ICOM CI-V CAT Protocol and CT-17 type devices

Re: VE2DX HUB TO INTERFACE THE CIRO MAZZONI LOOP ANTENNA TO ICOM IC-705

vk3dca@... (Dean Athan, (VK3DCA)) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 15:42:34 -0800

Thanks Richard for all of your efforts!
73.

Dean Athan

VK3DCA

Melbourne, Australia

On 6 Mar 2025 at 10:40 AM +1100, VE2DX via groups.io <ve2dx@...>, wrote:

Re: VE2DX HUB TO INTERFACE THE CIRO MAZZONI LOOP ANTENNA TO ICOM IC-705

ve2dx@... (VE2DX) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 15:40:27 -0800

Hello Dean,

Afraid not, tried to help Sergio, spent a lot of time explaining to him what was needed, but afraid did not get much feedback from him.

😞

Got zero news for months...

Richard VE2DX, Jesus Island, PQ-014

VE2DX ELECTRONIC
WWW.VE2DX.COM
Only the Best ICOM, ERC and HRD
/g/CIV

Follow my projects on www.facebook.com/VE2DX/

Re: VE2DX HUB TO INTERFACE THE CIRO MAZZONI LOOP ANTENNA TO ICOM IC-705

vk3dca@... (Dean Athan, (VK3DCA)) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:45:40 -0800

Richard,
I’m also looking for an update in regards to this issue.
Did you manage to get access to the Mazzoni Controller and was there a possible fix to this issue?
73.

Dean Athan

VK3DCA

Melbourne, Australia

On 6 Mar 2025 at 3:33 AM +1100, N7WRH via groups.io <kb7our@...>, wrote:

Re: VE2DX HUB TO INTERFACE THE CIRO MAZZONI LOOP ANTENNA TO ICOM IC-705

kb7our@... (N7WRH) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:33:55 -0800

Any update?

Re: Test

kb7our@... (N7WRH) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 06:07:18 -0800

Yes - all good. Thanks!

Wade

Re: Pw1 and ic 7610 1&2

elanpaim@... (Elan Paim EA5QB) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 04:04:23 -0800

Hello
Well I sort this one out however now the 2 icom have different cv-i address when 2 of them on
Not sure if its normal when I press the band 2 of them show the same is this normal
If not what I need to change in order that when 2 of them on and I press the beans it will not change 2 of them the same
73 elan

Re: Test

elanpaim@... (Elan Paim EA5QB) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 04:01:57 -0800

Hello

Name is elan EA5QB

IS IT OKAY NOW ?

Test

kb7our@... (N7WRH) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 03:42:42 -0800

My first message did not get posted so this is a validation check.

Wade

Pw1 and ic 7610 1&2

elanpaim@... (Elan Paim EA5QB) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 03:42:22 -0800

Hi
I have 2 icom radio one set to 1 and set 1&2 however I have issue to connect the ic 7610
Is any have info
I set it to 9600 and cv-i on and I set the address 6ah not sure [pw1 54h?]
However every time I set it press 2 and power on no blinking light
Any help will be great
Vy 73 elan EA5QB

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

N8YX@... (Fred, N8YX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:15:04 -0800

The only place I can see a true CT-17 being at an advantage is this:

Some receivers (R-71A, R-7000 to name a couple) don't implement a CI-V Squelch Level command. You have to facilitate this via their tape recorder start/stop relay jacks and connections to a serial port's DCD, CTS/DSR and similar status lines in order for a host program to know when to stop them from scanning. One manufacturer used to offer an adapter that plugged into the CT-17's DB-25 port. I did a little fooling around and managed to get three separate receivers to use one such (modified) adapter. The various programs I use (ScanCAT, Spectrum Commander IX) want to see these signals. They're also CI-V aware.

The solution here is to run my older Icoms on the older host device w/ attached squelch adapter. IC-751A, 2x R-71A and one R-7000 on a single CT-17. One R-71A and an R-7000 set up as a ScanCAT "pair"; the other R-71A synced with the 751A (which doesn't need a squelch detect line - I don't scan with it).

Also have a number of Optocom scanners which do support software squelch detection. These are run in pairs (logically) with the R-7000s and could use the CT-17B as their interface point - as long as the host program knows how to get at them.

When I get the rest of the R-75s in here for installation, a couple each of the hubs we discussed above are on tap. This should give me the most flexibility while using one serial and 2 USB ports per host, for a total of 14 supported devices.

73 - Fred, N8YX

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

ve2dx@... (VE2DX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 15:01:09 -0800

Yes but much more advanced tech, ct17 is dated tech from 1970s , ct17b is 2023 with advanced shielding and advanced rfi filtering, siganl processing and automatic signal leveling...

Richard G. Desaulniers Sr., VE2DX

President and Lead Designer

VE2DX ELECTRONICS DESIGN INC.

WWW.VE2DX.COM

Info@...

450-689-4591

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

N8YX@... (Fred, N8YX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 14:55:31 -0800

Perfect. And a CT-17B-6USB would act as a 5-port equivalent of a CT-17, albeit communicating through USB?

73 - Fred, N8YX

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

ve2dx@... (VE2DX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 14:45:48 -0800

Well if the digimode offers acces to civ, and it looks like it does. Then this will be shared using the ct17b ci-v hub to all the other devices and radios.

Richard G. Desaulniers Sr., VE2DX

President and Lead Designer

VE2DX ELECTRONICS DESIGN INC.

WWW.VE2DX.COM

Info@...

450-689-4591

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

N8YX@... (Fred, N8YX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 13:58:27 -0800

Could one use a CT-17B-5 Version 2, plug the Digimode's CI-V connector into it, the radios into the other ports then access the group of radios via the Digimode's USB serial port?

I assume that particular device doesn't have a controller address.

73 - Fred, N8YX

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

ve2dx@... (VE2DX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 09:28:12 -0800

No, it is viewed as a single hub, I use to offer a ct17b-12 that could be split in two units if needed, but there was no market, better off with 2 separate units

Richard G. Desaulniers Sr., VE2DX

President and Lead Designer

VE2DX ELECTRONICS DESIGN INC.

WWW.VE2DX.COM

Info@...

450-689-4591

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

N8YX@... (Fred, N8YX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:45:36 -0800

Richard,

Exactly the info I was looking for.

Can the CT17B-7DM be logically (or jumper-select) split into two separate network segments? If so, this would be a good way to go.

73 - Fred, N8YX

Re: Multiple masters on one bus?

ve2dx@... (VE2DX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 03:07:10 -0800

Welcome Fred glad to print you!

The short answer is no but yes!

CI-V protocol DOES support multiple host the default being E0 and standards suggest E1, E2, etc...

BIG BUT...

This assumes the host address can be changed by the user!

GUESS WHAT!

I never heard of any software or device that would let you do this! 😞

Thus if you add a second host like a software to the ci-v bus you WILL collisions and confusion since both will be likely using E0. CI-V is a CDMA protocol b7t does not handle collisions very well, even at 19.2kbps you are looking at a very busy common bus!

And even if you could change the host address collisions would be a likely issue...

Even if this not your prefered approach, you are better off by splitting your setup on two separate CI-V hubs like our CT17B-7DM instead 9f your icom ct17 to get your setup going, it will lower the traffic on you civ bus by splitting the load, and our ct17b's does signal processing, automatic leveling, pcb shielding and advanced rfi filtering, will let you interface to your computer either via USB-C OR Bluetooth... none of that being done by the 1970's design of the icom ct17.

Let me know if you have more questions...

Richard VE2DX, Jesus Island, PQ-014

VE2DX ELECTRONIC
WWW.VE2DX.COM
Only the Best ICOM, ERC and HRD
/g/CIV

Follow my projects on www.facebook.com/VE2DX/

Multiple masters on one bus?

N8YX@... (Fred, N8YX) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 02:47:27 -0800

Hi group,

Contemplating a configuration here and wonder if it's possible. I have a transceiver (IC-718) currently hooked to a Digimode4 for its CAT operations. Paired with it is an R-75 which uses the serial connection to the same host PC for such things as DSC decoding or other general HF digital activities.

I want to add another R-75 to the mix and enable CI-V Transceive on it, so that receiver will track the transceiver if mode/frequency updates are made. Or vice-versa depending on the Set Menu configs of each rig.

Currently have a CT-17. Thoughts are to tie the Digimode4 and all three radios into it, each with separate addresses. For general purpose HF activities I'd use the CT-17's serial port to access either of the receivers (most usually, the original paired one) and to use comms programs like flrig or wsjtx with the transceiver I'll use the Digimode4's /dev/TTYUSB resource as its serial connection.

Would multiple masters on the same bus be problematic? If so, could Receiver 1 be run at 9600 baud and the other plus the transceiver run at, say, 19.2k to avoid collisions? Or would a CT-17B be a better way to go here?

I want a degree of flexibility in calling the various rigs from the various programs. Caveat: Only one program will use a given resource at a time - so no conflicts opening COM ports or the like.

Thanks for all suggestions and input.

73 - Fred, N8YX

“Lite�� controller : finalising the build.

john.m0nrz@... (John Row) — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:22:31 -0800

The thin enclosure has been a challenge, I've built several variants and I’m now optimising the assembly process.

https://youtube.com/shorts/lYYEq3O86zM?si=iZLJI7Bl_Ll_r73i

IC-705 Transciev bug

ve2dx@... (VE2DX) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:28:51 -0800

Here is an interesting bug that Italian ham radio operators raised to me a couple of years ago. I could only revisit it thanks to the help of John Halkiadakis, VK3YP, from Melbourne, Australia.

Problem: When an IC-705 is linked via Bluetooth to a CI-V hub, and you try to change to DATA mode in the radio, the IC-705 switches back out of DATA Mode.

Test:

- Ok, here are my test results and conclusion... setup...

Ic-705 is linked to VE2DX CT17B-6BT via Bluetooth at 9600 bps.
The same IC-705 is linked via USB to a PC at 38400bps.
Application: HHD Device Monitoring of Com Port COM14 in the PC (IC-705 first com port (CI-V)
705 Transceive ON,
Data recorded by HHD: FE FE 00 A4 01 01 02 FD FE FE 00 A4 01 01 02 FD FE FE (Header) 00 (Destination 00 = all) A4 (IC-705) 01 (Mode) 01 (USB) 02 (Filter 2) FD (Trailer) and it is then repeated. Thus, the data sent on the CI-V bus is echoed (as expected) but DOES NOT contain the 06 commands needed to know the Data mode. Thus, the radio reaction is to switch back to the requested mode, aka USB in this case, and not USB-D. To resolve this, the radio must NOT be in Transceive or ICOM needs to correct the IC-705 firmware to send out BOTH the 01 and 06 commands, and the result would be: FE FE 00 A4 01 01 02 FD FE FE 00 A4 06 01 02 FD FE FE 00 A4 01 01 02 FD FE FE 00 A4 06 01 02 FD... In this corrected sequence, BOTH the 01 and 06 commands are sent out in transceive mode, and thus, BOTH are echoed back to the radio, preventing this problem.

Hope this helps you.

Richard VE2DX, Jesus Island, PQ-014

VE2DX ELECTRONIC
WWW.VE2DX.COM
Only the Best ICOM, ERC and HRD
/g/CIV

Follow my projects on www.facebook.com/VE2DX/