开云体育

Guys,

Is anybody in this Group using FT-8 i.e. WSJT-X software?? If so, I have a request... further assuming that an FT-980 with a CAT interface is handy...??

My goal is to verify that WSJT-X actually supports our radio.? It is listed in the pull-down Rig menu:

I actually have tried various options for the PTT method, including VOX, but TEST CAT simply times out no matter what.? FYI, I have tried three different FT-980s.? None of them responded.?? So the obvious question is whether all the radios have dead CATS in them or.... my USB->RS-232 interface is at fault...?

So a quick hardware description on my end:? Dell Inspiron, i7, 32 GB RAM, up--to-date Win 10.? The interface is FT232 chip based and the FTDI drivers are installed correctly.? To prove that, I used the same interface with an added TTL-RS-232 level translator and connected it to my K3.? With the required ELecraft settings, the radio and the program work as expected.

The interface alone appears to be OK then.? To talk to the 980, I am routing the RX and TX lines from the UART directly to the CAT port. Some old CAT circuits show an open collector output for the TX.. in my case the output is TTL driven.? Could that be the issue?? And, yes, I triple checked if the TX and RX lines are connected correctly...

Thank you for reading this.
73 and Happy Holidays to All,
Wald N4PL

Hi Wald,

One quick way to see if the problem is the radio or somewhere else is to try the old CAT980 DOS program interface. After I write this message I'll try to upload the files and instructions to the Files section in case anyone here doesn't have a copy.

If it works then the issue is the rig or your serial path. Note: many of these programs use Hamlib as their interface library. Hamlib has the FT-980 listed as "Alpha" (meaning no one tested it yet). I've been meaning to do this someday and help get it running ... it should then allow multiple programs to work with it.

Note: It was last updated in 1988 ... for 16-bit DOS. This means that you must install DOSBox first (sourceforge), set the serial port up, and link to the directory. See below:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1)????? Load and install (copy files) for CAT980 to c:\CAT980 (or similar directory)

2)????? Load and install DOSBox (sourceforge)

3)????? Edit DOSBox config file (dosbox.conf) to setup your FT-980 serial port

a.? Old line: serial1=dummy

b.? New line: serial1=directserial realport:com6

?

4)????? To run:

a.????? Run DOSBox (from start menu or shortcut)

b.????? > mount c c:\CAT980

c.????? > c:

d.????? > CAT980

Hi Wald,

Today I verified my FT-980 CAT interface was still functional by trying a couple of the direct interface SW packages (see the files section of this group).

I then used WSJT-X and set it up (4800,N,2). It connected to the rig, and read the frequency/band correctly. I then ran into one of the issues related to the antique FT-980 CAT system: when the CAT control is enabled, the CAT-related front controls are disabled). WSJT-X didn't release the CAT controls, so things like the mode and frequency (dial) and band were disabled. To use them I needed to either shut down WSJT-X, or turn off the rig control is settings. Note that this doesn't affect the analog settings iike mic gain, AF volume, etc.

If you aren't planning on changing any of the CAT settings once you start WSJT-X I think this will work for you. I'm wondering what the right approach is: should Hamlib be modified to take control, read/write, and then release control so the front panel will work in-between? Or should it continue to lock out the front controls as long as a program is interfacing? Hmmm ...

After this exercise I then tried fldigi, which also says it supports the FT-980 rig control via Hamlib (like WSJT-X). However, I was not able to get it to connect at all. Not sure of the issue here: I will likely need to put a com-sniffer in place to see what the traffic looks like.

--
-Mat Breton, N8TW

I am posting this from a Linux (Mint Tricia 19.3) running WSJT-X via a SignaLink USB interface. My FT8/PSK31 rig is normally a TS-930S but it's currently out of line for maintenance and a couple of upgrades. In its place is one of my FT-980s.

I don't have a radio cable built for the Yaesu but may order one, connect the SignaLink along with one of my FIF232's up to the host PC and see if the '980 is usable in CAT mode. Since the only thing I'd need to alter within the program is frequency, WSJT-X's computer control capabilities should work nicely -IF- the control set is properly implemented. (Power level is set-and-forget at roughly 60W PEP, as is audio output to the SignaLink - and these modes use USB regardless of band.)

This rig has an FC-757AT connected to it. Band memories are a nice feature with the Yaesu tuner - unlike the '930 which must be manually retuned each time I QSY to a different band. The only downfall to running the '980 is its slightly tighter audio passband on TX and RX. Whether or not this is a severe limitation remains to be seen.

73 - Fred, N8YX

Hi Fred,

I verified that WSJT-X was able to read the FT-980 frequency and update itself. That is as far as I got ... but I think it answers your question.

I downloaded the Hamlib 4.0 library and have been digging into it. It looks like the Alpha level backend only supports the following right now:
--
-Mat Breton, N8TW

What are you doing with setup parms in WSJT-X for the FIF-232/'980, Mat?

I have 5 serial ports on this particular system - /ttys0 and /ttys4-7. I -think- my CAT connection is currently on /ttys0 but want to make sure of software setup before I go chasing more hardware stuff.

Settings are 4800, 8 data bits, two stop bits, no handshake (also tried Xon/Xoff) and cannot seem to get the radio to be recognized.

73 - Fred, N8YX

I now have the FT-980 functioning in WSJT-X, which is running on Mint Tricia 19.3 (see above). My PTT setup in WSJT-X is VOX and this is handled through a SignaLink USB interface. Once I set audio and power output levels, the only thing I need to do is to use the program to QSY when the various bands open and close.

Also installed MCS 'FT-980 CAT' (from the group's Files area) via Wine and got it to work after checking symlinks, verifying device entries in the WINE config files and so forth. IF Shift, Width and most other controls seem to function.

Refer to Wald's setup in to original message in thread for setup details. FWIW, I'm using the OEM Yaesu CAT interface here.

73 - Fred, N8YX

This is how I set it up as well (except I'm using a W64 system).? I think I've figured out how hamlib works, next step it to set up a toolchain.

I may have to set up a linux machine since it will be a lot easier to get Git and GCC running on it than to do the same in Windows. I have an old desktop laying around I could use.

Any recommendations from anyone on a good Linux distro for programming??


--
-Mat Breton, N8TW

Ubuntu or Red Hat are what I've used the most - various flavors thereof - though you can install anything you want as long as you can get to the repos for the tools and support libraries. Most mirrors will have everything you need.

Slightly off-topic: We need to fix flrig. It doesn't support the '980 either.

73 - Fred, N8YX