SmartSDR 1.6 CAT Changes - a sneak peek

Tim - W4TME

Why stop with just a Profile sneak peek now that the "cat" is out of the bag ;-)

As with Profiles, SmartSDR CAT has also been completely refactored as well.  Introduced with SmartSDR v1.6, CAT now includes the following improvements:

1. A new streamlined the user configuration interface,
2. Added debug logging at the port level,
3. Added the ability to send CAT commands over a TCP/IP connection,
4. Added the  ability to use hardware comports (UART) for connecting hardware devices
5. Removed the restriction on having CAT ports only associated with Slice A and Slice B

These new features provide the ability to fully utilize logging and digital mode applications with all of your available slice receivers, which is significant when used with the FLEX-6500 and FLEX-6700.  As I mentioned earlier on the Community, I have successfully tested a SO8R digital mode setup using 8 instances of Fldigi, each connected to it's own CAT port / Slice.  This would not be possible without the recent changes to SmartSDR CAT.

If you would like to get additional information on the new SmartSDR CAT application, the updated SmartSDR CAT User Guide is now available for download from our web site.

W9OY

Man Tim,  You know how to build suspense!   Lemme see it's the 7th... week of 10th...  Did u add any extra server capacity?  Seriously, this product continues to **** me away

73  W9OY

Tim - W4TME

Actually I worked for two days over the holidays optimizing web site performance.  I hope it pays off.

Bob N7ZO

Hi Tim,

After reading through the new CAT manual (thank you for the early release), I have two initial Winkeyer questions.

1. Which prosigns are supported?  (see page 14 of Winkey10.pdf)
2. Is the 1/2 dit gap insertion character (hex 0x7C, the pipe character, also on page 14) supported?

Thank you, Bob, N7ZO

PS.  The Section 6 WINKEYER intro paragraph incorrectly refers to "http://www.k1xm.org/OTRSP/".

Duane_AC5AA

Yep, web site is working a lot better than before the holidays.  Thanks!

rfoust

You could also put the site behind a CDN like Cloudflare.  They cache static content to reduce traffic/load to your server(s). 

NX6D Dave

Unless I mis-understand the CAT documentation, the CAT protocol defines a VFO A and VFO B.  We provide a means for a COM port to map to any slice to answer VFO A.  Why not repeat the logic to answer VFO B and have a complete implementation?  Just wondering.

Drax

What about the most important feature?  A different colored icon than DAX.

Tim - W4TME

CAT commands historically only communicate with VFO A and VFO B for split mode. In the new SmartSDR CAT you can assign any slice (A-H) to the CAT port, making that slice appear to the CAT connected program as it is communicating with VFO A. When the CAT connected program issues a command intended to interact with VFO B, we assume it is operating in a split configuration and will spawn a new slice to be VFO B if a slice resource is available..

Tim - W4TME

I fixed the doc where we had the wrong URL. Thanks. I'll have to ask about the other questions tomorrow morning and get back to you.

Bob N7ZO

Hi Tim,

What does this newly spawned slice look like in SSDR?  Does it have a special name?

Tim - W4TME

No name.  Just the next available slice resource; it could be any slice letter.

NX6D Dave

Ah, yes.  I remember now about split mode.  It was hard for me to believe something like that would have been overlooked. 

Tim - W4TME

Yes, DAX is a different color, Drax  ;-)

Dave Dave

Simon Lewis

awesome stuff Tim!

now please tell me we have CAT via hardware and I'll be extremely happy!

DrTeeth

@ Tim

>>Why stop with just a Profile sneak peek now that the "cat" is out of the bag ;-)<<

Groan! Keep up the day job, hi hi.

Barry N1EU

If I'm reading the documentation correctly, Flex has implemented PTT support via a virtual port but will not be supporting WinKeyer PTT in the v1.6 virtual WinKeyer implementation.  Can anyone verify?  I believe this may prove problematic for anyone using WinKeyer CW PTT under N1MM Logger+ and may force them to stay with their physical WinKeyer instead of the new v1.6 virtual WinKeyer.

Tim - W4TME

"Which prosigns are supported?"

The same ones supported by CWX

"s the 1/2 dit gap insertion character (hex 0x7C, the pipe character, also on page 14) supported?"

No.  Not for now.

Tim - W4TME

Yes, See #4 in my post.  "Added the  ability to use hardware comports (UART) for connecting hardware devices"

Tim - W4TME

You are not reading it correctly.  The Winkeyer emulation has been extensively tested with N1MM+.  It works very well.

Barry N1EU

Thanks Tim, that's reassuring, assuming they tested WinKey PTT.  I didn't see mention of WinKey PTT in the text of the guide nor listing of commands <0x04> and <0x18> in section 6.1

Simon Lewis

that is very cool thanks Tim!

Simon Lewis

Tim - any details of HW connections for the CAT - I read the user manual and CAT manual - didn't see any specific info ??

George KF2T

These docs just keep getting better!
Quick Q: If I create an IP CAT port, could I control the 6000 from FLDigi or another app remotely (same LAN) even if SmartCAT isn't loaded on it?

Tim - W4TME

The short answer is no.  The third-party application will need to have TCP/IP CAT capability.  The third-party app will have to open a TCP socket to the SmartSDR CAT application and CAT will be responsible for translating CAT into FlexLib and communicating that with the radio hardware.

I am in discussions with Dave (aka "Mr. Fldigi") on this capability (CAT over TCP/IP), but no ETA as of yet.

VA3AE

I'm with Simon, I couldn't find anything in the docs about <Added the  ability to use hardware comports (UART) for connecting hardware devices>, although the docs do look great Tim.

George KF2T

Roger that. Thanks for the info.

Tim - W4TME

There is not a lot to it.  If you have a hardware comport on your PC you select it as the client side port.

VA3AE

Okay, if I understand correctly this is not a UART on the 6x00 but the RS-232/USB-RS232 port on the PC.  This allows the PC to provide a virtual serial tunnel to the radio? I'm thinking a serial keyer or similar?

DrTeeth

Now we have a time paradox, supporting software before it is released. Is there no end to what FRS (+Tim natch) can do?

There was a young lady called Bright,
Who travelled much faster than light.
She left home one day,
and in a relative way,
arrived home the previous night.