I have reread the "ICOM Considerations" section of the Dxbase Help File, which discusses VFOa, VFOb, SPLIT, and specific shortcomings in the Icom control language.
"Many of the ICOM radios ... do not provide an RS232 command to determine if the radio is in split mode." and "The logic in DXbase requires that the radio be in split before we will extract VFOb information ..." This sounds to me like flawed logic. The Icom code allows the radio to tell the computer what information is in the *current* VFO. I understand that the inability of the radio to tell the computer whether it is in VFOa or VFOb or if it currently is in SPLIT mode is shortsighted on Icom's part, but I think it is irrelevant in most operating circumstances. I think the steps taken in Dxbase to work around this are also shortsighted. I use another program which does not do this. It will poll and/or set your RX and TX freq. (using "current" VFO and "other" VFO logic) from the keyboard. You, the operator, are responsible for pressing the SPLIT button on the front panel of the transceiver. In this way, the computer is *always* aware of your current (read: correct) frequency, mode, etc. Can I, as a user, modify the RADIOS.INI file to work around this? I looked at the information in this file for IC-765, but it seems only to be the radio address, language (ASCII commands), and other defaults. There doesn't seem to be a way to modify the command sequence. If not, I agree with N8NM that it would be nice to be able to disable the "feature" that requires the radio specifically to be in VFOa before frequency (et al) information is extracted. Suggestions? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen M. Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> Cc: "Bob Karpinski WB8B" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 02 26 Subject: Re: [Dxbase] wierd QSY anomoly > I verified this with my 765. I'd never noticed it before since I'm in the > habit of using the "A" VFO as my "working" VFO and my B for transmitting > when operating split, or listening to the ball games.. > > It looks like DXB is sending the $07 $00 command to the rig to switch it to > VFO A before sending the $03 to read the working VFO (?) Maybe the reason > for this sequence is to populate the "QSX" field? > > It would be nice to be able to defeat this feature if it's not being used (I > seldom care what my TX frequency was), since it would be really easy to > "bust" log entries if you're not watching what frequency/band is being > written in to the log. > > Just a suggestion... 73! > > Steve N8NM > > > I use an IC-765 configured to be used through COM 3. Everything works > > swimmingly. However ... > > > > Let's say I am sitting here on 21026.8 CW listening to 5T0CW. I happen to > be > > on VFO B. I work him, simplex. I type the call into the log field and hit > > the <tab> key so that Dxbase will poll the radio and populate the > frequency > > and band info (and time, and date, etc...) from the radio into the fields, > > or I just hit F10 to do all that and save the record, too. > > > > The radio, however, first switches to VFO A, which is at 1844.5, LSB. > Dxbase > > enters the 160m freq. from VFO A as the freq and mode that I just worked > the > > station and is ready to save the record (or actually saves it if I hit > F10) > > with the *wrong* info in it. > > > > Why does Dxbase make the transceiver go to VFO A before it starts asking > > questions and giving commands. Is there a way to keep this from happening? > > > > I use NA as my contest logging software on *the same computer with the > same > > serial interface, plugged into the same port* and I do not have this > > problem. The software and the hardware communicate just fine, regardless > of > > what VFO is selected. When NA polls the radio for the current freq and > mode, > > the radio responds appropriately. If the radio is told to go to a > particular > > freq. or mode by NA, it does so without changing VFOs. NA can even assign > a > > freq to the *other* VFO, so you can set VFO A and B (or reverse) right > from > > the keyboard. > > > > Suggestions? > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Dxbase mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/dxbase > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:[email protected] >
