CAT Tracking Issue

Tom OBoyle

After a recent Windows update, CAT has been acting weird. I have used CATSYNC for years to sync SDRs that I use for listening to my FLEX. So if I change frequency on the radio, the SDR follows. CATSYNC uses Omnirig behind the scenes to track the freqency.

I setup a seperate COM port in CAT for this purpose. It is COM12.

For several weeks now, CAT will grab the frequency that SmartSDR is set at when it first starts, not the current frequency. If I restart SmartSDR, CAT passes the correct frequency and tracks — in band only! If I switch bands, Omnirig does not track. If I turn off SmartSDR and turn back on, Omnirig tracks it in band again.

Just for reference, CATSYNC can support more than one rig, so I have my Kenwood setup on that different com port. The Kenwood and CATSYNC track perfectly.

Here is the Omnirig setup in CATSYNC

Here is the CAT setup in Flex

Any ideas?

73 de Tom, N9GUN

Eric-KE5DTO

We have had a couple of reports similar to this that we have captured for tracking in SMART-10633. We haven't yet been able to duplicate the issue though. If you have a set of steps that seems to cause the issue, that would be very helpful to us in getting this fixed.

Tom OBoyle

Hi Eric -

I can duplicate this every time. It's consistent.

Whatever the frequency value is when I start the SmartSDR software is the value presented to the Omnirig. It will follow in-band only from that frequency. It doesn't seem to matter when I start Omnirig - before or after the SmartSDR start, for it to happen.

To make it work, I start SmartSDR, choose my frequency (7.153 MHz), close SmartSDR. Reopen SmartSDR and start CATSYNC. It will sync and follow as long as I stay on 40M. I have not checked if mode matters. I use CATSYNC on SSB for a few nets I participate in.

If you want, we can get on a Teams/Zoom/Google Meet call and you or your team can watch how and when it happens. You can run any diagnostics software needed as well.

Let me know, as I'm happy to help.

73 de Tom, N9GUN