|
I hate starting a new thread for this, however, I think it will be easier to contain Q&A, feedback, and update announcements in a single area.. History:
When I first used my sBitx, I noticed it was missing some features that I was used to on my other transceivers, such as direct frequency entry, memory bank access, and remote rig control options for mode, bandwidth, AGC, etc.
I quickly learned that the sBitx software doesn't fully support standard third-party, remote rig control applications. I searched for an existing app to add these features but found none available for the sBitx. This left me with limited options, such as developing web control interface or using telnet commands. As a result, I took on the project of developing my own application, sBITX Manager. I was pleased with how it turned out, and that inspired me to develop more apps.
Along the way, I got a lot of helpful feedback from the sBitx community, and that led me to develop even more apps to make their experience better. But as the number of apps grew, so did the complexity – more things to install, more commands to remember, more repositories, and more things to keep updated.
It was time to streamline and simplify the way that sBitx owners interact with my applications, so sBITX Toolbox was born. Here are some challenges that I sought out to conquer.
- Centralized Access: The toolbox will serve as a single point of entry for all the apps that have been developed. This means you won't have to search for individual apps, manually install, or manage multiple shortcuts. Everything will be readily accessible in one place.
- Ease of Use: Adding, removing, and launching applications will become more straightforward. The launcher will provide an intuitive interface where you can easily add, select, and use any of the apps without navigating through complex menus or file structures.
- Improved Organization: With a growing number of applications, it becomes essential to keep them well-organized. The launcher will offer features like improved touchscreen compatibility and possibly even customization, allowing you to manage the apps in a way that suits your needs.
- Seamless Updates and Maintenance: Integrating all apps into a single launcher will make it easier to roll out updates and maintenance patches. You will benefit from a more consistent and reliable experience.
- Feedback and Evolution: As with all my applications, community feedback will be beneficial in advancing the toolbox. Its design and functionality will evolve based on what I and the sBitx community find most helpful and efficient in managing and using the apps.
All of my other repositories have been taken down to focus on sBITX Toolbox. This new repository contains an extensive user guide, release notes, and version validation. I've also included an uninstaller to remove the previous apps that I developed. The Windows version of sBITX Manager and sBITX Scanner are now contained here as well.
Feel free to try it out and let me know what you think.?
- JJ
|
I've also updated the Wiki for this...
- JJ
|
Something interesting in the works. Adding your own applications and a Power button.. These features will be tested and place on my dev branch this week.  -JJ
|
More discoveries and features to be added to sBITX Manager at some point!  -JJ
|
Looking good, curious, is the Compression level setting a hidden setting not available on the front panel? Ideally mic gain ahould be increased and compression only used if really needed and at a fairly low level so wondering how I change the compression setting without the aid of the panel. Bringing it out to your panel makes it more accessible to get adjusted right. Great work on developing this toolbox panel Regards
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 30 Jan 2024, at 07:20, JJ - W9JES <w9jes@...> wrote:
?More discoveries and features to be added to sBITX Manager at some point! <dummyfile.0.part> -JJ
|
Yes, this is a good idea, the Compression level should be adjustable.
It's a shame that the availability of LOG has changed since the current working LOG, so it is not available with tools.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
|
There are well known & important pieces of windows software out there (Not available on Linux) ?that emcomm & other users would wish to use with this radio…. but those software do not support the sbitx.?
Examples include Winlink RMSexpress, WINLINK ?trimode, and WINLINK ?RMS relay, ION2G (ALE) and N3FJP (logging software that also keys radios in activates canned voice and Morse code in Icom ) ? ?(most of which we just used in winter field day but would not be able to use with this radio)?
Why not create an emulation of either a Yaesu or ICOM radio so this radio can be used immediately? ?The uBitx series had this, which made it very attractive
Gordon KX4Z?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Jan 30, 2024, at 03:40, HA3HZ <gyula@...> wrote:
?Yes, this is a good idea, the Compression level should be adjustable.
It's a shame that the availability of LOG has changed since the current working LOG, so it is not available with tools.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
|
Ive tried to install it using the link above on Linux, but it doesn't install? taking into account, I am not a programmer and I am in my 80's. Maybe I should just give and concede....
There are well known & important pieces of windows software out there (Not available on Linux) ?that emcomm & other users would wish to use with this radio…. but those software do not support the sbitx.?
Examples include Winlink RMSexpress, WINLINK ?trimode, and WINLINK ?RMS relay, ION2G (ALE) and N3FJP (logging software that also keys radios in activates canned voice and Morse code in Icom ) ? ?(most of which we just used in winter field day but would not be able to use with this radio)?
Why not create an emulation of either a Yaesu or ICOM radio so this radio can be used immediately?? The uBitx series had this, which made it very attractive
Gordon KX4Z?
On Jan 30, 2024, at 03:40, HA3HZ <gyula@...> wrote:
?Yes, this is a good idea, the Compression level should be adjustable.
It's a shame that the availability of LOG has changed since the current working LOG, so it is not available with tools.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
|
Owen,
please make sure Python is installed as it is required for this to work. Whichever OS you use.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
|
On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 05:46 AM, Owen Baldwin wrote:
Ive tried to install it using the link above on Linux, but it doesn't install? taking into account, I am not a programmer and I am in my 80's. Maybe I should just give and concede....
Hi Owen. If you are comfortable with copying files from your computer to a USB drive, then I can make a zip file for you with instructions.. -JJ
|
On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 06:37 AM, HA3HZ wrote:
Owen,
please make sure Python is installed as it is required for this to work. Whichever OS you use.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
The installer already includes a function to check/install of Python so there is no need to install Python beforehand.  -JJ
|
On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 02:39 AM, HA3HZ wrote:
Yes, this is a good idea, the Compression level should be adjustable.
It's a shame that the availability of LOG has changed since the current working LOG, so it is not available with tools.
--
Gyula HA3HZ
Correct, the logbook functionality changed in version 3.2 sbitx. I will denote the change in an upcoming release and see if there is a way to call up the logbook in v3.2. I wish the sbitx would move away from the db structure and write straight to an adif format.. -JJ
|
On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 01:41 AM, Paul wrote:
Looking good, curious, is the Compression level setting a hidden setting not available on the front panel?
Ideally mic gain ahould be increased and compression only used if really needed and at a fairly low level so wondering how I change the compression setting without the aid of the panel. Bringing it out to your panel makes it more accessible to get adjusted right.
Great work on developing this toolbox panel
Regards
Paul G0KAO
Hi Paul, I have no idea why the sBitx programmers decided to hide the Mic Compression settings. I also agree that the compression level displayed in the image is incorrect. I set it to 40 manually just to test functions. Ideally the comp level should be much lower for real world applications and the mic gain should be adjusted first before any compression is added. Thanks for pointing that out and I appreciate your comments! -JJ
|
On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 04:50 AM, Gordon Gibby wrote:
Why not create an emulation of either a Yaesu or ICOM radio so this radio can be used immediately? ?The uBitx series had this, which made it very attractive
?
Gordon KX4Z?
Hi Gordon, I am currently developing an interface for this. It is rather complex to interface with the limitations of the sBitx code, so development is somewhat slow. I am also an independent developer/enthusiast not associated with HF Signals :) -JJ
|
JJ, that would be great. At a minimum just be able to set the frequency and possibly go into transmit mode. ?if there is a way to access the sound card so much the better but external sound cards can be used. ?
Thanks ! ?
I wrote a simple one for the ICOM emulation for the UB series and it worked
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Jan 30, 2024, at 14:02, JJ - W9JES <w9jes@...> wrote:
?On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 04:50 AM, Gordon Gibby wrote:
Why not create an emulation of either a Yaesu or ICOM radio so this radio can be used immediately? ?The uBitx series had this, which made it very attractive
?
Gordon KX4Z?
Hi Gordon, I am currently developing an interface for this. It is rather complex to interface with the limitations of the sBitx code, so development is somewhat slow. I am also an independent developer/enthusiast not associated with HF Signals :) -JJ
|
My understanding is the classic generic radio to emulate via hamlib is the Kenwood TS-2000.
At least this is what the Flex product line does going back to the days of the Flex 1500 which I bought in the mid 2000s.
Seems this was a popular radio as hamlib was being developed.
I actually have one but have never attached it to any computer.
--
Regards,
Dave, N1AI
|
Net Rig Ctrl is already implemented on sbitx. That is how wsjtx and fldigi work with it
On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 5:07 AM Dave, N1AI < n1ai@...> wrote: My understanding is the classic generic radio to emulate via hamlib is the Kenwood TS-2000.
At least this is what the Flex product line does going back to the days of the Flex 1500 which I bought in the mid 2000s.
Seems this was a popular radio as hamlib was being developed.
I actually have one but have never attached it to any computer.
--
Regards,
Dave, N1AI
|
|
|
Hi JJ,
There is no tx_compression implemented in Farhan's (there are no programmers, just one programmer) sBitx code.
- Rafael
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 1/30/24 18:57, JJ - W9JES wrote: On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 01:41 AM, Paul wrote:
Looking good, curious, is the Compression level setting a hidden
setting not available on the front panel?
Ideally mic gain ahould be increased and compression only used if
really needed and at a fairly low level so wondering how I change
the compression setting without the aid of the panel. Bringing it
out to your panel makes it more accessible to get adjusted right.
Great work on developing this toolbox panel
Regards
Paul G0KAO
Hi Paul,
I have no idea why the sBitx programmers decided to hide the *Mic Compression* settings. I also agree that the compression level displayed in the image is incorrect. I set it to 40 manually just to test functions. Ideally the comp level should be much lower for real world applications and the mic gain should be adjusted first before any compression is added. Thanks for pointing that out and I appreciate your comments!
-JJ
|
Ashhar, I'm not familiar with "Net Rig Conttrol"? ? Is this related?to "rigcat" which is one of the options in FLDGI?? ?Unfortunately I don't know if that is at all related to how N3FJP or WINLINK authors control radios.? ? However, emulation of any of several popular radios makes controlling from? any of these software products fairly easy.? ? ?I may be able to dig up the code that I wrote to have a uBitx do a tiny bit of emulation of an Icom just so frequency?control could be accomplished.? ? One of the yaesu's was already built into the uBitx (I'm sure your'e?more familiar with this than I)
Here is some code I found in an ancient .ino file that I think could read a single CAT command and change the frequency.? ?I had a raduino?controlling in a Heathkit vacuum tube radio, substituting for the vacuum tube VFO - it worked.
// --------------------------TRY TWO TO DO CAT---------------------------
// ?The minimum command we have to listen for is change frequency
// ?5 bytes: ? MM MK KK HH ?01 ? is the command
// ?where MMM are the megaherts ?(eg ?01 4
// ?and the KKK are the kilohertz ?(eg ? 234
// ?so for example ? 01, 42, 345, 56, 01 means
// ?change frequency to 14,234.56 kilohertz
void checkSerialData() {
? int packed;
? int i = Serial.available();
? // Note that the internal buffer on the arduino can hold up to 64 bytes
? ? if (i < 5) return;
?// if you got here then there are at least 5 ints (?bytes?) ?waiting: get it.
printLine(1, (char *)"5bytes");
? ? ? ? delay(10);
?
? ? for (i=0; i<5; i++) {
? ? ? ? receivedserial[i] = Serial.read();
? ? ? ? // Serial.read pulls exactly one byte
? ? }
? ? // now chek for the command in the last byte
? ? switch (receivedserial[4]) {
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? case 1:
// frequency is in packed BCD; binary coded decimal;
// so left 4 bits give top decimal number 0-9 ?and right 4 bits give bottom decimal number 0-9
// ? ? ? ?case CAT_FREQ_SET:
? ? ? ? ? ? // convert the 4 bytes of numbers (tens of MHz), (hundreds of kHz), (kHz), (tens of hz)
? ? ? ? ? frequency = 0UL;
? ? ? ? ? packed = receivedserial[0];
? ? ? ? ? frequency = ? ? 10000000UL * ? (unsigned long) ( ((packed & 0xF0)>>4 )* 10 ?+ ? (packed & 0x0F) ) ;
? ? ? ? ? packed = receivedserial[1];
? ? ? ? ? frequency = frequency + ?100000UL * ? (unsigned long) ( ((packed & 0xF0)>>4 )* 10 ?+ ? (packed & 0x0F));
? ? ? ? ? packed = receivedserial[2];
? ? ? ? ? frequency = frequency + 1000UL * ? (unsigned long) ( ((packed & 0xF0)>>4 )* 10 ?+ ? (packed & 0x0F));
? ? ? ? ? packed = receivedserial[3];
? ? ? ? ? frequency = frequency -40 + 10UL * ?(unsigned long) ( ((packed & 0xF0)>>4 )* 10 ?+ ? (packed & 0x0F));
? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?setFrequency(frequency);
? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?Serial.write(ACK);
? ? ? ? ? ? break;
? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? default:
? ? ? ? ? ? printLine(1, (char *)"Othercmd");
? ? ? ? ? ? delay(10);
? ? ? ? ? ? Serial.write(ACK);
? ? ? ? ? ? break;
? ? }
}? ??
On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 1:23?AM Ashhar Farhan < farhanbox@...> wrote: Net Rig Ctrl is already implemented on sbitx. That is how wsjtx and fldigi work with it
On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 5:07 AM Dave, N1AI < n1ai@...> wrote: My understanding is the classic generic radio to emulate via hamlib is the Kenwood TS-2000.
At least this is what the Flex product line does going back to the days of the Flex 1500 which I bought in the mid 2000s.
Seems this was a popular radio as hamlib was being developed.
I actually have one but have never attached it to any computer.
--
Regards,
Dave, N1AI
|
HA3HZ
Dave, N1AI