OPERATING TIPS FOR MS_DSP (04/98 - revision 4) INTRODUCTION MS_DSP (Meteor Scatter using Digital Signal Processing), by 9A4GL, is the High Speed CW Meteor Scatter program most used in North America at this time. It is a DOS program, but may also run in a full-screen DOS window of W 3.1 or W95, though there will be problems. It will not run under W-NT (if you use NT, you must bypass it, going directly to DOS). Also, this is a Beta version and may have some bugs. MS_DSP is copyrighted freeware; but if you use it, a donation is requested by the author. See the MSDSP Manual for his mailing address. Note that some of the bugs in the older versions of MSDSP seem to be hardware-specific. That is, they may cause problems on one seemingly compatible computer but do not cause problems on most other similar computers. The reasons for these problems are not known. Most of these bugs seem to have been eliminated in V. 0.70. See the end of this paper for a list of known bugs. MSDSP requires a true Creative Labs SoundBlaster SB-16 type audio board, as do most if not all of the other DSP-type programs. It seems to work well on computers using the ESS Technologies chip set, including laptops. Several "True SB clones" also seem to work, but no list is available at this time. Other requirements are a '386 or higher processor, DOS 6 or higher (it is unknown if DOS 5 works), 4 MB RAM, VGA graphic card, and memory manager. 16 MB of RAM is recommended, as is a fast processor; but it will run with less. The SB environment variables must be set up as described below (but these are the settings most commonly used on various computers). There are several versions of MSDSP currently in use. In fact, you should still find 3 different versions available on the 9A4GL Web site. V. 0.34 is receive only, but runs very smoothly. V. 0.51 is the version most used in the past. It also has a transmit function, but it "crashes" occasionally and the left-right audio channels reverse themselves often. The current version is V. 0.70. Each newer version has fewer bugs and has more enhancements. However, it is always possible that one of the changes has introduced a new, unexpected bug. So please occasionally check the Announcements and the MSDSP section (found under Hardware and Software Tools) of the W6/PA0ZN Web site at for updates. Remember that things are changing so rapidly in HSCW that it is impossible to keep everything up to date! Also, Tihomir has plans for a Windows 95/NT version, possibly later this year. Again, watch for announcements and updates. These "Tips" are primarily based on Beta Version 0.70. They are not meant to replace the MS_DSP Manual, but rather to supplement it with further helps and suggestions. Also, the suggestions found here are not necessarily the same as the recommended settings found in the Manual. These "Tips" are based on actual on-air use of MSDSP by about six stations, beginning with Version 0.34 to the present. Experiment with the settings and use the ones that work best for you and your system, as each system seems to operate somewhat differently with this program. In other words, what works best for someone else may or may not be the best for you. ENVIRONMENT MSDSP requires a specific environment for the SoundBlaster board to work. These are: address 220h, IRQ 5, and DMA 1. (Later versions of MSDSP may run with DMA's other than 1). The remainder of the audio board variables are not important to the running of MSDSP, but may be for other programs that you use. IRQ conflicts are very common. Even though MSDSP uses the most common settings, some computers do not come configured with these. If you need to change your computer's set-up and can't figure out how to do it using your DOS manual, you should obtain help from someone who is familiar with this procedure. It is suggested that MSDSP be run in pure DOS first. Once this is accomplished, it can be run from a DOS session under Windows with possible success. However, the PTT signaling does not work except under pure DOS; and this in itself is a major reason for staying with pure DOS for actual operating. Running under pure DOS will require that the DOS sound card PnP Configuration Manager be installed along with a standard mouse driver. The sound card Configuration Manager must be run in order to set up the address and control registers in the sound card prior to running a program like MSDSP which needs direct software access to the card. Drivers and patches for the SB boards are found in the "drivers and patches" section while CTCM is in the "utilities" section at . If you are running one of the PnP SB cards you need CTCU and CTCM. MS_DSP V. 0.70 does not require any Windows or DOS sound card drivers. The "driver" code is embedded in the MSDSP application. It does require a DOS mouse driver, however, as well as some way to execute the PnP initialization for the sound card. There are considerable variations in the different Creative Labs sound cards. Details on particular SoundBlaster sound cards are available at the Creative Labs Web site where they are described by model number. The model number of a SB card will look like "CTxxxx" and is usually silk- screened on the component side of the board. Additional sub-model info is an ink stamp on the solder side, and instructions for deciphering the sub- model are also at the Creative Labs site: . See "how to identify a product" and "audio cards". If you are running DOS 6x and W3.1x and have a SB board, you probably already have everything you need, plus the background to get it to run. If you have never run anything but W95, you may need additional assistance. You will find guidance for configuring MS-DOS-based applications on your Win95 CD. The path to the file is WIN95CD/Admin/Reskit/helpfile/ and in there is the "Win95rk.hlp". Open this help file and display the "Contents" tab. Double-click on "System Configuration" then on "Application Support", then on "Configuring MS-DOS- Based Applications". Under this heading, the item "Setting Properties for..." describes in detail how to set up custom autoexec.bat and config.sys files for each DOS application you need to run which may need any kind of special treatment (such as MSDSP). These custom autoexec and config files are invoked only for the application they are linked to and do not in any way effect the normal operation of the Win95 GUI. You will probably also have to go to the CL Web site to download the necessary SB files (above). If you are running a Plug and Play SB audio board and the settings are wrong, first attempt to use your software to make any necessary changes. If, after all your attempts, you cannot use your software to force the computer to set the audio board properly, there is one other possible solution (but you really need more help than this paper can give). Turn off the computer, open it up, and remove everything but the video card and the audio card. Turn it back on and use the software to properly set up the audio card. If this succeeds, turn the computer off and re-install the other boards. Now the PnP software should set up the other boards, leaving the audio board's settings unchanged. This is a procedure that should be used only as a last resort. The Plug and Play "simplification" will sometimes prevent the proper settings from being used, but will usually put things into their proper place. If you do not have a true SB audio board, see if the audio board you have will work, as a few "true clones" have been found that would work fine. Be certain that the environment is set correctly, using the set-up programs that came with that brand of board. If it doesn't work, you might even try downloading an appropriate set of SB files from the CL Web site and try them. It is not known whether this would work, and it may not be worth the effort, especially if you are not that familiar with your computer. If it is determined that you do not have a true SB audio board, the only solution may be to attempt to locate one. Some models are currently available for under $50 at various locations. If you have a true SB board but MSDSP will not run, attempt to find and correct the problem. There are several operators on HSCW who have quite a bit of experience with MSDSP; feel free to put your problems (with as much information as possible concerning both the problems and also your computer system) on the HSCW reflector. Note that MSDSP uses the Left Channel of the Line In jack for Recording. Several older SB-16 boards have been found to have a weak Line In Left Channel. Check your "mixer" settings, both with the DOS mixer and the Windows mixer. If you don't seem to have enough audio, try the Mike jack. Also, it has been found that some of the older Creative Labs files cause the Left Channel Line In to appear weak. You may wish to go to the Creative Labs Web site (see above) and download a newer set of programs if this seems to be a problem. INITIAL SET-UP First, download the latest version of MS_DSP from or the mirror site under the W6/PA0ZN HSCW Hub Web site at (under the "Hardware and Software Tools" section). (If these URLs don't work, check the W6/PA0ZN Web site Announcements). If there are any separate Document files for MSDSP, also download them. Put the ZIPped file into its own directory and unzip the files. Save the original ZIPped program, even if another version is released. These are "Beta" versions. So it is always possible that an older version will work better for you. Read its Manual and any other text files or tips suggested by others. You should print out the Manual, as you will need to refer to it often at first. (These "Tips" are not designed to replace the Manual, but rather to supplement it). MSDSP is a complex program with many features. It is very easy to learn and use, but it will require actual on-air use before you really can receive properly with it! While these "Tips" follow the North American HSCW standards and Procedures, nearly everything except a few details of the actual on-air operating should be the same for Europe. Before trying to Run MSDSP, note that the newer versions of MSDSP do not have a working .INI file with them (so the program will not run until this file is prepared). Rather, they have two files, named MS_DSP.INA and MS_DSP.INE. If you live in the Western Hemisphere, make a copy of MS_DSP.INA, naming it MS_DSP.INI, and edit this copy (see below). If you live in Europe, use the MS_DSP.INE, copy it as MS_DSP.INI, and edit it. The reason is that North America and Europe use different procedures for HSCW. The INA file contains standard operating procedures for America, while the INE file is tailored for Europe. You will need to edit the file, using any standard ASCII text editor, to at least insert your call. After you become familiar with the program, you will no doubt wish to edit several more of the lines so that the program will come up in the manner that you personally prefer. Run the program in DOS and watch the monitor. (Do not try to run it in a DOS Window until you are sure it runs OK in DOS. If you have never used anything but W95, see notes above). If, on checking out your system, it finds everything it needs, you should have a screen full of information and a statement to "press any key to start MS_DSP". If you do not get that far and the screen has some information on it, see if there is a statement telling you what the problem is. If you have a slow computer or one with less memory, you will probably have to edit one or more of the values in the first few lines of MS_DSP.INI to enable the program to load and start. See below, and also the instructions in the .INI files, for suggestions on what settings to actually use. Be sure to also download the "Procedures" file from the W6/PA0ZN Web site at to understand the North American HSCW Procedures. For Europeans, there is a link from the W6/PA0ZN Web site to the Region I standards and procedures. If you are able to start the program and get to the main screen, go ahead and experiment with it, using the Manual and these tips. If it says that you have a specific problem, perhaps some of the information to follow will help. (NOTE - the 0.6x and 70 Versions have no Receive Audio until you are in the Record mode. Don't let this make you think the program is not working). EDITING MS_DSP.INI Before using MSDSP, you will have to put the INI file into a text (ASCII) editor and make a few changes. Here are some settings you may wish to use for a start. (If you are in North America, load the MS_DSP.INA file, edit it properly, then do a 'SAVE AS', naming it MS_DSP.INI. If you are in Europe, load MS_DSP.INE, edit it properly, then do a 'SAVE AS', naming it MS_DSP.INI). If you're in a hurry to see if it will actually run on your computer, just edit the "My Call" line and do the "Save As". You can edit the other parts later. . This can be set for 6000, 8000, 11025, 22050, or even 44100 (if you have a fast computer). Start with 22050. Use the highest SampleRate possible, but note that many computers will not run at 44100. . Try this value first. . Try 100000 or 200000 (yes, that's 100,000 or 200,000), as seems to work well for most. Again, once you are familiar with the actual on-air use of the program, you will wish to experiment with changes in a number of these. Lower values run faster, but make pings harder to see. If you have a slow computer, you will have to test the program and make a compromise here. . Try Red=63, Green=5, Blue=25. If this isn't pleasing or you find it hard to see, make up your own color combination. . Use 1 if you have a math co-processor. . This must be set for your reaction time. A larger number gives you more time to react and hit the space bar when you hear a ping. But if the time is too large, the ping will be located too far from the beginning of the receive buffer. Start with about 1000, then get some experience. . The transmit speed in Letters Per Minute (lpm = wpm x 5) at which the program will start. This should be set to the speed you most commonly use. It can be changed in real time from the main screen, so set it to 1000-2000 if you're new to HSCW, 2000-6000 if you already have experience. . This is the tone sent to the transmitter's mike jack. 2000 Hz is the standard in North America. There are some technical and operational reasons for this particular tone. It is recommended that you stay with this frequency unless you are testing your equipment or have specific reasons for using a different pitch. (Above 8000 lpm, you should attempt to use 2500 Hz). In Europe, lower tones are often used at this time. . 0-NONE, 1-COM1, 2-COM2, 3-COM3, 4-COM4, 5-LPT1, 6-LPT2. The port from which the PTT (Transmit) line will be activated). For using the PTT line, you need a simple interface. See below for more, and see the diagrams on the W6/PA0ZN and N1BUG Web pages. . Defines if PTT switching is active. Set it to 0 until you're ready to try the PTT line. . Defines the delay time in milliseconds between switching PTT line and starting to transmit. This is to allow adequate switching time to protect the receive pre-amp when using an amplifier. . Obviously, put your own call in here. (If you have a visiting operator, this can also be changed from the main screen). . Leave on 1 for North America. . To cause MSDSP to start Recording after transmission period finished. Use 1. . Should be on 1. (By disabling the period from the front screen, it can record continually, making it easier to monitor for CQ's, etc.). However, note that MSDSP will usually crash or lock up when the period is turned Off from the main screen. Exactly when this happens seems to vary with the computer. If it happens, set the ForceVESA=1. Also try changing the values in the SampleRate, PlayBuffer, and PixelDensity. None of these changes are likely to cure the problem, but one of them might make it better. . Use LineIn (1) if possible. If this does not work properly, try Mike. (Note that the many of the SB Mixers have an AGC on the mike, which is a mono input). . You will have to experiment with these three. Start with all three about 12-15. . Must be 3 (and you must have a stereo SB board). . You will have to experiment with these three. Start with all three about 12-15. WaveChannel=3>. Use 3. . You will have to experiment. Start with about 12-15. Change if necessary. . Depending on a number of factors, including expected changes in the program, you may have to experiment with this. Try 3 first (and you must have a stereo SB board). If that doesn't work correctly, try 1. For the TX1 thru TX6 buffers, leave them as they are until you understand how you might wish to modify them (the main screen will show you what you will actually be transmitting from each buffer). Just remember that there are standard procedures for HSCW, just as there are for anything else. Those for HSCW are NOT the same as they are for SSB or slow CW; and they are not the same in Europe as they are in America. However, these procedures are still evolving and changing. To be sure that you are up to date, see the latest "Procedures" paper on the W6/PA0ZN Web site for North America, or the appropriate Web site for the latest Region 1 HSCW Procedures. (Remember, the object of HSCW is speed. Don't repeat already-received information!) PHYSICAL HOOK-UP This program uses a very simple hookup. However, only approximate component values can be given. You will need to determine empirically ("cut and try") and see what works best for your particular equipment's needs. Diagrams of the simplest transmit and receive hookups are available on the W6/PA0ZN and N1BUG Web pages, as well as a slightly "fancier" transmit interface and a PTT interface. RECEIVE. Run a shielded line from the audio output of the receiver to the Line Input of the SB audio board, with a small series capacitor in the line. You can pick the audio off of the speaker jack, headphone jack, or some other audio output point, depending upon your particular rig and your preferences. See what works best. If possible, use the SB board's Line In jack. This will give you the maximum amount of control. If the level is too low, try the Mike jack, after dropping the audio to the proper level. Note - you may have a program that gives you access to a mixer's gain settings control panel (MIXERSET.EXE or something similar). If you can't find any documentation on this, change to the SB board's directory (probably VIBRA16 or something dealing with Creative Labs) and look for an executable program that sounds like it might be the correct one. Run it, and if you get the "mixer" program, check the various settings. MSDSP will change many of the settings of this program. When you exit MSDSP, it may leave the mixer's settings in positions that make it unusable for other programs. You can go back to MIXERSET and reset the controls. You can also make a simple .BAT file that will do this automatically when you exit MSDSP. (With some Creative Labs audio boards, changing to the proper directory and giving the command MIXERSET /Q /P will reset it to the settings found in the CTMIX.CFG file. Again, consider using a .BAT file for all of this). You will want to receive the HSCW signals at the highest practicable pitch (Ca. 1200-2000 Hz) for optimum playback. To pass these high pitches, help remove hum, drop the level, and remove any DC component, put a capacitor in series with the audio line from the receiver. The value will have to be determined experimentally. If you also use the computer with other DSP programs (FFTDSP, etc., which are usually used with much lower tones), you may want to include a two-position switch to change the value of the series capacitor. You may also want to try an isolation transformer. PLAYBACK AND TRANSMIT (AUDIO OUT LINES). You will need a shielded stereo line to hook to the output of your audio board. One channel is used to carry the tone that goes to the transmitter's mike jack, the other channel carries the receive and playback audio. The latest version uses the Left Channel for Receive and Playback, the Right Channel for the Transmit Tone. It is possible that these channels may be reversed on earlier versions of MSDSP and/or with other audio boards. RECEIVE/PLAYBACK. Most computers use an outboard speaker and amplifier system. For the receive/playback channel line, you will need to run a shielded line to the amp. You will probably want to strap the input of the two channels of the amp in parallel (mono) for this type of operation. Most people have found it best to then put a closed-circuit stereo phone jack in the speaker/amp case and plug a pair of inexpensive "hi-fi" headphones (sold everywhere for use with "Walkman" type audio equipment). If your setup is different or you have other preferences, again see what works best for you. (Some have said that you need to include a 100-Ohm resistor in each of the lines going to the phones. We do not at this time have anything further on this. But if you have extreme distortion or feedback problems, try them). If you are running high power, you will need to add as much shielding and filtering as possible to keep the transmitted signal out of the audio amplifier. TRANSMIT. Run a shielded line from the other output channel's line through a small capacitor to the rig's mike jack. (If your transmitter has an AFSK or data audio input, you may wish to try this). Again, the value of the cap will have to be determined experimentally. Using a dummy load (turn the Speech Processor OFF and leave it off for HSCW operation), see how hard the mike drives the rig for normal SSB operation. Hook up the computer's line, set the transmit tone frequency to 2000 Hz, and see how hard the tones from MSDSP drive the rig at the same mike gain setting. Adjust the series cap, keeping the output from the rig at a slightly lower level than that used for SSB voice operation. You can also use MSDSP's Mixer to make changes in the transmit tone's level, as well as using the transmitter's mike gain control. Start with .01 or .001, then experiment. You may also wish to use an isolation transformer in this line. (Note - the duty cycle of HSCW is very close to 50%, which is considerably higher than speech. Even though you have the transmitter set for SSB, the duty cycle is that of CW. Some rigs will overheat if the power is not reduced). When you play the transmit audio through an audio amplifier and slow the speed down, you may notice some pops. When run at normal HSCW speeds, fed thru a series cap, and transmitted, the pops seem to be below the level of the transmitted tones. Also, the current versions (V 0.70) have some distortion on the transmit tone. The exact distortion depends on the transmit tone used and also on the SampleRate used. Experimentation is continuing on this problem, but it is not severe enough to restrict full on-air use of the program. (Use the highest SampleRate possible with your computer system). There is also distortion on the playback signal; but this is far below the "expected distortion" of slowing the signal down by many times. Again, use the highest SampleRate possible. THE PTT LINE. The newest versions of MSDSP (V 0.65-Alpha on) allow use of any of the 4 COM ports to key a PTT line. The COM ports use the RTS line. You will see a voltage change from - to + between RTS (pin 7) and Gnd (pin 5) of 9-pin plug on transmit. (On a 25 pin plug, RTS is pin 4, Gnd is pin 7). The LPT ports also switch using Data-0 (pin 2) to ground (pins 18 thru 25). A simple voltmeter can be used to check the change in voltage level/polarity. But be very careful not to short anything out. The voltage and current available between the RTS pin and the ground pin can drive a small NPN transistor. A 4000 to 10,000 ohm resistor is placed between the RTS pin and the transistor base. The COM port ground pin, and also the PTT ground, are hooked to the emitter, and the hot (+) line of the transmitter's PTT line is hooked to the collector. (You could also hook a 10,000 ohm from the base to ground to insure turn-off on receive). These hookups are about as simple as you can get, requiring no other power sources. (The 10 mA available from the serial port will also drive a sensitive reed relay through a diode. This may be simpler for some to use if only one PTT line is needed). An interface similar to the one suggested for the serial ports should also work for the LPT port (with a slightly smaller resistor). However, it MUST have a series "safety" switch in the line, or you will be on transmit at times when you do not wish to be! For other interfaces, see the N1BUG Web site for suggested circuits. It is a very good idea to put a switch in the PTT line, even if you are using a COM port, as it is possible for the program to crash or for the computer to lock up in an unexpected way. That is, the computer could lock up in the transmit sequence with the key down. Also, pulses are sent to the COM ports at other times. So include a "safety" switch. You may even wish to make a transmit interface box to hold the series capacitor for the keying line (perhaps with a switch to give a choice of caps), the "safety" switch, and a manual Transmit switch. Several stations have found this to be a very useful addition for MSDSP operation, especially if more than one transmitter is used, perhaps for different bands. A possible circuit is on the Web sites. Remember that this is a DOS program. While it will run in a full-screen DOS Window, the PTT line does not work when running under Windows. (If you absolutely must operate using Windows and you want full automatic capability, you could either use your rig's VOX or build a simple VOX unit. Schematics should be on the Web [try KM5PO/KD5BUR and N1BUG], or check the simple kits in some of the catalogs). If you have operated MS on either SSB or slow-speed CW, you will find that running MSDSP in full automatic is a real joy! It relieves much of the work, but does require an accurately-set computer clock! Perhaps ClockWork or one of the other programs for resetting your computer's clock would be a good idea. Check your computer clock before each series of skeds! For HSCW operation, +/- 1 or 2 seconds is adequate (for SSB MS, it must be closer). On the right side of the screen there is a TUNe button. Clicking on this button keys the PTT line and also puts a steady tone on the keying line, giving a key-down signal for checking transmitter tuning and peak power output. Be careful not to overuse this feature. RECEIVING WITH MSDSP If you have the program running, the main thing is to play with it and gain experience. But your experience will be severely limited without actual on-air HSCW signals to monitor! While you can learn to use the program, you will find that you are very inefficient until you actually have run two or three schedules. So print out the keyboard commands, try everything, download some "practice pings" from one of the HSCW Web sites and experiment with them. But then get a sked at a good MS distance. Even if you aren't very sure of yourself or are not really familiar with MS operation, go ahead. First, though, go the main HSCW Hub Web site of W6/PA0ZN (URL in Introduction section) and download and study the "Procedures" and the two "FAQ" papers. (If you're in Europe, find the link to the Region I procedures and download that, also). Then request a sked (on the HSCW Reflector, probably, if you are in North America). Tell the other station that you are still setting up and need help, and discuss things with him. Most ops will be very happy to run a series of skeds with you, helping you set up and practice. If you study the above-mentioned papers and the two of you are able to hear each other, after one or two skeds you should be ready for full operation! HSCW is no more difficult than SSB MS, EME, or any other weak-signal mode. But this program (and the procedures) are different than anything else you've tried before. USING WAVE FILES WITH MSDSP. Go to the directory where MSDSP is stored. See if you have a sub-directory named WAV. If not, create a new sub-directory, WAV, under MSDSP. This is where all wave files will be stored. Most of the HSCW Web sites have some HSCW pings saved as .WAV files. Some of these are sample signals from QSOs; some may be from historic North American HSCW QSOs; some may be exceptionally good pings; or some may be weak, short, hard-to-copy "typical" pings loaded especially for practice. Download several of these, of different types, speeds, and strengths, and move them to the WAV subdirectory. You can use these to practice copying and setting the proper playback speeds and tones, for the signal will sound very different from what you are used to! (For example, you will find that the background noise has a very "filtered" sound). RECEIVING with MSDSP is simple. Set the receiver's audio level. (On the later versions, you will not have any Receive audio until you put the program into the Record mode). Be sure that you're on the correct frequency (two kHz lower than the Zero Beat frequency of your schedule - see the Procedures paper for more on frequencies) and in USB Mode, and set the receiver's IF Shift for high-pitched white noise. Set the Playback Speed and Tone. The playback speed setting will depend upon the transmit speed used, your abilities, and how good the signals are. So you will have to experiment with this. For 4000 lpm, try a speed reduction of about -30x to -40x for a start. The playback tone you use will depend upon many factors; try about 1000 Hz to begin with. Hit F9 (or use the Mouse) to go to the Main Receive Buffer, if you are not already there. You may want to hit Delete to clear the buffer. Hit "R" to start recording. When you hear a ping, IMMEDIATELY hit the Space Bar to mark it. You will see a faint blue box starting about one second before the location of the ping and extending for about another 15 seconds in the Main Receive Buffer. When the ping has disappeared, hit the Enter key to copy the marked portion into the next open small buffer. (See the Manual for other keystrokes and keyboard routines). If a ping catches you by surprise and you fail to mark it properly, you can still save it. Put the Mouse Pointer just before the ping, hit the Left Mouse Button to Mark it, then hit Enter. Or, if you marked it with the Space Bar, but marked it too late, first put the mouse pointer just before the ping, and then hit Enter to put it into the next available buffer. This is one of the reasons that actual on-air operation is the only type of practice that will actually give you a true feeling for HSCW operation. If you need to scan the entire buffer, remember that this can be done at normal speed, or even at a 4-times speed up! When it is time to transmit, hit the proper number key or use the mouse and left-click on the proper Send box (recording stops automatically). If you are running in automatic, the changeover will be done for you. If you have saved one or more pings, then hit the proper Function key to bring up that receive buffer. If you know that you have a particularly good ping, start with that buffer. Otherwise, start with the LAST filled buffer and work back. There are two reasons for this - you have only 8 small buffers available, and you will have trouble remembering which buffer contains the last received pings if you already have several buffers in use and you start with Buffer Number 1; and second, the station may very well have changed his message content during the last half of his transmit period, depending upon what he has just received. So start with the last buffer and work back toward the first. If you get more than two or three pings per minute, you will tend to fill up all 8 of the receive buffers until you get more on-air experience. If the screen takes too long to update when you are changing and clearing buffers, go back to the MS_DSP.INI file and change the PixelDensity to something lower. NOTE - You must be sure that your decode speed is approximately correct for the transmit speed being received. It has been found that if you try to decode HSCW and you are set up much too fast or too slow, not only will not be able to copy the code, you will not even be able to tell whether they are sending much faster or much slower than you are trying to receive! For starters, try 10x for 1000 lpm, 20x for 2000 lpm, 30x for 4000 lpm, 60x for 8000 lpm, etc., then adjust it for what you need. When you bring up a receive buffer, you should see the little pip representing the ping. If it is right at the very beginning of the buffer, hit "P" and Play it. If it is in very far, put the mouse pointer immediately before the pip and hit the RIGHT mouse button. This should mark the spot so that you can use the "I" key to Pick and play back from that location, thus saving considerable time. Note that you can use the mouse to change speed, change tone, play at full speed, play without heterodyning the audio tone, etc. You can also use the Middle mouse button to toggle both speed and tone (see the Manual for more). When you have copied everything available from that buffer and are through with it, hit Delete, move to the next buffer, etc. (The buffers will not appear to clear until the next Record cycle begins). Note that the Screen Refresh Time may be rather slow on the new versions, depending on your .INI file settings, especially the PixelDensity). Try to complete your checking of the pings, and be back into the Main Receive Buffer (F9) about 5 seconds before the end of the transmit period. It doesn't hurt if you are not; you will only lose a few seconds of receive time. When it is time to transmit again, hit the proper number key or left-click on the proper Send button. (For full Automatic operation, see below). To Save a file to disk, first change to the small buffer you wish to save, then either click and drag down the little box to Save or hit Alt-S, and type in a file name. (Most ops put part of the station's call and the date for the file name). The program will add the .WAV ending itself. (Do not attempt to Save a file with less than 10 seconds left during a transmit period. Wait until the start of the next transmit sequence). After the sked, go to CoolEdit (a wave file editing program) and bring up each of the saved files. You will find that much of the file is nothing but white noise. Check out what is there, then Edit off everything but the ping itself. This will reduce the file size, saving hard drive space, and is greatly appreciated by the other station (and everybody else on the Internet) if you send the file out for the other station to study! Then go to the Options - Info section of CoolEdit and type in the details of the sked. Hit OK. When you're through studying and looking at the ping, hit Save again. If you don't specifically Save it, the WAV file on your HD will remain the one initially saved. Also, you will NOT have saved the data that you just typed in. For further information on CoolEdit, visit the K0SM Web site (linked from the W6/PA0ZN HSCW pages). You can also use the boxes of MSDSP to edit off the extra, after setting the proper location with the right mouse button. Do this if you have the time (which may or may not be possible during a schedule). When you have finished listening to a buffer, hit DELETE to clear that buffer. Remember that when you hit Delete, anything in that buffer is gone for good. So do not delete and clear it until you are through with that buffer. TRANSMITTING WITH MSDSP First, while in receive mode, edit the call of the other station into the "To Radio" buffer (done from the main screen, not from the .INI file), by left-clicking on the proper box and typing in the correct data. If you are expecting to send a different report from the one in that buffer, you may wish to go ahead and edit this buffer for the expected report. The "two- number" report is most commonly used on HSCW, although the "S" burst length report is also used. Set the Transmit Speed to the correct value. At this point you must know what to send, and when. The procedures are similar to other MS operation. But because the one-minute period is commonly used, the method of stating who goes first must be carefully observed (never use the terms "odd" or "even" "minute" or "period", as they can be confusing). It is strongly recommended that you print off a copy of the Procedures paper, found on the main HSCW Web site. Note, of course, that there are several differences between these procedures and the European HSCW operation. To change from Receive to Transmit, hit the proper Number key or click on the proper Send button. You will start with 1, of course, with the two calls. If you have received pings, change to the small receive buffers and play them back at the proper speed. AUTOMATIC CHANGE-OVER BETWEEN TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE WITH THE PTT LINE The latest versions of MSDSP allow the computer to automatically switch between Record and Transmit. If you do not have it set up to start in automatic, click on the box in the lower left hand of the screen until the 1 minute period comes up. When the proper minute for you to receive comes up, hit the "R" (Record) key. (If it starts receiving in the wrong period, hit "S" (Stop). If it starts transmitting in the wrong period, hit "O" (Off). When the proper receive period comes up, hit "R". On your receive period before your first transmit period, Right-click on the proper Transmit box. It will turn Red. When the minute for your Transmit period arrives, the box will turn Yellow and that text will be sent. If you forget and need to start transmitting, Left-click (transmit will start) on the proper transmit box. Try it a few times. It's easier to learn it by trying it than it is to explain it. To take a transmit buffer Off of the Automatic sequence when it is not transmitting, Right click on the red Send button again. If the buffer is transmitting (button is yellow), first stop it with the "O" key, then Right- click on the red button. Remember that the duty cycle of HSCW is considerably higher than SSB. If you have been running your amplifier at its maximum ratings on SSB, you will need to reduce your power in order not to overheat anything. Consult your transmitter's manual for more. PRACTICING WITH MSDSP After you have MSDSP set up and running, check your transmission characteristics, as outlined in the "Semi-Technical FAQ", if this is possible. Play with the program to become familiar with its operation. You should also download CoolEdit (see the K0SM Web site for info on it). It is a very valuable tool for checking your receiver's passband, checking the other stations keying, looking at the extreme amount of flutter present in most longer underdense pings, etc. But don't practice very long! Once the program is running and you can make the various parts work, make some skeds! The only way you will really become familiar with it is to actually operate with it on the air. Start at a comfortable speed (1000-2000 lpm). When that is easy, move to 4000 lpm. (Above about 8000 lpm the S/N ratio becomes poorer, and some rigs do not do well). KNOWN BUGS This cannot be a complete list. And, hopefully, most of the bugs listed here will not bother you. But here are the most common ones, with help when available. The latest versions of MSDSP seldom completely "crash" during schedule- type operation, but they may cause your computer to "lock up," requiring a re-boot. However, there are several conditions that are likely to cause a crash. One is to run the program in a DOS Window of W95 or W3.1. It simply isn't designed to run this way, although it may on your system. But do not try to run it in a DOS Window until you have it working completely under DOS. Two different computers, running MSDSP under a DOS Window, have crashed with damage to the CMOS memory! On one computer, it changed the date by about 50 years. On the other, it completely trashed the CMOS memory. If you run under a DOS Window, check your date each time. Another setting that usually will cause a crash is to turn the period time to OFF and record continuously, as when monitoring a sked or for CQ's. For some reason, it will usually crash after a while (under DOS). One type of crash seems to be related to the stack function. Changing (or adding) this line to your config.sys file might help: stacks=9,256. This seems to work better than stacks=9,512. Another type of crash when recording continuously seems to imply some invalid op code in the program. What this might be is unknown. Changing the ForceVESA to 1 in the .INI file may allow it to record longer (although it will eventually crash). Whether changes to the first few settings in the MS_DSP.INI file might help these crashes is unknown at this time. This probably depends upon your individual computer, audio card, start-up file, etc. MSDSP may leave the MIXERSET settings wrong. See Note under PHYSICAL HOOKUP. There is distortion in both the playback and transmit audio in the current versions, apparently caused by the type of coding used in V. 0.61 and later. Use the highest SampleRate that your computer will support. Except for computers that can use only the lowest SampleRates, this should not be a problem. This program needs a true Creative Labs Sound Blaster audio board. Most "compatible" clones have not been found to work. This is because many of the "compatible" boards really are not quite compatible. Also, one of the newer, less-expensive Creative Labs SoundBlaster boards reportedly does not work well, for reasons unknown. But the ESS Technologies chip set (also found in some laptops!) seems to work well. (For Compaq or Armada, try http://www.compaq.com for possible help files). A few "true clones" seem to work, and others work partially but not fully. See the set-up section of these "Tips" for more. The screen is slow to update. Experiment with the settings in the first 3 lines of the .INI file, especially the PixelDensity. The mouse is a little bit sluggish and jerky, and the pointer will flicker during record. This seems to be true with either the LogiTech or MS mouse drivers. This usually is not a big problem, but can be annoying. If it is, try a different mouse driver. Also, changing several of the settings in the first few lines of MS_DSP.INI might or might not help in your system. The PTT line does not work when running in a DOS Window. COMPUTER RADIATION If you have previously used your computer for weak-signal VHF work, you already know all about this problem. MS is a weak-signal mode. If you have not yet experienced interference from your computer, remember that all microprocessor devices have the potential to radiate a signal. Most computers are very bad, some are worse. Other than completely enclosing the entire unit in a chicken wire cage, there are only a few things that you can easily do. First, when you find a strong birdie, try to determine if it is being generated by the computer, the modem, the monitor, or what. Second, make sure that the metal case is securely screwed down. Third, go to Radio Shack and purchase a number of the snap-on ferrite chokes or equivalent. Put them on each end of the computer cables. (One of my worst offenders turned out to be the new external modem). Beyond that, good luck! OTHER There are a number of suggestions about the set-up of the receiver, the transmitter, other equipment, and other technical suggestions and comments found in the "Semi-Technical FAQ", also available on the main HSCW Web site. The Procedures paper is necessary for anyone who has never operated North American style HSCW before. The general "FAQ" explains most of the common non-technical questions, as the "Semi-Technical FAQ" attempts to cover questions not specific to the various program. And, of course, don't neglect the Manual designed to go with MSDSP, and watch for revisions in it. If you need further help, or if you find something that might be a help to someone else, please pass it along. And if the program is working for you, make your presence known on the HSCW Reflector and put your listing in the various Station Directories. There are a number of others who would like a sked with you! 73 & Good Reflections! Shelby Ennis, W8WN - EM77bq w8wn@ne.infi.net