FRStack WebAPI Service

Mick W8BE · October 2020

Hi,

I am making good progress on getting my Node-Red deployment ready to go. One thing I really like is the ability control users from selecting the incorrect ANT. I have a flow set up to look at the TX ANT and if it's not on ANT1, then I force it to go to ANT 1. Also I have my pi gpio configured to shut the radio down if no client is detected in 15 minutes.

I do have one question regarding the API...I came across the following in the appSettings.json file for FRStack:

"RadioTuneModeDetect": "false", // this is set true if you want to detect a Radio Tune button push, remember to set TX Delay on radio

I currently have a flow set up to disable TX if the swr 2.1. This works on both MOX and Tune. I had forgotten we have an inverted L with a remote auto tuner that will go past 2.1 while it tunes up. Originally I was going to put in a delay of 5 seconds before I killed the TX, but after I saw this I wonder if I could use this property. What I don't understand is why I need a TX delay on the radio if this is enabled. Since we have remote users getting them to set TX delay on their local copy of SmartSDR will be like herding cats.

Can some one explain what the caveat means and if it sounds like this may work for my purposes. The idea is if I detect tune, then I would bypass the flow to disable TX on high SWR.

Thanks,

Mick

Here is the current view...

Alan · October 2020

Mick,

Your flows are looking nice. Good ideas also on your interlocks.

"RadioTuneModeDetect": "false"

This configuration setting works with the other PG-XL settings.

Normally, if you "tune" with a FRStack "Tune" Command, if the PG-XL were in operate, FRStack can be set to command the amp to "Standby". However, if you "tune" from another device , ie Maestro or Smart SDR, the FRStack option will not detect the "Tune" and will not command the amp to "Standby".

If you set "RadioTuneDetect" to "true", the option to put the PG-XL to standby will work when the "Tune" comes from a device other then FRStack.

That is why you must add some extra TX delay time, to allow FRStack to see the external "Tune" and send a command to the PX-XL to "Standby, before RF is sent from the Flex Server.

Alan

Mick W8BE · October 2020

We dont have an amplifier. I may turn it on and see if i find a tune context that i can write a flow for. Thanks Alan...

Mick

Mick W8BE · October 2020

Alan · October 2020

The command is not "exposed" outside of FRStack running on the Pi.

It would be no different then the "Tune" status, which is available as a Node-Red context variable with added Node-Red logic based on amp mode status, also available as context variables.

Alan

Mick W8BE · October 2020

Thanks Allen. Sounds like the timer is the way to go...

Mick

Mick W8BE · October 2020

Alan, sorry I misspelled your name. I have a good friend named Allen, so typing that name is very natural to me.

Regards,

Mick

Mick W8BE · October 2020

Allen,

I went back and redid my flows based on our conversation. I think I have it. When a high swr 2.1 is detected I check to see if the radio is set to tune. If tune == off, then I **** the TX. If tune == on, then I ignore.

Thanks for your advice. Mick

Mick W8BE · October 2020

Alan,

I think I finally got it figured out ...see flow below:

Now if you are tuning, I ignore the DisableTX change on high swr.

Mick

Alan · October 2020

Mitch

Well done. Node-Red makes it possible to design your own Flex Radio and accessories custom interfaces and interlocks. FRStack makes accessing the Flex API via REST commands so much easier.

Back to the Tool Bar Header problem: Here is a link to the Instructions for setting up the Node-Red configuration file;

https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/runtime/configuration

Take a look at the "Editor Themes" section. Perhaps some ideas will emerge how to modify the "CSS" file for the Tool Bar.

Alan

FRStack WebAPI Service

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