Digipan

[W3WN]

Anyone familiar with Digipan?

[NA4BH]

It's been several years since I have used it, but I liked the program.

[NQ6U]

Anyone familiar with Digipan?

I've used it. Very basic, but it works fine. UI is kind of weird but part of that might be because I'm used to a Mac and the UI of all Windows software seems a little weird to me.

Currently, I'm using Ham Radio Deluxe and Digital Master 780 for my digital stuff. Very full-featured package, including a log app that automatically records digital QSOs and uploads them to eQSL when you're done. There's a few bugs in it but you sure can't complain given the price: free.

[KG4CGC]

How do you combat gibberish, Carl?

[NQ6U]

How do you combat gibberish, Carl?

By ignoring Rudy's posts.

[KG4CGC]

(rimshot!)
What I'm talking about, do you use any special shielding?

[NA4BH]

That was funny. :rofl:

[NQ6U]

(rimshot!)
What I'm talking about, do you use any special shielding?

I use a SignaLink USB interface which is essentially an external USB sound card. It comes in a metal case, which I grounded. The connection from the computer to the interface is a high-quality USB cable and they're shielded by default. The cable from the interface to my rig is a custom cable that was supplied by the interface manufacturer and it's shielded as well. I have a common ground point connected to a nearby cold water pipe and run a heavy wire to that from every piece of equipment in my shack. It's also tied to the mains power ground line.

[KG4CGC]

I will remember that.

[N8YX]

I started playing around with HRD/DM780 and WinWarbler a few weeks ago. W-W seems to use a bit less system resources than DM780 but over the weekend I threw enough RAM and CPU at the problem that it disappeared.

The primary rig-control computer in use here is an Intel MicroATX 845-based P4-3.06GHz/2GB RAM running XP. It has 6 standard serial ports, a plethora of USB ports and a parallel port, which eventually will be used to drive band-pass filter selection logic for an outboard unit.

COM1 of this arrangement is connected to a DSP-599zx. It can be run in Baudot/ASCII mode or used to key its parent TS-940S when running in sound-card mode. COM2 will be used to control a THL 2.5fx/antenna tuner combo. COM3 and COM4 control the TS-940S and an R-5000, respectively. COM5 will soon be connected to an Icom R-7000 and COM6 to a Pro2035/OS-535 board.

When playing in the ham bands, one of the popular rig-control packages (N1MM, WriteLog, HRD) is used. ScanCAT-Gold (SE) is installed and will be used to control the scanners.

The little "cube" is run in headless mode: The only connections to it are LAN. power, serial/parallel and USB as required. Losing the VGA cable and using very short cables to the gear itself helps to cut computer RFI way down but I've still got a bit of choking to do. RDP through a Gigabit switch is used to access the controller system, but on contest days a pair of small flat panels along with a USB keyboard and mouse will be hooked to the unit so the operator can use the contest software at the rig. One could also RDP via laptop and do same...

[W3WN]

I guess a little more explanation is in order.

I finally got a round tuit, and got the Omni VI+ connected to the old laptop I'm planning on dedicating to this. Ten-Tec actually makes it easy, as there are direct sound output & mike input connectors on the back of the rig, and they feed directly into the sound card ports.

Since this old laptop is only running Win 2K -- and doesn't have the memory to run more, nor do I plan on upgrading it -- I knew that Digipan would work. I'm not sure if HRD will, since resources are limited.

I am receiving some PSK signals. Haven't tried transmitting (outside of some testing) yet.

So, I was hoping for a few pointers from someone experienced with the app.

BTW, once I get my hands on another small LCD (I had a old 15 inch, but it died on me), the laptop will get replaced with another machine, probably the small footprint Dell I have. So I won't rule out HRD or another app in the future, but I want to get an idea of what I'm doing first!

73

[NQ6U]

Okay, let me fire up Digipan and get familiar with it again.

[W3WN]

I see now why things didn't look as expected. I found & installed DigiPan 1.7. The documentation I started with was for DG 2, though, I've found that software now, & I'll try to get that on the laptop tonight, see if it flies any better.

WinWarbler looks interesting, but I want to get a basic grasp on what I'm doing with PSK31 before I try to deal with the more advanced software. And --- again, I have to see if it will run on that old laptop (an Acer running Win2K, a 20 GB hard drive, and only 64 MB of RAM. Sophisticated, it ain't. Well, by today's technology at least)

Ultimately, if I can get all this working, I'll port the working system over to that Dell small profile box (running XP Pro SP3) that, ironically, was originally intended for this purpose until it was co-opted by Little Miss Field Day (which is how the monitor got turned into toast) until I got it back. Once THAT has been accomplished, I'll be able to RDP into the box from anywhere. I hope.

[X-Rated]

I see now why things didn't look as expected. I found & installed DigiPan 1.7. The documentation I started with was for DG 2, though, I've found that software now, & I'll try to get that on the laptop tonight, see if it flies any better.

WinWarbler looks interesting, but I want to get a basic grasp on what I'm doing with PSK31 before I try to deal with the more advanced software. And --- again, I have to see if it will run on that old laptop (an Acer running Win2K, a 20 GB hard drive, and only 64 MB of RAM. Sophisticated, it ain't. Well, by today's technology at least)

Ultimately, if I can get all this working, I'll port the working system over to that Dell small profile box (running XP Pro SP3) that, ironically, was originally intended for this purpose until it was co-opted by Little Miss Field Day (which is how the monitor got turned into toast) until I got it back. Once THAT has been accomplished, I'll be able to RDP into the box from anywhere. I hope.

I like Digipan a lot. The program runs seamlessly. The screen shows all of the stations on in a glance and I can easily find a CQ.

[KC2UGV]

Is there an issue running FLDIgi on the box? I think Digipan has more modes, but FLDigi is rock solid :)

[W3WN]

Is there an issue running FLDIgi on the box? I think Digipan has more modes, but FLDigi is rock solid :)I'll have to see what FLDigi needs to run.

This AST laptop is old, it's not worth a memory upgrade, and a drive upgrade is out of the question. I'm more than half tempted to put it on my hamfest table on the 27th and get what I can for it. (Having a second with with a bad keyboard, due to a coffee spill, as a parts unit may help. Or it may not). I had some plans for it, but they never quite panned out.

Edit: Actually, FLDigi appears to support many more modes that DigiPan, especially some of the RTTY ones. I will definitely look into this. However, the "beginners" page implies that you have to use the serial port or CAT control to key the rig, so that may rule this out. We'll see.

[KC2UGV]

I'll have to see what FLDigi needs to run.

This AST laptop is old, it's not worth a memory upgrade, and a drive upgrade is out of the question. I'm more than half tempted to put it on my hamfest table on the 27th and get what I can for it. (Having a second with with a bad keyboard, due to a coffee spill, as a parts unit may help. Or it may not). I had some plans for it, but they never quite panned out.

Edit: Actually, FLDigi appears to support many more modes that DigiPan, especially some of the RTTY ones. I will definitely look into this.

Is this going to be a single-purposed machine, just for digi modes? If so, I'd stick a lightweight linux on there (Xubuntu, or something similar), and then install FLDigi. It should run it, no problems.

[W3WN]

If I keep this particular laptop, yes, it will be single-purposed. But to dump Win2K for Linux? Now? Then I have two or more unknowns to deal with... no thanks. One learning curve at a time.

[KC2UGV]

If I keep this particular laptop, yes, it will be single-purposed. But to dump Win2K for Linux? Now? Then I have two or more unknowns to deal with... no thanks. One learning curve at a time.

Meh. The laptop is pretty aged, so all the drivers should just install (No fancy graphics chip, no brand-spanking new wifi card, etc). That part should be easy. Then, installing FLDigi is about 3 clicks away.

You could always try a Live CD (Get an older Ubuntu one, the newer ones will drag ass) and see if there are any problems. You can even "install" FLDigi there and play around a bit before committing to it.

If you do the LiveCD route, the only thing you'd lose is time. And, you wont have to "learn" linux. Just enough to get FLDigi fired up :)

[WØTKX]

I like MultiPSK, but it's really ugly and confusing. It's my "go to" program for the weird modes. Lotsa fun for Utility DXing.

HRD and DM-780 is the main choice, but it's a hoggy thang. Munch that Winders RAM. Munch Munch.

[W3WN]

Meh. The laptop is pretty aged, so all the drivers should just install (No fancy graphics chip, no brand-spanking new wifi card, etc). That part should be easy. Then, installing FLDigi is about 3 clicks away.

You could always try a Live CD (Get an older Ubuntu one, the newer ones will drag ass) and see if there are any problems. You can even "install" FLDigi there and play around a bit before committing to it.

If you do the LiveCD route, the only thing you'd lose is time. And, you wont have to "learn" linux. Just enough to get FLDigi fired up :)I'll keep that in mind for future reference.

You're asking me to replace the entire OS with one I'm not familiar with, and the inherent assumption that everything will go smooth as silk on the install -- a very dangerous assumption. Then you're asking me to install an application on said unfamiliar OS, an app I know nothing about, and one that uses a collection of modes (digital) that I am not at all familiar with.

Right now, that's too many unknowns to deal with in a very limited amount of free time.

[W3WN]

I like MultiPSK, but it's really ugly and confusing. It's my "go to" program for the weird modes. Lotsa fun for Utility DXing.

HRD and DM-780 is the main choice, but it's a hoggy thang. Munch that Winders RAM. Munch Munch.Yeah, I think that rules out HRD on THIS laptop at this time. DigiPan doesn't look like it's been updated for quite awhile, but at least I know it works and doesn't eat all the memory on this little thing.

Once I'm more comfortable with it, and with PSK modes in general, I think I'll move up to to the dedicated Dell XP machine, or at least the Compaq Evo N600.

[KC2UGV]

I'll keep that in mind for future reference.

You're asking me to replace the entire OS with one I'm not familiar with, and the inherent assumption that everything will go smooth as silk on the install -- a very dangerous assumption.

Not so dangerous. Most computer gurus know that Linux installs on older hardware tend to go smoothly. It's the brandy-spanking new hardware Linux tends to have issues with :)


Then you're asking me to install an application on said unfamiliar OS, an app I know nothing about, and one that uses a collection of modes (digital) that I am not at all familiar with.


Well, computers these days are rather user-friendly. Not much of a learning curve to be had, really. Especially to devoted tasks. ie Doesn't take a person long to get used to an OS enough to open up their Word Processing program. And, not very long to get used to doing basic tasks in the word processing app.


Right now, that's too many unknowns to deal with in a very limited amount of free time.

Now, there is an argument with no rebuttal at all :) Of that I can understand. FLDigi should run fine on Win2K, so for any other reason than getting a slightly faster and smoother experience, I can see no reason to change OS's for just digimode work when free time is at a premium.

[W3WN]

Again, I appreciate the thought Corey. I'll tell you what, though... I do have the other AST that's keyboard got damaged with a coffee spill, but an external keyboard should work with it. I may just try to load Ubuntu (I do have a few disks) on that one, just to see what happens. No loss if this second machine craps out, it's already, ah, crappy!

[W3WN]

Now this is... interesting, if not a little disturbing.

I just got an email from "PropNet" from KF6XA's email, informing me that my PSK31 CQ was automatically monitored, stored in their database, and analyzed (http://propnet.org/catch3.php?date=2011-02-13&call=W3WN&center=W3WN). And gee! Isn't this such a great thing! Come join our site!

One test CQ, and I get spammed. Great. Just frakkin great.

And it's "nice" to know that our PSK transmissions are being monitored. For our own good, I'm sure.

What next, is their database going to critique my typing skills?

[NQ6U]

I like MultiPSK, but it's really ugly and confusing. It's my "go to" program for the weird modes. Lotsa fun for Utility DXing.

Oh, jeeze, yeah--MultiPSK has to have the worst UI of any software every released to the general public--it's horrendous. But I do use it from time to time because, as far as I know, it's the only software available that handles the ALE-400 digital mode, which is a very interesting one to play with. Kind of slow, but it has automatic error correction and a sort of faux full-duplex operation. It also supports nets very well with no need for a control operator.


HRD and DM-780 is the main choice, but it's a hoggy thang. Munch that Winders RAM. Munch Munch.

I dunno. It runs okay on my older low-end HP with only 1GB of RAM. (And how many of you long-time computer users can remember when the very thought of having 1GB of RAM at all would have made you salivate?)

[W3WN]

< snip > (And how many of you long-time computer users can remember when the very thought of having 1GB of RAM at all would have made you salivate?)I remember when we were thrilled to run Windows with 4 MB or RAM instead of 2.

Yes, MB.

Of course, it was Windows 3.1.

[NQ6U]

I remember when we were thrilled to run Windows with 4 MB or RAM instead of 2.

Yes, MB.

Of course, it was Windows 3.1.

I remember when I got my first Mac and all the DOS guys were amazed by it's 8MB of RAM and 80MB HDD.

[WØTKX]

I remember the Phar Lap 386 DOS extender. All the cool software needed it, and badly.

Back when RAM was expensive.

[W3WN]

HI8CSS

My first BPSK31 QSO on 40 meters. Had to switch to the Compaq EVO, for some reason as yet unknown the AST hung up. (I'm definitely taking that guy to the next hamfest, enough is enough.) Got Digipan 2.0 on it, and next thing you know... up and running.

Just have to pay attention to PTT, but that will come with time!

[W3WN]

I remember when I got my first Mac and all the DOS guys were amazed by it's 8MB of RAM and 80MB HDD.
My first file server... Netware 68 using a Motorola processor in the box, and it had a great big TWO 80 MD HDD!