home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Shareware Overload Trio 2
/
Shareware Overload Trio Volume 2 (Chestnut CD-ROM).ISO
/
dir24
/
smcon140.zip
/
SC.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-06-19
|
75KB
|
1,568 lines
SMART R8 CONTROL v1.40
USER'S MANUAL
(Unregistered Version)
19 June 1994
Copyright (c) 1992-94 FineWare
MARK J. FINE
FineWare
11252 Cardinal Drive
Remington, Virginia 22734-9684
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WARRANTY, LICENSING AND REGISTRATION....................................2
INTRODUCTION............................................................3
INSTALLATION............................................................4
SETUP...................................................................4
RUNNING.................................................................4
Setup Utility......................................................5
Demo Mode..........................................................5
Main Screen Description............................................6
RADIO CONTROLS..........................................................8
Esc - Power........................................................8
Arrows - Stepped Tuning............................................8
Numbers - Direct Access Tuning.....................................8
Alt-Z - Step Increments............................................8
Alt-V - VFO........................................................9
Alt-= - VFO A=B....................................................9
Alt-A - ANT........................................................9
Alt-R - RF.........................................................9
Alt-G - AGC........................................................10
Alt-B - BW.........................................................10
Alt-M - MODE.......................................................10
Alt-K - NB.........................................................10
Alt-N - NOTCH......................................................10
Alt-S - SYNCHRO....................................................10
Alt-E - Memory Mode Operation......................................10
Alt-Y - Jump To Memory Location....................................10
Alt-I - Insert Memory Location.....................................10
Alt-C - Scanning Mode Operation....................................11
Alt-P - Scanning Parameters........................................11
Alt-T - Tape VOX Control...........................................11
DATABASE QUERIES........................................................12
F5 - What Shortwave Stations Are On Now............................12
Shift-F5 - What BCB/CB Stations Are On............................12
Alt-F5 - What Utility Stations Are On..............................12
F6 - Find Station Frequencies......................................13
F7 - Station's Full Program Schedule...............................14
F8 - Who Else Uses This Frequency..................................15
Intuitive Database Searches........................................16
F9 - Save Changed Database.........................................16
Shift-F9 - Swap Databases (Registered Users Only)..................16
Alt-F9 - Dump Database To Disk (Registered Users Only).............17
F3 - List Selected DX Shows........................................17
OTHER FUNCTIONS.........................................................18
F1 - Display Help Screen...........................................18
F2 - Display Shortwave Band Plan...................................18
Alt-F - Run HF Propagation Prediction (Registered Users Only)......19
Alt-U - Publish Database on Printer (Registered Users Only)........19
Alt-L - Enter Log Information......................................19
F4 - Display Log Information.......................................20
Alt-D - Demo Mode..................................................20
Alt-Q - Clear Screen...............................................20
F10 - Shell to DOS.................................................20
Alt-X - Exit Program...............................................21
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 i
EXPECTED FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS............................................21
CONCLUSION..............................................................21
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........................................................22
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 ii
SMART R8 CONTROL
version 1.40
Copyright (c) 1992-94 FineWare
Thank you for choosing Smart R8 Control v1.40. The system requirements for
operating this program are the Drake R8 Communications Receiver and an MS-
DOS based Computer running at least MS-DOS version 3.0, with a minimum of
469k free base RAM and one available serial port. Operation of Smart R8
Control v1.40 under the OS/2 operating system (even in DOS Compatibility
mode) should be avoided. This users manual shows what the software will
do, how to set it up, and how to run it. The distribution file
SMCON140.ZIP should contain the following files:
README.1ST - Text file with special announcements, etc.
SC.EXE - The Smart R8 Control v1.40 Program
SCSETUP.EXE - The Smart R8 Control Setup Utility v1.40
SC.DOC - This text
SWBCGIDE.DAT - Shortwave frequency database file
STATIONS.DAT - Shortwave stations database file
DXSHOWS.TXT - Selected shortwave programming
SMARTCON.ICO - Icon for Microsoft Windows 3.X
SMARTCON.PIF - Microsoft Windows 3.X PIF for SC.EXE
SCSETUP.PIF - Microsoft Windows 3.X PIF for SCSETUP.EXE
DEMO.BAT - Starts Smart R8 Control in Demo Mode
SCDEMO.PIF - Microsoft Windows 3.X PIF for Demo Mode
SMARTCON.HIS - Version history of Smart R8 Control
ORDER.FRM - Ordering Information for Smart R8 Control v1.40
* REGISTER.EXE - Registration Utility.
* SCT.EXE - Database Utility v1.40
* SCI.EXE - Import Utility v1.40 for TRS v3 database
* SCR.EXE - Printing Utility v1.40
* SCP.EXE - Propagation Prediction Utility v1.40
* SCP.FIL - Coordinate file for distribution database
* SCP.TRS - Coordinate file for TRS Consult. database
* SCUTIL.DOC - Documentation for SCT, SCI, SCR and SCP
* USE.BAT - Database selection batch file
* SWAPDB.PIF - Microsoft Windows 3.X PIF for USE.BAT
Note: The files REGISTER.EXE, SCT.EXE, SCI.EXE, SCR.EXE, SCP.EXE, SCU-
TIL.DOC and USE.BAT are not contained in the shareware distribution file
SMCON140.ZIP and are reserved for registered copies only.
Although fundamental tuning techniques are covered herein, this documenta-
tion assumes that the reader has some working knowledge of the Drake R8
Communications Receiver. However, it is suggested that the user print out
this text (SC.DOC) for future reference.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 1 of 22
WARRANTY, LICENSING AND REGISTRATION.
This and all of the other files contained in the distribution file
SMCON140.ZIP are provided as shareware to be used and disseminated in an
unmodified form. The author requests that no fee be charged by any agent
other than FineWare (Mark J. Fine), for the enjoyment or use of this soft-
ware. Neither the author nor his associates are responsible for any re-
sults of using this software or hardware modification recommendations in-
cluded in this document on any computer system or radio receiver, whether
used or performed either properly or improperly. The user hereby agrees
that he is using this software/modifying his hardware at his own risk.
This and all of the other files contained in the file SMCON140.ZIP are pro-
vided as is, with no warranties, express or implied, including but not lim-
ited to the implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose, and all
such warranties are expressly and specifically disclaimed. In no event
should the author or any of his associates be responsible for any indirect,
special, incidental or consequential damages or lost profits to you or any
other person or entity regardless of the legal theory, even if the author
or any of his associates have been advised of the possibility of such dam-
age.
No person or entity is authorized to expand or alter either these warran-
ties or this agreement; any such representation will not bind the author or
his associates.
The user is licensed to operate the software free of charge, for the pur-
poses of inspection, for a period of sixty (60) days. After the 60 day pe-
riod expires, the user is expected to pay the nominal registration charge
of twenty-five United States dollars (US$25). Checks or money orders may
be made payable to MARK J. FINE and can be sent to the following address:
MARK J. FINE
c/o FineWare
11252 Cardinal Drive
Remington, Virginia 22734-9684
Support of this shareware product ensures its continued development and
dissemination. As a bonus for registering Smart R8 Control, the user will
receive future updates to the software, free of charge. As an extra added
bonus, the registering party will receive free companion utilities as fol-
lows:
SCT.EXE - Allows the user to update and compile the shortwave database with
user data and frequency schedule changes.
SCI.EXE - Allows subscribers to TRS Consultants' English Language Shortwave
Broadcast Database v3.x to import regularly updated shortwave schedules.
USE.BAT - Allows the user to select between the compiled TRS Consultants
database and the Smart R8 Control distribution database.
SCR.EXE - Allows the user to print the full shortwave database in a neatly
collated two-column newspaper style format.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 2 of 22
SCP.EXE - Allows the user to predict HF propagation conditions to a par-
ticular station or area of the world.
SCUTIL.DOC - Documentation and special instructions for operating the above
companion utilities.
INTRODUCTION.
Because most shortwave broadcast stations change frequencies during the
day, it's often frustrating have to double check mounds of reference mate-
rial while trying to listen at the same time. For example, consider the
following:
Scenario 1: Upon settling in for a relaxing session of twirling the dial,
an unfamiliar station pops out of the ether. While waiting for the station
to ID, you fumble through pages of reference material trying to get a
heads-up on what the station might be.
Scenario 2: You have an urge to listen to a particular station such as Ra-
dio Sweden, Radio Netherlands, Radio Moscow, or Radio Australia (if the
conditions are right). Again, you fumble through your references to find
out what frequency to tune to. Not only have you found the station's pro-
gramming schedule, but the station won't be on for at least another hour.
For these and other cases, the Smart R8 Control program is designed to both
simplify and enhance the shortwave listening hobby. Smart R8 Control inte-
grates a database of frequency information with the power of remotely con-
trolling the shortwave receiver. Smart R8 Control emulates most of the
R8's front panel controls, adding the capabilities of tuning by user se-
lected increments (i.e., 5 kHz) and controlling an attached tape recorder;
while adding the name of the station you're listening to and a dual 24-hour
clock (local/UT) to the continuous display.
Aside from displaying the station you're tuned to, Smart R8 Control allows
smart queries to the integrated frequency database. Using an internally
designed windowing environment, Smart R8 Control allows the user to choose
from a list of stations broadcasting at that time. Once a station is se-
lected, a separate window is created containing that station's list of cur-
rent frequencies and target areas. The user can now automatically tune the
receiver by selecting a frequency from the list. A marking feature is in-
cluded, to allow the user to highlight particularly reliable frequencies in
the list (i.e., the 5975, 7325 and 9915 kHz evening frequencies for the BBC
to North America). If a new frequency has been heard during that time pe-
riod, it can be added to the list.
The frequency database can also be queried to display a station's full fre-
quency schedule, when selected programs are on that particular day, as
well as a query to find what other stations use the frequency the receiver
is tuned to. Other ancillary features include a logging facility and a
'reminder' display of the shortwave frequency bands.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 3 of 22
INSTALLATION.
Unarchive the entire distribution file SMCON140.ZIP into a single disk di-
rectory. This is important, because the main program, SC.EXE, expects to
find all of the individual files and programs it creates and uses in a sin-
gle disk directory. If this is the initial use of Smart R8 Control, please
pay close attention to the following 'SETUP' and 'RUNNING' sections.
SETUP.
First, it is suggested that most terminate but stay resident programs
(TSRs) are removed from the environment and that the following commands are
included in the user's CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE=[drive:][path]ANSI.SYS
FILES=25
BUFFERS=20
It is necessary (but not essential) that the computer's real time clock be
accurately set. If no battery back up clock is used in the computer, the
DOS TIME and DATE commands should be used prior to running Smart R8 Con-
trol. The importance of this will be detailed later. It is essential,
though, that the user know the UT-to-local time offset, which of the com-
puter's serial ports the receiver is connected to, and which of the re-
ceiver's two antenna ports is connected to the shortwave antenna. This in-
formation is only required the first time the program is run.
RUNNING.
Upon first starting Smart R8 Control, the user will be prompted to input
the number of hours required to convert to Universal Coordinated Time (UT).
The main window of Smart R8 Control contains a real-time 24-hour UT/local
time clock both for the user's information, and for use in some of the pro-
gram's other functions. The user should set the offset with the number of
hours required to be added to his local time to achieve UT. For example,
the offset would be `5' for winter time on the East Coast of the US, or
`-10.5' for summer time in South Australia. This capability to use ``half-
hour'' offsets is new in v1.40.
The second piece of information required by Smart R8 Control is the COM
port number to which the receiver is connected. The program can only rec-
ognize ports 1 through 4, if they exist. In some cases, ports 3 and 4 may
not use the standard IRQs and I/O addresses. In this event, the user may
adjust the IRQ and address. This capability is also new in v1.40.
Lastly, the program will prompt for the preferred shortwave antenna port.
An entry of '1' will select the receiver's 50 Ohm (SO-259) connector, and a
'2' will select the receiver's 300 Ohm (spring-clip) connector. This op-
tion serves as a default for those users who have installed the optional
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 4 of 22
VHF converter, and preempts the receiver from automatically switching to
port 1 when returning to HF, if this is not desired.
These three pieces of information will then be stored in an initialization
file, in the default directory, named 'SMARTCON.DAT'. Upon future runs of
the program, this file will be automatically read at start-up. Since these
options can change, the user can enter these options independently, upon
further runs of the program, at the command line:
SC G5 (Changes the UT offset to '5')
SC R1 (Sets the receiver to COM1:)
SC A2 (Sets the preferred antenna to port '2')
Setup Utility.
The Setup Utility is automatically invoked whenever any of the above pa-
rameters are entered on the command line. The Setup Utility will also be
invoked if the file 'SMARTCON.DAT' is either missing or is of the incorrect
version.
The user has the option to manually invoke the Setup Utility before Smart
R8 Control is run. New in version 1.40, are the capabilites to modify the
default COM: port's IRQ and I/O address. Registerd users will also have
the capability to change the user's default printer type. Also, within the
Setup Utility, the user has the option to change any of the default screen
colors. Where applicable, each change will be evidenced on the sample
setup screen. The key commands used in the Setup Utility are as follows:
G - Increase the UT offset amount.
R - Increase the allowable COM: port number.
I - Modify the default port's IRQ and I/O address.
A - Toggle the preferred antenna port number.
P - Toggle the default printer type. (Registered Users Only).
F1 - Change the default foreground color.
Shift F1 - Change the default background color.
F2 - Change the default alternate foreground color.
F3 - Change the default highlighting/cursor color.
F4 - Change the default window frame foreground color.
Shift F4 - Change the default window frame background color.
F5 - Change the default warning/error forground color.
Shift F5 - Change the default warning/error background color.
F10 - Exit the Setup Utility and save changes in SMARTCON.DAT.
Demo Mode.
The serial interface requires a hardware handshake, which used to hang the
program if it was started without a radio attached. A radio detection
scheme is resident within the software. If the radio (or any other serial
device) is not detected on the specified serial port, the program will
automatically go into Demo Mode. If Smart R8 Control is to be run for da-
tabase access only, or if the receiver is unavailable for any reason, the
program can be also forced into 'Demo Mode'. A special batch file, DE-
MO.BAT, has been included to start the software in Demo Mode. Otherwise,
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 5 of 22
the program can be started without the hardware handshake engaged by using
a 'D' switch on the command line:
SC D
Main Screen Description.
After all initial prompts are answered, Smart R8 Control will read the fre-
quency database and go to its main screen. The main screen's primary com-
ponent is the radio's faceplate window, located in the upper left hand cor-
ner. The layout of the faceplate is similar to that of the R8, except that
it also displays the current tuning step size, the local and UT times, a
carrier present indicator, and space for up to four co-channel station
names. A typical faceplate will look similar to the following:
*D-----------[ Smart R8 Control v1.40 ]----POWER--|
| 41m T 7315.00 kHz MEM 09 STEP(kHz) LOCAL |
| Carrier NB W Notch Scan LC 5.00 23:33t |
| VFO ANT RF AGC BW MODE SYNCHRO UTC |
| B= 2 Off Slow 6.0 AM * 03:33w |
| 0300-0400 smtwhfa WHRI Noblesville IN na |
| |
| |
| |
|-UNREGISTERED COPY- F1 - Help <=================>|
Upper Left Corner:
Space is reserved for a database status indicator. This space will display
a '*' only if the database has changed.
Space has been reserved for a Demo Mode indicator. This space will display
a 'D' only if the program is in Demo Mode.
Upper Right Corner:
If a mouse driver is found, this space will display 'POWER' and will serve
as the power switch to the radio.
Line 1:
The current shortwave band is displayed in meters, for the currently tuned
frequency. This feature is new in v1.40. During some operations,
this space is reserved for a band indicator. The space will display
'ERROR' for bad entries, or if a command was unsuccessfully sent to
the receiver. A 'WAIT' indication will display during database or
tuning operations. Additional keystrokes may be buffered while either
indicator is showing.
Space is reserved for the Tape VOX indicator. If the Tape VOX mode is
switched on, this space will display a 'T', as shown. If the Tape VOX
mode is switched off, this space will be blank. If a mouse driver is
found, this space will display a 't' if the Tape VOX mode is off.
The frequency is displayed in kHz for frequencies under 30 MHz, or in MHz
for tuning with the receiver's optional VHF Converter. If the re-
ceiver is off, this space will display 'O F F'.
Space is reserved for the memory mode indicator 'MEM' if memory mode is ac-
tive. The number of the memory channel currently selected will be
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 6 of 22
continuously displayed. If a mouse driver is found, this space will
display a 'mem' if memory mode is inactive.
Line 2:
Space is reserved for a carrier indicator. If a signal is present and is
at a level above the squelch threshold, 'Carrier' will display, as
shown.
Space is reserved for the status of the noise blanker. If the noise
blanker is engaged, the indicator will show 'NB N' or 'NB W' for the
narrow or wide settings, respectively. If a mouse driver is found,
this space will display 'nb', if the noise blanker is off.
Space is reserved for the status of the notch filter. If the notch filter
is engaged, the indicator will display 'Notch', as shown. If a mouse
driver is found, this space will display 'notch' if the notch filter
is off.
Space is reserved for a scanning indicator. If the receiver is in scanning
mode the indicator will display 'Scan', as shown. If a mouse driver
is found, this space will display 'scan' if the receiver is not scan-
ning.
The scanning method is shown as letters. The first letter refers to 'M'
for Memory, 'L' for List, or 'A' for A-B modes. The second letter re-
fers to 'S' for Seek, 'T' for Time, or 'C' for Carrier Detect types.
If these values are not set, this space will display '??'.
The tuning step size is displayed in kHz.
The local time is displayed in 24-hour format. Next to the time, the day
of the week is displayed as a single letter. 'h' is used for Thurs-
day, and 'a' is used for Saturday. All other letters pertain to the
first letter of that day.
Line 4:
Line 4 contains indicators for the VFO, antenna port, RF amplifier, AGC,
bandwidth, and choice of demodulation. If the A VFO is set to equal
the B VFO, then a `=' will immediately follow the VFO indicator. This
feature is new in v1.40.
Space is reserved for the status of the synchronous detector. If the syn-
chronous detector is engaged, the indicator will display a '*', as
shown.
Universal Coordinated Time is displayed in 24-hour format. Next to the
time, the UT day of the week is displayed as a single letter. The
same convention is used for that of the local time clock.
Lines 5-8:
The bottom section of the faceplate will display the name of the station
currently tuned to. In the event that a few stations may be occupying
this frequency, up to four stations will be listed. If the frequency
has been previously marked for a particular station, that station's
name will be highlighted. The format of the shortwave database, hence
the information displayed, is based on the Shortwave Guide section of
Grove Enterprises' Monitoring Times magazine. For those unfamiliar
with this format, it is described as follows:
The first field in each line will contain the time period this frequency
will be occupied by the station. This period will be displayed to re-
flect a portion within the one-hour block.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 7 of 22
The next field contains the days of the week for which this broadcast would
occur. This field uses the same convention described for the local
and UT clocks. For simplicity, if the broadcast is made daily, this
space will be empty, otherwise, the particular day will display in the
designated space, as shown above.
The next two fields will display the name or location of the station and
target area, if known. Typical target areas are 'do' for domestic
service, 'om' for omnidirectional pattern, 'na' for North America,
'am' for the Americas, 'ca' for Central America, 'sa' for South Amer-
ica, 'eu' for Europe, 'af' for Africa, 'as' for Asia, 'pa' for the Pa-
cific, 'au' for Australia, or 'va' for some combination of target ar-
eas. Some feeders may display a 'uf' or 'lf' in this area to desig-
nate that the transmission is in upper or lower sideband.
If the station is a medium wave station (AM Broadcast Band), the name and
target area field are expanded to show the station's output power in
kW and the approximate times of operation, if known. The codes used
for this are 'an' for all night, 'ar' for all night-reduced power at
night, 'nh' for normal hours, 'nr' for normal hours-reduced power at
night, 'dr' for day time only-reduced power during dusk/dawn, and 'da'
for daytime operation only.
Bottom Line:
The bottom left corner will display the user's registration number.
(Registered users only).
The center of the bottom line will provide a reminder that F1 is the pro-
gram's help key. If a mouse driver is found, clicking in this area
will bring up the help screen. The help screen also serves as the
main menu for the mouse. Clicking on any function key designator on
the help screen will invoke that key combination.
If a mouse driver is found, a tuning bar will be displayed in the bottom
right corner, as shown. Clicking on the left half of the tuning bar
will decrease the receiver's frequency. Clicking on the right half of
the bar will increase the receiver's frequency. Similarly, clicking
on either arrow of the bar will nudge the receiver's frequency by 0.01
kHz (0.1 kHz for the VHF Converter).
RADIO CONTROLS.
Esc - Power.
Arrows - Stepped Tuning.
Numbers - Direct Access Tuning.
Alt-Z - Step Increments.
The receiver can be turned on and off with the keyboard 'Esc' key. If a
mouse is used, this can be emulated by clicking on the 'POWER' icon. The
receiver can be tuned in a stepping fashion with the left and right cursor
keys. If a mouse is used, the receiver can be tuned by clicking on the
left or right halves of the tuning bar. Clicking on the arrows of the tun-
ing bar will tune the receiver in a set increment of 0.01 kHz (0.1 kHz for
the VHF Converter). If desired, the receiver can be direct-access tuned by
typing in the frequency numerically, and hitting return. The stepping in-
crement defaults to 5 kHz upon program start-up. This can be changed by
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 8 of 22
pressing Alt-Z, or by clicking in the stepsize area of the faceplate if a
mouse is used. This will prompt for the increment to change. The incre-
ment is entered in kHz and is valid for a range of .01 to 99999.99 kHz.
When using the direct-access tuning, typing 15, 15.000 or 15000 will yield
the same result: 15 MHz. This only works between the frequency range of
.176 through 55 MHz. Frequencies below .176 MHz and above 108 MHz must be
entered in MHz (i.e., .153 for 153 kHz or 147 for 147 MHz). Since the re-
ceiver only tunes between .100 - 30,35 - 55, and 108 - 175 MHz, any other
frequency will yield an error message. If the optional VHF Converter is
not installed, tuning in the latter two bands will yield an error message.
All of these key positions were specifically chosen because of the layout
of the 101 style keyboard. On the 101, the 'Esc' key is in the upper left
hand corner of the keyboard, which keeps it nicely out of the way. Also on
the 101 keyboard, are separate cursor and numeric keypads. If the 'Num-
Lock' is depressed, it is extremely easy to punch in a direct-access fre-
quency or incrementally tune.
The user may cancel any user input. This is accomplished by pressing the
'Esc' key while an input prompt is present. If a mouse driver is present,
the user may click on the 'Esc' area on some of the input prompts.
Other R8 features can be accessed as follows:
Alt-V - VFO.
The VFO can be toggled from A to B and vice versa by pressing Alt-V, or by
clicking in the VFO area if a mouse driver is present.
Alt-= - VFO A=B.
The A and B VFOs can be set to the same frequency and other radio settings,
by pressing Alt-=. If the user is using the A VFO, it will be copied to
the B VFO, and vice versa.
Alt-A - ANT.
The antenna port can be changed by pressing Alt-A and entering '1' for port
1, '2' for port 2, or 'Conv' for the VHF Converter. If a mouse driver is
present, clicking in the ANT area, and then on the '1', '2' or 'Conv' in
the prompt will accomplish the same thing. The user may cancel this change
by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or clicking on 'Esc' in the user prompt.
Alt-R - RF.
The RF Amplifier can be changed by pressing Alt-R and entering 'Att' for
the attenuator, 'Pre' to engage the preamplifier, or 'Off' for no RF en-
hancement. If a mouse driver is present, clicking in the RF area, and then
on the 'Att', 'Off' or 'Pre' in the prompt will accomplish the same thing.
The user may cancel this change by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or click-
ing on 'Esc' in the user prompt.
Alt-G - AGC.
The AGC setting can be changed by pressing Alt-G and entering 'Off','Slow',
or 'Fast'. If a mouse driver is present, clicking in the AGC area, and
then on the 'Off', 'Slow' or 'Fast' in the prompt will accomplish the same
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 9 of 22
thing. The user may cancel this change by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or
clicking on 'Esc' in the user prompt.
Alt-B - BW.
The IF bandwidth can be changed by pressing Alt-B and entering '0.5',
'1.8', '2.3', '4.0' or '6.0' for the respective filter setting in kHz. If
a mouse driver is present, clicking in the BW area, and then on the '0.5',
'1.8', '2.3', '4.0' or '6.0' in the prompt will accomplish the same thing.
The user may cancel this change by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or click-
ing on 'Esc' in the user prompt.
Alt-M - MODE.
The demodulation mode can be switched by pressing Alt-M and entering 'AM',
'FM', 'CW', 'RTTY', 'LSB' or 'USB'. If a mouse driver is present, clicking
in the MODE area, and then on the 'AM', 'FM', 'CW', 'RTTY', 'LSB' or 'USB'
in the prompt will accomplish the same thing. The user may cancel this
change by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or clicking on 'Esc' in the user
prompt.
Alt-K - NB.
The noise blanker can be switched by pressing Alt-K and entering 'Narr',
'Wide' or 'Off'. If a mouse driver is present, clicking on the NB area,
and then on the 'Narr', 'Wide' or 'Off' in the prompt will accomplish the
same thing. The user may cancel this change by either hitting the 'Esc'
key, or clicking on 'Esc' in the user prompt.
Alt-N - NOTCH.
The notch filter can be toggled on and off by pressing Alt-N, or by click-
ing in the NOTCH area if a mouse driver is present.
Alt-S - SYNCHRO.
The synchronous detector can be toggled on and off by pressing Alt-S, or by
clicking in the SYNCHRO area if a mouse driver is present.
Note: For those above controls that require further user entry, the selec-
tion can be abbreviated by using the first character of the response (i.e.,
the user can type 'R' instead of 'RTTY' when responding to the Mode con-
trol, Alt-M). Unfortunately, there are no provisions to remotely control
receiver's tone, notch, squelch, passband offset, volume or RF control
knobs; nor the internal clock or timer settings. There are provisions to
remotely control the tuning knob step display, but because of the features
provided by this program, the point is moot.
Alt-E - Memory Mode Operation.
Alt-Y - Jump To Memory Location.
Alt-I - Insert Memory Location.
Memory mode tuning can be toggled on and off by pressing Alt-E, or by
clicking in the MEM area if a mouse driver is present. When in memory
mode, the 'MEM' indicator will light and the receiver will tune to the mem-
ory number continuously displayed on the faceplate. Pressing Alt-E again
(or by clicking in the MEM area) will download the memory settings to the
current VFO, which is analogous to the receiver's M-V key. In memory mode,
using the right and left cursor keys (or clicking on the tuning bar) will
step up and down the memory slots, respectively. An alternate method for
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 10 of 22
accessing a memory number is to press Alt-Y and enter the memory number.
The user may cancel this action by hitting the 'Esc' key. If a mouse
driver is present, the Alt-Y key combination can be invoked by clicking on
the displayed memory number. The receiver may be tuned by direct-access
without having to leave memory mode. Smart R8 Control will handle this
automatically.
A memory number can be loaded (inserted) with the current settings by
pressing Alt-I and entering the memory number. The user may cancel this
action by hitting the 'Esc' key. If a mouse driver is present, the Alt-I
combination can be invoked by calling up the help screen and clicking on
the '@I' symbol. Memory insertion can not be performed while operating
within memory mode. This last feature is analogous to the V-M key on the
receiver, and only locations 0 through 99 are valid.
Alt-C - Scanning Mode Operation.
Alt-P - Scanning Parameters.
Scanning mode can be accessed by pressing Alt-C, or by clicking on the
'SCAN' area if a mouse driver is present. This function does not work very
well on the shortwave bands if the squelch is not properly set. It is only
recommended if the RF section is switched to 'OFF' and the squelch is set
to open at approximately 10 to 20dB over S9. Using the left and right cur-
sor keys during scanning mode (or by clicking on the tuning bar) will allow
the user to change scanning to increment in that direction, respectively.
If the scanning parameters have not been set, indicated by a '??' on the
faceplate, Smart R8 Control will prompt for them.
The parameters may be changed later by pressing Alt-P, or by clicking on
the PARAMETERS area if a mouse driver is present. Scanning modes are en-
tered as 'M' for Memory (scans all memories), 'L' for List (scans specific
memory banks), or 'A' for A-B (scans between the frequencies in the A and B
VFOs). This prompt can be answered by clicking on the desired scanning
mode in the prompt, if a mouse driver is present. If list scanning is se-
lected, the program will prompt for the banks to be scanned (i.e., typing
'123' will scan banks 1, 2 and 3). The program will then prompt for the
scanning type. Scanning types are entered as 'S' for Seek (stop scanning
on carrier found), 'T' for Time (stop for a while on carrier found), or 'C'
for Carrier Detect (stop on carrier found, continue when dropped). This
prompt can also be answered by clicking on the desired scanning type in the
prompt, if a mouse driver is present. The user may cancel any step in this
procedure by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or clicking on 'Esc' in the user
prompt, if provided. If memory or list scanning is used, the user must re-
member to enter memory mode and initially tune to a memory location within
the specified memory list. Failure to do so has been known to confuse the
receiver.
Alt-T - Tape VOX Control.
Smart R8 Control provides for a Tape VOX control. If a tape recorder is
connected to the line audio and timer connections in the back of the re-
ceiver, pressing Alt-T will activate the timer relay in the receiver. This
can also be accomplished by clicking on the 't' or 'T' indicator, if a
mouse driver is present. This is provided as a handy 'footswitch' for a
controlling a tape recorder in order to capture radio programs or updates
to the program schedules. The Tape VOX control, once activated, will only
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 11 of 22
roll the tape if a carrier is present. This way, if the receiver is being
used on the VHF Service frequencies (i.e., Police, Fire), 'dead air' will
not be recorded, thus compressing tape usage. The Tape VOX mode will not
operate while the receiver is scanning.
DATABASE QUERIES.
F5 - What Shortwave Stations Are On Now.
Shift-F5 - What BCB/CB Stations Are On.
Alt-F5 - What Utility Stations Are On.
This feature will query the database to provide a selectable list of sta-
tions that are on at that time. This list will be shown in a scrollable
window in the bottom half of the full screen. The stations are listed from
left to right by order of start time, end time, and country name. Time pe-
riod annunciators have been added to the display in order to provide less
confusion. Certain stations, such as the BBC, will jump around the window
upon subsequent calls due to the fact that most of the BBC entries are in-
dexed in 15 minute blocks. This is despite the fact that the BBC broad-
casts around the clock.
If any of the frequencies that the station uses have been previously marked
by the user, the station name will be highlighted. This will alert the
user that this station has been heard previously, during that time (see 'F6
- Find Station Frequencies', below). The list of station names can be in-
dexed with a cursor bar. If the station list contains more stations than
is shown in the visible window, arrows will be displayed inside the left
edge of the window. Navigation of the cursor bar can be accomplished with
all of the normal cursor keys (arrows, page keys, home, and end). Once a
station is highlighted with the cursor bar, it may be selected by pressing
the 'Enter' key. This has the same effect as pressing F6 to find the sta-
tions broadcast frequencies (see 'F6', below). If a frequency list is al-
ready showing, the user can automatically go back to that window by using
the 'Tab' key.
If a mouse driver is present, clicking the station name will display that
station's frequency list. If the desired station is not listed, the window
may be paged by clicking in the upper or lower portions of the scroll bar.
It may be scrolled, one line at a time, by clicking on the arrows of the
scroll bar. The scroll bar is located on the left hand side of the window.
Tabbing between the station and frequency windows can be accomplished by
clicking on the bottom line of the screen or clicking within the desired
window.
The user may query this window by three separate classes of HF (and MW)
broadcasts. Pressing F5, alone, will display all scheduled and 24 hour
shortwave stations. Pressing Shift and F5 together, will provide the user
a display of all AM Broadcast Band (BCB) entries and Citizen Band channels
in the database. Pressing the Alt and F5 keys together will provide the
user a display of all utility stations (e.g., Amateur nets, military, mari-
time, time, press, etc.) in the database. If a mouse driver is present,
clicking on the 'F5', 'Sh', or '@' portions of the help screen will invoke
these functions.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 12 of 22
F6 - Find Station Frequencies.
A shortcut to finding a particular station's frequencies is to use this di-
rect query. After pressing the F6 function key, Smart R8 Control will
prompt the user to provide the name of the station to query. The function
can also be invoked by clicking on the 'F6' symbol in the help screen if a
mouse driver is present. The user may cancel this action by hitting the
'Esc' key, while the input prompt is displayed. Once the string is en-
tered, and a matching station is on at that time, a window containing a
frequency list will appear along the right edge of the full screen. Each
frequency will be associated with the time and days of broadcast (within
the one-hour block) and the intended target area. Typically, on the East
Coast of North America, frequencies targeted for Asia and the Pacific can
be avoided during certain times of the day. If any of the frequencies in
the list has been previously marked by the user, the frequency will be
highlighted. It is anticipated that this will be used to alert the user
that this station has been previously heard on this frequency during that
time period.
The list of frequencies can be indexed with a pointer. If the frequency
list contains more frequencies than is shown in the visible window, arrows
will be displayed inside the top edge of the window. Navigation of the
pointer can be accomplished with the up and down cursor, up and down page,
home, and end keys. Once a frequency is highlighted with the pointer, it
may be selected by pressing the 'Enter' key. This will subsequently tune
the radio to that frequency. If the target area is annotated as 'uf' or
'lf', the radio will automatically change to upper or lower sideband, re-
spectively. If the station list window is present at the bottom of the
full screen, the user can automatically go back to that window by using the
'Tab' key.
If a mouse driver is present, clicking the desired frequency will tune the
receiver. If the desired frequency is not listed, the window may be paged
by clicking in the upper or lower portions of the scroll bar. It may be
scrolled, one line at a time, by clicking on the arrows of the scroll bar.
The scroll bar is located on the right hand side of the window. Tabbing
between the station and frequency windows can be accomplished by clicking
on the bottom line of the screen or clicking within the desired window.
Mouse users may now automatically invoke this function, by clicking on the
left-hand (time block) portion of any displayed station ID line in the
faceplate window. This feature is new in version 1.40.
The frequency can be marked for future reference by pointing to it and by
pressing the 'Ctrl' and 'Enter' keys, simultaneously. This feature is a
useful way to draw attention to frequencies audible at the listener's loca-
tion. A marked frequency will be evidenced by a highlighted entry in this
window, as well as the station name in the faceplate window if the receiver
is currently tuned to it.
The user can make minor changes to the database through this window. A
frequency entry can be modified by pointing to it and by pressing the 'In-
sert' (or 'Ins') key. Similarly, the user may wish to add a new frequency
to the list, this may be done by pointing to the approximate location the
entry is to be inserted and pressing either the 'Ctrl' and 'Home' or 'Ctrl'
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 13 of 22
and 'End' keys. 'Ctrl-Home' will add the entry above the pointer, and
'Ctrl-End' will add the entry below the pointer.
Whether the user is modifying or adding a frequency to the list, the soft-
ware will then prompt the user to enter the new frequency. If the user
simply presses 'Enter' in response to this prompt, the frequency that the
Drake R8 receiver is currently tuned to will serve as the default input
frequency. The software will then prompt the user for the new target area
for this frequency, if known. The user may elect to leave this blank. Af-
ter completing input of all the modification parameters, the software will
prompt the user if he wishes to go ahead with the modification, as a safety
measure.
The user can also delete a frequency in the list. This is done by pointing
to the frequency entry and pressing the 'Delete' or ('Del') key. As be-
fore, the software will then prompt the user if he wishes to go ahead with
the frequency entry deletion, as a safety measure.
Whether the user is marking, modifying, adding or deleting a frequency en-
try in this window, the database will be changed. This will be evidenced
by '*' in the upper left hand corner of the faceplate window. The database
change will not become permanent until it is saved (F9) to disk.
F7 - Station's Full Program Schedule.
A particular station's full 24-hour broadcast schedule may be queried by
using the F7 function key. If a mouse driver is present, this function can
be invoked by clicking on the 'F7' symbol in the help screen. As with the
F6 function key, Smart R8 Control will prompt the user to provide the name
of the station to query. The user may cancel this action by hitting the
'Esc' key, while the input prompt is displayed. Once the station name is
entered, a scrollable window containing the full broadcast schedule will
appear along the bottom half of the full screen. The format of the infor-
mation displayed will be similar to that found in the Shortwave Guide sec-
tion of Grove Enterprises' Monitoring Times magazine. Frequencies previ-
ously marked are highlighted in the list to allow for planning purposes.
If the schedule contains more listings than are shown in the visible win-
dow, arrows will be displayed inside the left edge of the window. Naviga-
tion of the schedule window can be accomplished with the up and down cur-
sor, up and down page, home, and end keys.
If a file copy of the schedule is desired, the query can be made by press-
ing the 'Shift' and F7 function keys, simultaneously (or by clicking on
that selection in the help window if a mouse driver is present). The
schedule may be printed in the same manner, by either pressing 'Enter' in
response to the file name prompt, or by using the file name 'PRN'. The
user may cancel either of these actions by hitting the 'Esc' key, while the
input prompt is displayed. Since printed and file copies of the schedule
cannot highlight marked frequencies, per se, marked frequencies will be
followed by a '*' instead. While the database is being scanned, a small
bar scale display will show the relative progress of the operation.
If a mouse driver is present, the window may be paged by clicking in the
upper or lower portions of the scroll bar. It may be scrolled, one line at
a time, by clicking on the arrows of the scroll bar. The scroll bar is lo-
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 14 of 22
cated on the left hand side of the window. Tabbing from this window to ei-
ther the station or frequency windows can be accomplished by clicking on
the bottom line of the screen.
Mouse users may now automatically invoke this function, by clicking on the
left-hand (time block) portion of any displayed station ID line in a Who
Else (F8) window. This feature is new in version 1.40.
Users may tune to any frequency in the full program schedule window. This
will allow users to double check other frequencies used by that station at
other times of the day. If a mouse driver is present, clicking on any of
the frequencies in the window will tune the radio to that frequency. If
the target area for that frequency is annotated as 'uf' or 'lf', the radio
will automatically change to upper or lower sideband, respectively. Any
other annotated target area will cause the radio to switch to the AM mode,
unless the target area is blank. In this case, the demodulation mode of
the radio will not be changed.
F8 - Who Else Uses This Frequency.
The database typically contains entries for broadcasts in English. If for-
eign language broadcasts are encountered, this will usually be made on a
frequency used for English broadcasts as well. A listing of all stations
that will use the currently tuned frequency at any time of the day may be
accessed by pressing the F8 function key and entering the frequency in
question. The prompt will default to the frequency currently tuned. The
user may cancel this action by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or clicking on
'Esc', while the input prompt is displayed. This function can also be in-
voked by clicking on the 'F8' symbol in the help screen if a mouse driver
is present. This will produce a scrollable window containing a list of the
these stations, their times of operation on that frequency (in English),
and the target area for the broadcast. The window will appear along the
bottom left half of the full screen. Stations with a previously marked
frequency are highlighted in the list. If the listing contains more sta-
tions than are shown in the visible window, arrows will be displayed inside
the left edge of the window. Navigation of the schedule window can be ac-
complished with the up and down cursor, up and down page, home, and end
keys.
If a mouse driver is present, the window may be paged by clicking in the
upper or lower portions of the scroll bar. It may be scrolled, one line at
a time, by clicking on the arrows of the scroll bar. The scroll bar is lo-
cated on the left hand side of the window. Tabbing from this window to ei-
ther the station or frequency windows can be accomplished by clicking on
the bottom line of the screen.
Mouse users may now automatically invoke this function, by clicking on the
left-hand portion of any undisplayed station ID line in the faceplate win-
dow (where the time block would normally be shown). This feature is new in
version 1.40.
Intuitive Database Searches.
In certain situations, a particular frequency may be tuned to for which the
station is not identified in the faceplate, or tuning to a parallel fre-
quency would be desired. New in version 1.40, is the capability for mouse
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 15 of 22
users to perform ``Intuitive Database Searches.'' By this, certain areas
of the faceplate and Who Else (F8) windows have been reserved to invoke
other functions. By clicking on the left-hand portion (time block) of any
displayed station ID line in the faceplate will invoke the Find Station
Frequencies (F6) function. Clicking in the same area, but for blank sta-
tion ID lines, will invoke the Who Else (F8) function. Clicking on any
time block in the Who Else (F8) window will invoke the the Station's Full
Program Schedule (F7) function. In each instance the functions are auto-
matically invoked with either the proper frequency or station name. This
alleviates the user from having to type them in, or press another key.
F9 - Save Changed Database.
Marking frequencies will change the database, as evidenced by a '*' dis-
played in the upper left corner of the faceplate window. It is important
to note that the entire shortwave database is contained in memory (rather
than direct disk access) to make operations on it more efficient. During
some operations, a changed database will automatically be saved to disk
(e.g., a shell to DOS and exiting the program). This can be done manually,
by pressing the F9 function key. If a mouse driver is present, clicking on
the '*' icon in the upper left hand corner will accomplish the same thing.
While the database is being saved, a small bar scale display will show the
relative progress of the operation.
Shift-F9 - Swap Databases (Registered Users Only).
Subscribers to TRS Consultant's Shortwave Broadcast Schedules Database can
import that database into a format that Smart R8 Control can use. Once
converted, the user can swap databases by pressing the Shift and F9 keys.
Upon pressing Shift-F9, the user will be prompted to input whether the
Smart R8 Control distribution database (SRC) or TRS Consultants (TRS) data-
base is to be chosen. Answering the prompt with 'SRC' or 'TRS' will poten-
tially swap that database into the program. The user may cancel this ac-
tion by either hitting the 'Esc' key, or clicking on 'Esc', while the input
prompt is displayed. If a mouse driver is present, clicking on the 'Sh'
symbol in the help screen will accomplish the same thing as pressing Shift-
F9. Also, the prompt may be answered by clicking on 'SRC' or 'TRS'.
In many instances, the user may swap the database while either the DX Shows
(F3) or Available Stations (F5) windows are displayed. Since each would
invariably change upon a database swap, these windows are automatically up-
dated. This feature is new in version 1.40.
Alt-F9 - Dump Database To Disk (Registered Users Only).
Major modifications to the database are performed by using a text editor.
In order to make major modifications to the database, the database must be
dumped in a text file format. Pressing the Alt-F9 dumps the database to
disk in a text format. This feature is restricted to registered users that
have the Smart R8 Control Database Utility, which then compiles this text
file back into a run-time format. While the database is being dumped, a
small bar scale display will show the relative progress of the operation.
If a mouse driver is present, clicking on the '@' symbol in the help screen
will accomplish the same thing.
If a dumped database already exisits, the user will be prompted with the
option to overwrite the text version of the database. The user may con-
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 16 of 22
tinue by replying with 'Y' and hitting the 'Enter' key. The overwrite ac-
tion may be cancelled by replying with an 'N' and pressign 'Enter', or by
hitting the 'Esc' key. If a mouse driver is present, clicking on the 'Y',
'N' or 'Esc' will produce the desired result.
F3 - List Selected DX Shows.
The R8 Communications Receiver is especially designed for listening to pro-
grams. Pressing the F3 function key displays a scrollable window along the
bottom half of the full screen, containing a list of selected programming
for the next 24 hours. If a mouse driver is present, the DX Shows can be
presented by clicking on the 'F3' symbol on the help screen. Each entry
displays the name of the station and UT time that the program is on. A
header marking the start of a UT day is provided as a reference. If the
station happens to be on at the time displayed in the faceplate window it
will be highlighted in the list, regardless of whether the show is actually
on. This was implemented in this manner, because stations often shift pro-
gram times during the schedule season. If the listing contains more pro-
grams than are shown in the visible window, arrows will be displayed inside
the left edge of the window. Navigation of the program window can be ac-
complished with the up and down cursor, up and down page, home and end
keys. If a mouse driver is present, the window may be paged by clicking in
the upper or lower portions of the scroll bar. It may be scrolled, one
line at a time, by clicking on the arrows of the scroll bar. The scroll
bar is located on the left hand side of the window.
By moving the pointer bar to a highlighted station and pressing the 'Enter'
key, the station's frequency list will be presented. If a mouse driver is
present, clicking on a highlighted station will accomplish the same thing.
Selecting a station from the DX Shows window has the same effect as either
using the F5 key (and selecting a station) or using the F6 key to bring up
a station's frequency list. The DX Shows window can be re-entered from any
other window by pressing the Shift and Tab (or Tab Left) key. This will
allow the user to quickly jump back and forth between the DX Shows window
and the station frequency list window.
The database of programs is contained in the file 'DXSHOWS.TXT'. As an ex-
ample, DXSHOWS.TXT mostly contains listings for radio oriented programming,
such as Glen Hauser's 'World of Radio'. This file is a field-delimited
flat file that may be edited with a simple text editor. The user may edit
this file, provided that the general format of the examples is adhered.
Another restriction is that the station name must match exactly what is in
the main shortwave database.
Note: For queries prompting for a station name, the user may enter the
full or partial name of the station. The entry must consist of a discrimi-
nating string. For example, the user could enter 'BBC' or 'London' to
query 'BBC, London'. However, using terms like 'Radio' or 'Voice' alone
should be avoided, because there are hundreds of stations that use these
terms. This would result in a listing of thousands of entries, for which
the software cannot support. In all of these queries (except for F6-Find
Station Frequencies), the station name may be entered in either upper or
lower case.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 17 of 22
OTHER FUNCTIONS.
F1 - Display Help Screen.
Most of the key commands used in Smart R8 Control will be easily memorized.
In the event that some reminder is required, a help screen containing all
of the key commands is provided. The help screen is organized by keys per-
taining to radio operation, database query and other utilities. In the
event that the F1 key cannot be associated with displaying the help screen,
a small reminder is positioned at the bottom of the receiver's faceplate
window. If a mouse driver is present, the help screen doubles as a main
menu. Any of the functions listed in the help screen can be invoked by
clicking on the key combination symbol. In some instances (F5, F7 and F9),
single help screen entries refer to multiple similar functions. Clicking
on the discriminating part of the key combination (Sh, @ or the function
key symbol alone) will invoke the most likely key combination. For exam-
ple, clicking on the '@' part of the F5 (What is on Now) entry will invoke
the Alt-F5 key combination for displaying Utility Stations.
F2 - Display Shortwave Band Plan.
Despite the rulings of the World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) and
the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), there are a plethora of
stations broadcasting outside the authorized broadcast bands. By pressing
the F2 function key, a fixed window of the de facto band plan will be dis-
played in the lower right corner of the full screen. If a mouse driver is
present, clicking on the F2 symbol in the help screen will accomplish the
same thing. New in version 1.40, this feature can be alternatively invoked
by clicking on the faceplate's band indicator. The frequency limits dis-
played are not necessarily hard and fast. The VOIRI, Iran, still broad-
casts on the odd ball frequency of 9022 kHz, which is nowhere near the lim-
its of the 31 meter band. However, the limits displayed represent where
the majority of shortwave broadcasters may be found. It serves as a help-
ful reminder of what frequencies to search while using the stepped method
of tuning within Smart R8 Control.
Another new feature in version 1.40, is the capability to tune the receiver
from the Band Plan window. This should be especially helpful when doing
band scans. After invoking the Band Plan window, the user can tune the re-
ceiver to any frequency in the window by clicking on it. The user can then
proceed to tune either up or down the shortwave band as usual.
Alt-F - Run HF Propagation Prediction (Registered Users Only).
HF propagation is a varying medium. Of the frequency entries provided in
the database, many are not to the listener's target area but may be audible
there. In order to better predict which frequency will be the best audible
in a particular area, a link to the Smart R8 Control HF Propagation Predic-
tion Utility is provided within the main program. This utility can be in-
voked by pressing the 'Alt-F' key combination. If a mouse driver is pre-
sent, clicking on the '@F' symbol in the help screen will accomplish the
same thing.
If 'Alt-F' is pressed when the user is either pointing to a particular sta-
tion in one of the 'Available Stations' windows, the HF Propagation Predic-
tion Utility will attempt to find that station, for an expedient calcula-
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 18 of 22
tion. If 'Alt-F' is pressed while in the 'Frequency List' window, the
utility will point to this station, as well.
This feature is restricted to registered users that have the Smart R8 Con-
trol HF Propagation Prediction Utility.
NOTE: Using this utility in this fashion will require an additional over-
head of approximately 127k base memory RAM, bringing the total memory re-
quirement to 532kb. Without this additional overhead, the utility will not
run.
Alt-U - Publish Database on Printer (Registered Users Only).
The Smart R8 Control Printing Utility has been integrated within the main
program. This feature will allow users to publish the database, in a two-
column newspaper style fashion. The database will automatically published
on the default printer, set within the Setup Utility. This utility can be
invoked by pressing the `Alt-U' key combination. If a mouse driver is pre-
sent, clicking on the `@U' symbol in the help screen will accomplishg the
same thing.
This feature is restricted to registered users that have the Smart R8 Con-
trol Printing Utility.
NOTE: Using this utility in this fashion will require an additional over-
head of approximately 103k base memory RAM, bringing the total memory re-
quirement to 508kb. Without this addiitonal overhead, the utility will not
run.
Alt-L - Enter Log Information.
One of the mundane tasks of the listening hobby is the logging of activity.
Smart R8 Control automatically stamps the time, date and frequency on all
entries. Upon pressing Alt-L, Smart R8 Control prompts the user for a log
entry. If a mouse driver is present, clicking on the '@L' symbol in the
help screen accomplishes the same thing. Any additional information may be
typed here, such as service, call, etc. The entry is concluded with the
'ENTER' key. All entries are posted in the file 'SMARTCON.LOG'.
Users can take advantage of the new enhanced logging capability in version
1.40. The logging facility now prompts users to enter the station name and
SINPO rating, before any other notes or comments. If a mouse driver is
present, the user can automatically invoke the logging facility. This can
be accomplished by clicking on the right-hand (station name) portion of the
station ID in either the faceplate or Who Else (F8) windows. This will
automatically insert the appropriate station name when prompted. If the
user clicks on the right-hand portion of a blank station ID line in the
faceplate, no station name will be inserted. In this case, the logging fa-
cility will perform normally.
F4 - Display Log Information.
It may be desirable to re-display old log information for additional refer-
ence. By pressing the F4 function key, a scrollable window is displayed,
containing all information accumulated in the log file 'SMARTCON.LOG'. If
a mouse driver is present, clicking on the 'F4' symbol in the help screen
will accomplish the same thing. The window can then be paged by clicking
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 19 of 22
in the upper or lower portions of the scroll bar. It may be scrolled, one
line at a time, by clicking on the arrows of the scroll bar. The scroll
bar is located on the left hand side of the window.
Alt-D - Demo Mode.
Because the serial interface requires a hardware handshake, it is impera-
tive that the receiver be hooked up to the computer while the program is
running. If Smart R8 Control is to be run for database access only, the
program can be put into 'Demo Mode' from within the program. This will
disengage the hardware handshake, and is invoked by pressing Alt-D. The
receiver must be off and the program must recognize that the receiver is
off before this function can be invoked. Smart R8 Control has the addi-
tional capability to automatically sense if the receiver (or any serial de-
vice) is present on the serial port. If a receiver is not present when ei-
ther starting the program, or returning from a DOS Shell, the program will
automatically enter Demo Mode.
Alt-Q - Clear Screen.
Sometimes it is desirable to unclutter the screen. Pressing Alt-Q will
clear all windows from the screen, with the exception of the receiver face-
plate window. If a mouse driver is present, clicking on the '@Q' symbol in
the help screen will accomplish the same thing.
F10 - Shell to DOS.
Pressing the F10 function key will automatically save the database (if it
has changed) and temporarily put the user in hands of DOS. This allows the
user to edit the log file with a small text editor of his/her choosing.
Pressing F10 could also be used to free up the serial line to use a termi-
nal unit (TU) or terminal node controller (TNC) with a separate terminal
program. It is recommended that the user remember that this is only a
child process of DOS and Smart R8 Control is still dominating a chunk of
memory. While shelled out to DOS, the user must type 'EXIT' to return to
Smart R8 Control. A small reminder of this has been inserted into the DOS
prompt while in the DOS shell. If a mouse driver is present, the DOS Shell
can be invoked by clicking on the 'F10' symbol in the help screen.
NOTE: Shelling to DOS will require an additional overhead of base memory
RAM, equivalent to the memory requirements of your particular DOS version.
Without this additional memory overhead, shelling to DOS is not possible.
The memory left over when shelling may not be enough to run some software.
If the user is planning to run software from within the shell, please note
the remaining memory using the MEM command (DOS 5.0, 4DOS). Refer to the
software's documentation it's memory requirements for a comparison.
Alt-X - Exit Program.
Pressing Alt-X will automatically save the database (if it has changed),
save the current settings to 'SMARTCON.DAT' and return the user to DOS.
Since this program alters certain computer parameters, it is important that
the user ONLY exit the program in this manner. If for some reason the pro-
gram hangs, the best solution is to reboot the machine with Ctrl-Alt-Del.
Pressing Ctrl-Break to 'break' out of Smart R8 Control should be avoided.
If a mouse driver is present, the program can be exited by clicking on the
'@X" symbol in the help screen.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 20 of 22
EXPECTED FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS.
Compatibility to export either the imported or compiled database into TRS
Consultant's database management software.
Full compatibility with the OS/2 operating system.
Capability to create, save and print profiles of 100 active frequencies.
This will allow users to retrieve profiles from disk, and load the ra-
dio's memories with it.
Capability to produce a sequential list of all frequencies that a particu-
lar station uses, and the capability to tune the receiver from this
list.
Capability to store and recall VHF frequencies from the integrated fre-
quency database.
CONCLUSION.
The author would appreciate any comments regarding the improvement of this
software or any bug reports (nobody's perfect).
The author may be contacted by calling the FineWare Support Conference on
The Cats Meow BBS, Midland, Virginia (1-703-439-3060, Name used on BBSs:
'MARK FINE'). Ray Herold, the SYSOP of TCM has graciously provided this
support conference for users of Smart R8 Control, as well as other FineWare
products. It is anticipated that users will be able to use the FineWare
Support Conference as a forum for rapidly acquiring software updates, in-
formation on Smart R8 Control developments as well as a means to exchange
up-to-date shortwave data.
The author may also be contacted via any bulletin board system currently
participating in the following national BBS conference echos:
RIME (RelayNet) SCANNERS/SWL Conference
(route using '->MEOW', R/O capable, public key 26936)
FidoNet Shortwave Conference
(NetMail address: 1:265/109)
In addition, the author may also be contacted by mail at his home address
(phone calls are discouraged):
MARK J. FINE
c/o FineWare
11252 Cardinal Drive
Remington, Virginia 22734-9684
Comments should be constructive and should contain detailed descriptions of
what the user would like to see included in this software. If a bug report
is in order, please include information such as computer make and model,
version and make of DOS used, a hard copy of the user's AUTOEXEC.BAT and
CONFIG.SYS files, as well as detailed descriptions of the nature of each
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 21 of 22
problem. All constructive comments and bug reports will result in a
prompt, courteous response.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
* The Drake R8 Communications Receiver is a product of the R. L. Drake Com-
pany (Drake), Miamisburg, Ohio 45342.
* The format of the shortwave database used in Smart R8 Control is based
upon the Shortwave Guide column found in Monitoring Times magazine. Moni-
toring Times is a monthly publication of Grove Enterprises, Inc., 140 Dog
Branch Road, Brasstown, North Carolina, 28902-0098. Special credit is
given to Bob Grove, Publisher, and Bill Grove, SYSOP of the Grove Systems
BBS, for their permission to reproduce this format. The Grove Systems BBS
can be accessed, Monday through Friday from 6:30PM to 8:00AM EST and 24
hours on weekends, on the following telephone numbers:
(704) 837-7081 9600/14400 BPS
(704) 837-9200 300/ 1200/ 2400 BPS
(704) 837-5957 300/ 1200/ 2400 BPS
* English Language SWBC Schedules is a product of TRS Consultants, PO Box
2275, Vincentown, NJ 08088-2275.
Smart R8 Control version 1.40 Page 22 of 22