New How-To Guide: RTTY Contesting setup with N1MM Logger+

Steve-N5AC

There is a new How-To Guide on how to setup N1MM Logger+ with MMTTY and 2Tone to run RTTY for causal operation or in a contest.  The guide explains how to download and install all the necessary pieces and get everything working.  It's fairly simple to do and requires no external cables or interfaces.  With CQWW RTTY on this weekend, it's a great time to try RTTY out if you've never done it before.  The How-To Guide can be found here:

Operating RTTY And N1MM For The FLEX-6000 How To Guide

If you have a FLEX-6700 and two or more antennas, you can also run in SO2R mode, chasing mults on a different band from where you are running.  Again, there are no cables, interfaces, external hardware, etc. required.  Just a simple software setup.  There is a different guide for SO2R setup for the FLEX-6700 here:

SO2R Mode With N1MM For The FLEX-6700 How To Guide

While this guide doesn't show RTTY operation, specifically, if you will follow the first guide for a SO1R RTTY setup and then look over guide #2 then you should be able to use the steps in the second guide to setup for SO2R RTTY.

ctate243

Outstanding!  thanks Steve and very timely with CQWW RTTY this weekend!

Kevin

I'm making pretty fair progress on these excellent instructions but hit a little snag. When I hit OK on the configurer after configuring the Digital Modes tab I get the following error:


Checking out the Mode tab I have the following:


If I set it all to No Change it saves without error but I don't know what else I might be affecting (or not taking advantage of). What is the correct setting here?


First contact after working through this setup...

Steve-N5AC

My mode tab looks just like yours.  Try going to the main configured screen (Hardware tab) and make sure CW/Other is checked for the radio (or both radios if you are doing SO2R).  Mine are checked and I don't think it is this way in the doc.

Neal_K3NC

I usually set the PSK tab to AFSK (I think...)

Could someone replace the N1MM references to N1MM+? Since many people are using the old version of N1MM (without the plus) the lack of it here indicates the old version as opposed to editorial convenience!

Steve Gw0gei

Thanks Steve, very timely and reminded me there was cqww rtty (not taken part before) this weekend. Upgraded to 1.9.9.170 last night and got win warbler and n1mm+ set up again. I will be doing part time effort in rtty cqww on 20m soa low power to try to set another gw record:-) i also appreciate the swift maintenance release to sort out the n1mm+ cw macro stacking issue and the regular contesting improvements. I use my 6300 and n1mm+ for all my hf and vhf contesting. Thanks for what is becoming the best contesting and casual radio!

Kevin

I seem to have another odd problem. This morning I kicked off SmartSDR and then N1MM+. I clicked 20 RTTY and I get an error: "Can not set both radios to the same band!"

I'm not trying to set both radios or even two slices. I have no clue what this is trying to tell me nor how to troubleshoot it. I'll triple check my setup against the document.

Tim - W4TME

You have to set CAT up for SO2V mode.  SO2R on the same band is not permitted.

Kevin

That doesn't seem to be the issue. A screen capture in the instructions say SO2R but I went ahead and set to SO2V and, after a failed attempt, rebooted the computer and restarted the rig just in case.

Same problem. I'm able to select any mode/band from the grid on N1MM+ as long as I'm not selecting 20 meters. There is only one slice, one Panadapter and one receiver (6500).

I'm sure this is something simple but so many things going on I can't figure out where to start. I can manually set the rig to 20 meters with SSDR. N1MM reflects that change. Then I click 20 meters CW and I get the "Can not set..." 17 RTTY OK, 20 anything "Can not set..." until I change the band in SSDR.

ctate243

This is known and well documented.  Use SO2R mode.  open 2 pan adapters and set them for 20M from SMART SDR.  then open N1MM in SO2R and both instances will be on 20.  you have to do the band changes in Smart SDR and not from N1MM because N1MM has a lockout to prevent legacy SO2R setups that are 2 separate pieces of hardware from blowing one anothers front end.  you have to manually over ride by doing the band change from SSDR. Direct N1MM frequency entry will not work and is working as designed.

Kevin

I'm sorry about all this confusion. Problem is I think I know something and only find out that I have no  clue. Tim, when you mention SO2V mode, that is set in N1MM+ not in SmartCAT. Right? I set SmartCAT's CAT port back to SO2R as in the document. Then I set N1MM+ to SO1V (not sure I need the complication of 2V yet).

This seems to work. I am not getting the error now. All bands and modes are available. It looks like I can still bring up a second slice for TX to work splits.

Basic question for the contesters... what does SO2x give me? I can see myself working one station at a time but I can't see how 2V or 2R (if I had that capability) would help in any kind of operation. For someone that does most of his casual contesting S&P and just working them as I see them, is there any compelling reason to consider SO2x?

ctate243

ctate243

you can be CQing on 1 qrg while S&P on the other.  or you can dual cq on the 2 qrg's to try and get more contacts in the log.

Kevin

Thanks Chris. That explains a lot of what I'm seeing.

ctate243

good point Neal.

ctate243

No problem..  If there is one thing I know well its how to put lots of QSO's in the log ;-)

Mike NA5U/K5D/K1N

In the last RTTY contest all was working. I now have SmartSDR 1.9 and it works perfectly with DXLab and WinWabler. I got to the point in the new setup guide and I got a Com 4 failure. Opening SmartSDR CAT showed a red Error button for Com 4. Other than the Error button, it looks just like the image in the new guide. So, I removed Com 4. Now when I try to add Com 4 back, I get a error message saying, "The Virtual Serial Port (VSP) failed to create. Double check the Serial Port settings."

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong or what I need to do??? Thanks!

73,
Mike
NA5U

Mike NA5U/K5D/K1N

Folks,
I removed and reloaded SmartSDR and DAX/CAT and all is well. Sorry for taking up the bandwidth.
73,
Mike
NA5U

Steve-N5AC

We've uploaded a new copy of this how-to document.  It now includes details on how to use RTTY Skimmer in conjunction with N1MM to provide local spots from your FLEX-6000 at the same time you are operating a contest.  This will produce spots that you know your radio can hear and also provide an SNR in dB which will give you an idea on how likely they are to hear you (generally).

Operating RTTY and N1MM for the FLEX-6000 How-To Guide

ctate243

Thanks Steve, great stuff.

For the newer contesters out there that use this doc.  Please be aware that use of wide band multi Channel decoders will put you in the ASSISTED category and in some contests can be a disqual.  These radios are very powerful pieces of hardware.. game changing in many ways.

 make sure you check the rules of the contest carefully and use the technology in accordance with the rules!

From the CQWW RTTY rules this will make you assisted category:

VIII. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS:

1. Station location: The area in which all the transmitters, receivers and antennas are located. All transmitters and receivers must be within a single 500-meter diameter circle. Antennas must be physically connected by RF transmission lines to the transmitters and receivers.

---> 2. QSO finding assistance: The use of any technology or other source that provides call sign or multiplier identification of a signal to the operator, other than a single-channel RTTY decoder. This includes, but is not limited to, use of a wide-band multi-channel RTTY decoder, DX cluster, DX spotting web sites (e.g., DX Summit), local or remote call sign and frequency decoding technology (e.g., RTTY Skimmer or Reverse Beacon Network), or operating arrangements involving other individuals.

Steve-N5AC

Thanks, Chris -- good reminder.  I also put a reminder in the doc since I know everyone may not be familiar with the rules.

ctate243

No problem.  and thanks for the Q's..

Kevin

 In the 2Tone section on page 4 it says:

2Tone will download as a ZIP file onto your computer. Open and expand the zip file to a directory such as C:Ham2Tone <version number>. Double-click 2Tone to start the decoder. In the interface to 2Tone, click Settings in the menu and find the DAX Audio RX 1 and DAX Audio TX channels as shown.

When I double-click 2Tone to start the decoder I see:


I had to let N1MM+ start 2Tone to get to the settings dialog.

Kev K4VD