Messages

31

General discussion / Re: Software for RRC-Micro PC-Client

« on: 2011-06-29, 01:26:59 »

I am running Windows 7.  I have TRX-Manager installed on a desktop computer running with the RRC-1258 pair (not Micro) and it works fine without being set for "run as administrator" nor being set for compatibility with XP.  I assume that the RRC-Micro requires this but not "in general" for TRX-Manager?

Regardless, I set "run as administrator" and compatibility as XP sp3 and this stopped the error on both laptops but neither laptop would communicate with the RRC-1258 remote box/radio.  TRX-Manager could not read the frequency or set anything on the radio.  

Since I have the same problem on two different computers, I must assume there is a problem with the driver since each of the laptops works fine with 1.2.1 and HRD and both laptops have a problem running HRD (as well as TRX-Manager) when using the 1.3.1 release.

I can provide a copy of the debug file but I don't know if it will show anything with TRX-Manager as I don't think it is able to communicate with the Com port through the driver to even hook up with the RRC software.  I'll also try to provide a debug file running HRD.  Maybe it will show something.  I'll get these a little later this evening.

Joe W4WT

32

General discussion / Re: Software for RRC-Micro PC-Client

« on: 2011-06-28, 20:41:26 »

"Did you select the "Microbit RRCMicro" in your Com-selection? "

Yes, this is the driver that was loaded and selected in the profile for RRC-Micro when I installed 1.3.1.  I just installed 1.3.1 again and opened the profile, updated it from the 1.2.1 settings to make sure that I had done it correctly the first time.  TRX-Manager failed again just like it did the first time I installed 1.3.1.  The first message I get is a Windows message which said essentially that TRX-Manager had stopped working and Windows would check for a solution and notify me when it found one.  If I continue to try to start TRX-Manager, I eventually get the message about Com port 0 (zero) as I indicated earlier.  Also, as I indicated, HRD works but very sluggishly taking about 30 seconds when it starts up to read the radio and adjust all the sliders to the proper settings.

"Did you remember to select the old Com port driver then?"

Yes, I had deleted the new drivers and 1.3.1 program prior to going back and re-installing 1.2.1.  As I said, when I went back to 1.2.1 it worked properly as it had when I used it prior to installing 1.3.1.

Joe W4WT


Update:  I just installed RRC-Micro and TRX-Manager on a different laptop.  Neither program has ever been installed on this laptop so it was a clean install for both products.  I set up "Micro" profiles for TRX-Manager and HRD.  I started up "Micro" with the TRX-Manager profile, clicked "Connect" and it connected to my remote RRC-1258 with no problem.  I then started up TRX-Manager and experienced exactly the same error condition I did on the original laptop after setting the Com port in TRX-Manager to Com 3 and the transceiver to the Icom Pro III.  I have Com 3 mapped to Com 0 in the TRX-Manager profile of "Micro".

Joe W4WT

33

General discussion / Re: Software for RRC-Micro PC-Client

« on: 2011-06-28, 03:03:02 »

Roland I can't seem to get TRX-Manager to work with this release.  It comes up with a COM port error thinking the COM port is 0 (zero).  HRD still works if I select HRD for the "software" setting.

Any Ideas?  Anyone else tried TRX-Manager and have it working?

Joe W4WT

Update:  Here is the error I receive from TRX-Manager.... "Initialization error - COM PORT (IC-756PRO3):Invalid port number (0)".  I have the COM port set to 3 in TRX-Manager Setup.  RRC Micro is set to use Com0 port as Com3 for the Icom radio.  I'm running 2.40 in the RRC-1258 box.

Update2:  I re-installed version 1.2.1 which I used successfully before and it worked fine for HRD.  This also made me see that HRD is very sluggish with the new release 1.3.1...  it will work without error but very slowly.

34

General discussion forum / Re: Profiles

« on: 2011-06-17, 23:18:08 »

Thanks for the consideration...

Joe W4WT

35

General discussion forum / Profiles

« on: 2011-06-16, 19:15:18 »

Any chance that a future enhancement for the web switch could include profiles?  I would like to have the ability to select a different "profile" to allow me to easily select a multiband antenna for all frequencies 80 through 6 meters rather than have to go into the web switch relay assignments and manually change one or all to allow this.  I have Yagi's  for 40 through 6 meters on my tower and sometimes in local contests I would prefer to use the multiband antenna rather than have to constantly rotate beams.  A profile option to set this selection up would make changing to it much easier.

Thanks,

Joe W4WT

36

General discussion / Re: Setting up the RRC Micro

« on: 2011-05-21, 00:31:02 »

Roland, thanks.  It is not happening back at my usual QTH.  I was down in Florida at another house when I was having the problem.  I'm wondering now if the internet bandwidth was compromised and caused the problem.  I noticed if I left the connection alone, it would eventually show a timeout error.  Took a couple of minutes before it showed the error during which time no audio was coming through but I could still control the radio (Icom Pro III).

I'll check again next time I go down there and see if it is just happening down there.

Any progress on a new driver yet to allow rig programs built with Visual Basic to work with the Micro Client?  I'm anxious to be able to use my PW-1 when I'm on the road and can't use it with HRD.

Joe W4WT

37

General discussion / Setting up the RRC Micro

« on: 2011-05-15, 09:10:11 »

Update:  I don't seem to be having the muting problem anymore.  I'm not exactly what I did to "cure" it but it doesn't seem to be an issue now.  What I continue to see, though, is the audio from the receiver will just quit sporadically.  Everything else seems to work so the unit is not disconnecting; just no receive audio comes through.  To get it back, I have to do a disconnect and then reconnect.  Any settings that might affect this that I should use?  I'm running 1.2.1 software on the Micro and 2.38 firmware on the RRC 1258 radio unit.


I'm having a bit of a problem getting the Micro to work properly.  I have both the headset and microphone plugs plugged into the Micro USB device.  In Windows 7 Control Panel, hardware, Sound, I have set Microbit 1274A Microphone as the default device.  In the RRC Client Setup I have selected the following:

Speaker - Speakers (Microbit 1247A)
Mic - Microphone (Microbit 1247A)

This seems to work until I disconnect the RRC Client then reconnect.  Once I do this I loose the microphone.  I have to go into Win 7's control panel, sound, and select microphone properties for the Microbit 1247A Microphone and un-mute the microphone.  Then it works fine until I have to re-connect due to a disconnect from the remote rig radio box.  Once I reconnect, the microphone mutes again and has to be manually un-muted.

Any ideas why it is doing this?  Do I have something set up incorrectly?

Thanks,

Joe W4WT

38

General discussion / Re: Problem with Rig software

« on: 2011-05-03, 06:46:23 »

Guy, DxLabs Suite IS a free program.

Roland, thanks, I hope to soon use my Micro PC Client.

Joe W4WT

Hi Roland,
I would like to see first the FREE software programs
like ARCP-480 and 2000 from Kenwood
added instead of programs you need to buy.

HRD is not bad at home but for a tablet or small laptop its to big  

Guy ON4AOI

39

General discussion / Re: Problem with Rig software

« on: 2011-05-02, 16:45:07 »

Currently only HRD is supported.
More models will be added in coming updates.

Roland, I believe this should be made clear on the product page as I would not have ordered at this time if I had known that ONLY HRD was supported.  I can't use HRD due to my Icom PW-1 requiring a secondary COM port to send "transceive" commands to it for it to operate correctly.  Only DxLabs Commander and TRX-Manager currently support the PW-1 through a secondary port (that I'm aware of) thus the Micro PC Client is useless to me until these (preferably Commander) products are supported.

Is there any time table for this support to be provided?

Joe

40

General discussion / Re: Problem with Rig software

« on: 2011-05-02, 03:34:26 »

Here is info I received on the DXLab group from the author about Commander showing an 8020 error in the debug file when trying to run the RR Micro:

An "8020" error says that the driver issued an interrupt saying "there is data waiting" before the data was available. The application tried
to read the data but received no data.  Specifically, it's Microsoft's MSComm component that does not tolerate this driver defect.

So, it looks like software written with VB will have problems with the drivers being used in the RR Micro product unless they are changed to avoid the "data waiting" problem.

Update:  I was directed to a Microsoft support page that discusses this problem.  Here is the link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318784


Joe

41

General discussion / Problem with Rig software

« on: 2011-05-01, 17:56:40 »

I just received my Micro PC Client yesterday and find that neither TRX-Manager or DXLabs Commander will operate with the serial ports created.  HRD does operate okay but I can't use HRD due to my amplifier (Icom PW-1) needing isolation to eliminate CI-V collisions.  HRD does not provide a secondary COM port to allow syncing of the PW-1 to the frequency read from the radio like Commander and TRX-Manager provide.

Any idea why these two popular rig control programs can't use the COM ports created by the Micro PC Client?  DxLabs author says it is a driver problem.

Thanks,

Joe W4WT

42

General discussion forum / Re: Some advice please

« on: 2011-01-22, 07:11:04 »

Thanks Roger.  I wasn't aware you were not using both the remote and control units.  Looks like you have things working well.

I can now answer my own question.  I figured what I proposed about using the TTL port on the Control unit to allow me to use COM0 to control my Icom Pro III would work so I bought a Yaesu CT-62 cable with a level converter built in to convert TTL signals to RS232.  I cut off the small 8 pin plug and put on a 6 pin modular connector in its place.  I set both Com1 and Com2 to inactive and plugged in my level converter to my computers COM port and it worked like a charm.  Now I have Com1 and Com2 available for additional equipment.  Just now used Com2 for the rotor controller and it is working fine too.  I Probably will use Com1 for a second rotor that will be going up soon.

73,

Joe

43

General discussion forum / Re: Some advice please

« on: 2011-01-19, 19:05:01 »

The reason for my question is I am wondering if I can use the TTL i/o port on the command unit with a level converter as a "COM port" to free up COM2 for other uses.  I am not using an Elecraft but an Icom Pro III currently using the TTL port at the "Radio" end for CI-V but using COM2 logically connected to COM0 at the command end to tie the computer to the command unit. 

Seems to me one could use the command TTL port with a level converter to connect to the computer's COM port and free up COM2 for other uses and provide two COM ports as you have indicated you now have for accessories.

Maybe Jan or Mike could comment on this.

Joe

44

General discussion forum / Re: Some advice please

« on: 2011-01-19, 18:31:05 »

How do you have your command unit set up with your PC ?

Joe

45

General discussion forum / Re: New install working great!

« on: 2011-01-07, 03:01:35 »

Finally got the CI-V function working over the TTL port.  Didn't understand from the documentation the settings required for COM2.  After trial and error, I ended up with setting COM2 on both boxes to "logical parallel with COM0" and it is working now controlling the ICOM 756 Pro II through the TTL port without having to use the CT-17.

Joe, W4WT