apache-labs.com

Sure, I've been using CAT over TCP/IP with 2.9.0.6 for a while now, but only with my Node Red station automation. Today I went all-in on setting up my commonly used app's to use TCP/IP. Anything with Hamlib works great. You just have to know the secret squirrel stuff, which is to type into the port setting box IP:port, e.g. "127.0.0.1:1800", or whatever you've got Thetis set to. So right where it says "COM10" or the like, just type right over the top of it.

This works with:

- Fldigi (you do have to select Hamlib as the method)
- WSJT-X
- JS8Call

Of course N1MM has TCP/IP now as a normal method, and I know DXLabs will have it soon.

The one disappointment so far is Winlink Express.

I am "this" close to turning off my virtual serial port software for good!

When we built CAT for PiHPSDR - TCP/IP was the first choice because we didn't have pins left on the Raspberry PI to talk to a serial port while also talking to buttons and knobs. The first iteration could handle 3 connections - that seemed like enough and was emulating the multiple serial port connections available in PowerSDR. John finally rewrote the CAT TCP/IP section and built it so the PiHPSDR can handle any number of connections - so you can have as many clients as you want. is Thetis implemented in a similar way??

Thanks,

Steve KA6S

Yes. You'll find lengthy discussions of the implementation by Richie, MW0LGE, if you search this forum. I don't remember the client limit, but it's a number that is high enough so that it shouldn't matter.

w-u-2-o wrote:...You just have to know the secret squirrel stuff, which is to type into the port setting box IP:port, e.g. "127.0.0.1:1800", or whatever you've got Thetis set to. So right where it says "COM10" or the like, just type right over the top of it.

Thats works great. I didn't realize it was possible to overwrite the pull-down COM port fields with an IP address. I have TCP/IP set to communicate with Stream Deck and now WSJT-X. Thetis' virtual COM ports are now deactivated.

Paul, W9AC

I use TCPIP with multiple programs don't forget to, in Thetis, check "TURN SERVER ON".

Probably intuitive to those IT folks but wasn't for me

I now have Thetis talking to both log4om and n1mm+ using TCPIP. Very nice!

Ron
N4XD

it would be nice to be able to pass audio tx/rx through it as well, why is it not implemented?

StefanoAlvaro wrote:it would be nice to be able to pass audio tx/rx through it as well, why is it not implemented?

Quite simply because no one has implemented it yet.

ExpertSDR's TCI-Protocol also supports tx/rx audio transport, but this (audio via TCI) is also not implemented yet.

Implementing audio via tcpip (or web-socket) is not only a matter of writing some lines of code but also dealing with the myriads of possibilities (different hardware, VAC, mic/spk direct...).

73 Ernst

What Ernst said, plus most of the major digi mode app's, e.g. Fldigi, WSTJ-X, Winlink, etc. do not support any form of audio-over-IP connectivity. Thus it becomes a chicken and egg game: who adds it first, who sets the standard?

TCI, a competing protocol to CAT and developed by Expert Electronics (the SunSDR folks), is gaining some traction. TCI does include audio-over-IP. I believe JTDX is the only major app that supports TCI audio-over-IP. With only a single app that supports it there is not a lot of motivation to add it. There are, however, quite a few app's, mostly loggers, that support TCI rig control, and hence that part of TCI was judged worthy of developing by one of the Thetis developers (thank you Richie!)

w-u-2-o wrote:TCI, a competing protocol to CAT and developed by Expert Electronics (the SunSDR folks), is gaining some traction. TCI does include audio-over-IP. I believe JTDX is the only major app that supports TCI audio-over-IP. With only a single app that supports it there is not a lot of motivation to add it. There are, however, quite a few app's, mostly loggers, that support TCI rig control, and hence that part of TCI was judged worthy of developing by one of the Thetis developers (thank you Richie!)

Hi Scott,
I'm not a digital mode fan however sometimes I run WSPR. I have both a SunSDR2DX and the ANAN7000 and since the implementation of TCI in Thetis my life is easier.
Having SDC, Software Defined Connector, I bet you know it, TCI simplified the connection and the sharing of resources. I can use SDC as single gateway to control my SSPA (which has a single CAT port) for Band decoding, CW Skimmer and DX Cluster server.
However, some features are better achieved with TCI audio (or SmartSDR API) like SDC skimmer. It can be used with other audio input, however decoding is a bit crappy. There is also the Macro feature that uses TCI audio and so far i'm not using.
I'd love the Implementation of TCI Audio as well, I think it would be a great addition.
Max
IU4JNR

As a follow up WinLink Express should work with rigctlcom.


On the latest Hamlib we also have a new Thetis entry model 2054 -- older hamlibs will have to use 2048 (Flex/PowerSDR)
So this command will establish at TS-2000 emulator on COM10 that most any app (other than HRD) can use to talk to Thetis over TCP/IP.

Set up a VSPE Connector Port -- e.g. COM10

rigctlcom -m 2054 -r 192.168.1.2:13013 -R COM10 -S 115200

In Hamlib 4.7 I'll be implementing multicast rig control and no serial ports will be necessary at all.

Might be nice to port that protocol into Thetis and no serial setup would be needed. I'll also be either expanding rigctlcom or make a new utility that can hook up all serial port software to the multicast system. Will still have to use an emulator to make the old software happy and plan on sticking with the TS-2000 unless somebody has a better one to allow for. Seems the TS-2000 is supported by everything.

That last post confused me for a while. There's no need to use rigctlcom for Winlink unless you have run out of serial CAT instances in Thetis. I.e. this approach does not eliminate the use of virtual serial connections where Winlink is concerned.

That's true -- just another way to do it.