CAT control half-working!

[KJ5LMZ]

Hello fellow hams! I was testing the new WRL CAT Control software, which was hooked up to my Yaesu FT-710. The good news was that the application seamlessly uploaded contacts established from WSJT-Z to my logbook. The only problem was that the signal strength meter remained inactive throughout the entire operation (due to an inconsistent connection with the radio). Besides this, I recommend using this auto-logging software 100%!

[K4AZE]

@KJ5LMZ Yes as mentioned before we are aware of the issue with rig control and the 710, dx10 and 101mp and are working on getting a fix released.

Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE

[AA8TT]

Ok I might have to start using this for my 710. Here is a question, can you change to 60m and still use cat control or do you manually have to select the memory still?

[K4AZE]

@AA8TT I’m not sure i’m understanding what you are meaning. Are you asking if you can change to 60 meters and still use cat control?

[AA8TT]

When I change freq on ft8 because Yeasu (710)uses memories only for 60m I have to manually put it into 60m. It works fine once I’m there but if I change bands and try to go back it usually uses freq, so it won’t transmit. That was why I was asking, since he was on 710 if it worked. That would be great for me because I remote to my computer most of the time. I currently have to set up 60m before I leave and try to make all my contacts before changing bands. Once I change I can’t go back to band.

[W4JOD]

Hi - has there been an update to accommodate the FTdx-101MP. the WRL CAT says I am connected, but I only see 1 VFO and it doesn’t prepopulate the band in my logbook.

[K4AZE]

@W4JOD Make sure you have the latest cat control version (v.1.0.9). Also, make sure you follow the steps below:

• Important Notes (For Windows Users):

  • Go to ‘Device Manager’ –> ‘Ports (COM & LPT)’ and right click on your COM port for your radio, then click ‘Properties’

  • Under the ‘Port Settings’ Tab, make sure you have set the baud rate under the ‘Bits Per Second’ drop down that you’ve set inside your radio settings (do this for both COM ports for your radio, if you have more than 1).

  • If you have a ‘Power Management’ Tab make sure to uncheck/disable the two options here that say “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” & “Allow this device to wake the computer”

• FTdx101D/MP | FTdx10 | FT710 Users:

  • In your radio settings in the “Operation Settings” menu –> “General” make sure to set the ‘CAT RATE” to “38400” (or whatever you’ve set in the ‘Port Settings’ tab in device manager above)

  • In your radio settings in the “Operation Settings” menu –> “General” make sure to set the ‘CAT TIME OUT TIMER” to “100msec” (10msec is too fast and will cause time-out errors)

Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE

[W4JOD]

All of those items are set properly. I still only have 1 VFO showing and it will not pre-populate the frequency that is show on the one VFO in to the log. Any ideas?

[K4AZE]

@W4JOD Not off the top of my head at the moment. its odd because I have a dx10 which is pretty much the same as the 101 minus the dual receive. I’ll talk to the team and see if we can figure out a way to test and get the cat control app showing both VFO’s and working as expected. I’m thinking that since its a dual receive and not just a VFO A and VFO B that the cat control app is seeing both but conflicted thinking that both are VFO A since i think there is a VFO A and VFO B on both receivers.

I would still think that you would be able to double click a spot in the spotting tab and it bring over the freq and update the radio BUT if my suspicions are correct its conflicted and not able to know which receiver is the correct VFO A to set the freq to (i hope this even makes sense).

I’ll add this as a ticket in our system and have the team take a look.

Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE

[W4JOD]

I just tried setting the CAT to the FTdx-10 and got dual VFOs (HRD uses the FTdx 10 for the 101MP). Can see two VFOs but they do not move when I turn the dial. I can select the SPOT and get the frequency, but it doesn’t change my frequency to what I spot (not sure if it should). (FYI have restored to the 101MP and still have 2 static VFOs)

I have two COM - one says standard one says enhanced. Which should I use? Also, since I have largely had this configured for HRD, should I do a factory reset and re calibrate for WRL? If so, what should ALL fo the settings be for optimal performance?

[K4AZE]

@W4JOD Yes you should be using the enhanced com port not the standard (this should be for any cat control app). Also make sure you’ve set the the com port settings in device manager (for BOTH the standard and enhanced com ports) to the exact same as what the settings are set in your radio (see below), also make sure you’ve disabled both (if you have two) check boxes in the Power Management tab in the com port settings (again see below). You’ll want to make sure that cat time out timer is set to at least 100msec (as 10msec is to fast).

Before doing any of the following i would simply close the cat control app, then unplug the radio’s usb cable from the computer and then re-plug it up leaving the cat control app closed. Then follow the following step by step:

• Important Notes (For Windows Users):

  • Go to ‘Device Manager’ –> ‘Ports (COM & LPT)’ and right click on your COM port for your radio, then click ‘Properties’

  • Under the ‘Port Settings’ Tab, make sure you have set the baud rate under the ‘Bits Per Second’ drop down that you’ve set inside your radio settings (do this for both COM ports for your radio, if you have more than 1).

  • If you have a ‘Power Management’ Tab make sure to uncheck/disable the two options here that say “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” & “Allow this device to wake the computer”

• FTdx101D/MP | FTdx10 | FT710 Users:

  • In your radio settings in the “Operation Settings” menu –> “General” make sure to set the ‘CAT RATE” to “38400” (or whatever you’ve set in the ‘Port Settings’ tab in device manager above)

  • In your radio settings in the “Operation Settings” menu –> “General” make sure to set the ‘CAT TIME OUT TIMER” to “100msec” (10msec is too fast and will cause time-out errors)

• For Proper FT8 Settings (for FTDx101D/MP, FTdx10, FT710):

  • In your radio settings in the “Radio Settings” menu → “MODE PSK/DATA” set the “DATA MOD SOURCE” to “REAR”

  • In your radio settings in the “Radio Settings” menu → “MODE PSK/DATA” set the “REAR SELECT” to “USB”

  • In your radio settings in the “Radio Settings” menu → “MODE PSK/DATA” set the “RPORT GAIN” to “12”

  • In your radio settings in the “Radio Settings” menu → “MODE PSK/DATA” set the “RPTT SELECT” to “RTS”

  • In your radio settings in the “Operation Settings” menu –> “General” set the ‘CAT RTS” to “OFF”

Then start the cat control app and make sure you select the 101 from the radio drop down and set the baud rate to whatever you have it set to in the com port settings in device manager AND the radio and that you’ve selected the enhanced com port.

Let me know if its still doing the same (i suspect it might).

Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE

[W4JOD]

You are correct. It is still the same. However, when I set to FTDX 10 it still shows two VFOs and changes when each of them changes.

Question - Should it put my radio on the frequency automatically when I spot someone? I can’t get that to work on either setups.

Thanks, Joe

[K4AZE]

@W4JOD when you are in your logbook and open the spotting tab (on the right where your logs normally are) and you double click a spot it should load all the spot data into your logging fields and change the frequency on the radio. You should also be able to turn the VFO knob on the radio and it change the frequency in the frequency field in your logbook, as well as type in a frequency in your frequency field and it change it on the radio. If all of that isn’t working (or even some of it) it’s not working like it’s supposed to, most likely due to the dual VFO A and dual VFO B. Like I mentioned before I’ve opened a ticket for this and talked to the team. We’ll discuss this further tomorrow morning on our first call of the week and start looking at a fix for the 101D/MP. I’ve linked this thread in the ticket to keep track of it.

it’s just really odd because I haven’t found anything saying there is an issue with Hamlib and the 101, so that’s why I’m thinking it’s that we aren’t accounting for the dual VFO’s (ie 2 VFO A’s and 2 VFO B’s).

Don’t sweat it though, we’ll get a fix worked out and get it added to the next release.

Thanks & 73

Brad K4AZE