[DogParkList] User oops! MacLoggerDX

[Don Agro]

Hi Peter,

On 7-Jan-05, at 7:30 PM, Peter Van Houten wrote:

> I have just made it to General and did the morse code!

Congratulations !

> I was so excited that when I installed my Icom 706 on my sailboat, I 
> also connected the Powerbook to it and tried it out. Of course it ran 
> fine. I checked out the memories function in MacLoggerDX and saw the 
> Dx window. Clicking on it, it tuned the rig to the 80M band and I 
> heard Hungary and GB as well as Bermuda! I was in heaven until the 
> next day and checked the General band plan and realized that I could 
> not transmit in this area (out of band for a general class). BUMMER!

Oops :)

> Here is the Idea for you: Would it be difficult to have the 
> preferences also keep track of the users class and also have a band 
> chart in a file that  is checked? A red or green "light" could be put 
> near the frequency display in the program to indicate when the user is 
> in or out of band. It could also show the preferred communication mode 
> for that band area. This would be a great help for the neophyte like 
> me!   (You could get so bold as to not allow the transmitter to come 
> on in an "out of band" condition.)

Good idea - we would of course have to generalize it for different 
license band/restrictions based on country of license and that could 
get a bit complicated, but it's a good idea just the same.

> On the boat, I used the rear stay for an antenna (insulated back stay) 
> and coupled it to an Icom AT130 antenna tuner. I noticed when I move 
> the frequency dial about 2-3 KHz, the 706 would transmit a 2 second 
> signal presumably to get the tuner to retune the antenna. Is this 
> coming from the software or is it the Icom 706? I will eventually test 
> this by unplugging the interface and see if it still happens. I might 
> then switch the tuner to manual only and see what happens.

If you do not have the DTR and RTS from the serial port connected to 
the radio (for example with a microHAM USB Interface) then this must be 
coming from the radio/tuner.
If you do have them connected, try turning off Transceive mode in the 
706 menus, it may be confusing MacLoggerDX and causing the port to 
cycle.
Version 4.0.4 clears the DTR and RTS lines before closing the port and 
this also may help.
Let us know...

> I am also trying to get a school involved with a new Ham club and 
> would like to investigate the use of satelites. I love your program 
> and probably need to try MacDopplerPro. Any advice on how to set up a 
> beginning station to introduce the kids to satelite communications, 
> which birds to use, equipment that you have used and liked would be 
> appreciated. I need flexibility in the equipment to be able to do many 
> things.

The very best place to start with satellites is AMSAT <www.amsat.org>
They have some great help for beginners right here... 
<http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/>

> I have a TS2000 also but have not put the 1.2GHz unit in it just yet.

The TS-2000 is supported by MacDopplerPRO and is what we use on the 
gateway:
<http://www.dogparksoftware.com/mdpxgateway.html>

> Any thoughts are appreciated and keep up the good work!
>
> 73, Peter

Thanks Peter,
Let us know how it goes...

73 Don Agro VE3VRW

D o g   P a r k   S o f t w a r e   L t d .

email: dagro at dogparksoftware.com
   www: http://www.dogparksoftware.com
     iChat AV:dogpark at mac.com