I lost correct setting of CAT to switch transmit button at FLDIGI to SSDR Flexradio 6300

Peter Schuhbeck

After update Win10 I could not switch transmit from fldigi to 3.2.34 flexsoftware. Now I am completly lost. Audio receiving and sending is working but no PTT. I saw video from Mike VA3MW from 21.January 2021. But I see to make the CAT from Zero maybe. I have clicked a lot but no success. Thanks for any help. 73 Peter DD2MT

KD0RC

Hi Peter, you can use RigCat or Hamlib, but not both together. I see that in this case, you have selected RigCat, and that it is providing PTT. RigCat then, is the only panel that you need to populate with data.

I think that the Com7 and Com9 ports are not needed for Fldigi. You can leave them there if other programs use them.

With the setup you are showing, is Fldigi able to transmit and receive properly?

KD0RC

Hi Peter, I just set up Fldigi with my Flex 6400 and it works great. Here are screen shots of my RigCat setup:

To get the SmartSDR_SliceA.xml file, I went here:

W1HKJ Software

Then to RigCat.xml files

From here choose Flex, and then the xml file for the slice you want to use.

Mike-VA3MW

An easier way would be to use FLRig to handle the rig control for FLDigi.

Len, you should give it a try as it will do a direct LAN connection to the radio if I remember correctly. I would share a screen shot of how to set it up, but I am not in front of that computer at the moment.

Or, even easier would be to use SliceMaster to configure FLDigi. Highly recommended.

https://github.com/K1DBO/slice-master-6000

KD0RC

Hi Mike, I must not understand some aspect of FLRig... It kept bumping my output up to 100 W, no matter where I set it, and I could not get any rig control to work. I noticed that if I put my rig's IP address in along with port 4992, I kept getting connect messages every few seconds, but no rig control. If I use the localhost IP, nothing happens

While I use SliceMaster all the time for CW Skimmer, I can't get it to help when using Fldigi. It brings it up just fine, but does not give me any rig control - it acts the same as when I open Fldigi manually.

I am using the TS-2000 rig setting, so maybe this is the problem. I do not see any Flex radios except for the 1500 and PowerSDR. Is there a rig definition file that I am missing?

While I am asking questions...

I could not find reference to the Offset field in the documentation.

It seems to default to 1500 (half the 3K filter bandwidth...). The only effect that I can see is that it offsets where the rig tunes when I double-click the panadapter. I have been setting it to zero to cause the tuning to work like it does in the other modes.

Is the purpose of this to let you more easily tune to channel center or is there something else that I am missing?

Peter Schuhbeck

Dear Mike an Len. Thank for fast and precise answer. In 2 years using fldigi it happen every 6...9month. Mostly after 2..3days ist is running. Now it was like missing something in CAT. I made for myself sceendump for next time. Still I am not sure how the hamlib and rigcat work together. I added the screendumps (hope this work). Would you please overview if there is someting not necessarey in the CAT. I think it was just good luck. I am PC user but very proud to have a 6300.
I would like to understand why it is not working? Just power on and running...
Thank you. 73 Peter DD2MT

Peter Schuhbeck

Hi Lan. You were completely right. Now I have deleted COM7 and COM9 and frequency and PTT work fully correct. Before I could not make transmit with Macro. I still no not know why this problem happen. But I made screendumps how it now running. Thanks a lot for your support.
73 Peter DD2MT

KD0RC

Great, Peter! I am glad you got it working.

Mike-VA3MW

@KD0RC

Hi Len

I went back and checked how I got it work with SliceMaster. Setting the Rig in FLDigi didn't work as you mentioned. You also don't want to use port 4992 since 4992 is not active on the PC if you are doing a Local Host connection.

The 'data' connection flows from

FLDigi<>FLRig<>SmartSDR CAT

and it looks like this. In this case, I started FLDigi from SliceMaster but that still didn't give me CAT control.

Next, I started FLRig, which I had set up for TCPIP and that then completed to the CAT TCP connection I had set up on port 5002. Then, I had CAT control.

That is as far as I have gotten since I really have yet to spend anytime on FLDigi.

73

KD0RC

Hi Mike, OK, very interesting. So far the RigCat settings are solid and reliable when I am operating locally. Next, I will see what it takes to run it remotely. I am guessing that I will need Flrig over TCP like what you are doing. I will post back with any progress.

Mike-VA3MW

Hi Len

While I operate remotely all the time, I do not operate any digital modes with the decoding software remotely. There is just too much UDP audio loss to make it reliable.

All of my remote digital operating is done on the PC local to the radio to ensure that I have the least latent and most complete audio stream.

It is a night and day difference. While using SmartSDR DAX via a remote path works, I don't believe it is the most reliable way to do it.

73

KD0RC

Thanks for that insight Mike, I appreciate it. I have taken your previous advice and have a local laptop connected to the network when I am on the road (works great!). I will configure it for Fldigi and MTTY and try it that way.