Tech Arsenal 1/Tech Arsenal (Arsenal Computer).ISO/tek-20/dgdemo.zip/DGDEMO.DOC

Text File | 1991-07-06 | 15KB | 320 lines

                 Digi-Comm Transceiver Interface
                         JOS Logic, Inc
              Copyright 1991 (All Rights Reserved)
                     Version Beta 1.65 Notes



     Digi-Comm was developed as a convenient PC based operator interface
for popular transceivers such as the Kenwood products. The current program
is mouse-based and requires virtually no keyboard input.  The final version
will be completely hands-free incorporating an inexpensive proprietary
Analog -> Digital card installed in your PC.  Voice recognition of an
approximately 500 word user defined library will be available along with
Digital Voice recording and playback.  Future integration with your rig's
existing microphone will require minimal modifications.  The voice
recognition system should be available early Fall '91.


This program will eventually be copy-protected.  I know, !&%$#@, what a
pain in the butt.  BUT, much time and money has been invested and having
the intact program appear on some BBS will bring this project to a grinding
halt. Future plans include: a) integrated DX logger and database, b) similar
control for multimode controllers, eg.AEA, Kantronics, MFJ and c) as
permitted by FCC, remote operation of your rig by computer and modem!
This as well as systems for all Yaesu, ICOM, Heath and Ten-Tec transceivers.
The price will be reasonable and certainly (IMHO) dollar for dollar,
better than anything out there now or in the near future.

     Start-up operation is relatively straight forward but the certain
guidelines should be followed:

1.  The program MUST be installed on your hard disk drive in a
subdirectory called Digicom (note only 1 m in Digicom).  It is not
neccessary for you to create this subdirectory, the installation program
will do everything.  You must use the install (DEMOINST) program.  Log
onto the floppy or hard drive directory containing the compressed Digi-Comm
files.  If you received the programs on floppy disk then PKUNZIP will be
included.  Type PKUNZIP DGDEMO.ZIP to create the program files.  You can
do this in any directory of your choice.  Then type DEMOINST to install
the programs.  Remember to have your mouse driver loaded before doing
anything installation of files.  You must use DEMOINST first otherwise
the proper subdirectory structure will not be created and Digi-Comm will
ultimately fail.  Select the drive where the Digi-Comm ZIP files are
located and then enter the complete path of the subdirectory which contains
the unzip'ed Digi-Comm files.  For example, if you received the files on a
floppy diskette then no subdirectory path is needed, however, if you
downloaded the ZIP files from a BBS then the path will most likely be the
subdirectory containing your telecommunications program used to access
the BBS where Digi-Comm was downloaded from.

             ' D:\telecom\procomm '  as an example.




2.  Your can access the program easily in one of two ways.
    Please don't be insulted if I'm being too explicit with
    examples.

     A.)  Add the Digicom subdirectory to your PATH statement
              in AUTOEXEC.BAT using either DOS's EDLIN editor or
              COPY CON:   (see DOS manual for explanations of both)
              Reboot your PC and then you can start Digicom from
              any subdirectory by just typing GO

              PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;<drive>:\DIGICOM



     B.) In the root directory, create a .BAT file called
              "anything you like".  Put the following commands
              in the file:

              <drive>:
              cd\digicom
              go.bat        (with DOS > 3.3 use CALL go.bat)
              cd\


              Now you can just type "anything you like" to run
              Digicom.  This file is enclosed on your diskette
              and if you want to use this technique then copy it
              to your root directory and NOT to the Digicom
              subdirectory.

3.  After starting Digicom you will be prompted as a first time
user to configure the program for your transceiver.  This basically means
choosing the serial port settings and then letting Digicom determine which
transceiver you are using.  I would initially pick only the default values,
except for determining whether you are connected to COM1 or COM2 , etc.
This is a good time to talk about cables.  I found that some cables wired
for modem use would not work.  The cabling is easy to construct, just
follow the wiring diagram below:


   PC-end (Female DB25)               IF232 Interface(MaleDB25)
                          1  -----  1
                          2  -----  2
                          3  -----  3
                          4  -----  4
                          5  -----  5
                          7  -----  7

4.   Changing the main display screen colors is up to you, the
default values are somewhat soothing on the eyes but you can always spice
them up for the visitors.



5.   Transceiver functions are selected by clicking your left mouse button
over an Icon button (see BUGS below).  With functions such as RIT, XIT,
LOCK, etc, the first click turns the function ON and a second click turns
it off HOWEVER with SCAN functions the second or OFF click must not occur
with the mouse cursor over that button.

The second click for OFF can be chosen with the mouse cursor placed anywhere
on the screen EXCEPT over the particular button in question.  This was
programmed in this manner for two reasons. First, turning off a scan function
at just the right moment and frequency shouldn't be impeded by having to
position the mouse cursor over some small button lying somewhere on a big
screen.  That's especially true if you fiddle with mouse as you're working
as I do and the cursor is never where you want it to be or expect it to be
when you need it.  Secondly, this design is necessary for future
implementation of the voice recognition system.



6.  There are several kinds of scan functions in Digicom.  The first and
easiest is a collection of buttons which allow you to scan continuously up
or down in 100, 10, 1, 0.1 or 0.01 increments.  This was included (by
multiple requests) for a fast and clean way of changing frequencies within
a band.  This function is timed, ie the scan increments or decrements
slowly for the first 5 seconds and if you don't turn it off it speeds up.
The scan delay time can be adjusted as an option with Menu button.  Let me
know if you have any suggestions on how this works.

    Another scan function is the type of receiver scanning you're used to.
The range can be selected by inputting the upper and lower scan limits into
VFO A and VFO B respectively.  If A = B then scan will proceed UP the band
without an upper limit.  If A not = B then the scan is fixed between these
2 limits.  Scan proceeds DOWN the band to the lowest frequency and loops
until interrupted. Play around and I think you will find it easy.

    Scan frequencies can also be saved (with text descriptions) in your
memory channels.  The Memory Channel button (MEM) is somewhat unusual in
operation.

     With first time use only, you will be prompted to create a file which
will read and store all existing (if any) memory channels in your
transceiver.  After this occurs a list appears with channel information.
This list has a side-bar marker typical of window applications.  Clicking
the top or bottom arrows of the bar moves you instantly to the top and
bottom of the list.  The highlight marker shows your relative position in
the list.  Clicking above or below this marker moves you 10 channels at a
time,  up or down respectively.

     Just below this display list you will see a line showing the current
transceiver frequencies.  The single letter after the frequencies
abbreviates the mode where L = LSB, U = USB, K = FSK, F = FM, etc.


If VFO A = 14,000.00 in LSB
   VFO B = 14,500.55 in USB

   It will look like:

    AA  xx                  14,000.00L  14,000.00L
or
    BB  xx                  14,500.55U  14,500.55U

depending on which VFO is active.



If SPLIT is on then it will look like:

     AB  xx                 14,000.00L  14,500.55U

If you want to save this frequency(s) to your memory list simply
mouse click on an existing or blank channel on the display list.




Anytime you want to save to a channel, edit or delete a channel, or
activate a channel - just click on it and it will become highlighted.

Options:  (On a highlighted choice)

a. SAVE.MEM  -  takes current transceiver freqs and saves to highlighted
channel.  If not blank channel, this will cause new info to overwrite old.
As explained above, if you WANT to store  a split frequency, you must have
these frequencies in A and B already AND have the split state on before
going into MEM.

b.  EDIT     -  takes highlighted channel and allows adding or editing text.
When done just click the mouse button or hit the return/enter key on the
keyboard.

c.  SEARCH   -  does not require a highlighted channel.  Clicking on this
button will allow you to enter word (or number such as a frequency), part
of a word or character(s) for a rapid search of the entire memory list.
Great way for instantly going to important and frequently used freqs for
AMTOR, DX contests, repeaters, etc.  It will find only the first occurrence
of the characters you enter.  For example, if W2ORJ is listed on channel
10 and W2ORD is on channel 12.  Searching for W2OR will find W2ORJ first
and stop. (I haven't found this to be a practical problem, but if enough
people think so, I can set up some REPEAT function to keep searching
through the list.)

d.  DELETE   - takes highlighted channel and deletes ALL info.  If you just
want to change the text, use EDIT.

e.  PRINT    - prints a formatted list of all USED memory channels.
Blank channels are skipped over for printing.

g.  GET.MEM  - this should be only used if you somehow scramble
your memory file on the computer by trashing the disk, brown-outs, computer
lock-ups, etc.  It will re-read your transceiver's memory channels BUT you
will loose the text descriptions.  The nice thing about the way the memory
button function is now working is that it only depends on your transceiver's
settings the first time.  For all other times it uses a file stored on the
PC disk.  VERY IMPORTANT --- if you use the transceiver to change a memory
channel contents directly you may or may not foul up your ENTIRE list.
That's why we're still beta testing!

On the bright side however, this kind of set up will allow future
versions to have endless multiple lists which they can jump back
and forth from.


h.  SCAN    -  takes a highlighted channel and uses its two frequencies to
start a scan.  All scanning is computer generated and not dependent on the
transceiver scan button.  ( Kenwood transceivers tend to limit the user to
two scanning limits.  The TS-440, for example, uses channels 6-7 and 8-9.
Digicom allows you to use any and all of the channels to set up scan limits.
This has been fully tested on the TS-940 and TS-950, but according to the
Kenwood memory channel specs, it should work on any model.)   As noted
above, if the two frequencies are the same (UN-Split state) then scan goes
UP the band without an upper limit.  If the two frequencies are different
then scan proceeds DOWN the band to the lower limit and then loops.


i.  ACCEPT   - takes the highlighted channel and sets the transceiver to
that memory channel and settings.  If you selected a memory channel in
Split Mode with 2 different frequencies then clicking on the M->VFO button
should automatically place the transceiver in a split mode with the
frequencies in VFOA and VFOB ready for receiving, transmitting or scanning.



7.   Direct frequency input is available by clicking the INPUT  button.
A telephone like keypad appears and you can choose any combination.

     Eg.     Click in 3,5      ---->  3,500.00
             Click    3,51     ---->  3,510.00
             click    3,520.2  ---->  3,520.20
If you like your setting click on the green button.  To erase or
start over click on the red button.


8.  Play around and become comfortable.  As with any computer, glitches
can occur and if this happens the worst conceivable scenario is
inadvertently keying the transmitter and keeping it on while you are
unaware.  In the transmit mode there is a flashing red box around the
Frequency display.  I would suggest first time users to select the MENU
button on the main screen and choose an Xmit time limit of their own choice.
Default is 10 minutes and after 5 minutes of continuous Transmit mode a
flashing red window appears warning you of transmit time.


9.  Kenwood did a so, so job designing the Transceiver interface.  In the
940 and 950 models, in the split mode, there's no way of knowing whether
you're split A/B, A/Mem Ch, B/Mem Ch. The communication time with serial
interfaces can be slow especially at 4800 baud or less.  There is a way of
jumpering the IF232 to 9600 baud and Kenwood has been promising me the
specs for a long time.  Line noise from the serial cable and the PC if
not shielded gives  spurious emissions and can be annoying.  USE GOOD
QUALITY CABLES.

10.  This is a beta version (1.65).  Missing from this version are the
following.

     a:  UTC/Local
     b:  Tone and Repeater Offsets
     c:  Dumb Terminal Mode
     d:  940S and 950S Advanced functions
           i. integrating S-meter readings with an Auto-scan
          ii. VBT and SSB slope tuning
         iii. SUB functions
          iv. TF-SET - this is not an available Kenwood RS-232
              command but I'm working on a computer generated
              equivalent.
     e:  Finish User selected Window colors
     f:  In Configuration, user to select which mouse button to use
     g:  Full Windows 3.0 Support with multitasking
     h:  There will be faster versions for 286/386/486 PC's

     All the above will be in the final beta version
     Please don't be embarrassed and give me ANY suggestions or
     wish lists.  If feasible, I will implement them.

11.  BUGS:

     a:  Quarterdeck's Expanded Memory Manager QEMM v 5.x causes some
         glitches however Digicom does not require EMS.  However,
         Microsoft's new DOS 5.0 seems to work fine with their EMM386.
         If you encounter any glitches running Digi-Comm, first try
         disabling any expanded memory.
     b:  You tell me !

                           DISCLAIMER
All attempts have been taken to ensure the accuracy and integrity of this
program.  Digi-Comm and JOS-Logic makes no warranty nor any guarantees,
expressed or implied, regarding the safety or specifications of this product
nor in its use with any other particular product or purpose.

                          JOS - Logic, Inc
                        Compuserve: 70023,276