CAT connection for RX2

User avatar
Conrad_PA5Y
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:11 pm

CAT connection for RX2

Postby Conrad_PA5Y » Wed Dec 28, 2022 12:10 pm

Hello all. Is it possible to connect WSJT-X by CAT or (preferably TCP) to RX2? I would like to monitor 50.313 on RX1 and 50.323 on RX2 with 2 separate versions of WSJT-X. Is this possible? I am using the latest Thetis release and I am using TCP on RX1 which is excellent.

Regards

Conrad PA5Y
K9RX
Posts: 414
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 3:47 pm

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby K9RX » Wed Dec 28, 2022 12:26 pm

Conrad, Good morning/afternoon sir... I hope you are well.

So... I'm not sure what your question is. I have 2 instances of WSJT and use both RX1 on 313 and RX2 on 323 (or whatever band I choose). I am not sure what the CAT connection has to do with it though. Since RX2 is RX only you don't need a separate ability to control the TX side. And 'knowing' the frequency just means a separate Com port instance. What am I missing?

Gary
K9RX
User avatar
Conrad_PA5Y
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:11 pm

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby Conrad_PA5Y » Wed Dec 28, 2022 1:15 pm

Hello Gary, nice to see you again.

I am looking for the convenience factor :-)

Sometimes I might use RX2 with a transverter while monitoring RX1 on 6m . So I select 2m in WSJT-X and it sets the frequency of RX2.

I am already a luddite because I key the ANAN with an external PTT. Why? Because I want the TX to go over last and always go over when I TX on any band from any radio. I use a master sequencer. I never EVER use my radios to initiate TX. I realise that I can set the RX2 frequency manually and just set the radio to none in WSJT-X.

Just a thought, but I can live with it.

I just got an ANAN-100D - it is so much better than the last one I had. No sticky RX/TX changeover, no problem with rear connectors. No RX or TX spurs. Seems I have been lucky this time.

Regards

Conrad
rsaue
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2022 9:51 am

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby rsaue » Wed Dec 28, 2022 1:24 pm

K9RX wrote:
So... I'm not sure what your question is. I have 2 instances of WSJT and use both RX1 on 313 and RX2 on 323 (or whatever band I choose). I am not sure what the CAT connection has to do with it though. Since RX2 is RX only you don't need a separate ability to control the TX side. And 'knowing' the frequency just means a separate Com port instance. What am I missing?


I am also interested in the ability to get full CAT -control of RX2, like I can do on my Flex-6300 and SunSDR2-DX. With full CAT-control on Thetis, I would have the ability to initiate a QSO from the JTDX connected to RX2, or from the JTDX connected to RX1. My favourite operating habit using the Flex or the SunSDR is to look for CW dx on RX1 while have JTDX connected to RX2 with at sound alert when new ones shows up. I can not do this with Thetis today.

I believe Ramdor was into adding RX2 control using TCI when he went off the grid in the spring. I have not succeeded getting a stable use of RX2 with JTDX using TCI. I bought a new to me ANAN-200D this summer, and did not take part in the test phase.

73 de LB2EG Richard
User avatar
w-u-2-o
Posts: 5540
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:47 pm

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Dec 28, 2022 2:59 pm

There already is full CAT control of RX2. What is lacking is the ability of WSJT-X and other software to control it.

Via existing CAT commands you can set and read VFO A and B, and set and read VFO A and B TX enable states. You can set and read split state. You can enable/disable RX2. You can adjust all the operating parameters of RX2 the same as you can for RX1. VAC1 carries RX1 audio, VAC2 carries RX2 audio.

What else do you need?

Maybe you should be contacting the dev's on the digi mode software and hamlib to fully support Thetis RX2.
rsaue
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2022 9:51 am

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby rsaue » Wed Dec 28, 2022 3:14 pm

w-u-2-o wrote:There already is full CAT control of RX2. What is lacking is the ability of WSJT-X and other software to control it.

[...]

What else do you need?



You answered your own question :D

73 de LB2EG Richard
User avatar
w-u-2-o
Posts: 5540
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:47 pm

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Dec 28, 2022 4:00 pm

rsaue wrote: You answered your own question :D
I don't get that joke, but that's OK. I hope I was clear in that the problem is not with Thetis.
User avatar
Conrad_PA5Y
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:11 pm

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby Conrad_PA5Y » Wed Dec 28, 2022 4:11 pm

Yes it is clear Scott, I have read the CAT command reference more fully and I see the references for RX2. I will ask Michael Black if he can help on the WSJT-X dev forum.

73

Conrad PA5Y
rsaue
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2022 9:51 am

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby rsaue » Wed Dec 28, 2022 6:45 pm

w-u-2-o wrote:
rsaue wrote: You answered your own question :D
I don't get that joke, but that's OK. I hope I was clear in that the problem is not with Thetis.


You made your point perfectly clear, Scott, no problem with that.

I simply do not agree...

It as long as I can fully control RX2 on my Flex and SunSDR2-DX independent from RX1 using standard logging and digimode-programs, and I can not do that using my ANAN-200D/Thetis, I feel that this is more a Thetis problem than a problem related to the 3d party software.

I feel that Ramdor was into something adding a subset of TCI (CAT)-support to Thetis. Hopefully, someday in the future, he will continue his work on Thetis.

73 de LB2EG Richard
User avatar
w-u-2-o
Posts: 5540
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:47 pm

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Dec 28, 2022 8:26 pm

rsaue wrote:I simply do not agree...

Then you are flat wrong, simple as that.

The onus has ALWAYS been on the digi-mode software developers to make their software work with the radio, not the other way around. The reason for this is because Sun, Kenwood, Yaesu, Flex, Elecraft, and openHPSDR (Thetis) will each continue to produce their own, unique interfaces.

That is why the digi mode programs allow you to select the radio type. Flex did not make their software support RX2 for JTDX or WSJT-X or any other digi mode software, the digi mode software developers made their software support Flex. Same for SunSDR. Same for Kenwood. And so on. If you want them to support Thetis then they need to be lobbied appropriately to do so. It can be done. I spent a lot of time lobbying the author of DXLab to support serial CAT over IP for Thetis and was ultimately successful.

Perhaps most importantly, if the hamlib folks (https://hamlib.github.io/) can be lobbied appropriately then much of the digi mode software we all love that uses hamlib will attain RX2 capability. This includes WSJT-X, Fldigi, and others.

Unless and until all radio manufacturers and developers decide to standardize their radio control interfaces this situation will not change. Indeed, this is the reason hamlib came to be. Because of the significant amount of work already expended by all of the various developers such a change seems unlikely. Expert Electronics would love TCI to take over the world, but it's just not going to happen. While there are things to like about TCI, too much work has been sunk into serial CAT by ALL the radio makers the world over just to see it abandoned.
rsaue
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2022 9:51 am

Re: CAT connection for RX2

Postby rsaue » Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:16 pm

w-u-2-o wrote:
rsaue wrote:I simply do not agree...

Then you are flat wrong, simple as that.


Well, I hope you are correct and I am flat wrong.

73 de LB2EG Richard

Return to “Digital Mode, Rig Control & Logging Software”