FT8 Maestro FT8

Barry Young

Is there a guide to setting up the Maestro with FT8? I have FT8 with WSJT-X working on my desktop computer. How do I set up the Maestro? Thanks!

Ted VE3TRQ

I suspect there are a number of articles here on the community to help with this. First of all, a few questions: - are you intending to use analogue audio from the Maestro to the computer? Or - Dax / Cat to the radio from the computer, and Pan / Slice control from the Maestro? Both of the above are possible, just depends on the network bandwidth available, and the nature of the network connection. Personally, I use an "M" radio, with the front panel controlling pan/slice, then run whatever digital app on my Mac(s) using Loopback and xDax/xCat. Exactly analogous to using a Maestro with Dax/Cat on the PC. If you are using Windows, install SSDR and only start up Cat/Dax for WSJT-X use. At this time you cannot have full SSDR running on your desktop and use the MAestro at the same time - it is one or the other.

Barry Young

Thanks for your reply.. So you start up DAX and you launch Slicer Master, and WSJT-X on the desktop?


But how do you interact with WSJT-X on the Maestro?? I know you can select DIGU mode on the Maestro..


Thanks!

K8AC

Here I'm using a 6500 and Maestro at 2.4.9.  I never use SSDR on the PC.  Maestro mode is set to DIGU with 3.0 kHz bandwidth.  DAX running - DAX channel 1 specified in Maestro and DAX Audio RX 1 specified in WSJT-X Audio tab, Soundcard input.  Soundcard output specified as DAX Audio TX.  WSJT-X Spit operation specified as "fake it".  Maestro Transmit menu DAX button pressed ON.  Maestro Menu, Phone/CW, Filter Options, Digital set all the way to the left.  On receive, adjust DAX RX 1 gain so WSJT-X receive level around 30 dB with no signals.  On transmit, set WSJT Pwr slider to max, adjust DAX TX stream TX gain to achieve desired max output power ( use WSJT-X slider to reduce if needed).  Watch Maestro Level scale above S meter so level doesn't exceed 0 on scale.  Set Maestro RF power out above the level you want to run.  Works fine for me.  See no need for Slice Master.

Barry Young

Thank you for the information. How to respond to CQs Etc? Interact with WSJT-X? I will hopefully set it up tonight and let you know if I have any issues.

Neal Pollack, N6YFM

Barry, if you don't figure this out by Sunday afternoon, shoot me an email,
N6YFM  a  T  google mail, and we can get on the phone.  I use this all the time
and it works great.  Happy to help you set up.

Neal Pollack

Barry Young

Thanks Neal, I sure will...

Mike-VA3MW

Neal, that is awesome for you to help out. 

Ted VE3TRQ

You only interact with WSJT-X on your computer - the Maestro would be used for radio control other than what you do with CAT from WSJT-X, i.e. set bandwidth, create/destroy slices, deal with noise blanking, set DIG-U, etc. (All those things you would normally do with SSDR, since you are running it with a Maestro connected - for now :-)

Mike-VA3MW

To echo what Ted said.  I do this all the time.

Use your Maestro normally.  

Now, with SmartSDR CAT and SmartSDR DAX running on your PC, use Slicemaster to start WSJTx for you.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ww8CcGNAzg

That should get you going.

Mike 

Barry Young

For example, How do you initiate the CQ? Or respond to a CQ? Right now I do that through WSJT-X on the same computer as SDR software. How do you watch the FT 8 activity on the Maestro? If the Maestro is just working the radio, then you would have to access to the computer to interact with WSJT-X. If that is the case the why use the Maestro, the computer is still required? Make sense?

Ted VE3TRQ

You are correct that you can just run SSDR on the PC, but there are two cases where using a Maestro or "M" radio interface may be better, or required. If you are limited in bandwidth, or if you are for any reason unable to run SSDR (a Mac or a Raspberry Pi, for example), having the Maestro or "M" interface on the radio makes it possible to continue to run digital modes on your computer. Running Dax/Cat on the computer is MUCH lighter on network traffic than displaying the Panafall with SSDR on the computer. In my case, I use a 6600M and a nice big iMac to run digital modes without using dogparkSDR (which I do Hve and do use).

Mike-VA3MW

And, you continue to do it via WSJTx and continue to use WSJTx.  

Give it a try and you'll see it works.  You are using both the Maestro and the Computer at the same time.  

This is not like your Grandfathers radio (LOL) where only 1 thing can access the radio at the same time.  

But, you are correct, you can use SmartSDR or the Maestro to watch the waterfall, knobs, vfo, etc.

Mike

Barry Young

Sounds good... Thanks EVERYONE for the great help!!! Take care!

Neal Pollack, N6YFM

Barry, sorry, that email should be  N6YFM  a T ARRL  d o T  net

Barry Young

Thanks for the info. I don’t see any advantage to running a Maestro over SSDR on the computer that is also running WSJT-X. Once SSDR ,SliceManager and WSJT-X are running, your primary interface is WSJT-X for everything FT8, calling and answering CQs, etc. The Maestro would have to be located at the Computer running WSJT-X. In my experience working with FT8, I am seldom using SSDR, primary WSJT-X, once the radio side interfaces are running. If you could open the other slice on the Maestro that would that was running WSJT-X on the Maestro, perhaps then it would make more sense. If this other slice was a full windows session, you could also run other external apps. But that might be too resource intensive for the Maestro hardware to handle. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks

Mike-VA3MW

Good morning Barry.  

Yes, true.  It would move some computer load off of Windows.  I just always use the Maestro no matter what.

Standby for a while.  We might have something for you in the next version.  

Mike

Barry Young

All suggestions noted and appreciated. I may give it a shot! Thanks again to all!!!