Slice Master 6000 v0.10.1 is now available

K1DBO

Now with spots in the SSDR panafall.  Spots in the SSDR panafall?  Yup, spots in the SSDR panafall!

Head on over to https://github.com/K1DBO/slice-master-6000 to join in on the fun.  The README file there has been updated a bit but still says how to grab the latest version.

Here's a quick idea of what this release has to offer.  



I wont claim it's perfect, but it sure works for me.

Getting started with the bandmap is pretty easy.  The first thing you'll need to do though is click on the settings tab and select the 'Enable overlays' option in the bandmap section.



Once you do that the internal spot sources will begin to populate the bandmap.  You also have the option of adding a few external spot sources. 

Note that Slice Master (now anyways) will only display spots in a pop-out panafall, so dont be afraid to hit that button in SSDR.  Once the panfall appears, Slice Master will notice and provide an overlay for the window.  Slice Master is usually able to determine which panafall is in which window.  If things seems out of sync, just grab the SM6k label and drop it onto a panafall window.  This should get things back in sync.

The combo box is used to specify which slice you would like to change when a spot is selected (double click to select).  The check boxes properties of the slice will change when the spot is selected.  This means you can have a wide panafall showing the bandmap but have it control a slice in an entirely different panafall.  It's your choice.  If your spot source is able to provide good mode information, give that option a try.  If not, it's better to leave the mode option unchecked.

For this release, two type of external sources are supported: telnet clusters, and the web server in DXLab's SpotCollector.  To enable a telnet cluster, just type in a URI like what's shown above.  I hope there's enough there to make the idea clear.  Specifying a user name, password, server name and port all follow the internet standard syntax for a URI.  Sorry... I havent made the time to write a proper user interface for this sort of thing, and besides, I'm pretty close to liking the ways it is.  

The odd one there is for grabbing spots from the web server built into DXLab's SpotCollector.  If you're not a DXLab user, just ignore it.  If your are, you'll want to open the Spot Collector Config dialog and select the Spot Database tab.  Then, just check the Enable box in the Web Server group.  Slice Master will now be able to access whatever shows up in the Spot Collector window.

It's probably also worth mentioning that WSJT-X is now an internal spot source.  You'll want to zoom in really close to make use of the information.  Slowing the panfall rate down to between 50 and 60 also helps with keeping track of the action.

Quite a bit changed behind the scenes in this release (hmmm I seem to say that a lot, but I really mean it this time) so it's possible some other features have suffered.  So as always, your feedback is important.  Dont let that bug go unreported.

Enjoy!

   --Don

EA4GLI

Thank you Don. Great work!

iz7auh

we are lucky to have amateur radio stations like you, do a great job, what FRS should do, and to think that they have also had to pay in order to have a 2.0 update which at the end gave us little time again .... congratulations

Rick, K7FYI

Don,

I've been trying to find a solution to a problem, and I'm hopeful that Slice Master either does, or could, solve it.  I'm seeking a way to keep the panadapter in the sweet spot on a per-band, per slice basis when running WSJT-X and CW Skimmer.  Flex 6300, v1.10.16 for now; currently using SDR-Bridge, CW Skimmer > RBN Aggregator (...and WSJT-X) - both slices run nearly 24x7.  I'm not seeking to sync settings between the slices.

Example: On 6 meters, the CW / beacons are far away from the FT8 / MSK144 frequencies.  To get the DAX IQ stream in the right part of the band, I've been zooming out and manually adjusting the panadapter.  That gets upended when I change bands, so I have to go back and manually adjust (often via RDP or TeamViewer).  The same is true for other bands, but the zoom / horizontal positions are completely different.  

Oddity:  For some reason (maybe a setting I've forgotten / can't find?), once I've set the position on slice A, the panadapter position stays put if I TX.  On slice B, when I transmit, the panadapter resets to center.

I see the Sync options in Slice Master, but they seem to focus on matching settings between slices - or am I missing something obvious?

I'm also looking for a sort of timer to control scheduled frequency changes via CAT across several radios (6300 / Elad FTM-DUO / FT991 - all connected to the same computer).  That's probably out of scope for what you're doing with Slice Master, but thought you or someone here may know of a solution.  When I'm at work, or traveling, I can't always remote back and manually get the radios on the bands I want them monitoring. Inevitably, something gets left behind when it could be on an active band.

Rick
K7FYI

John - AF3K

Thank you Don! 

I am having a problem since the last version and just documented it in Github.

Ria

Amazing work! 

W2PP

Well, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but nothing is working.  First, I had a heck of time getting it installed.  Bitdefender hates it. I had to uninstall Bitdefender to get it in.  Now when I launch SmartSDR and then slice master nadda nothing happens.
What did I do wrong?
Peter

Peter Bacon

Great piece of work.  The first time I opened the software, it says it cannot find Gritty on my PC.  However if I look under the launch menu, I see no option to load Gritty.  Under Launch I only see CW Skimmer, WSJT-X and flDigi.  73 Peter

K1DBO

Hi Peter, 

Not launching at all is pretty unusual.  I've seen a nearly empty window a couple of times in earlier releases.  We're going to have to find something for me to work with.  For starters, did the Slice Master config directory get created?  Take a look in 
C:Users<your name here>AppDataLocal
for a folder named K1DBO, in that folder there should be a another named slice-master.  If not, it's possible that bitdefender removed the executable on you.  With bitdefender turned off, you could try the download again.

--Don

K1DBO

Slice Master expects to find Gritty installed in its default location.  This can be changed, if needed, in the Slice Master config.ini file.  When Slice Master cant find what its looking for it removes it from the user interface... there's no reason to give the option to launch a program that cant be found.

So the question is... do you have Gritty installed?  Is it in the default location?

--Don

K1DBO

Thanks

K1DBO

You're welcome John.  I've replied to your issue.

W2PP

OK I looked and that folder does not exist.  I reinstalled slice master, I mean I just unzipped it and launched it, from the original folder, and still nothing.  It remembers all the settings though.  Did you want to teamviewer in?
Peter

W2PP

To be clear this is just an executable it isn't really "installed". 

K1DBO

Hi Rick,

That's an interesting use case.  If I'm reading it right, what you are asking for is a way to center the DAXIQ stream under more than one slice... maybe we could call it the average center. 

You've probably noticed that Slice Master has the option to keen the panafall centered under a single slice.  If you enable that option on more than one slice then the center will jump back and forth between the slices whenever one of them changes frequency.  An alternate interpretation would be to center the panafall on the average frequency of all the slices with the option enabled.  I'll have to play with it a bit, but the idea just might work.

--Don

W2PP

OK, part of the problem solved.  I did not have a DAX channel turned on.  Done, but, only HRD Digital stuff launches.  The WSJT stuff when activated Slice master at the bottom says "windows error, cannot create a file when it exists"
does that help?

The error log also says it can't find the WSJT configuration file either, yet that program runs just fine. 
Peter

K1DBO

Peter, 

Slice Master is just an executable with no installation.  The first time it runs it creates a configuration folder and keeps your settings in there.  Gritty, on the other hand, requires an installer to be run.  Slice Master assumes you have already installed Gritty.  Generally it's a good idea to run these programs outside of Slice Master at least once.  Some programs dont complete their installations until they have been run manually, others, it's just a good idea to fill in your station information.  

--Don

W2PP

What about the above errors????   Hey, I'm using the new beta version of WJST the DX version, could that be the problem???

K1DBO

Ah yes, it's always a good idea to keep an eye on the Slice Master status line.  If things dont go as expected.

For WSJT-X slice master looks for the executable in 

C:WSJTwsjtxinwsjtx.exe

Unless you change the Slice Master config.ini, that's the one it will run.  It's been tested with both the latest released version as well as the latest beta. 

In the launch options for WSJT-X you could try creating a new settings folder by selecting the <new> option, typing in a name, and hitting enter.  Then select Always to force a launch.  Keep an eye on the status line for error.

--Don

W2PP

I get the same error, cannot find the config file for WSJTX

W2PP

I just looked WSJTX is there.  I can launch it OK from there. 

W2PP

The error specifically says it can't find the slice B.ini file

K1DBO

Ok, that sounds like a permissions problem.  Is there any chance Slice Master doesnt have write access to 
C:Users<your name here>AppDataLocal 

That's where WSXJT-X likes to put its settings file?

Please send me an email with the zipped contents of 

C:Users<your name here>AppDataLocalK1DBOslice-master

There will be some log files in there that might help.

--Don

Ron K2RAS

I am trying the program for the first time.  I can see the Mix sliders controlling the slices so the program is talking to SSDR.  I cannot however see any menubars attached to a title bar.  I have checked the enable overlays option in the program options.  Any ideas?

Thanks, Ron
K2RAS

K1DBO

Ron,

Do you have a panafall window "popped-out" from the main SSDR window?  Slice Master wont (yet) add an overlay to the main SSDR window.

--Don

W2PP

OK found the folder.  Here is a dropbox link to all that it contained.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/681df3fegwrf3x1/AAA_V0zMiqP-Wc1XzzozM7Wga?dl=0

Ron K2RAS

No I didn't.  That must be the problem.  Don't want to ask a **** question, but how do I 'popout' the window.  Dragging the panadapter outside the frame doesn't work.

Ron

Ron K2RAS

Never mind, I just saw the little arrow on the titlebar.

It worked.

Thanks, Ron

W2PP

I do see in that directory, local, that WSJTX is there, then WSJTX slice B and another WSTX slice D too.

K1DBO

Got 'em thanks.... give me a bit to look over the logs.

Gary NC3Z

Got it working with Telnet, but for some reason will not work with DXL SC even though I have the web server enabled. Will keep playing. I love this ever since I saw this in the IOS ap. Why in the world FRS can not implement this natively is a huge question!