CWX - where is it documented in the SmartSDR 1.2.17 material?

Bill Robinson, WB6RMY

DK1EY

William, I think it will be implemented in 1.3, so it is not yet included in the 1.2.17 documentation. Vy 73 Tom DK1EY

Bill Robinson, WB6RMY

Hi Tom, Thanks. The latest product roadmap for Smart SDR shows CWX being released in July 2014, and 1.2.17 has just been released, so I assumed it was in there. The joys of software! 73, Bill WB6RMY

Al_NN4ZZ

No details available beyond this until it comes out in about 3 weeks....

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/cwx_questions?topic-reply-list%5Bsettings%5D%5Bfilt...

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

DK1EY

Hi Bill, On the roadmap you can find the Version numbers and the "major update" for July is 1.3. I am waiting for CWX as well. Hopefully, 1.3 brings usb some great extra-features. Cheerio Tom DK1EY

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Bill and Tom,
It will be interesting to see how the SSDR user interface accommodates the CWX panel.  

-Will the existing CW panel be expanded or a new one for CWX added?
- How many memories will be supported?
- Will both the manual keying and keyboard being both be active simultaneously?
- Will keying from third party programs be supported via CAT commands? 

The snapshot below shows the CWX panel from the 5000 manual.

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

Ken - NM9P

I am just hoping that the new update also allows keying CW via a dedicated Virtual Serial Port (just as the PTT line is available)  so my logging program will be able to send CW for me.

Ned K1NJ

Ken,
          Me too.

Ned,  K1NJ

K6OZY

Hi Ken, Can you expand on this?  I'm interested on how that work flow would look through the logger.   Would the logger send ASCII via a serial port for text to morse translation or simply a PTT for FSK?

Stan VA7NF

This is a case where either is acceptable.  Before CWX a logger (N1MM) would use its internal keyer and send CW via DTR (not 6000 supported) or via the rear accessory port (6000 supported but required a wire between the computer and 6000) plus send PTT on RTS.

With CWX it may send ascii via CAT and don't know if the PTT on RTS would be required - Depends on how CWX is implemented (PTT to trigger the send or automatic PTT with ASCII character)

Here's hoping they both will work.

K6OZY

I've been using a WinKeyer inline with my main Key.  This lets me cancel a send at any time and many other nice features of the WinKeyer.   Would the CWX method have any advantages?   Obviously one is that you wouldn't have to buy a WinKeyer.  

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Chris,
Are you planning to run remote (LAN or WAN) at some point?  If so that would be another potential benefit.  The memory keying would be in SSDR on your remote PC and not physically connected to the radio.  

Initially I thought I'd like to run my 6700 remote but have to re-think it a bit.  Here in Georgia lightning is common.  Unless I come up with a good method to know when there is a threat, it would be easy to be on the road and trying to use the radio during a storm.  Not good!    

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

K6OZY

Very good point!  Yes, in the remote world coming soon, and CWX keying would allow no local hardware.

Ken - NM9P

My N3FJP and other programs toggle the RTS and other line (I can't remember) in order to key a rig for CW from memories and from the keyboard....  They have been doing this for about 20 years, but lots of people seem to never have noticed.

Many of us built RS-232 interfaces with either 2N2222 or optical isolators in order to take the RS-232 signal off of the RTD pin and key the transmitter, much as others did with Direct FSK inputs on their rigs.  Now that noone has RS-232 ports, it seems as though this is going out of style, but with the ability to use a Virtual port, it would be nice to sent those impulses directly from my logging/contest program to the FLEX via the Virtual port, just like we can define a PTT port in SmartCAT.

I know that this is archaic, but many programs still do it this way and it would be handy to use them when I don't want to fiddle with mousing around the SSDR program and taking the focus off of my logging program. 

K6OZY

I think with internet and LAN latency involved, having the keying being on the remote side of the radio would be tricky.  This would mean the CW timing would be generated locally, then piped all the way to the radio.   This is highly unlikely that it would work well.   I think in this case the only hope is to send the ASCII character to the radio and have it generate the CW locally.

Ken - NM9P

For remote operations, that is probably true, and I would probably use the CWX functions then.  But I am running local and hope to have the option of direct keying via virtual serial port if needed.

Ken - NM9P

I sometimes worry about getting home in time to disconnect my rigs now, and I am only 1.7 miles away!  Since getting the 6500, I have been more diligent to completely disconnect all antennas and power down the rig whenever I leave the house unless I am CERTAIN that there is no possibility of lighting within 200 miles of here!  and then often I STILL do it!  Funny how we are more careful with a $4600 rig than we were with a $600 rig!

Al_NN4ZZ

Ken and Chris,
Per Steve they plan to support remote CW with a paddle over the WAN.



See this link for the rest of the story.

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/remote_is_cw_via_a_paddle_in_scope_for_the_remote_e...

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

K6OZY

Yes, that could still be likely with a local HW device attached to SmartSDR that then turns the into a data stream that is buffered to send over the LAN/WAN, but I doubt its actually going to send raw serial on/off triggers as we were discussing earlier.

Bill-W9OL

I presently use DXLabs (WinWarbler) (N1MM) to chase CW DX or Contest with my Flex 5k. I also use CWX on my 5K.
I'm hoping that the CWX delivered to us can be used the same or similar to my present system.
If not there will be a unused 6K for sale...

Andrew O'Brien

I tried working Field Day casually in CW,  thinking the paddle practice would do me good. It got old pretty quick and the inability to key via N1MM or CWX caused me to give up on FD.

KY6LA_Howard

A couple of years ago... to shut up some of my "Expert" CW Contest Friends in the San Diego DX Club about CW

I wrote some code to use CWSkimmer and CWX on a Flex 5000 in a CW contest automatically with no human intervention...the hardest thing was trying to figure out how to get the machine to read the output of CWSkimmer so that I could feed Call Signs to CWX

The computer worked the CW Contest for about 4 hours before it crashed (my coding skills learned in 1958 are very rudimentary and the logic flow was very primitive)

For about 4 hours, It automatically completed and logged 187 Q's without my touching the computer.   I spent the time drinking adult beverages and watching football while the computer worked the CW contest.  (No I did not submit the score)

Which I guess I proved a point to my friends that even a dumb machine could work a CW Contest.. Albeit I am not too sure that the point was well received...as the computer's Q rate/hr was better than some of my "CW expert" friends....

Yes.. I would love CWX on my 6700...

It would be fun to try to write stable(non crashing) code for non human CW operations....

K6OZY

That's awesome!  Skynet is online!

WA6FXT Mike

Ditto! CW via the serial port.