Rx/Tx control / query to follow FOCUS

WA6FXT Mike

Is there set of query commands that respond with the RX / TX in Focus? If, not; maybe there should be. Example: N3FJP logger (And others) are programmed to query the 'A' RX; but; when you switch to the 'B' or 'C', etc... the logger does not update.

Tim - W4TME

That is correct and that is how CAT, an old technology is intended to work. CAT enabled third-party programs only are aware of at most VFO-A and VFO-B. To ensure that SmartSDR CAT does not "confuse" those programs, Slice A is "mapped" to VFO-A and Slice B is mapped to VFO-B. This is explained in the SmartSDR CAT Software User's Guide. So if you are using CAT enabled software it is best to "emulate" an VFO-A/VFO-B style radio by only using Slice A and Slice B to ensure compatibility. This is one of the challenges when the CAT program is unaware of a 4 or 8 receiver radio and we have chosen to err on the side of compatibility. Hopefully the developers of loggers and contesting software will "smarten up" their applications for the multi-receiver radios and start migrating away from CAT as it is a antiquated methodology for interfacing with smart radios. Using native control protocols such as FlexLib for the FLEX-6000 family is the smart way to go since it uses a subscribe/unsubscribe protocol which is stateful (meaning the "client" is aware of the radio state at all times) rather the the "set and forget"/query mechanism used by CAT.

W4YXU

Perhaps a way around the problem of programs that only know VFO A or B there could be an option like the old DOS config stating the highest disk letter. Or perhaps a variant of any query that resulted in a VFO designator being returned. In all other cases the VFO C, D etc. would be invisible/non-existant to CAT.

WA6FXT Mike

Tim, OK, I bite... Where can I get data on FlexLib?

Tim - W4TME

At this exact moment, we are finalizing the license agreement for FlexLib. We will make an announcement how to get it once that is completed.

Greg

What would be great for now is to be able to have multiple slices open and be able to designate the slice designation with a key **** or drop window. Say for example I have slices A-D open on four different bands. I want to go to slice D because I see the band there is picking up and I want to grab some multipliers. Click on that slice and use CTRL+A to make that slice A vice D. This should in effect swap the slice designations between A and D and now D becomes VFO A to external loggers. I really don't think it is realistic to expect software authors to move away from CAT control when a majority of the radios in use would still require that instead of an API. Especially for free software like N1MM. There is really not much benefit to them when the percentage of 6xxx radios in use is so small. Maybe a better solution is for Flex to hire a contractor to build a contest/general logger similar to N1MM using the API and leveraging the enhanced functionality of the 6000 series. After the product is delivered flex would still have to maintain it as contest rules, contry files...etc...change over time. If they had a good product like this I would buy it....if not too expensive. 73 Greg