"quick memories" for Smart SDR

Ken - NM9P

SSDR has no "quick memory" or "Save and Restore" function.  

It would be very handy to have a small panel of buttons, say 5-10, that I could simply right-click a button and it would save frequency and mode.  The button would automatically label itself with frequency and mode.... i.e.  [ 7.1655 SSB ]   or [ 1.8223 CW ]  or [ 14.0700 DIGU ]  Then if I left-click that same button it would send me back to that frequency.  

This would be similar to K9DUR's SSDR memory program, but without an extensive database, and with very simple click-and-go save-and-restore.  Eventually this could be a "dockable" panel but for right now, it could be put as part of the Right Hand group of panels, perhaps with two side-by-side rows of 5-10 buttons.  Perhaps the left hand column could control Slice 'A' and the RH column controls Slice 'B' ?

In the last contest, and while searching for W1AW/p stations, I have had several instances where either the station was weak or the pileup too strong and I wanted to save and move on and return later.  This would greatly speed up my operations.

Any takers?

Ken - NM9P

Ken - NM9P

Perhaps one additional button at the top which would be an "UnDo" for those "Oh ****" moments when you hit the wrong button or left-clicked when you should have right-clicked?....

Al_NN4ZZ

Ken,  Thanks for adding.  There are probably several ways to implement this.  Here is another variation.


Add a QuickSave button to the slice.   SSDR would write the slice data (mode, frequency, SliceID) to the next available QuickRecall button in the panel.  SSDR would just cycle through the available buttons in order (1,2,3...10) and repeat from 1. 

The panel buttons would show the Slice data (mode, freq, SliceID) 


1 - Slice A, CW, 14.009
2 - Slice C, SSB, 14.200
...
10 - Slice B, AM, 14.300

Left Click on a panel button to restore the slice data and make it the active slice.
Right Click on a panel button to lock it (take out of the assignment rotation.)


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



    

Ned K1NJ

   As with many things, simpler is often better.  And also more likely to get done.

Ned,  K1NJ

Ken - NM9P

Al.  That would work, and it did on my Icio IC-706MK2G.

But I would rather not need to go looking for the slice flag, and find a small button, then hit it multiple times to cycle through to the right frequency.  I would rather be able to look at the button and see which frequency/mode I am going to before I hit it.  
It seems to me a small panel of quick buttons would be faster, take fewer keystrokes, and would be much more useful.  In fact, if I could have a panel of quick-save buttons, I could even forgo more elaborate memory additions for a while longer.  

Perhaps, referring to my first comment, in addition to the "UnDo" button, there could also be a "toggle" button to toggle through the entries if that is the way you like it.

But then.... I would settle for your simpler two-button FIFO system for a while if the panel isn't an option!  

My guess is that someone good at programing with the API could do this as a third party utility similar to some of K9DUR's programs or BobSMeter.

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Ken,
My description was probably not very clear ( and why I like pictures).  Each slice would have a QuickSave button but there would also be a QuickRecall panel.   Save the slice info by clicking the QuickSave in the slice.   Return to a saved slice by clicking on the button in the panel.  Would support any number of slices. Would allow you to right click on a button and take it out of the rotation.   One click to save, one click to restore. 

Does this seem clearer?  Of course the buttons could be smaller, arranged in 2 columns of 5 rows, etc.   With the new feature to scroll the panels, adding another one would seem possible.  

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

Bill-W9OL

you mean an option.... just like the MEMORIES button-option in PSDR?
which I use quite often exactly like you said. "the station is busy, too weak, whatever" but will come back and check later.

Ken - NM9P

That makes more sense.  And you can save from each of your 2/4/8 slices.

The only reservation is that as you enter the 11th frequency on a 10 button group, then it will bump the first one out, which I may want to keep.  

Being able to right-click on each individual button and save whatever frequency is "active" allows me to control which buttons get overridden.  It also wouldn't require any modification to the slice flags or receive panel, just the addition of a new "Memory Panel." It would also let the Memory Panel serve as BOTH a save-and-restore temporary memory AND a standard 10 channel more permanent memory panel.  

But either way of doing it would be fine with me.  Your suggestion is 90% of what I suggested with a couple of features I didn't think of.  If right-clicking a frequency to take it out of rotation also kept it from being overwritten, then we are probably at 95% and I wouldn't argue about it.  In this case, whatever is easier or more likely for the engineers to implement would be acceptable!  (They could even color-change the button to indicate whether it is in or out of the "save" rotation... as long as you could still click it and recall it.)

Al_NN4ZZ

Ken,
Yes, my idea was the right click would mark the button so it doesn't  get overwritten.  

So I think we are at 95% 

I like your idea of color coding the buttons --- maybe something like this:

RED - locked (don't overwrite)  and another RIGHT click would remove the lock
GREEN - Available for a QuickSave when it comes up for being overwritten
YELLOW - the button that will be over-written with the next QuickSave

But again, there are various ways to implement this.  The key is to make it ONE click for a QuickSave, ONE click for a QuickRecall and provide a way to not overwrite a button when desired.  

What ever works and I'm sure the developers would probably come up with some different and better ways to do it. 

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

W9OY

Have you looked at quick memory in DDUtil? It is the most functional quick memory around. It now memorizes a and b slices it can store 5 memories and toggle between memory and VFO so you can tune the band and keep checking a memory like waiting for a station to peak at sunrise. It also gives you a way back if you are trying to tune a station with SSB and 50hz filters. With the new smeter readout DDUtil is mandatory for me. Quick memory will be removable as a stand alone screen in the next update. 73 W9OY

PAØGDW

Hello Lee..

i have tried the DDUtil quick memory...its working fine with 5 memories..i am using SAVE of course..

but when you close the DDUtil program...start again the next time..all memories are lost...

is this normal ? or can i save these memories in another way ?

73 Gerben PA0GDW

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Lee,
I use DDUtil for my peripheral control (amps, antenna switch, etc) and it works very well but I'd  would prefer to have the basic radio user interface functions in SSDR rather than using third party tools.  

(IMHO even the S-meter and other scale readouts should be made acceptable in SSDR)  

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

KY6LA_Howard

Definitely need a full time DIGITAL S-Meter in SSDR

W9OY

Hi Gerben DDUtil memories are scratch pad memories, not permanent. Permanent memories can be had with K9DUR's program sdrmemories6k

Dave Dave

memory buttons would still be soooo simple and GOOD!

DH2ID

I like the memory button idea. Until it is implemented, I use FRStack:

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/global-hotkeys-for-common-smartsdr-operations-in-fr...