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FA and FB Command Question

Alan
Alan Member ✭✭✭✭
in SmartSDR CAT

From the Flex CAT Manual: https://edge.flexradio.com/www/uploads/20200818184953/SmartSDR-CAT-User-Guide-1.pdf

It shows the FA and FB commands are both available:

CAT.png

Reading this, I assume FA will set/return slice A frequency and FB slice B frequency.

In testing the commands, I find that only FA will return a frequency, for the slice configured in the CAT setup. So, I need two Flex CAT connections one each for Slice A and for Slice B. But, only FA works to set/return a frequency.

What am I missing? I am interfacing a third party app that has two VFOs, and issues FA and FB Kenwood commands. I need to direct FA to Slice A and FB to slice B.

Alan. WA9WUD

Best Answer

  • Eric-KE5DTO
    Eric-KE5DTO Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited February 2024 Answer ✓

    Alan,

    It is a confusing situation trying to map a flexible (no pun intended) 4 or 8 Slice radio into a 2 receiver (A and B) CAT world. As Tim pointed out above, we ended up sticking with FA and ZZFA referring to the selected Slice in the CAT port configuration. In order to use FB or ZZFB, a command to create the "2nd" receiver must come from the CAT application (such as ZZFR, ZZSW, or FT). When the "2nd" Slice is created, it is also mapped to the CAT VFO B commands. This mapping sticks around until "Split" mode is cancelled (ZZSW0, FT0, etc). At that point, VFO B is once again undefined. I hope this helps.

Answers

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    @Tim - W4TME said:

    This only works when the radio is in SO2R mode where there is a designated VFO A and VFO B since the slice letters do not correlate with a "VFO" unless the radio is in SO2R mode. There are CAT commands to toggle the radio in and out of SO2R mode. This was done to support N1MM

  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    Alan,

    Try using ZZFA; and ZZFB;

    73

    Dave wo2x

  • Alan
    Alan Member ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks, Mike and Dave

    I built a Node-Red bridge to filter the FB, and then direct it to Slice B. Was hoping for a more direct, Flex based, solution.

    Alan. WA9WUD

  • Alan
    Alan Member ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks Eric.

    I have been interfacing Satellite Tracking apps to Flex and learned more then I want to know about ICOM and Kenwood transceiver VFO schemes . Was hoping to use the Flex USB CAT interface without a bridge.....not to be.

    None of the Satellite apps use the Flex API. Too bad.

    Interesting how ICOM sends a command to change the single radio, "transceiver" VFO, followed by the VFO's frequency. Back and forth A/B, all in CI-V BCD hex.....ugh. Kenwood too, but Kenwood at least uses sting based commands.

    So far, I just map the VFOs from ICOM or Kenwood to Flex Slice A and Slice B via the Flex TCP string based API or the Flex CAT app.

    Alan. WA9WUD

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