Newbie question: Where do I find the S-Meter value for a slice

Graham999au

I'm trying to work out how to get the S-Meter value for an active slice. I must be looking in the wrong place (wiki.flexradio.com)? I can see some commands and status info documented but not others. Please point me in the right direction.
Thanks, Graham VK3GA

Alan

The WIKI has a section on "meters". Not an easy decode, but they are there:

http://wiki.flexradio.com/index.php?title=Metering_protocol

Another approach, is to use the UDP Meter broadcast from FRStack. Mark has done the heavy lifting of decoding the VITA49 meter packets and makes the results available on his user interface or other devices via a UDP broadcast.

Many of us use Node-Red to receive the UDP broadcast and display on a Dashboard of your design.

Alan. WA9WUD

KD0RC

Hi Graham, there are a couple of ways to get S-Meter values. One way, as Alan discussed is via the API. You can use Node-Red or most any language you like.

Another way is to use CAT. The ZZSM command gives you just the S-Meter and, depending on what you are doing, can be easier to implement than the API. CAT is very limited compared to the API, but is correspondingly less complex.

Let us know what you are doing, and we can better advise and help.

Graham999au

Thanks guys. I am using an Arduino with WiFi shield to interface between the Flex TCP/IP API and a logging program. I was hoping I didn't need to decode the VITA49 Meter packets, although I already have Discovery working and some basic API commands. I will look at FRStack as I already use that, many thanks for both ideas.

KD0RC

Hi Graham, If you look at my GitHub site for my TeensyMaestro, I have a Flex API library available (written by Enzo, IW7DMH and slightly modified by me). It is for a Teensy 4.1 (PJRC.com) if you ever elect to go that way instead of an Arduino (it is a really small, fast board). It has most of the radio functions broken out (TCP/IP) and has the meters broken out (UDP) for easy access. It also has the UDP discovery protocol and an easy way to connect to the radio.

KD0RC/Teensy-Maestro-for-Flex-6000-radios: TeensyMaestro - a Teensy-based set of controls for Flex 6000 series radios. (github.com)

Link to Teensy library:

https://github.com/KD0RC/Teensy-Maestro-for-Flex-6000-radios/releases/download/V1.018/FlexRigTeensy-2.0.19.07-27-21.zip

Arduino library:

FlexRig-2.0.19.zip

The Arduino library has not been kept up since I moved from the Arduino to the Teensy, but the last time I used it, it was working with version 2 and 3 of SmartSDR on an Arduino Due using an Ethernet Shield. The shift from Arduino to Teensy was pretty painless and got me a LOT more performance (600 MHz vs 84 MHz).

In the Examples folder, you will find a program called FlexSignature.ino in the FlexSignature folder. This gives you access to most of the functionality of the radio in a well-organized way.

Even if you don't use the library or FlexSignature.ino directly, it will give you a sense of how everything works. I am not a C, C++ or C# programmer (my experience is PL/I, Fortran and COBOL...), yet I was able to use the library to create a knobs-and-buttons interface to my Flex 6400.

Hopefully, this will help you to get your meter data. Post back if you have any problems getting anything working. BTW, which Arduino are you using?

Graham999au

Thanks Len. This will save me a lot of time if I elect to go that way. I am using a Mega2560 with WiFi shield. I will investigate the Teensy as I fear the 2560 may not have enough performance/memory. Your project looks very nice, congrats!

73 Graham VK3GA

KD0RC

Thanks Graham, I appreciate it!

One thing you will need to consider if you use the Teensy, is an out-board WiFi adapter if you want to use WiFi. For my project, I plug the Teensy ethernet into the laptop and bridge the ethernet port to the LAN. That way if I want to operate in a room away from the rig, I use the WiFi on the laptop. SmartSDR works normally, and the TeensyMaestro is bridged across. I rarely do this, but it is good to know that it works.

Graham999au

Hi Len,

Did you ever find out how to connect via SmartLink?

73 Graham VK3GA

KD0RC

Hi Graham, I never did figure out how to use SmartLink, but I did get the TeensyMaestro working remotely using SoftEther VPN. I also finally figured out how to key CW remotely using the keyer in the TM.

I put a diagram of my setup on my QRZ.com page that shows how I operate remotely now.