Thanks to the several hams who commented on my question. Fortunately, I'm
pretty handy with the [cussed] Windows worings, so I was familiar with the ways
one can re-map hardware to COM ports other than what comes up as a default.
Sadly, however, the option to do so isn't always available, or easily
available, as in my case. I had to really customize drivers of hardware
devices in an unconventional way, but I finally was able to free up a COM port
definition in the range that DX4WIN allows.
So, my new K1EL Winkeyer USB works like a champ with DX4WIN. Perfect!
For a future revision, it would be great if DX4WIN "queried" the Windows
environment to see what COM ports were assigned in the computer, and then made
those ports dynamically available for selection via a drop-window. In this
way, any arrangement of such ports would be possible to pick from, instead of
being limited to an arbitrary number. As the number of serial peripherals in a
ham shack increase (rotor, packet modem, weather station, rig, antenna switch,
second RX control, home automation, keyer, etc., etc.) this scenario isn't so
much as a rarity as one might expect.
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From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Wed Jan 9 00:53:31 2008
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Steve Jackson)
Date: Wed Jan 9 00:54:32 2008
Subject: [Dx4win] a clarification I'd like to make
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Pete N4ZR wrote:
"when I read someone complaining about how a K2 or K3 isn't adequately
supported, I have very little sympathy. We have, under
Files|Databases|Radios, a complete development environment for editing,
creating from scratch and testing all the rig files one could want. If there
is something in the radio's command list that isn't now supported, why not add
it, and share your contribution with the user community?"
Pete, I'd like to clarify my post of a few days ago, so that you understand
what was being asked for. The original conversation (at Dayton, between myself
and Paul) wasn't part of the message, as posted. So I can see why one might
think what I wrote was a complaint.
Quite the contrary.
The specific feature [which certain Kenwoods and Elecrafts have] that I'd like
to see enabled in DX4WIN isn't simply a function of a new rig file. If it was,
I'd have done as you suggest above, long ago.
Instead, it's a wholesale new feature creation, a specific-case enhancement of
the CW keyboard application not unlike that added for K1EL 'winkey' product
support. This can't be created by the user, via the rig-parameter editing
tools.
I ended up buying a K1EL Winkeyer USB even though my radio *already* has
substantially the identical functionality, built-in. I'd gladly have paid
Rapidan Data Systems, say, $30 extra for just this one new feature in DX4WIN to
be able to use this functionality. For me, the opportunity window has now
passed, but for other, perhaps new users who own these Kenwoods and Elecrafts,
DX4WIN could be just what the doctor ordered.
Software companies compete on value-added functionality, and this is one great
feature that could really draw in the customers for DX4WIN. As a user, I have
a vested interest in keeping this company a viable and healthy business.
Thanks for taking the time to read this message, which I hope explains that
what I was doing wasn't complaining about inadequate support. Indeed, I'm very
pleased with DX4WIN, have been for years, and intend to keep on encouraging
others to use this great product.
Go PVRC!
73 Steve KZ1X/4
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