Writing the ICOM EMULATOR for the sBitx
OK,? I know that 90% of the readership here doesn't see any reason that we need this.....but some of us see why it would expand the market and usefulness of this incredible radio.? ?
So sometimes I think I am dumb as a stump.? ?Programming is NOT my forte.? ?I only do it when FORCED to..like now.
I have put THREE HOURS into this on this Sunday afternoon and finally I have achieved something huge in my eyes:? ?I have characters from Windows PC showing up on a screen of the sBitx.? ?This was my first important milestone.? ?It isn't pretty, it didn't happen the way I thought it would and they are not showing up where I thought they would....but they are showing up.
1.? Dumb me thought I could just build a "null modem" USB cable.? ?Duh.....that doesn't work.? ?Windows doesn't "see" it at all.? ? Maybe someone else could figure that out, but not me.? ?I needed COM PORTS to show up and DEVICES on the raspberry.
To get there I had to surmount a whole slew of issues like finding my software, getting it on the Raspberry, re-learning how to COMPILE.? ?Figuring out a missing .h file so it WOULD compile, remembering how to execute the output, how to name the output....the standard stuff that a non programmer like me forgets....but that was only about an hour of the 3
2.? Once I started trying to remember how the dickens I had it copying the PACTOR DRAGON....things started making more sense.? ?I needed a piece of "hardware" to plug into the USB port.? ? The only things that I have laying around.....are programming cables.? ?I couldn't find the ONE bare UART I have around here somewhere, and I couldn't find the pinout of the Icom2720 programming cable, but I did find the pinout of my one working Baofeng programming cable and I ended up deducing/guessing the pinout of the Icom2720 cable.??
3.? Then I connected TX from the 2720 cable (plugged into a windows PC) to RX of the Baofeng programming cable (plugged into the raspberry pi and quite satisfyingly, causing /dev/ttyUSB0 to magically appear!)? -- rewrote my software to use ttyUSB0 and started trying WINLINK to talk to the raspberry....I got characters but they make no sense so I am missing something in the pgramming lingo
4.? HOWEVER,? I had by this time also installed PuTTY on both computers and BINGO when I turned on Putty on the Windows and commanded the USB/COMPORT and set the baud rate -- magically whatever I type on the Windows putty screen appears on MY SOFTWARE'S TERMINAL WINDOW -- it is supposed to go to a file but it is somewhere being read and put there so SOMETHING is working.
-------------THat is huge progress for me---------------
Now I have to FIND where it is being pulled from the serial device in the C code and write software to hunt for ICOM Commands (I have some of that done somewhere)....and then probably the easiest part will be to have it change variables in sBitx code? (and integrate the two....I'm not smart enough to write socket code so I will just jamb these routines into it and let some MUCH BRIGHTER PERSON figure out the RIGHT way to do it.....
So that is a start.? ?I haven't tried it yet, but I *bet* that the icom 7300 is going to "appear" just like a UART and show me a /dev/ttyUSB0 when I connect a cable to IT.? ? If that is the case, I can just open it and start receiving and talking as well;? then I don't need the UART from the programming cable.? ? (But you would need it, or an open collector version...to control a radio like the Icom 718that only has CI-V control.....)? ?My thinking on all that was quite muddled when I started today so it never occurted to me to try THAT idea.....
THis is a START.? ?
73
Gordon KX4Z
??
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SBitx-V2- pairing FLDigi with FLAMP
I¡¯m trying to get FLAMP working with FLDigi on my SBitx V2. FLDigi is working great using HamLib on all modes and when I open FLAMP I don¡¯t get the ¡°Mist start FLdigi first¡± message so I would assume FLAMP is communicating with FLDigi. ?But when I select a file to send in the FLAMP TRANSMIT tab and it¡¯s showing up in the Queue and highlighted, it still won¡¯t transmit when I pleas the XMIT button. ?Anyone have any ideas??
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Re: Where is the wsjtx_log.adi file?
#sBitx
I meant to ask, are the database entries stored with the contact date as part of the key? I have log entries from two days, and only the second day shows when I hit the LOG button on the screen. How would I see all of the contacts? (Also, for some reason I'm getting two records for each contact. I think I saw something about that somewhere in the , but don't recall if there was a fix for it.)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 73, Gwen, NG3P
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Re: Bitx40 issues, version 2
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Somewhere? here I made a thread about my Bitx40, it was receiving, then eventually became lodged in Calibration mode. (Never transmitted on it.)
Since then, at the advice of the group I removed the original pi, and then got a new one with the updated firmware on it. I flashed the firmware (a first for me), and had to jumper some of the traces I broke during pi removal. So its on the updated firmware, not the original.?
My current issues can be seen here:?https://youtu.be/AoULnr5VICc
It appears to be switching between different modes, like the multifunction button is being pushed repeatedly. It did not have the button connected, so I added one, which did not help nor hurt.?
It had also been saying it was switching to transmit (no PTT was hooked up). I cleaned up some of the jumpers, which got me to where I am now, and am not sure what to try next or where.?
I was going to go back to all the original wiring, and start at the beginning, but skipped that and added in the 10 turn put vs the original pot(no change), and as mentioned added the multi function button back in.?
The second part of the video is an attempt to show the noise being generated is roughly in time with the change in LEDs from the pi.?
Help appreciated.
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Re: Sbitx rig control from laptop via W0EB¡¯s W2CTX program.
The title of the topic is misleading, it has nothing to do with sBitx.
Correct uBitx remote control program.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
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Re: Sbitx rig control from laptop via W0EB¡¯s W2CTX program.
For what its worth:
On the w0eb.com web site contains the W2CTX remote control program for Windows to be used with the UBITX via an USB cable.
I have downloaded this program for Windows on my laptop. At this time, have not yet had time to try it out.? ? ?? Suggest you give it a try.?
73 Dave WD8AJQ
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On Feb 10, 2024, at 12:34?PM, John Terrell, N6LN <N6LN@...> wrote:
? Thanks Gyula. Here¡¯s what I have done in the past with my uBitx: away from my home, perhaps in a park, I have my laptop through which I connect to the internet by using my cell phone hotspot function. That way I can browse any website or use my email. I use WSJT-X which runs on my laptop and operates the uBitx through a USB connection to the laptop. The screen on the laptop works fine for the WSJT-X program. I am looking for a simple way to use the laptop for rig control of the sBitx through a USB cable in the same manner.?
Yes, alternatively I could vpn into the Raspberry Pi in the sBitx from my laptop but without a router and ethernet cables or a wifi network, that wouldn¡¯t work, and although I have a spare router or two I am not about to bring it camping or to a park. Isn¡¯t there a way to do rig control by USB to the sBitx in the same way I have done with the uBitx, or also as I have done with my FT-857D?
Jack, N6LN
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JJ, As you have done, the API of text commands is where the stability will be. Similarly, the sbitx.c is simple and it has remained almost untouched for months now. The jungle of sbitx_gtk.c is where most of the confusion is coming from. Probably efforts like yous will simplify and make a more elegant user interface. C is a bad choice for user interface language. I hope it goes away sooner than?later. - f
On Sun, Feb 11, 2024, 9:29 AM JJ - W9JES < w9jes@...> wrote: Thank you for your explanation.
It might be wise for me to pause my attempt to grasp the code and architecture more deeply. It seems you possess a level of understanding beyond mine, given that despite my efforts in reading papers, watching tutorials, and examining numerous code examples, I still feel as though I'm barely touching the surface.?
The entire architecture of this platform, spanning from its software to its hardware design, deviates significantly from the conventional structures I'm accustomed to. Initially, I was optimistic about utilizing this radio in practical, field applications, but it appears that won't be the scenario moving forward.
-JJ
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Thank you for your explanation.
It might be wise for me to pause my attempt to grasp the code and architecture more deeply. It seems you possess a level of understanding beyond mine, given that despite my efforts in reading papers, watching tutorials, and examining numerous code examples, I still feel as though I'm barely touching the surface.?
The entire architecture of this platform, spanning from its software to its hardware design, deviates significantly from the conventional structures I'm accustomed to. Initially, I was optimistic about utilizing this radio in practical, field applications, but it appears that won't be the scenario moving forward.
-JJ
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Re: sBitx no receive unless I restart the application
Dave, You might eliminate receiver issue by upgrading to v3 software. We will have to separately handle the low power. How low is low? - f
After a PA failure and a possible mishap when probing voltages as I was replacing the finals, My Bitx V2 will no longer receive from cold. That is to say, when I turn it on and start the application, I get noise but that is all. The strange thing is that if I stop the application and then start it again (NOT restarting the Raspberry Pi) the system receives ok I really cant work out what is going on.
Another fault is that having replaced the finals, the power is very low, about 25 Watts on CW at full drive.?
Any help gratefully received
73 Dave - G4UFS
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JJ, The original idea was that the placement of thr controls will be in a file with ui extensions. Users coukd edit this to their satisfaction. Now, the layout is dynamic and this is obsolete. - f
On Sun, Feb 11, 2024, 5:48 AM JJ - W9JES < w9jes@...> wrote: The file main_ui.ini is populated with the GUI values and is on the sd card shipped from HF Signals..?
It looks like the file is created when the the dump_ui function is called as seen here.??
Line 2 of the file says "The initial sync between the gui values, the core radio values, settings, et al are manually set"
What is the purpose of this function? Is there a way to import the file and populate the GUI values from it??
Thanks,
JJ
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Re: Where is the wsjtx_log.adi file?
#sBitx
The logs are stored in a datase file. You have to export it to cabrillo files by clicking on LOG button to open the logbook and then Export button.
I much prefer to use FT8 win the build0in software but today I played around with wsjtx and made a few contacts.? I'd like to export the adif file to qrz.? But I can't find the .adi file anywhere.? In theory it's supposed to be in the folder when you click on 'Open Log Directory', but I don't see it there at all.? Any ideas?
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Sorry. the code is at line 2098??
-JJ
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Where is the wsjtx_log.adi file?
#sBitx
I much prefer to use FT8 win the build0in software but today I played around with wsjtx and made a few contacts.? I'd like to export the adif file to qrz.? But I can't find the .adi file anywhere.? In theory it's supposed to be in the folder when you click on 'Open Log Directory', but I don't see it there at all.? Any ideas?
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Re: Sbitx rig control from laptop?
Ah Jack, you are asking for EXACTLY what I was pointing out that the uBitx had, and the sBitx doesn't (yet).? ?I still hope to get to it.? ? But someone else may beat me to it (great!) I worked most of the day on a paper for QEX on dealing with RF NOISE.? ? ?Huge amount of measurement and theoretical analysis for someone like me.
Gordon KX4Z
On Sat, Feb 10, 2024 at 12:34?PM John Terrell, N6LN < N6LN@...> wrote: Thanks Gyula. Here¡¯s what I have done in the past with my uBitx: away from my home, perhaps in a park, I have my laptop through which I connect to the internet by using my cell phone hotspot function. That way I can browse any website or use my email. I use WSJT-X which runs on my laptop and operates the uBitx through a USB connection to the laptop. The screen on the laptop works fine for the WSJT-X program. I am looking for a simple way to use the laptop for rig control of the sBitx through a USB cable in the same manner.?
Yes, alternatively I could vpn into the Raspberry Pi in the sBitx from my laptop but without a router and ethernet cables or a wifi network, that wouldn¡¯t work, and although I have a spare router or two I am not about to bring it camping or to a park. Isn¡¯t there a way to do rig control by USB to the sBitx in the same way I have done with the uBitx, or also as I have done with my FT-857D?
Jack, N6LN
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The file main_ui.ini is populated with the GUI values and is on the sd card shipped from HF Signals..?
It looks like the file is created when the the dump_ui function is called as seen here.??
Line 2 of the file says "The initial sync between the gui values, the core radio values, settings, et al are manually set"
What is the purpose of this function? Is there a way to import the file and populate the GUI values from it??
Thanks,
JJ
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Re: Homebrew sBITX discussed in latest SolderSmoke podcast
... and FFT Hallucinations!
N3SB
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Homebrew sBITX discussed in latest SolderSmoke podcast
Dean KK4DAS talks about his homebrew sBITX and his efforts to get it going.??
73? ?Bill? N2CQR
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Dean - enjoyed seeing you discuss your sBitx build on the SolderSmoke Podcast!
73; Steve, N3SB
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Re: Sbitx rig control from laptop?
On Feb 10, 2024, at 10:34, John Terrell, N6LN <N6LN@...> wrote: Isn¡¯t there a way to do rig control by USB to the sBitx in the same way I have done with the uBitx, or also as I have done with my FT-857D? The direct answer to this is no. There is no host mode USB capability on either the radio board nor the RasPi. This is like asking if you can plug a laptop and a RasPi into your FT-857D at the same time. Your best option for external processing of the radio data (eg audio via ALSA) and controlling the radio (eg CAT via rigctld) is via a network connection. I don¡¯t even know if this exists, but this would be my approach to building it. The more user friendly method is keeping the processing on the RasPi with an external display like other have mentioned. 73, Jeremy / N0AW
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Adam N0ZIB
Gwen Patton
Matt KA2TVX
HA3HZ