CW from other software (WinTest)

iz7auh

Hi Guys,
I need help to setting my Flex-6500 with Wintest for a CW operation, I using Wintest for a Contest, but I don't understand how-to set for using a Key of my flex.

Best 73 de IZ7AUH

Muhammad Alhashash

still need the answer !

Steve-N5AC

Will Win-Test talk to a Winkeyer?  If so, you should be able to point it at the new Winkey emulation ports in CAT for v1.6 when it comes out.  If you do try this, I'd like to know how it works.  We've been looking for someone with experience with Win-Test to try this out.

Ken - NM9P

Winkey Emulation ports?  Tell me more!

Asher - K0AU

New WinKey emulation?  Looking forward to it.  Please, please, please test that the ESC key works to cancel an N1MM+ macro midstream.  Works with my external WinKeyer but does not work with the current CAT port emulation.

Steve-N5AC

You'll be able to point a logger at a port designed to look like a Winkeyer that will work through CWX.

Steve-N5AC

Yes the ESC key will stop CW when you hit it.

Stan VA7NF

Thank-you Steve.  Been many years waiting to key the Flex without wires and keying transistors between it and the computer.  I'll be testing it as soon as possible (before the Canadian RAC contest this Saturday?).

James - K4JK

Great news! Less clutter on the desk.

Bob G W1GLV

Steve, does this mean that 1.6 is eminent?

Barry N1EU

Steve, this is great news.  PLEASE support WinKey PTT functionality, so that transmit is maintained for the duration of a cw message transmission.  And please do this even if Breakin is enabled in SSDR.  (that's the way it works on all my other radios)

 (from N1MM Logger+ Winkey setup)

Thanks & 73,
Barry N1EU

Steve-N5AC

Yes we found one additional CW feature we need to add and then we are in the final testing.  We won't release until after the new year with a number of people out during the holidays.  Releasing a new product while your support team on vacation is generally a bad thing to do ;-)

EA4GLI

Then on the other hand if you release during Christmas you will have a very large test base that will surely provide feedback by the time the workforce comes in January..... right? Can't wait to play with a new piece of software.

DrTeeth

Excellent point, well made. I'd sign an NDA to get my hands on it just for fun. @Steve. Now that you have let a little of the cat out of the bag, how abt going the whole hog and publish the changelog, hi hi?

VE6KWA

>>>Then on the other hand if you release during Christmas you will have a very large test base that will surely provide feedback by the time the workforce comes in January >>>     Sure... Kind of like leaving your kids with a chemistry set over the holidays...  

Burt Fisher

eminent? Yes it is highly regarded.

Douglas Maxwell

This is great news, most cw contesters I know use Win-test and a Winkey (from K1EL or Microham). It will be great to get rid of more cabling...

Mal G3PDH

Further to using SSDR/6500 with N1MM+,  Whilst using the revised macros in N1MM to operate via CWX I find the following issues. Firstly, in RUN/ESM mode the cursor will not automatically jump from the call sign entry box to the receive number field when transmitting the exchange. Secondly, despite N1MM being set for cut numbers it will not send cut numbers in the EXCH. Does anyone have an answer or experience the same?  I am a new 6500 user and just trying to set up for upcoming UK contests.

Steve-N5AC

Barry, we've talked about your request internally and we're not certain we understand what you're trying to accomplish.  Can you tell me the end result of how this setting is different than not having it?  We're trying to figure out how N1MM, Winkeyer and a radio react to these settings.

Barry N1EU

A real hardware Winkeyer has a PTT output.  N1MM will assert (i.e., hold down) Winkey PTT for the duration of a keyed cw message.  On the Orion, K3 Omni VI+ and ANAN-100D (all my other radios), this PTT connection will hold the radio in transmit mode (MOX) for the duration of the keyed cw message whether or not the radio has breakin or VOX enabled.  This allows you to use your paddle for breakin/VOX keying alongside N1MM/Winkey keying the radio in PTT/MOX.  The Flex 6K doesn't provide this currently - if breakin is enabled, the 6K isn't reliably held in transmit mode for the duration of the PTT/message - there are breaks where the 6K goes into receive.  We want to keep the receiver muted for the duration of the keyed cw message and still allow occasional use of the paddles in breakin.

(fwiw, the Orion goes the full nine yards and user settings are provided to treat PTT in CW as key, MOX, or ignore).

Barry N1EU

Barry N1EU

We've been talking only about cw.  But in terms of implementing virtual WinKey support, it's also important to support PTT for ssb contesters - they typically use the hardware Winkeyer PTT output cabled to their rig's PTT input for phone contests. So, the WinKey is functional in phone contests as well as cw contests.

W7NGA

Oh dear ... I am feeling like such the dinosaur. I do not contest so I am trying to understand the functionality of the Winkeyer. From the YouTube videos it appears to be just a nice keyer with memory functions, and a USB port that supports a protocol to transfer call sign information to an auto-logging program. Is this correct? How do you capture the station's call and how do you notify the logging program to log it? Escape sequences?

All I have ever used is the ARRL logbook and a #2 pencil 

Clueless but interested ... because apparently the next SSDR release will facilitate these requirements in some fashion.

W7NGA  dan

Barry N1EU

Dan, it has nothing to do with transferring call sign information to a logging program???

It functions as a traditional stand-alone iambic keyer when you attach a paddle to it.  When you connect it to a PC via the USB port, you can control a slew of keying parameters and you can send characters/messages from the PC to the WinKeyer for output on either of 2 keying lines (some guys contest with two radios).  It also has 2 PTT lines to connect to either of 2 radios.

Among other things, it was an important innovation that solved the problem of occasional stuttering exhibited by LPT/COM port keying interfaces.

Barry N1EU

W7NGA

Barry, thanks! How does the callsign information migrate to the logging program? You are blazing away as you were in your video, and yet, somehow you were logging these contacts (transparent to me)?

Barry N1EU

What you don't see is my fingers on the PC keyboard.  I hit F1 -> rig keys CQ message; as caller responds, I type in his callsign; I hit <enter> and rig keys his callsign (that I just typed), "599 NY"; he sends his exchange, I type his state (or serial number if he was dx); I hit <enter> and the QSO is logged and the rig keys CQ message and we start all over again.

W7NGA

ahhh ... the light turns on. Thanks Barry!

Steve-N5AC

Barry, what I believe you are talking about it the PTT hang delay which we call simply "delay" on the CW control panel in SmartSDR.  We have not implemented command 0x04 of the Winkeyer protocol, but you can set the same thing in SmartSDR by adjusting the delay slider.  It should behave the same way.  Does this address your concern?  

So with SmartSDR you do not need a physical Winkeyer box and so there is no hardware, no "PIN 5" in the mix.  All you would have in play is N1MM Logger+, SmartSDR and the radio.  

Incidentally, if you use Maestro instead of SmartSDR, we use a genuine Winkeyer 3 in Maestro and we route this to the radio so that if N1MM makes this adjustment in the Winkeyer 3 in Maestro, it will do exactly what you are asking for.

Douglas Maxwell

Will the winkey emulation functionality be in firmware or software? Hopefully it won't be subject to delays from it being done on the embedded processor.

Steve-N5AC

What kind of delay are you concerned about?

Douglas Maxwell

Cw requires a regular time constant to correctly form di, dah elements and letter, word spaces. It also needs to be responsive to the user without unexplained delays to tx
x. A general purpose processor like the DaVinci with an OS rather than an RTOS may mess this up dependent on the profile of tasks it is running at the time. Paris has 50 time constants within it, so at 30wpm this makes 1500 time constants, so 60secs/1500=40ms per time constant. Listening to Morse that is generated from a variable time constant is unpleasant and doesn't decode well on other PCs. The winkey does this well as it is isolated from the PC in terms of profile load.

Barry N1EU

NO Steve, it's NOT delay.  It's assertion of transmit for the precise duration of the cw message via the PTT signal generated by WinKey.  When the last element is keyed, PTT turns off precisely at the same time.  Delay is a poor work-around.  You use delay (150msec?) to keep transmit asserted between characters and you end up with an unwanted delay at the end of xmsn.  Delay is what cw users are forced to use now.  

I uploaded a video showing the current behavior of the 6500 just to make sure we're all on the same page: https://youtu.be/CKSceQT2m-o

With breakin disabled, the receiver stays muted by the Winkey PTT throughout the message.  With break enabled, the receiver unmutes frequently during the message as SSDR ignores PTT.  The Orion, K3, and ANAN all stay muted throughout the message, even with breakin enabled.