Problems with CAT control of mcHf. Clues please.

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2E0URS
Problems with CAT control of mcHf. Clues please.

Hello everyone,

I have just started migrating to CQRLOG(2.5.2) and I'm having a bit of bother with the CAT control of my mcHF and could use a few clues to help me trace the problem.

The problem is that when I connect to the mcHF from CQRLOG, the logger's screen updates with the frequency currently tuned in but then the rig starts transmitting. It stays with TX on, even if I unplug the USB cable, until I press the tune button twice. From then on, every time I press the PTT, the rig stays transmitting until, again I press the tune button twice.

The mcHF is emulating a Yaesu FT-817 and is connected over USB.

I know this is tricky as the rig is emulating the Yaesu FT-817, so it could be the emulation and also FT-817 support is beta so it could be that.

Please could someone suggest a plan of action to try and get to the bottom of this?

Thanks,

Andy.

oh1kh
Problems with CAT control of mcHf. Clues please.

HI Andy!

Do you have latest Hamlib? Version 4.3 is just released.

Then what is the poll rate? If you use slow serial speed, or the emulation is slow it may help to put the poll rate somewhere between 1000-5000 (the unit is milliseconds)

You can also test it starting rigctld manually from command terminal with proper parameters.
Then start another command terminal and start
telnet localhost 4532

giving f (lowcase) and enter there should get rig frequency. you can give several "f"s to pll the rig.
With upcase F 3550000(enter) you should be able to set rig to 3.550Mhz etc.
command
T 1
will set PTT on and
T 0
will release it.

When cqrlog is not running does these operations make PTT to stuck?

Check also that RFI is not causing this problem by setting TX power to minimum and using dummy load for tests.

Note that Cqrlog's New qso/File/Tune will set the rig to AM and then activate PTT. When stopping TUNE it releases PTT and then returns to previous mode. Does your mcHF support this kind of action?

--
Saku
OH1KH

2E0URS
Hi Saku,

Hi Saku,

Thank you very much for that feedback.

I will work my way though your suggestions and post my findings back here when I have the answers.

Thanks,

Andy.

2E0URS
Hi,

Hi,

I currently have HamLib 3.3.

I have tried dropping the power and putting a dummy load on to the rig. Nothing changes, I still have the fault.
Using a telnet client does not give me any errors. I can use T1 & T0 without problems.

I have increased the poll delay but it hasn't helped.

Thanks,

Andy.

oh1kh
Problems with CAT control of mcHf. Clues please.

HI Andy!

Let's try two terminal test again.
First open cqrlog go preferences/TRXControl and uncheck "Run rigctld at program start". Change rig model to #2 "Hamlib NET rigctld".
Change poll rate to 10000 (or more) so that you have time to see what happens after single poll.
Close cqrlog.

In terminal where you start rigctld add one extra parameter -vvvv That should start debug print and you see what rigctld "thinks" about commands.
Less vv's less debug texts (1 -5)

Try again telnet from other terminal and look what rigctld prints as debug. Try to get frequency with "f" and test also "T" commands. Test also command "fmv" that is what cqrlog sends to read frequency and mode. (f-frequency,m-mode,v-vfo) the vfo information is no used for anything,

When tested that this works start cqrlog. It should now access to same rigctld running in your terminal. You can see what happens when it polls rig
with its "fmv". At the same time you can give your commands from another terminal.

What happens then?

--
Saku
OH1KH

2E0URS
Hi Saku,

Hi Saku,

Thanks again for your feedback.

I started cqrlog and untick the start option.
I then started rigctld as suggested but with maximum verbosity (-vvvvv)

I used telnet to access rigctld and got this output.

Connection opened from localhost:45656
client lock engaged
rig_open called
port_open called
serial_open called
serial_setup called
ft817: ft817_open called
rig_get_vfo called
Opened rig model 120, 'FT-817'
client lock disengaged

and at this point my rig started transmitting. I had to press the "tone" button twice to get it to stop. From then on, PPT latched.

I think the problem lies with the FT-817 driver in rigctld/Hamlib but I've not had any luck so far updating hamlib to the later version, it's still on 3.3.

I'll keep trying,

All the best,

Andy.

oh1kh
Problems with CAT control of mcHf. Clues please.

HI Andy!

Seems to be rigctld (emulation) problem. Version 3.3 is really old. There are lots of new rigs added since, perhaps also your rig is already there.

You did not mention what linux you are running. if there is no new version in package you could consider to compile Hamlib from sourlce.
See this message chain https://www.cqrlog.com/node/3071

--
Saku
OH1KH

2E0URS
Hi Folks,

Hi Folks,

I've got to the bottom of it :-)

My rig was set to use RTS on the USB serial port as PTT! Quite why the Tone button ignored it I don't know but I've turned that feature off and it's working now.

Thanks for all of your help.

Cheers,

Andy.

oh1kh
Problems with CAT control of mcHf. Clues please.

Hi Andy!

Thanks for telling the reason ! Might help someone later!

--
Saku
OH1KH