![]() Typically, once an app takes control over the COM port, other apps have no chance of getting to it. This is brought to you by the established convention and all the intermediary machinery that hides the differences in the internal workings. Think of familiar consistent controls you expect when you get into a new car’s driver seat. This saves the app developers from maintaining a huge list of rig profiles and allow them to focus on the app’s core functionality. The original value proposition for rig control software was to provide digital modes apps with a uniform interface for controlling different makes and models of the transceivers. ![]() Why do we want another piece of software when our digital modes apps already offer a direct CAT control? Standardized Interface I’m talking about likes of Omnirig (free), Flrig (free), Hamlib (free), Ham Radio Deluxe (paid), etc. Use ferrite beads on serial line to suppress RF.Shortening the length of the serial cable making it less of the antenna for RFI (shameless plug: consider Digirig – improving CAT control stability was one of the design objectives).Using choke baluns (RF Isolators) to block any stay RF early on.Making sure your antenna is in tune – low SWR means that less energy is reflected back into the shack.Not the type our radio picks up from the neighbor’s grow lights, but the type that our transmission induces on the serial cable flipping zeroes to ones and ones to zeroes. In many cases the reason for unstable behavior of otherwise correctly configured serial CAT interface is RFI (Radio Frequency Interference). Reading through the ham forums and groups it is clear that these issues are quite common. The problem would not go away until the whole setup was rebooted and by then the elusive DX would be long gone. ![]() This was especially annoying when happened during a rare QSO. I vividly remember the struggle with rig control errors and PTT that seemingly developed the mind of its own sticking well into the middle of next FT8 time slot.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |