Beta and WSJT-X

Jay Nation

It ought to always be that simple, maybe I'm just lousy at explaining.
I know one right way, but I haven't discovered enough of the wrong ways yet. What's obvious to me must not be so obvious, obviously!

 SDRgadgets

73, Jay - NO5J

Geert Balsma PA3CPS

I use 4 instances from wsjt-x 1.7. Works great on my flex 6500.
On the picture you see:
- 4 x wsjt-x 1.7
- 4 x jtAlert
- DDutil to monitor temperature
- Log4OM

Computer:  Apple Imac 28" (use bootcamp to run Windows10)

Geert Balsma PA3CPS

That works great Jay, thanks.

KB4AAA

I think it might be a handshake issue with a 6300

I ran the command line
rigctl-wsjtx -m 236 -r localhost:5004 -vvvvv

And received this back

flexradio_open called
verify_flexradio_id called
kenwood_get_id called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = ID
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    49 44 3b                                            ID;
read_string(): RX 6 characters
0000    49 44 39 30 37 3b                                   ID907;
verify_flexradio_id: Rig (ID907) is not a Flex 6000 Series
rig_open: error = Protocol error

Can someone with a 6500 or 6700 run the above from the command prompt and see if you radio ID is different than ID907



EDIT:: looking into the source code on hamlib github there is no ID for a 6300 only for

6700 ID904
6500 ID906

anything else not a Flexradio

https://github.com/N0NB/hamlib/blob/master/kenwood/flex.c

the flex6300 needs to be added with ID907 to the github source. I might try to compile a copy to play with

k3Tim

Response from 6500:

flexradio_open calledverify_flexradio_id called
kenwood_get_id called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = ID
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    49 44 3b                                            ID;
read_string(): RX 6 characters
0000    49 44 39 30 35 3b                                   ID905;
verify_flexradio_id: Rig ID is ID905 (Flex 6500)
kenwood_get_trn called
kenwood_safe_transaction called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = AI
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    41 49 3b                                            AI;
read_string(): RX 4 characters
0000    41 49 30 3b                                         AI0;
kenwood_set_trn called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = AI0
write_block(): TX 4 bytes
0000    41 49 30 3b                                         AI0;
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    49 44 3b                                            ID;
read_string(): RX 6 characters
0000    49 44 39 30 35 3b                                   ID905;
kenwood_get_vfo_if called
kenwood_get_if called
kenwood_safe_transaction called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = IF
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    49 46 3b                                            IF;
read_string(): RX 38 characters
0000    49 46 30 30 30 30 37 30 30 37 30 32 30 30 30 31     IF00007007020001
0010    30 2b 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 33 30 30     0+00000000000300
0020    30 30 30 30 30 3b                                   00000;
Backend version: 20130717, Status: Beta
Opened rig model 236, '6xxx'

KB4AAA

Got to love open source I compiled wsjt-x and added the 6300 in the hamlib 3 and it now works just like it should

flexradio_open calledverify_flexradio_id called
kenwood_get_id called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = ID
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    49 44 3b                                            ID;
read_string(): RX 6 characters
0000    49 44 39 30 37 3b                                   ID907;
verify_flexradio_id: Rig ID is ID907 (Flex 6300)
kenwood_get_trn called
kenwood_safe_transaction called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = AI
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    41 49 3b                                            AI;
read_string(): RX 4 characters
0000    41 49 30 3b                                         AI0;
kenwood_set_trn called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = AI0
write_block(): TX 4 bytes
0000    41 49 30 3b                                         AI0;
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    49 44 3b                                            ID;
read_string(): RX 6 characters
0000    49 44 39 30 37 3b                                   ID907;
kenwood_get_vfo_if called
kenwood_get_if called
kenwood_safe_transaction called
kenwood_transaction called
kenwood_transaction: cmdstr = IF
write_block(): TX 3 bytes
0000    49 46 3b                                            IF;
read_string(): RX 38 characters
0000    49 46 30 30 30 30 35 33 36 36 30 30 30 30 31 30     IF00005366000010
0010    30 2b 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 32 30 30     0+00000000000200
0020    30 30 30 30 30 3b                                   00000;
Opened rig model 236, '6xxx'
Backend version: 20130717, Status: Beta

Jay Nation

Billy
 
Will you be able to contact the Hamlib3 developers to get them to add your changes to the GitHub repository?

 SDRgadgets

73, Jay - NO5J

KB4AAA

Jay, I was just thinking the same thing LOL I will try and contact someone. It was a very simple addition it shouldn't be any problem to get done.

Jay Nation

Billy

I could "almost" swear that there was a "stanza" to detect the 6300s in the older source that was broken. Maybe it was just overlooked during a copy/paste in the fixed source. Anyway thanks for taking the fix as far as you had to.

Real Flexers, can Git-R-Done!!!

 SDRgadgets

73, Jay - NO5J

KB4AAA

Jay, the 6300 patch is now added to the Hamlib3 main tree It should trickle down 
https://sourceforge.net/p/hamlib/code/ci/10eb19e92a95502b899273d7d2c0a86281304292/

Jay Nation

Billy

You do good work Sir!
See folks that's how you do it.

  SDRgadgets

#FlexRadio IRC chat

  73, Jay - NO5J

Paul M

So if I understand this (that is a big if at this point) without the change the Flex 6xxx setting will not work on the 6300?   

KB4AAA

Paul, Yes you would have to use my patched version until the 3.1 hamlib3 final source code is released (its in the release candidate stage right now)  and WSJT-X uses it for their release. If you have a 6300 you have 2 options use the cat control the old way as a Kenwood 2000 via Com port. Or if you would like to test out the TCP controlled beta I could post a dropbox link for the 6300 patched beta.

Paul M

If you have a chance post the link and I'll try it out with the Beta.  Right now I am stuck on the last SmartSDR release with the TS-2000.   I still have not be able to get the Beta SmartSDR to work on the 6300 with any setup.

KB4AAA

Paul, Here you go
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qp00fhtbb1r4wr1/WSJT-X%201.70%20Beta%20With%20Flex%206300%20Patch.zip?dl=0

You can copy it over top of your existing WSJTX install or extract into an new directory if you want to keep your old version intact and run the wsjtx.exe in the bin folder. Let me know how it works. I have been running (2) slices 1 on 20m and 1 on 40 all weekend via TCP cat and everything seems great no problems that I have found.

Paul M

Works fine on the first try.    Thanks for the help.

Mike W9OJ

KB4AAA, thank you for the file. Worked fine with my 6300.
73 de Mike W9OJ

KB4AAA

I glad it works enjoy it! I pulled my hair out for awhile trying to figure out what was going on. Like everyone in the thread said it should be a 20 second setup. Now it is with the 6300 patch lol

Paul M

Yep about 20 sec.  I had a little heart palpitation when I tried to transmit and nothing out and a crazy pattern on the screen, but once I realize the DAX button was not pushed I called myself a few names and made the contact.  Thanks again.

Rick, K7FYI

Thanks for the workaround...  I just set up my 6300 / WSJT-X to work with TCP ports.

Jay Nation

I received an email yesterday from one of the Hamlib devs, pointing out the the 6xxx option might not be 100% functional yet because it's all still being worked on and tested. He suggested the TS2000 option would still work if we ran into problems, with the 6xxx option. At least it's controlling VFO changes and PTT, no idea what else might not be functional.

From personal experience, I can report that the DXLabs-Commander, and Omni-Rig options also work with SmartSDR. DXLabs-Commander, is also done over an Ethernet connection.  

  SDRgadgets

#FlexRadio IRC chat

  73, Jay - NO5J

Andrew O'Brien

My Flex 6300 works well with WSJT-X via TS2000 settings and also via DX Lab Suite settings but I'm interested in getting the TCP option working .  It does not work at the moment, am I correct in concluding that the rig ID issue for a 6300 has not been resolved yet ?

Andy K3UK

Andrew O'Brien

I found KB4AAA's files , nice!  Many thanks. Now to try TWO instances of WSJTX running separate TCP.
Andy K3UK

Ken - NM9P

Thanks, Pat and Jay. I hadn't used WSJT in any of its variants for quite some time. I decided to polish it off so I could try for AK and AL on 160 Meters. After downloading WSJT-x v.1.7 a few weeks ago I tried to do the TCP port connection to my 6500 and couldn't get it working. So I quickly went to the program's Kenwood TS-2000 mode and used a CAT Com port, and bingo! I ran it that way for a week or two. After reading your posts again today, I tried in Flex-6000 mode with "local Host:5004" (actually, I have created 4 TCP ports for future use and plan to run multiple sessions simultaneously for 160, 80, and 40 at the same time. ) All is working well at the moment. And it saved a few CAT Com ports. Thanks. Now, to write some bat files to open each one independently..... Ken - NM9P

Jay Nation

Ken 

I've been creating TCP/Serial pairs for each slice, and sometimes with an alternate set for the A slice. It lets me do silly stuff, like running CWskimmer and Fldigi in parallel on the same signal. Drag racing the decoders sorta. 

  SDRgadgets

#FlexRadio IRC chat

  73, Jay - NO5J

Ken - NM9P

I typically have as many as 12-15 different CAT ports defined, and assigned to different slices. Usually one or two for each of several digi programs that I use. I haven't done much with TCP ports interfacing with the 6500, so this is a nice experiment. It will be nice when some of the other of my favorite digi programs and logging programs learn to play the TCP way!

Andrew O'Brien

Any idea why when I boot the wsjtx.exe  from the bin folder that contains KB4AAA's 6300 patch that is works fine for TCP control of the 6300 but if a execute a .bat file (in the same folder)

wsjtx --rig-name=SLICE_B

WSJT-X boots up OK but I cannot configure it to use a TCP port  (regardless of slice )

Andy K3UK 

Jay Nation

Andy

It might be a permissions problem, Do you see any difference if you right click your .bat file and run it as Administrator. Due to the security software, I run on my PC I often have to un-block connections that use network connections, even though they never cross the network devices. Windows sometimes blocks hardware access to non-admin processes too. I script WSJT-X using an Auto-It script, the same idea as a .bat file. And run into permission issues once in a while.

I also ran into problems preventing the command line options from being stripped off the the command that launced WSJT-X inside the script. Auto-It can take the command line options into account as a separate parameter. I never tried a simple .bat file. 

JTAlertX should probably be able to launch it correctly, you can enter the commandline options as a separate parameter with it too.

I've done it both ways.

  SDRgadgets

#FlexRadio IRC chat

  73, Jay - NO5J

KB4AAA

I launch my slice B either with a shortcut on the desktop with the target moded
"C:wsjtxinwsjtx.exe" --rig-name=Slice_B

or with JT Alert Auto-Start with Slice_B in the parameters

I have not have any issues with starting WSJT-X either way running both slices

if you can't get it working try and delete the Slice_B Config folder this will reset all configs for Slice B

C:UsersYour accountAppDataLocalWSJT-X - Slice_B

Wim

Hi Geert,

I managed to also use multiple WSJT-X instances, and decode on several bands simultaneously using the --rig-name=**** command line option. How do you setup multiple JTALERT's, do they also need same rig-name and deparate UDP port numbers then for each instance ?

thanks es 73 de K6TE Wim