Idea for Pre-configuring a Slice

Ron K2RAS

Starting a new slice to run a digital program such as FLDigi after running a different mode requires adjusting a number of items every time on the new slice.  The following items often need to be changed on a new slice in my situation

Set DAX Channel
Turn off speaker on new slice
Set TX flag
Change mode to DIGU
Sometimes change slice width

Would it be possible to have a method to choose a 'slice configuration' when opening or using a slice?

Ron/K2RAS

Ria

I'd love this as well. I have in fact requested such a feature. 1kHz centered on the channel is not my preferred default since 99% of my digital operation is WSJT-X, PSK and Olivia. 

Larry _ NY8T

Learn how to use profiles, they will do exactly what you are looking for.

DH2ID

I have created new profiles for all my modes and bands and - if I want to change them - use FRstack.

Ria

Not always. 

Larry _ NY8T

Ok but a combination of profiles and frstack will do everything ron has listed.

Ria

I know you can use FRStack, but I think it's best not to rely on third party software. Besides, how do I set up FRStack on iOS or mac?

Ron K2RAS

I will take a look again at FRStack.  The Global Profile is a little overkill, I don't want to change the other panadapters and slices, only adjust the slice in question.

EA4GLI

That is the big point, there is no way to recall an additional Slice without removing everything you have in the screen.

This boils down to a level of customization. I like Ron's idea and I would like to have buttons that show the state of TX PTT ports in the main SmartSDR screen.

Hopefully usability will be the theme of a future update. 

Ron K2RAS

I think the real need is a 'Slice Profile'.  I can elaborate on the need with two use cases.  First, opening an additional slice or modifying an existing slice for split operation requires the speaker, and/or TX flags on the slice(s) to be changed every time.  Second, opening or modifying a slice for DIGU modes with a program such as FLDigi also requires multiple attribute changes.  In both cases multiple slice attributes are often not correct and I do not want to remove existing slices and panadapters when making the changes.  The issue is more significant for operators who switch frequently between modes. 

I expect that Flex considered 'slice profiles' when designing the SmartSDR profile model but choose to start with profiles to control the larger operating environment, rather than individual slices.

I do not pretend to be a usability expert, but what I might suggest is a small 'dot' on the corner of a slice flag which would allow selection of a slice profile (we don't want to complicate the user interface any more than necessary).  In my case I do not want the profile to specify the frequency, only the attributes of the slice listed in the first post.

Upon review of FRStack I think that the program serves a need but it does not solve this requirement.  As mentioned earlier, it also requires a separate window in a separate program.  I would hope that some enhancement in SmartSDR could accommodate this requirement.

Thanks, Ron

Larry _ NY8T

Ron, its a great suggestion I like the idea and thanks for putting the suggestion out there I was not being negative about your suggestion my only point  instead of tapping our fingers on the desk waiting for something to be implemented and hopefully it will get implemented, we have options. I personally use what ever is available  to accomplish what  i need now and third party software can accomplish a lot of it and its available today. Think about it the IOS app, Dogpark and Parallels are third party software..
   Frstack is awesome, it will let you attach programs to global profiles so by clicking on my FT-8 profile with in frstack it will open up my pre configured pan adapter and slice with the proper bandwidths, dax turned on, my preferred power levels, it will open up wsjt-x, jt-alert, pstrotator control software, expert terminal control app for my 1.3k-fa, Flex meter, woodbox meter,my web browser with QRZ, PSK Reporter and any other web page I use regularly when operating digital or any other mode, all with one click. This same profile can have more pan adapters and  slices in it, for your favorite bands and frequencies, be creative and think about your operating style when building profiles and they are very powerful. 

Ron K2RAS

I appreciate your comment, yes it may be a while before anything is added.  But we can continue to hope...

I have three usability things I hope will be added in the future (as a non-competitive operator).  1) this topic, 2) spots on the waterfall (with filter capability), and 3) ongoing improvements to noise reduction.  It would be great to have integrated JT/FT, RTTY, PSK and CW decodes, but there are already products that do this and DAX/CAT make it relatively easy/stable to accomplish.
Ron

Ria

I can tell you right off the bat that integrated JT modes are out because the code is GPLv3. This means that any derivative work must be open sourced and Flex is not going to. This is why you only see free software that do those modes. PSK and RTTY dont have similar restrictions. I would like to see FSK if not for nothing to satisfy those who think that only FSK RTTY is real RTTY.

Duane N9DG

Agreed. Numerous times I wish I had the ability to change one of the active slices to a previously stored slice configuration for a different band and/or mode without disturbing any of the other slices that are also already in use.

An extension of this idea is the concept of a panadapter / waterfall profiles as well. Again the idea would be to allow replacing just one of the currently running ones with a different one configured differently.

UI wise I am a big fan of right click context menus. So I could see these kinds of slice and panadapter profiles being selectable from a context menu.

Sometime back I had wrote and submitted an idea along these lines.

These kinds of profiles along with individual digit tuning by hovering over the frequency display digit is a very fast way to go from band to band with a point and roll of the mouse wheel. In PowerSDR this works great. Today clicking a different band using the band selector is frustrating because the persistence rules can and do often change mode and filter settings etc. when you don't want those to change, you simply want to just change bands of a single slice.