the RigSync Sync Options window (rig1/2 both active or not ?, primary rig ?, poll interval, rig delay...and a need to respect the order of configuring and closing the OmniRig windows..? Thanking you again for your support and hoping to be able to make all work as it should after your advices, With best 73, Radi F6GNZ

Ed - W2RF

Great news that it's beginning to work! I will look at your configuration, but in the mean time let's try to isolate the problem. Try to simplify the setup temporarily by not turning on certain items, or not running programs. Just one thing at a time at first. You want to see the correct indication of a dark number for the rig. Then next, just try two things and get them to sync. Always start RigSync LAST during these tests. You may have noticed that RigSync has a couple of diagnostic screens. We can use them once we have isolated the problem connections. Thanks for sticking with this. Once it is all done, I think you will find it very useful. Ed w2rf

Radi

Ed, After writing my mail I played with the setup and found it is not so evident: sometimes the FT1000MP takes priority and switches SDR back from 7Mhz frequency to 14MHz , sometimes when both are on the same band I change SDR frequency and it jumps back, then I try to change SDR mode from USB to CW and it jumps back to USB. Then again, I set it to CW on frequency different from FT1000MP and after a few seconds I see FT1000MP also changed to CW and after a few seconds later it came to SDR frequency. So, two issues: all actions slow and not always as intended. I believe you will find the answer by looking into my Word file. BTW, do not understand exactly what you mean by "always start RigSync LAST" : if I do not start RigSync, then I have no OmniRig config boxes.... 73, Radi

Radi

Further tests: In Omnirig disabled TX2/FT1000MP (off); changing frequencies, bands and mode is perfectly followed on the RigSync display, but with rather long delay. Putting TX1 (SDR) off results in RigSync following FT1000MP bands/frequs/mode, but faster than the SDR's ; sometimes very fast, sometimes after 1-2 seconds...But always consistent with commands. Having both Rigs ON creates strange jumps of frequencies/modes between the two, like one trying to force other but as delays are not the same sometimes SDR wins, sometimes the FT1000MP !...And sometimes frequencies shown on RigSync lag from the frequ's displayed on SDR/FT... So, should first try to reduce reaction delays with each Rig separately and then try to see how to have one commanding the other without kick-backs 73, Radi F6GNZ

Radi

Further happenings: FT and RigSync freq 7136; SDR on 7155, Change SDR to 7120, nothing happens on FT.RigSync , but SDR after several seconds jumps back to 7155, like if this frequency was stored in some memory ! Changing times and timeouts modifies events but without any evident rule. Ed, I think some kind of User Manual would be welcome to clarify roles and mutual relations of different settings in Sync Options (active, passive, manual/auto, poll interval, rig delay, transactions) as well as for each Rig (Poll, timeout). Also, why Rig boxes in RigSync window automatically and randomly change from white to gray and get checked/unchecked on left side and in the checkbox... Sometimes, whatever I do, changing SDR frequency has no impact on FT1000MP. I am tired of experimenting without seeing end of the tunnel and go to sleep ! 73, Radi

Radi

Better news this morning. Have done two modifications: 1. Activated Push Data in CAT of SDR console 2. In Sync Options Selected Rig1 (SDR) as Active and Rig2 (FT1000) as passive, primary Rig: Manual. Now no more jumps and conflicts, FT1000MP follows SDR modes/frequencies, but still after a few seconds delay. When changing freq at SDR first the new freq appears on the RigSync green (sorry before I said red ! ) frequency display in 1-2 seconds and about 1-2 seconds later also on FT1000MP. So, having everything stabilized now, have to hunt for shorter timing. Will try to reverse CAT1/2 ports on Router (have Omnirig/FT1000MP control CAT1 and DX4WIN/FT1000MP CAT2), then intend to see what happens if I set DX4WIN to control SDR(TS2000) , i.e. inverse roles between SDR and FT1000MP... 73, Radi F6GNZ

Ed - W2RF

Radi, Good news! It appears that there is a polling delay in DX4WIN, so after it gets the CAT1 setting, there is a delay before it transfers to CAT2. Perhaps DX4WIN has an adjustment for polling, like RigSync does. I don't know if it's possible but the best approach would be to put both radios on OmniRig, and not link one through DX4WIN. That is the way RigSync works with WriteLog (it uses an AFX automation link). Take a look at Alex VE3NEA's Band Map program. It works the way I am describing. If a logging program is fully OmniRig compatible, it does not need to have any radio links (WL doesn't). Ed w2rf

Radi

Hi Ed, Yes, the delay in DX4WIN is 500ms, and to avoid collisions the Router's CAT2 port devices should have even longer polling delay. That's why I thought I should try to reverse CAT1 and CAT2 ports. I will also try your idea about not going through DX4WIN, but I think in this case my logger would not be able to log frequencies, add execute some other commands, but its worth a try. In this case the FT1000MP CAT has also to remain through the microHAM router and Keyer as they control the FT1000MP through multiconductor cable connected to its rear panel connectors... But, unfortunately, DX4WIN is NOT compatible with the OmniRig. There were already several requests for this on DX4WIN forum, but still no author's decision.. 73, Radi F6GNZ

Ed - W2RF

RigSync has an internal negotiation that avoids most collision without resorting to long delays. You can see it working on the Monitor tab. OTOH you may find that the delay is not that bad. And there is always WriteLog 73, Ed w2rf

Ed - W2RF

Radi, you are right that documentation would be helpful. However the random changes are something else. I wouldn't be able to document that

Radi

Hi Ed, Today I was making further tests: 1. Inversed ports on Urouter: CAT1 = COM14 (Omnirig/FT1000MP CAT2 = COM9 (DX4WIN/FT1000MP) RESULT: no visible change in timing performance. Sync works sometimes very fast, within 1 second, but sometimes it takes over 5 seconds to synchronize… Decreasing the polling rate in DX4WIN would cause even more “Radio timed out” messages .. 2. Following you suggestion, tried to eliminate DX4WIN from the circuit and synchronize SDR and FT1000MP only via Omnirig/RigSync applications: Set DX4WIN radio to NONE, Router CAT1 = COM14 (Omnirig/FT1000MP) CAT2 = NONE OmniRig Poll intervals: FT1000MP: 120mS/timeout 4000mS SDR(TS2000): 100mS/timeout 4000mS Sync. Options: Poll int. 100mS Rig Delay: 250mS RESULT: no improvement in timing. Sometimes it is within 1-2 seconds, but sometimes it took 22 seconds to synchronize. I some instances it took over 10 seconds to get SDR frequency to be shown on RigSync display, but the FT1000MP was never synchronized (over 1 minute wait and still on old frequency). Looks even worse than before. Now, to conclude, after test without DX4WIN, there may be two reasons: 1. Something incompatible between polling rates/timeouts and Rig Delay (please check the figures and let me know) 2. Timing delay introduced by the microKeyer/Router which drives FT1000MP via it's Eltima virtual ports and associated mKeyer software. But, if I eliminate mKeyer, all my shack automation will fall apart and would have to be re-designed... Do not know what else I could do now... 73, Radi F6GNZ

Radi

Ed, Just before going to "horizontal polarization" , I switched off the FT1000MP, microKeyer and closed the MK uRouter, Before closing the SDR console and RigSync I clicked on a new SDR frequency. It took 8 seconds to have it appear on the RigSync display! Done band/frequency changes several times and found delays between nearly zero and over 10 seconds. So, the chain SDR Console-virtual comport-Omnirig-RigSync should be used for de-bugging the delay, the rest may be secondary at the moment. 73, Radi

Ed - W2RF

Radi, That is very interesting and also very strange. I use a virtual com port between PowerSDR (and also SmartSDR) and RigSync all the time. There is never any discernible delay. I know you've labored to get that link working, but it still might not be quite right! 73 & GN, Ed

Radi

Hi Ed, Was thinking overnight: maybe some of the programs running on background of my PC may be causing this. Do not believe it's a SDR that sends his frequency data out sometimes delayed, but this also might be the case if some PC s/w (antivirus, backup...) steel time. Will have to dig out further 73, Radi

Ed - W2RF

Hi Radi, I'm considering a microHAM device so I can test with RigSync and possibly support some of its unique features. I also want FSK support. Would you recommend the micro II or the digi II? Thanks, Ed w2rf

Greg

Ed. I would reconsider your plan. I have a Microham Station master which I really like for controlling my antennas and amplifier band switching. But you have to set it up and then close th MH Router software. I kept running into problems and Joe, W4TV confirmed for me that the MH Router and its comport drivers are not compatible when other virtual com port programs are running....such as DDUtil, COM-0-Com, and I imagine the SmartCat ports as well. While my 6700 is in the shop for repair I went to my K3 and had to delete all virtual com ports for router to run on my primary shack computer. Luckily with the StationMaster you can create your configuration and save the setup to its "power up" setting so the Router program need not run for it to work. But you cannot run the MH VCPs. 73 Greg

Ed - W2RF

Greg, Thanks for the input. I noticed in the MH documentation shows Eltima VSPs. Is this correct? I Already have Eltima on my computer. Would the MH router introduce a conflict? Tks, Ed