Steve and those interested in the ICOM rigs for ALE: I had asked Steve:
> I am using the default hex address 64 with CAT PTT selected. And he responded with information on the new Alpha version: For the new ALPHA version of PC-ALE you still need to select CAT PTT if that is your desire, I have coded CAT PTT for all make/model radios where supported. - - - - - I must have misinterpreted what he said, but to me, this means that if you "still need to select CAT PTT" which definitely is my desire, then it was available earlier as well. Especially since someone else confirmed this a while back that I needed to check the right box. Sorry that there was this unfortunate miscommunication or lack of knowledge on someone's part. With new software coming out my hope is that we will be able to control the PTT CAT which is a mandatory issue with me as I just will not use software that can not support this feature since the top digital software has been doing this for some time and I suppose you get "spoiled." I do consider the fact that the PC-ALE software could not go into split when you scanned and return to normal operation as a defect or at least a shortcoming when the new software is going to correct that. Steve, you must be in marketing in your day job to claim this is not even a fix:). Just as an example of what can happen, if you are using your rig to do ALE scanning and forget about the split operation, and I have been doing a lot of this lately, you may be operating illegally when you switch to another software program, such as Multipsk, if you do not remember to return the transceiver to normal operation!! This actually happened to me on Friday so it is not something theoretical:( HFlink does not seem to have all the information that I need, nor have I had much luck in asking, thus I have been asking in the larger digital group. I have been thinking about the possibility of forming an ALE related group which does not have an agenda and will be more open to problems and questions. Even then, I have been a bit surprised that almost no one other than the regular ALE folks, have tried to assist or even have ever mentioned their experiences with ALE, and nothing yet on the single tone modems. Maybe over time, there will be a critical mass of operators so some of these digital modes can be explored? I know that I want to try them out to see if they really can compete with existing modes. Most recent ALE scanning from 1617 Z to 1836Z with lowest frequency 40 meters and highest frequency 12 meters and some stations received multiple times and bands: K7EK AF6 to KQ6XA KB3FN to KF4IN NOCALLSIGN NJ7C VE2FXL KF4IN KQ6XA VE2FXL to W9WIS EA2AFR Maybe try and call some of these or see if anyone is around. I am still not sure if you see connections when you monitor because thus far I have only see soundings or someone that appears to be calling "to" someone but no apparent response. Have I got that right? 73, Rick, KV9U Steve Hajducek wrote: > Hi Rick, > > At 07:01 PM 8/4/2007, you wrote: > >> Thanks for your comments, Steve, >> >> I understood that it did support the ICOM 756 Pro 2, including CAT >> control, and was told by someone in the ALE world that I needed to check >> the CAT box which I of course did. Maybe I missed it, but I did not >> realize that this particular rig can not even operate at this time with >> CAT control, because if I did, I would not have spent quite so many >> hours trying to get it to key with PTT CAT:( I don't have any hardware >> PTT plans at this time as other programs work reasonably well and it >> simplifies the cabling requirements. >> > > The PC-ALE versions that have been out for years provides support for > any ICOM radios address, baud rate > etc. and SPLIT VFO operation via the GENERIC ICOM interface, but not > CAT PTT ever, originally PTT was > only RTS or DTR as in the past for one thing CAT PTT was not common > in radios and hardware PTT it was much more reliable than CAT PTT. > Also, most all of the radios with dedicated digital ports do NOT > support the use of CAT PTT via those ports. > > Any, I have updated PC-ALE for the next release with CAT PTT for all > radios that support it. > > > >> What I understood was that the current program is defective with >> setting up the split function properly. It sets it up the split when you >> boot the program, not when you scan, and it does not return to non-split >> mode either when you stop scanning or when you leave the program. My >> understanding was that this will be fixed in the new version, although >> it is still in Alpha at this time. >> > > No defect, nothing to fix, for ICOM radios only in the past and via > the GENERIC ICOM interface only, you could enable SPLIT VFO all the > time to defeat those pesky PA spectral purity relays during Scanning. > > In the current PC-ALE in ALPHA testing I have applied a new approach > similar to that which I developed for MARS-ALE where for any radio > that supports SPLIT VFO ( and a radio specific BYPASS command) where > it will tame those pesky relays for scanning, that when scanning is > started the issue is addressed and when scanning is stopped normal > operation of those relays resume. Its an enhancement, not a fix. > > > >> Your list of the many different rigs is very helpful and this kind of >> information needs to be easily located on ALE websites so that there is >> no misunderstanding of what a given "supported" rig can or can not do at >> any given time. It doesn't make sense to me why this would not be >> heavily promoted. >> > > Its all posted at HFlink. > > For the next release a page has been created by the webmaster at: > > http://hflink.com/pcale/pcaleradio.html > > > >> As far as activity, I suppose it depends upon your definition. I >> monitored for several hours today with scanning with the ICOM 756 Pro 2 >> and heard the following: >> >> KK7IF >> VE2FXL >> WD8ARZ >> KM4BA >> LU8EX >> VE6OG >> >> Of course there can be other areas of the world and those with better >> antennas who may be able to copy more test signals and calls.Most of >> these were soundings but some appeared to be calls. I don't know if you >> actually can receive any messages being sent by others when in this >> scanning mode, but I have not actually printed anything like that. >> >> Again, it seems that it is difficult to find information of this kind on >> the internet and I rather expect it to be very openly available and very >> clear and concise. >> >> > > Again, the proper venue is Hflink.com, if you can't find what you > want, just ask the web master. > > /s/ Steve, N2CKH > > >
