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World of Ham Radio 1997
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WOHR97_AmSoft_(1997-02-01).iso
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windows
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win_40
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prog
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i_read.me_
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i_read.me
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1997-02-01
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9KB
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215 lines
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RigMate v 1.03b by I0JX
+++++++++++++++++++++++
1. GENERAL
=======
RigMate (formerly named ClusterMate) is a Windows 3.1 program intended to
remotely display and control some of the operating parameters of ICOM amateur
radio transceivers having a serial control interface.
RigMate is a rather simple program, mainly intended to cooperate with the
communications program ClusterMaster (specialized for PacketCluster (TM)
operations), allowing it to control the transceiver frequency and operating
mode. To this end, RigMate shall operate simultaneously with ClusterMaster
(it can indifferently be booted before or after ClusterMaster). The exchange
of data between the two programs is implemented by means of the built-in
Windows DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) facility. ClusterMaster ver. 3.00 or
later is required.
Kenwood owners may instead use a full-featured program called RigMaster,
which can also operate in conjunction with ClusterMaster.
2. FILES
=====
The following files form part of RigMate 1.03b (after installation):
- ICO_I0JX.EXE the main executable Windows 3.1 file
- I_READ.ME this file
- I_LEGGI.MI this file translated into Italian
3. DISTRIBUTION
============
This program may be freely used, copied and distributed, as long as the
following conditions are met:
(1) ICO_I0JX.EXE is distributed in its original, unmodified form;
(2) The I_READ.ME and I_LEGGI.MI files are included with the executable files
without modifications;
(3) ICO_I0JX.EXE may not be sold or licensed upon a fee. Nor it can bundled
with, or transferred as part of, any software package or radio equipment
which is sold or for which a licensing fee is charged.
4. WARRANTY
========
Note: RigMate has been tested on 80386DX/80486DX 33/66-MHz computers with an
ET4000 SVGA. Operation has been verified on IC-726, IC-781 and IC-R7100.
Program operation has been checked in the 640x480 (VGA), 800x600 (SVGA) and
1024x768 (SVGA) modes, with 256 colors in all cases.
RigMate is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or
implied that any specific feature will work on any particular machine or in
conjunction with any radio equipment. I cannot commit myself to support this
software in the future.
The author as no affilition with ICOM or any other amateur radio equipment
manufacturer / reseller or software developer.
5. DISCLAIMER
==========
The author accepts no responsibility whatsoever, he not being in particular
liable for any damage or loss resulting from unexpected radio equipment
operation as a consequence of software bugs or wrong design.
6. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
=====================
You need an MS-DOS PC equipped (80386 or higher) with a 256-color VGA/SVGA
board, a matching color monitor, a mouse and enough RAM to run Windows 3.1
comfortably.
RigMate has been exclusively tested on 33/66 MHz machines; however there
should be no reason why the program should not work on other machines. Never-
theless certain features may not work if the computer is not fast enough
(reports welcome).
Transceiver control requires a free serial port (in addition to the one
possibly used for communications). Please consult the RigMaster K_EXPLA.TXT
file for hints on serial ports use and IRQ allocations in the Windows
environment.
In addition, you shall use an ICOM CT-17 interface (or equivalent). The
cable between the CT17 and the PC port may only interconnect pins 2,3 and 7
of the RS-232 interface.
7. SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
=====================
There are no special software requirements, other than a complete Windows 3.1
installation. Check that true type font Arial is installed.
The executable file was created with Microsoft Visual Basic 3.0. This
requires the presence of files VBRUN300.DLL and THREED.VBX in directory
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM. These files will be copied into this directory by the
installation program.
8. INSTALLATION
============
Put your distribution disk in a drive, then Select "Run" in the Windows
Program Manager "File" menu, finally type A:\SETUP.EXE (if A: is the drive
you have chosen).
Select RigMate as the program to be installed and follow the instructions
until you will get the RigMate 1.03b icon in the new "I0JX ham radio" window.
At this point, you can start the program by clicking twice on it. If you wish
that the program starts already pre-configured as you desire, select the
RigMate icon (click once on it), then select "Properties" in the Program
Manager "File" menu and finally change the command line field into
\XXX\ICO_I0JX.EXE nYZ, where XXX is the RigMate directory and nYZ is an
expression so determined:
n shall be:
1 to operate on COM1
2 to operate on COM2
3 to operate on COM3
4 to operate on COM4
Y sets the program starting mode, according to following table:
|--------|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| normal | minimized | DDE | DDE | DDE | COM |
| window | | disabled | frequency | frequency | port open |
| | | | only | & mode | |
|-----|--------|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Y=A | X | | X | | | |
| Y=B | | X | | X | | X |
| Y=C | | X | | | X | X |
| Y=D | X | | | X | | X |
| Y=E | X | | | | X | X |
|-----|--------|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
Z shall be:
A for the IC-271
B for the IC-275
C for the IC-375
D for the IC-471
E for the IC-475
F for the IC-575
G for the IC-725
H for the IC-726
I for the IC-728
J for the IC-729
K for the IC-737
L for the IC-751
M for the IC-761
N for the IC-765
O for the IC-781
P for the IC-970
Q for the IC-707
R for the IC-R7000
S for the IC-R7100
T for the IC-736
U for the IC-738
For instance if the command line is:
ICO_I0JX.EXE 2CH
the program would start with COM2 already open, running minimized, allowing
ClusterMaster to control the transceiver frequency and mode, and assuming
that the transceiver is an IC-726.
9. OPERATION
=========
If the command line syntax (sect. 8) is such that the program starts
minimized (i.e reduced to an icon), RigMate is immediately operational, and
the data exchange with ClusterMaster occurs with no further actions being
required.
Otherwise, the program window will appear. The "Port" menu allows you to
select the desired COM port, while the "Rig" menu allows you to select the
transceiver or to enter your rig code. The "DDE" menu allows you to select
the DDE mode (see sect. 8), thus enabling the colloquium between RigMate
and ClusterMaster, and also to visualize the current DDE status (i.e.
whether the DDE link to ClusterMaster has been established). The "Hints"
menu gives you an on-line access to this file, both in the English and the
Italian version.
Once the above selections have been made, you can start the program by
selecting "Start COMn" (n = 1,2,3,4) in the "Action" menu. The program
will immediately display the current transceiver frequency and mode.
Any action (mode or frequency change) made on the transceiver front panel
will be correspondingly reflected into the program window.
If you wish to change the transceiver mode from the program simply click on
the desired mode label (e.g. "LSB").
If you wish to set a frequency, write the desired frequency in KHz (e.g.
14250.34) in the "Enter frequency" window and then click on the "Set" button.
The "Update" button is only intended to update the screen in the unexpected
case that, for some reason, the screen does not properly reflect the
transceiver status (e.g. if the program was started with the transceiver
set to off).
10. EXITING PROGRAM
===============
In the "Action" menu, you can either simply close the port ("Close COMn"
selection) or exit the program directly ("Close COMn and quit" selection).
When the port is closed, you can exit the program with the "Quit" selection.
To exit the program, select "Close COMn" in the "Action" menu and then select
"Quit" again in the "Actions" menu.
73 Tony I0JX / AB6VZ