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THE CODE MACHINE Version 3.0 * Lloyd J. Wilson, N6IKH 1530 W. Ranch Rd San Bernardino, CA 92407 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ....................................... 2 II. Getting Started .................................... 2 III. Menus .............................................. 3 IV. Transmit ........................................... 3 V. Words Per Minute (WPM) ............................. 4 VI. Call Sign .......................................... 6 VII. Messages ........................................... 6 VIII. Practice ........................................... 7 IX. Help ............................................... 8 X. Quit ............................................... 8 XI. Special Characters ................................. 8 XII. Connection to Your Transmitter ..................... 9 XIII. Date and Time ...................................... 9 XIV. System Speed ....................................... 9 XV. Disk Files ......................................... 10 * Note: At some time in the future this address may become obsolete. If you need to contact me and can't reach me at this address, you might find my address in a current Call Book. ╔══════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION I - INTRODUCTION ║ ╚══════════════════════════╝ This program is distributed as Public Domain Software. The Copyright is retained by the author. The program may be freely copied, placed on any bulletin board system, or otherwise freely distributed. Shareware distributors and bulletion board services may charge their standard rates. No fees are solicited for use of this program, and none will be accepted. ╔══════════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION II - GETTING STARTED ║ ╚══════════════════════════════╝ The Code Machine requires and IBM PC, XT, AT, or compatible, at least 256K of RAM, and PC-DOS or MS-DOS 2.0 or higher. Floppy Disk Systems To run The Code Machine on a floppy-based system, copy all files on The Code Machine distribution disk to a boot disk (a disk formatted with the /s option). After booting up with this disk, enter `TCM` (for The Code Machine) to start the program. Hard Disk Systems Create a new directory called "CODE". Copy all files on the distribution disk into \CODE. Log into this directory and enter `TCM` to start the program. This sequence would be as follows: C>MD \CODE C>COPY A:*.* \CODE C>CD \CODE C\CODE>TCM Batch Files A batch file will allow you to enter the program without changing directories. The following example of a batch file named TCM.BAT (located in the root directory or a directory for which a path has been established) will let you start The Code Machine by entering `TCM`: CD\CODE TCM \CD -2- Manual To print this manual, align your paper to the top of a page, then at the DOS prompt type in the following command: PRINT TCM.DOC ╔═════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION III - MENUS ║ ╚═════════════════════╝ The Code Machine's menus work like most standard program menus today. You may either use the arrow keys to identify the selection you want and then press the [ENTER] key, or you may simply press the first character of your selection. The second method is generally preferred as it requires only one keystroke to obtain the desired menu selection. ╔═══════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION IV - TRANSMIT ║ ╚═══════════════════════╝ Once you enter the transmit mode, you will see the cursor located at the beginning of the transmit buffer. Code will be transmitted as soon as you begin typing characters into the buffer. You will hear a series of clicks on your speaker as you type in characters. This is the sound of a D.C. signal being sent to your speaker port, this is also the signal that will drive your transmitter (see Section XII, "Connection to Your Transmitter"). If you want to hear an audible tone from your speaker, select "Practice" then "Use Transmit Buffer" from the menu. The characters will be transmitted at the WPM previously selected (see Section V, "Words Per Minute"). If you select a character for which a message exists in your message library, that message will be placed into the transmit buffer (see Section VII, "Messages"). As the code is transmitted, the character that is currently being sent will blink. The transmit buffer is 13 lines long which allows you to enter over 1000 characters (13 X 80 = 1040) ahead of what is being transmitted. If more space is needed, the buffer will scroll to make room for the additional characters. The buffer will not scroll until all the characters in the top line have been transmitted. For messages, four lines must be available before a scroll will occur. The [ESC] escape key will (1) suspend transmission, (2) clear the transmit buffer, and (3) return control to the main menu. It is not necessary to leave the transmit buffer between copying and sending sessions, as the program waits when it reaches the cursor. Transmission will start again when additional characters are entered. -3- The [CTRL]-[S] keys pause transmission until another key is touched. If you select to pause the transmission in the middle of a character, the program will resume transmission with the next full character, thus preventing transmission of a partial character. ╔════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION V - WORDS PER MINUTE (WPM) ║ ╚════════════════════════════════════╝ The Code Machine offers an extremely versatile selection of code speeds and modified code speeds. The speeds and modifications selected under menu choice WPM control both the code transmission speed and the speed of the practice programs. Selection of code speeds falls into three categories: (1) true speeds, (2) modified speeds, and (3) space-elongated speeds. True Speeds True code speed is just what the name implies. True speed complies strictly with the guidelines outlined in the ARRL Handbook: dit = 1 unit dah = 3 units space between character elements = 1 unit space between characters = 3 units space between words = 7 units average units per word = 50 units To enter the desired true code speed simply select the WPM option off the Main Menu, enter any speed between 1 and 100, and press the [ENTER] key. The speed you selected will be displayed at the top right-hand corner of your monitor, followed by a comma and "True". Modified Speeds Working at slower speeds can be somewhat distracting because the lengths of the characters increase excessively. For example, at 1 WPM the true length of a dah is 3.6 seconds. Even at 5 WPM the dah is almost 3/4 of a second long (.72 seconds). With the modified speed option, all characters are transmitted at 12 WPM, however, the spaces between the characters and words are increased to obtain the overall speed selected. To select the modified code, enter a comma then a `M` (for modified) following the overall speed you select. For example, if you want 8 WPM modified code you will select WPM off the Main Menu and enter the following: 8,M (then press the [ENTER] key) The speed you selected will be displayed at the top right-hand corner of your monitor followed by a comma and "Mod". Of course, this option only works at speeds under 12 WPM. -4- Space-Elongated Speeds If you listen closely to a station working CW, you will notice that amateurs often leave more space between characters than the three units (dah length) of true code, especially when working at the slower speeds. The Code Machine will let you recreate this type of code transmission by increasing the space between characters. You can increase the space from 1.1 to 9.9 times what the true length would be. The way to select this option is choose WPM from the Main Menu, select your WPM then enter a comma followed by the increase desired (elongation factor). For example, if you want to double the space between characters and send characters at a rate of 10 WPM, enter the following at the WPM prompt: 10,2 If you only wished to increase the length by 1 1/2 times (a 50% increase) you would enter: 10,1.5 1 3/4 would be: 10,1.75 2 1/2 would be: 10,2.5 and so on. With the space-elongated selection, the characters will be sent at the true rate, however, the increased length between characters will decrease your overall transmission rate. Your actual rate can be calculated with the following formula: WPM = WPM - ((WPM X .38)(X-1)) where X = elongated factor So, for example, if you selected 13 WPM and doubled your space between characters (13,2) your actual code speed would be: WPM = 13-((13 X .38)(2-1)) WPM = 13-(4.94 X 1) WPM = 13-4.94 WPM = 8.06 -5- ╔════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION VI - CALL SIGN ║ ╚════════════════════════╝ The call sign option is a very power and useful capability of The Code Machine. To use the option, simply select `Call Sign` from the Main Menu and at the prompt enter the call sign of the station you are working. The call sign will be displayed in the upper left corner of your monitor. Once you have entered the call sign press [ENTER] to return to the Main Menu. Now when you are entering data in the transmit buffer, you can simply select the colon [:] key and the station's call sign will be entered into the transmit buffer. Additionally, this command can be embedded into your messages-more on this in the Messages Section. ╔════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION VII - MESSAGES ║ ╚════════════════════════╝ You may store 22 messages of up to 255 characters each to use during transmission. Then by selecting only one key, that message will be displayed in your buffer and transmitted. There are no special requirements and the messages can be inserted while you are typing just as if you were entering another character. Messages are automatically saved to your disk as you originally enter them or change them. All previously entered messages are loaded when you start The Code Machine. The messages are stored on your disk in a file named TCM.MES. If your program does not find the TCM.MES file when it starts up, it creates a new one. Ensure that the disk containing The Code Machine has at least 6K of available space in order to store your messages. If you do not have available space on your disk your TCM.MES file will be lost. To enter new messages or view previously stored messages, select `Messages` from the Main Menu. You will be prompted to select the key that corresponds to the message you want. After selecting the key you will be shown the current message stored for that key and asked if you want to change it. Select `Y` to enter a new message and `N` to return to the Main Menu. After selecting `Y`, you are prompted to enter a message. Each message can contain between 1 and 255 characters. The Code Machine provides a very powerful method for entering messages containing the call sign of the station being worked. Enter the colon [:] in any message and the call sign of the station your are working will replace the colon when that message is called. -6- Remember to select one key to represent your own call sign. For convenience, select a key that does not require you to use the [SHIFT] key. ╔═════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION VIII - PRACTICE ║ ╚═════════════════════════╝ The Code Machine's practice programs use your computer's speaker to output code at the rate previously selected with the WPM option. Selecting `Practice` from the Main Menu drops down the Practice Menu and allows you to select from seven different practice programs. Choose Characters This option allows you to select individual characters you need to practice. You will be prompted to enter the characters you want to practice. You may select as many characters as you wish (up to 255). The characters will be randomly selected and placed in the transmit buffer in groups of five. You may select characters more than once--their random selection will be proportional to the number of times you select them. Alpha Characters All twenty-six letters will be randomly selected and placed in the transmit buffer in groups of five. Numeric Characters Numbers 0 thru 9 will be randomly selected and placed in the transmit buffer in groups of five. Special Characters The special characters (see Section XI, "Special Characters") will be randomly selected and placed in the transmit buffer in groups of five. Letters and Numbers All letters and numbers will be randomly selected and placed in the transmit buffer in groups of five. Total Character Set All letters, numbers, and special characters will be randomly selected and placed in the transmit buffer in groups of five. -7- Use Transmit Buffer This selection works identical to the Transmit Mode except that an audible frequency is sent to the computer's speaker. Text can be entered directly or sample tests and sample QSO's can be stored as messages and then called up in this practice mode. Note: Users of Versions below 2.0 will find no difference between this selection and `Transmit` on the Main Menu. ╔═══════════════════╗ ║ SECTION IX - HELP ║ ╚═══════════════════╝ Selecting help from the Main Menu will drop down an ON/OFF menu that will let you toggle the help screen on and off. If ON is selected, the help screen will be displayed when you are in the Transmit Mode. This provides a quick reference to the special characters while transmitting. ╔══════════════════╗ ║ SECTION X - QUIT ║ ╚══════════════════╝ Selecting `Quit` from the Main Menu returns control of your machine to DOS. ╔═════════════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION XI - SPECIAL CHARACTERS ║ ╚═════════════════════════════════╝ The following special characters and functions are supported by the keys indicated: [CONTROL] - [S] = Pauses transmission of characters [-] dash = error [\] backslash = KN [/] slash = DN [+] plus = AR [=] equals = BT (double dash) [;] semicolon = SK [.] period = period [,] comma = comma [?] question mark = question mark [SPACE BAR] = space between words [ESC] escape = stops transmission, clears buffer, Main [BACKSPACE] = moves cursor one space left and clears the character in that space from the buffer -8- ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION XII - CONNECTION TO YOUR TRANSMITTER ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Keying your transmitter with The Code Machine Version is a simple matter of connecting two components, an optocoupler and a resister or a relay and a diode, between the computers speaker port and the transmitter. Parts for either circuit are available at Radio Shack for about two dollars. Either the optocoupler or the relay will completely isolate your computer from your transmitter. While there are probably thousands of ways to connect your equipment, I would suggest that any you come up with provide similar isolation protection. One other point, if you use a relay in the circuit, be sure to use a diode to protect your computer from the back voltage associated with inductive loads. I have put together schematics and directions for three different circuits (including Radio Shack parts numbers). I would be more than happy to send you a copy. In fact, if you are not completely familiar with the components I have been speaking about, I highly encourage you to send for the schematics for these coupling circuits. Just send a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) (letter size with the minimum postage is fine) to: Lloyd J. Wilson TCM Connections 1530 W. Ranch Rd San Bernardino, CA 92407 Note: There is no charge--please do not send money. ╔══════════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION XIII - DATE AND TIME ║ ╚══════════════════════════════╝ The current date and time are shown at the top of your monitor. The clock is suspended during code transmission. Once you return to the Main Menu the clock will update itself and resume. You may use the suspended time to mark the beginning of a QSO. ╔════════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION XIV - SYSTEM SPEED ║ ╚════════════════════════════╝ The Code Machine relies on system timing to accurately calculate code speeds. Because of the many different system clock frequencies used by various compatible computers, the program does a test when started to determine the speed of your computer. This results of this test are then used as the basis for the timing of your code. For this reason, users with selectable clock frequencies (often called turbo) should not change their turbo setting during operation of the program. If you change your turbo option while running the program, it will be necessary to restart The Code Machine so the program's timing can be adjusted to the computer's new clock frequency. -9- ╔══════════════════════════╗ ║ SECTION XV - DISK FILES ║ ╚══════════════════════════╝ The following files should be on your The Code Machine disk: TCM.EXE (The Code Machine Program) TCM.SYS (The Code Machine Program) TCM.DOC (The Code Machine Manual) TCM.MES (Message file - Created by the program if not on the disk) -10-