WKFlex - CW remote with SmartSDR and Winkeyer

AH0U

I tried to download the app but says site no longer available is there another link ??

N5NHJ

Just checked, it works:

WKFlex-V21.zip (dropbox.com)

Chris WX7V

I was able to download it as well. You have to login to dropbox to get it.

N5NHJ

Some notes about K3NG Arduino CW Keyer

The K3NG Arduino Keyer is fully supported and has been tested with good results. It has been reported, though, that when the CLI interface feature is active, the characters sent through the paddle are doubled.

The work around was disabling the CLI Interface.

The fix to the issue, as suggested by Tony, is changing the value for the following directive from 1 (default) to 0 in keyer_settings.h:

#define cli_paddle_echo_on_at_boot 0 // Default 1, set to 0 to disable the double character issue with WKFlex

N5NHJ

Tonight (8/24/2023) at 8:00 PM US Central time Kyle AA0Z will host a live streaming on his YouTube channel about configuring and using WKFlex.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDVaOQlfUOU

Goca

Hi all,
I use Microham micro2R interface with winkeyer and everything works as it should with N1MM, but through the DX log when pressing "F1 CQ" DXLOG freezes, the other macros work F5 for example, that is, only after pressing F1... Does anyone have a similar experience?

reagrds,

Gordan - E72X

N5NHJ

Hi Gordan,

Can you please explain a bit better what's happening? My understanding is you have a WKFlex installation with a Microham. Everything works fine with the paddle, and with N1MM.

Using DXLog instead of N1MM works sending any macro but F1.

Is that the right description of your scenario?

Please contact me directly: N5NHJ at yahoo.

N5NHJ

The streaming is available on AA0Z's channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDVaOQlfUOU

Goca

> @N5NHJ said:
> Hi Gordan,
> Can you please explain a bit better what's happening? My understanding is you have a WKFlex installation with a Microham. Everything works fine with the paddle, and with N1MM.
> Using DXLog instead of N1MM works sending any macro but F1.
> Is that the right description of your scenario?
> Please contact me directly: N5NHJ at yahoo.

Hi,

I sent you an email.

thanks

N5NHJ

I've got a request about enabling WKFlex to control the local Winkeyer in Vibrobug mode.

I found out that the Winkeyer is sending ASCII characters back to the serial line also in Vibrobug mode. Therefore, technically this feature can be added.

I'm a bit concerned, though, about the capability of the Winkeyer in interpreting the Vibrobug manipulation.

Also, what would be transmitted over the Flex will not have the original cadence the operator is using to manipulate the bug but will be a 'perfect' timed cadence.

I'm not sure if implementing this feature will be a god and useful addition.

Any thoughts?

N5NHJ

@Goca Gordon, looks like DXLog is waiting for some protocol sequence or command to send back to keep transmitting.

In my configuration (Winkeyer, not Microham) I can just get the very first character going through. I have to investigate the handshake better; this will take a while.

Gord-VA7GP

https://community.flexradio.com/discussion/comment/20605249#Comment_20605249

Yeah, I was playing with all this a year or so ago, and learned that the sending from your fist becomes ASCII-fied when using WKFlex and a pair of WinKeyers. Like you, I couldn't see how the VibroBug "drawl" could successfully be sent.

I landed on RemoteKeyerInterface, which sidesteps WinKeyers and ASCII-fication. It directly uses a Flex API to tell the radio "key-up" and "key-down"... at least, I think I understand this is how it works. The end result is what I expected: my unique "fist" is retained and goes out over-the-air.

These days, I have a WinKeyer, but the "key-out" line simply go into RemoteKeyerInterface. I avoid ASCII-fication, operate in VibroBug mode, and retain my "fist". Using just one WinKeyer at my location (wherever I am).

howardsh3t

Has anyone considered developing a version of WKFlex for use with smart SDR for the Mac OS? The keyer interface that is built into the Mac version of Smart SDR has never worked for me as the spacing and timing is way off in my installation. WKFlex on my Windows lap top works great with smart SDR.

Howard AE3T

N5NHJ

Hi Howard. I'll investigate if the C# code can be somehow compiled to generate an executable for the Mac platform.

N5NHJ

Hi, @howardsh3t

I did a bit of homework. Looks like there is an implementation of Winforms for Mono.

https://www.mono-project.com/docs/gui/winforms/

I'll check it out, but it will probably require some code modification.

Definitely not something that can be done overnight.

I'm sure you know about this already, temporary solutions are running Windows in a VM like virtualbox, Parallels, or VMWare Fusion.

73, Max