Sending FT-1000MP VFO Control Commands
from TR
An
alternative and somewhat simpler approach to setting up the TR memories to
issue control function commands to the 1000MP has been appended to the end of
this original description. One advantage
of the second approach is that the commands are retained within the TR Log .cfg file after closing the TR logging software.
CAUTION
The following
instructions implement
CAT control of the FT-1000MP from within TR Log software when running in a
“pure” DOS environment, i.e. not from within Windows. My logging computers are both
486XDX50 machines, one a laptop and one a desktop. I have no idea of
whether or not this procedure will function on other machines or under other
operating systems.
Also be sure to read the comments below
regarding the TR Configuration file.
The purpose
of this set of commands two-fold:
1.
Allow keyboard control of the DUAL
function of the MP, i.e. pressing the F11 key turns on the DUAL
function and pressing the F12 key turns it off. This is independent of the whether TR is in
the CQ mode or the EXCHANGE mode.
2.
Allow the
3.
In addition there is an option for
the CLARIFIER to be set to zero at anytime when TR is in the CQ mode by
simply pressing the F8 key.
The
operating procedures are as follows:
1.
Press
the F11 key to turn on the DUAL function of the MP.
2.
The MAIN
receiver is set to the RUN frequency.
The ENTER key is used to send CQ.
The RUN frequency is being monitored in the left earpiece of the stereo
headset.
3.
While
CQing, AND DURING THE INTERVALS BETWEEN CQs,
the SUB receiver is being used to search for
stations that are calling CQ elsewhere on the band by listening with the right
earpiece of the stereo headset.
4.
Once
a CQing station is found with the SUB
receiver the call sign can be checked to see whether or not it is a dupe on
the band. If not, the station can be worked using the F10 key.
5.
Verify
that there is no response your last CQ on the RUN frequency. Confirm that the CQing
station is still calling and not occupied with an exchange. Press the F10
key. This puts the MAIN
receiver on the CQing station’s frequency, AND
switches TR into the S&P mode.
6.
Press
the ENTER key
to drop in your call (use the F1 key if several trys
are needed). When the CQing station returns to you,
copy the exchange and press the ENTER key again to send your
exchange.
7.
When
the CQing station has confirmed the exchange, press
the F10 key. This will return the MAIN receiver to your CQ
frequency and put TR in the CQ mode.
8.
Press
the ENTER key to resume CQing … unlike the
2-Radio scheme the CQ on the RUN frequency does not resume automatically.
9.
Continue
to search the band with the SUB receiver.
10. Note that the F10 key actually
implements two different TR memories.
The first F10 keystroke is the F10 CQ MEMORY and the second
keystroke is the F10 EXCHANGE MEMORY.
11. Use the F12 key to turn off the DUAL
function whenever the SUB receiver is not being used to S&P or to eliminate
confusion when copying a weak signal exchange.
12.
Pressing the F8 key will
reset the CLARIFIER to zero when TR is in the CQ mode. This is
particularly useful when a station answers a CQ well off the transmit frequency
requiring a large offset with the CLARIFIER control. Zeroing the CLARIFIER
with the F8 key prevents inadvertently listening far from the transmit
frequency following a subsequent CQ.
TR
Configuration File
1.
Be
sure that neither the AUTO S&P ENABLE or the
SPRINT QSY RULE commands are set to “True” in the .cfg
file. This prevents the MAIN
receiver from going into the S&P mode when swapped “back” from the SUB
receiver.
2.
If TR
does not recognize the F11 and F12 keys, put the USE BIOS KEY CALLS = False
command in the .cfg file.
3. Use CTRL-J to edit the .cfg file from
within TR
How to
Program TR Log
1.
The basic TR command used is:
CTRL-C SRS1= "string" CTRL-D
2.
Each
element of this command, i.e. each of the CTRL-
characters and each element in the “string” must be preceeded
by CTRL-P entered from the keyboard ( i.e. hold down CTRL key and press the P
key )
To program
the F11 key to turn the DUAL function to On:
3.
Run
TR. From the TR logging screen enter
ALT-P
4.
Press
C to program a CQ function key
5.
Press
the F11 function key on the keyboard
6.
Following
the “ Msg = ” enter:
CTRL-C SRS1 = NULL NULL NULL CTRL-A HEX83 CTRL-D
Start with CTRL-C (proceeded by CTRL-P)
Type
SRS1= (NO CTRL-P needed)
The NULL is created by entering:
CTRL-SHIFT-@
( i.e. Hold down CTRL and SHIFT at the same time and press @ )
Remember to preceed each NULL with a
CTRL-P
Enter CTRL-A (preceeded by CTRL-P)
The HEX83 is created by:
a.
First
do CTRL-P
b.
Turn
On the NumLock using the NumLock
key on the Keypad
c.
Hold
down the ALT key
d.
Enter
1 3 1 using the Keypad numeral keys
e.
Turn
Off the NumLock
Finish with CTRL-D (preceeded
by CTRL-P)
This will
put a command line at the end of your .cfg file which
reads:
CQ MEMORY
F11 = [ various
characters and graphics elements ]
To program
the F12 key to turn the DUAL function to Off:
7.
From
the TR logging screen enter ALT-P
8.
Press
C to program a CQ function key
9.
Press
the F12 function key on the keyboard
10. Following the “ Msg
= ” enter:
CTRL-C SRS1 = NULL NULL NULL NULL HEX83 CTRL-D
Enter the various characters exactly as before. Notice that this command has four (4) NULL
characters and does not have the CTRL-A.
This will
put a command line at the end of your .cfg file which
reads:
CQ MEMORY
F12 = [ various
characters and graphics elements ]
To program
the F10 key to “Swap” the
While in the
CQ mode the frequency from the SUB receiver can be swapped with
that of the MAIN receiver AND the MAIN receiver
placed in the S&P mode as follows:
11. From the TR logging screen enter ALT-P
12. Press C to program a CQ function key
13. Press the F10 function key on the keyboard
14. Following the “ Msg
= ” enter:
CTRL-C SRS1=
NULL NULL NULL CTRL-A
CTRL-E CTRL-D CTRL-C SAPMODE CTRL-D
All
characters are preceeded by CTRL-P. The “SRS1=” and “SAPMODE” are NOT proceeded
by CTRL-P.
To swap the
receiver frequencies back to the original settings AND to revert from the
Exchange (S&P) mode back to the CQ mode:
15. From the TR logging screen enter ALT-P
16. Press E to program a Exchange function key
17. Press the F10 function key on the keyboard
18. Following the “ Msg
= ” enter:
CTRL-C
CQMODE CTRL-D CTRL-C SRS1= NULL NULL NULL CTRL-A CTRL-E CTRL-D
All
characters are proceeded by CTRL-P. The “CQMODE=” and “SRS1=” are NOT proceeded
by CTRL-P.
This will
put two command lines at the end of your .cfg file
which read:
CQ MEMORY
F10 = [ various
characters and graphics elements ]
EX MEMORY F10=
[ various characters and graphics elements ]
All command
entries should be on the same line. None of the commands or characters are case sensitive.
To program
the F8 key to Clear (reset to zero) the Clarifier (RIT)
1.
Run
TR. From the TR logging screen enter
ALT-P
2.
Press
C to program a CQ function key
3.
Press
the F8 function key on the keyboard
4.
On
the line following the “ Msg = ” enter:
CTRL-C SRS1 = NULL NULL NULL HEXFF CTRL-I CTRL-D
Start with CTRL-C (proceeded by CTRL-P)
Type
SRS1= (NO CTRL-P needed)
The NULL is created by entering:
CTRL-SHIFT-@
( i.e. Hold down CTRL and SHIFT at the same time and press @ )
Remember to preceed each NULL with a
CTRL-P
The HEXFF is created by:
a.
First
do CTRL-P
b.
Turn On
the NumLock using the NumLock
key on the Keypad
c.
Hold
down the ALT key
d.
Enter
2 5 5 using the Keypad numeral keys
e.
Turn
Off the NumLock
Enter CTRL-I (proceeded by CTRL-P)
Finish with CTRL-D (preceeded
by CTRL-P)
An
Alternative Method of Programming TR Log
Rather than
use the ALT-P option within TR to program the memories, a DOS editor can be
used to include the following command lines in the TR configuration file:
use bios
key calls = false
[See “TR
Configuration File” above. This enables
the F11 & F12 keys.]
cq memory f6 =
<03>SRS1=<00><00><00><01><09><04> ;
Clarifier On
cq memory f7 =
<03>SRS1=<00><00><00><00><09><04> ;
Clarifier Off
cq memory f8 =
<03>SRS1=<00><00><00><ff><09><04> ;
Clarifier Clear
cq memory f11 =
<03>SRS1=<00><00><00><01><83><04> ; Dual On
cq memory f12 =
<03>SRS1=<00><00><00><00><83><04> ; Dual Off
cq memory f10
=<03>SRS1=<00><00><00><01><05><04><03>SAPMODE<04>
ex
memory f10
=<03>CQMODE<04><03>SRS1=<00><00><00><01><05><04>
[F10 is the VFO “Swap”
command as detailed in the original description.]
NOTE:
Choice of
which function keys to program is up to the user. CQ memories f1 to f5 and f9 and Exchange
memories f1to f3 and f9 are usually reserved for conventional TR Log messages.
DISCLAIMER
Nothing of
the above is unique, nor is it in any way an elegant approach to the task. It appears to be functional and
reliable. Anyone who wished to improve,
expand or augment it is welcome to do so.
I would like to be kept informed in the event others ask about it.
Joe, W5ASP