Messages

1

General discussion forum / Re: impossible to connect with HRD

« on: 2013-03-21, 23:59:18 »

Hi Bruno,

Do NOT use the "remote configuration" in HRD.  All the items to control the radio are in the Remoterig devices - CAT + Audio + Mic + PTT.   The HRD "remote" configuration is a similar thing but you should NOT use it with RemoteRig.

Configure HRD to run on the PC where the radio is located while driving the radio with CAT control through the "radio" RemoteRig box at the PC - the one without the CW knob.

Get that to work before you do anything else.

Unless you have THREE "static ip addresses" allocated to you from your ISP - you will NEVER get these devices to work.  Without a small "internet router", the PC, and the two RemoteRig devices must be on the same "subnet" for anything to work.

Connecting the RemoteRig device directly to the Internet will not work.  IP addresses that are used on the Internet - the static IP you have from your ISP - will not fuction between the two RemoteRig devices without extra configuration.

You need a small Internet Router to redirect and readdress the IP packets from the IP addresses used on the Internet - static or not - to the "private" IP addresses needed for the RemoteRig devices on your private network.

When you take the "control" RemoteRig device - the one with the CW knob - out to another place and connect it to the Internet, it will be allocated an IP address, but you will need to tell it the "static IP address" of the location of the "radio" RemoteRig device.

All these things are explained in the documentation.

I hope I have helped in some way.

Peter VK4IU

2

General discussion forum / Re: Stereo audio - swaps sides.

« on: 2013-03-06, 22:02:11 »

G'Day again,

I have a "sinking feeling" that I may be to blame for the "swap of the audio".

A good nights sleep does wonders for us elderly folk.

I notice on the K3 that BSET - a "front panel" mode for changing parameters on the second receiver - is on the same button as "swap VFOs".

Enough said.

Peter VK4IU

3

General discussion forum / Stereo audio - swaps sides.

« on: 2013-03-06, 11:24:12 »

G'Day,

I wonder if anyone else has experienced the same thing - the streamed RemoteRig stereo audio "swaps sides", left to right, right to left.

I have an Elecraft K3 setup, with a pair of K3/0s remotely connected to a pair of K3/100s in the radio shack via Remoterig devices.  It all works well, with few problems.

The K3/100s have dual receivers and the audio from the receivers comes over the LAN in stereo - four streams in total.

Tonight my stereo headphones are plugged into one of the K3/0, and I am listening to both receivers, each on a different part of the band - the left ear on long path DX into Europe, and the other listening for NCDX beacons on 14.100.

While listening, the audio suddenly swapped sides - left to right, right to left. I did not think much of it, but 15 minutes later it happened again, the audio swapped back.

There is nothing special about the config - no switches, ampifiers or anything between the radios and my ears.  The audio comes out of the SP socket on the radio in the shack, into the RemoteRig, over the LAN, out of the RemoteRig into the SP socket of the K3/0, and out the headphone socket direct to my ears.

Clearly it could be the K3s or the RemoteRig devices.  Yes, the headphones remained ON my head at all times.

Has anyone else experienced such an event with RemoteRig?

Peter VK4IU



 

4

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-03-03, 07:42:13 »

Thanks Jan.

I have replied to the "beta" email.   A second beta with another unique ID would be appreciated.

Enjoy your break.  Happy holidays.

Peter VK4IU

5

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-03-03, 04:04:38 »

G'Day,

The beta version of the RemoteRig firmware, on one of the control end devices, has successfully solved my USB COM port confusion.

Thanks for your efforts, Jan.  What do I need to do to ensure "uniqueness" of the USB ports across all my RemoteRig devices?

For completeness, the following describes what I did.

It is Sunday afternoon here and all weekend I have been - pluging, unplugging, booting, and generally mucking about, making my RemoteRig links bullet proof before starting further serious efforts.

The system has operated continuously for some 36 hours - my usual contest effort - despite all the pushing and pulling of the system.  In the old days, the Sperry mainframe engineers, on commissioning day, walked about banging and thumping the various cabinet frames with a rubber hammer, trying to make something fail.  I did not quite go that far.

The following applies to the "control" end of my RemoteRig K3/0-K3-MK2R+ SO2R configuration.  All is on a local area network at my QTH - no Internet is involved.  At the control end, I am using a DELL Vostro i7 Notebook running Win7 64 bit.

Initially, I turned off both K3/0 radios, unplugged all "control" end RemoteRig devices. 

I uninstalled the Microbit software.   I then installed the Microbit Setup Manager 1.19 and installed the COM port drivers.  I removed/uninstalled all the relevant COM ports from the Win 7 Device Manager.

I plugged in the USB cable for the H/W Rev 6 device and installed the RemoteRig 2.89 Beta firmware.  I then plugged in and  updated the other RemoteRig device, H/W ver 8, to ver 2.88.  This should imply that each RemoteRig device had a "unique" USB identity.

I then proceeded to power up the devices and radios, checking the allocated COM ports.  I used the Properities of the COM ports in Win 7 Device Manager to arrange the COM ports as I prefer.  I then rebooted/restarted/poweroff/on the system numerous times.

The COM port confusion, noted in previous posts in this topic, had been completely removed.  At no point since installing the new beta software to ONE control end RemoteRig device, has there been any COM port confusion.  Everything has worked as I expected - my preferred ports remained allocated and operational despite restarts, and/or power down of any or all devices.  I was able to operate the remote K3 radios with Logic, OmniRig, N1MM, TRX Manager and various test tools of my own - as if I was in the radio shack.

I had issues with Ham Radio Deluxe Ver 6 - HRD sets the rig OK, but update of the VFO display never occurs or was extremely slow.  HRD 6 is a work in progress - still.

I also returned to my other Notebook running Windows Vista.  Again, all the previous confusion was gone, and configuration went quickly and easily.  All but HRD tested as I expected.

Thanks Jan.

Peter VK4IU

6

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-03-01, 10:42:53 »

Yes.  Thankyou.  Got the firmware.

New firmware installed into HW/ VER 6 system.

New COM ports were allocated when the device restarted.  I adjusted the ports to my preferred arrangement, deleted/uninstalled the other hidden ports and rebooted the system while both RemoteRig systems were plugged in and powered on.

No reconfiguration occurred and Logic and OmniRig are operational.  It is all working as I expect.

I shall make the point of rebooting often over the weekend - try to simulate what I would normally do over a more extended period - and report back on my experience.

Thnaks for your efforts, Jan.

Peter VK4IU

7

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: Correct procedure - remote operation.

« on: 2013-03-01, 06:00:52 »

... I have adopted the following procedure.

The RemoteRig devices remain powered at all times.

The radios remain OFF, until the PC is started.

The K3/0 radios are turned on, before any software using the USB com ports is started.

Works for me ... so far.

Peter VK4IU

8

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-03-01, 05:52:57 »

... I could not resist.

To show there is a race going on, I restarted again, but this time I removed the device HW REV 6, and when the system had completed the restart, I plugged it back into the same port.

No re-configuration occured, that Win 7 told me about.

When I plugged the device with H/W Rev 6 in both devices have the original ports I configured.  Left(.169) is left and right(.171) is right.

The set of ports configured when the devices swapped places are now listed as hidden/unconnected devices.

I made no configuration changes, to hardware or software - simple restart only, with delayed plugging of the RemoteRig device with H/W Rev 6.

Peter VK4IU

9

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-03-01, 03:23:51 »

... I have just had occasion to reboot my system again today.  Add Gif Construction Set software - that required a reboot.

USB ports for the H/W Ver 6 are missing - have NOT been configured - the ports are there, but as hidden/unconnected - and the H/W ver 8 system has assumed the ports for the H/W ver 6 system - that is, the ports have reverted back to those two reboots ago.

During the reboot, there is some sort of "race" going on between the two RemoteRig devices - wrt USB.

No changes have been made - just a simple restart of the system.

I will wait further advice before making any changes to the system.

Peter VK4IU

10

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-02-28, 22:22:54 »

G'Day,

Being an SO2R configuration, I call my systems "left" and "right" - but given what has just occured, I will name them by the IP address - 169 and 171.   I'm happy to do any testing you ask for.   The info panels follow.

A change to the USB names would be great.  Windows did not dream up the RRC1258 COMx (COM0/1/2/FSK).    I guess this may be embedded in the INF - Windows does the lot, with never a chance to dynamically change the name.

I did a search of the Registry for one of the names on my system.  What sets the - so called - FriendlyName value for the port?

Peter VK4IU

Address 169 Info Panel is:

Name   Value
Company   Microbit
Product   1258
PID   4
Version   5
HW   6
Software   2.66
Bootloader   1.10
Compiler   4.6.2
Build   Feb 5 2013 14:37:20
ROM/RAM   443952/56800
ETH-RAM   2944 (max 3kB!)
ResetSrc   0 [3]
Uptime   221593
    
Serial number   4217
MAC address   00:1e:fd:01:87:19
IP address   192.168.2.169
Netmask   255.255.255.0
Gateway   192.168.2.139
DNS   192.168.2.46
Wi-Fi network   module not present


Address 171 is:

Name   Value
Company   Microbit
Product   1258
PID   4
Version   7
HW   8
Software   2.66
Bootloader   1.10
Compiler   4.6.2
Build   Feb 5 2013 14:37:20
ROM/RAM   443952/56800
ETH-RAM   2944 (max 3kB!)
ResetSrc   0 [3]
Uptime   219474
    
Serial number   5948
MAC address   00:1e:fd:01:8d:dc
IP address   192.168.2.171
Netmask   255.255.255.0
Gateway   192.168.2.139
DNS   192.168.2.45
Wi-Fi network   module not present

11

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-02-28, 11:43:47 »

The luck has worked - sort of.

The system has been operational for 24 hours.

I needed to reboot the system for reasons not related to the RemoteRig or USB.

As Windows 7 started, one of the RemoteRig devices was reconfigured. 

Suggestion:  a feature request - add a tag to the USB ports names to indicate which box the ports are from - s/n would be nice - or IP number perhaps.

So without touching anything, I started my radio software - Logic, using OmniRig for the com ports.  No changes have been made to any of the software or hardware - just a reboot.

The system is operational, but the radios have swapped places - the ports for the left rig are now in use on the right rig - and vice versa.

The USB ports for the RemoteRig USB devices have been completely swapped.

If think there may be something in the fact that I am using two systems, one H/W Ver 8, and the other H/W ver 6.

Peter VK4IU

12

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-02-27, 01:08:55 »

G'Day,

After a long process I think I have some stability to my configuration.  Touch wood!

As I suspected, the problems seem to have been in the Windows 7 process of allocating COM ports to USB connections.

I proceeded as follows ...

I went to a "hopefully" clean Notebook and Windows Vista.  It was a mistake.  The Notebook had a "modem" that could not be "disabled" in the BIOS and was using COM3.  The issues I ran into were more complex than with the Dell notebook and Win 7.  But, it was a good exercise - the process improved my knowledge about removing, adding, reconfiguring USB devices and COM ports.

I returned to the Dell Win7 64 bit system.  I took Mitch's advice and purged the system of USB devices.  I then carefully rebooted again and again, rebuilding my system with everything apart from the RemoteRig devices.  It was not hard, just tedious, carefully adding USB devices and letting Win 7 re-install them.  Mainly the usual disks, webcams and keyboards and mice etc etc.

The one complication was the Bluetooth system - it adds a "standard Bluetooth modem" which I moved to COM31.

The system was checked extensively to make sure it functioned correctly.

I then made sure the RemoteRig systems were functional by themselves - stereo audio, VFO control, and that the backend to the MK2R+ functioned correctly.

I re-installed RemoteRig Manager with the COM port drivers.  The latest version - 1.17.

I then plugged in a USB 2 hub, directly into a USB 2 port on the Dell, and subsequently each RemoteRig link, one at a time.   The COM ports were allocated OK - 1,2 and 3, and 4,5, and 6, and I set the correct COM ports in my software and all functioned correctly. The FSK ports were moved to 11 and 12.  Everything functioned correctly.

But ... been there done that before.

I followed the same procedure for each of the subsequent reboots ...  unload the logging software, turn off the radios, and power down the PC.  The RemoteRig devices remained powered at all times, and connected via the USB cable at all times.  I used Logic and OmniRig for the tests.

I have two sets of Remote Rig, one set is H/W Rev 6, and the newer set H/W Rev 8.

When I rebooted, the control RemoteRig H/W 6 was re-configured by Win 7 to new COM ports - 13, 10, 9, and 7 for FSK.

I updated to the different ports in OmniRig, loaded Logic, and all tested OK.  PC control of the VFOs, radio control of the VFOs, band changes, stereo audio , and the backend to the MK2R+ for both radios.

I powered down again - all remained plugged in - the RemoteRigs powered at all times.

I started the system - the H/W Rev 6 box again reallocated COM ports - this time to 16,14,15, and 17.  OmnRig goes to port 16 so I simply reset the ports in OmniRig, and again the system tested OK.

This time I unloaded the software, reset the com ports to 4,5,6 and 12, and powered down again.

This time - no re-configuration - all ports remained the same and the system functions correctly.

I have since powered down, restarted the system many, many times.

The system is still functional - touch wood.

Re-configuration has never occurred with the H/W Rev 8 devices.  I find that a little odd.

Throughout, the RemoteRig devices by themselves have worked flawlessly - I have always been able to run the system with the K3/0 frontend radios, and listen to the audio coming across the network.  The only issue has been Win7 and the allocation of COM ports via the USB connection.

I shall add to this topic as necessary.   Please ... please! ... wish me luck.

Peter VK4IU

13

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-02-25, 22:38:08 »

Thank you Jan.

I notice your systems gives nice neat four sequential numbers for the ports - all high numbers.  It confirms for me the problem lies with Win 7, previous use of the com ports, and the "left overs" of the USB system as a whole.  But a method to get consistency is escaping me.

Thanks for your imput Mitch.

I have already set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 and made numerous attempts at removal, moving com ports and rebooting.  Sometimes it all works as one wants - but other times re-allocation occurs.

I note that one of the two RemoteRig devices seems to re-allocate more  often than the other., and the numbers follow odd sequences - rarely 4,5,6,7 more likely 4,9,6,7 and I never see numbers like 16,17,18,19.

So, as I search for a solution, my strategy will be to reset with "devcon remove=USB", avoid all the other USB devices, and work with the RemoteRig devices until I have a stable solution.  I will also try with a "clean-skin" Compaq Notebook I have to check the potential of the 64bit Win 7 Dell as a problem.

In Win7 I see no "show all devices", but there is "View, Show Hidden Devices", which with "devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1" does show what I expect.

I have a GPS attached to my Faros system - another Win XP system.  Windows was insisting that the GPS was a serial mouse.  I am familiar with the "re-enumeration" process that occurs on a Windows reboot count with Plug and Play devices.  I suspect that that process on my Win 7 64 bit system might be having some affect as well.

Peter VK4IU

14

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-02-25, 02:31:15 »

... Windows 7 did it again.

WIN 7 reconfigured the coms ports, so I was prompted to write the first item in this topic.

After writing the topic, I then went back to my system, deleted the "hidden devices" Win 7 ignored, and reallocated the com ports as I wanted - that is used "Properities, Port Settings, Advanced" and changed the port number to "my" port selection.

I then rebooted the PC to ensure I would be consistent over time.  All devices remained powered.

On reboot, Win 7 reallocated the port numbers, of the second RemoteRig devices, turning my selections again into "hidden devices".

Why don't I just leave Windows set the port numbers?  Good question.

N1MM will not use ports above 8 - legacy software.  TRX Manager limits one to 1 to 16. OmniRig limits one to 1 to 20.  MMTTY allows 1 to 16 for FSK.

I want the RemoteRig ports to use 1 to 3, and 4 to 6, with FSK devices above 8.  That leaves some flexibility below 8 for other devices - a WinKey link, a link to the MK2R+ for N1MM.

Attached is a snap of the latest confusion - notice that Win 7 has allocated the FSK port to COM9 already allocated to the phone.

Peter VK4IU

15

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Correct procedure - remote operation.

« on: 2013-02-25, 01:46:25 »

G'Day,

I have a K3-K3/0 based SO2R operation running two sets of RemoteRig devices.  It all works well, apart from some issues related to COM port allocation to the remote end USB devices see topic "SO2R config - USB COM port confusion".

What is the recommend start-up procedure - with regard to starting stopping, power on/off - for the RemoteRig devices, radios, and control PCs  at the remote end.

Currently, all remains powered, and the POWER button on the K3/0 is used to power on/off the radio K3.

Assuming ones system has been configure for correct operation - and tested as such.

If the complete remote system is powered down ... what is the correct or recommended procedure to consistently restart the system?

Peter VK4IU