FlexControl Use With Maestro utilizing ddutil

Ray - K6LJ

I had too much time on my hands today so I looked into using the FlexControl for use with Maestro. It requires the use of ddutil. I have used the HRD logging program with SDSR while using the ddutil for my connection. I have not seen this discussed so I tried to figure it out today.

For me some times I just want to use the Maestro instead of Smart SDR on the computer. However with my limited space here and where I had to set the Maestro I had to reach the tuning knob in an uncomfortable position. Therefore the setup for the Flex control. Now I can do quite a few things from the FlexControl like changing Freq, Changing Bands, Muting Slices, controlling slice volume and other things. This is how I set it up.

1. I made sure the FlexControl worked with the Smart Sdr for my 7600.

2. I opened Device manager and found what com port is being used for the FlexControl.

3. With SDS running on the computer I started ddutil and set it up like below.

4. Shutdown SDSR and DDutil. Start Maestro then restart DDutil

5. When DDutil Starts open the setup screen and select the TKnob screen. Configure the port for the one your found in the device manger. For me it was Com 8

 6. Then setup as you see in the pic. After making the setup you might have to restart DDutil to complete the control setup.

7. After restart the following is for the Operation screen. May have to move the Tknob over by drag and drop. FlexControl should be active. The A mode "Green Highlight" shows that slice A is active the FlexControl knob will change Freq. If you press Knob once green will shift so you can control Slice A volume.  If you double click the knob it will toggle Tx to Slice B. and double click again and toggle it back to slice A.

8. If you slowly (about a 2 seconds) push the knob 1 time and release the knobs control will shift to mode B and you can control slice B the same way as A. If you try it you will like it. Holding it down for 2 seconds then release will return it to the A mode.

9. Finally, Pushing the Aux1, Aux2 or Aux3 buttons one time will shift the band up, Band down or swap the TX VFO. Push the Aux 3 again and the VFO will swap back to the original Slice. Push the Aux1 twice will move the step size up (see in the op screen) the Aux 2 will step it down.

10. On the op screen if your Mode selection is A and you are controlling Slice A = Slice 0 on the Op screen you  have control of Slice A agc, mute ,noise blanker and wnb, nr lock. if you select slice 1 on the op screen you will have control of slice B.

Finally other functions can be configured just try. I am pretty happy now that I can sit back in my chair with my radiosport headset and the FlexControl in my lap and the computer running the logging program and operate the Maestro for the basic functions. The procedure is not perfect but it shows us some great stuff about the Maestro DDutil and Radio.

73

Ray K6LJ

PS. When returning to computer SSDR uncheck the enable check box in the setup screen of the DDutil utility.

Jay Nation

Ray 

Thanks for this write-up!

You did a much better job of explaining all that, than I did, recently. I might never have gotten around to a follow-up post. I use my FlexControl in conjunction with my Maestro too. Maybe others will give their FlexControl's and DDUtil another look.

Curiosity, and spare time, often seem to go well together, for me at least.

Learning how to play with my toys, better, is part of why I like having toys.

Play Harder! 

 SDRgadgets

73, Jay - NO5J