Need help with WRL & JTDX

[HI8O]

Hello everybody. I´m testing the integration with Wsjtx (I use Jtdx but the principle is the same), but I have not been able to get it working. I use the following set up: Flex 6400, JTDX, GridTracker and MacloggerDX. So far everything is fine with those software, but I really want to get WRL into the mix now that the integration is possible.

I´ve tried several way and none seems to work. I tried setting JTDX to send log adif to secondary udp (2238) and set WRL cat control app to listen WSJTX at that port and it doesnt work. Also, I tried using Gridtracker to send qso to HRD Logbook (non existent) to that port 2238 and I get the message as “logged to HRD Logbook” but it doesnt migrate to WLR log.

I will much appreciate any adivse from someone already working the integation.

73, Santiago HI8O

[K4AZE]

@HI8O Hey Santiago

So I don’t have any experience using or trying to integrate MacloggerDX so I wont be much help there. However with that said, below are the instructions I’ve used to get JTDX (I use JTDX instead of WSJTX too), GridTracker and WRL using the WRL Cat Control app. In this example what happens is the WRL cat control app is handling the cat control using hamlib and JTDX radio connection is set to hamlib. Then JTDX is setup to send QSO data via UDP to Gridtracker and then Gridtracker sends that data to the WRL Cat Control App and then on into WRL.

Good morning,

I’m not familiar with the other branches of WSTJX (ie WSJT-with, WSJT-Z Mod, etc) they could be sending data packets in a different way than the original and/or JTDX. Also, the integration with WSJTX/JTDX is completely dependent on how you have the UDP ports setup to talk to the various applications. I’ve listed the instructions on how i’ve setup WSJTX/JTDX to work with WRL and Gridtracker.

WRL Cat Control / WSJTX / GridTracker / QRZ Integration Steps:

1. Start by going to the integrations page in WRL and downloading the cat control app (World Radio League)

2. Start the following apps in the following order (this seems to be important). Start WRL Cat Control first (then connect to your radio and make sure its connected then start WSJTX listening after making sure the port is set like in the screenshot labeled “WORKING-WSJTX-WRL-catControl-SETTINGS”), then start Grid Tracker, Then start WSJTX or JTDX (whichever you prefer).

3. Then go into the settings for GridTracker and under ‘General’ set the ports to match the screenshot i’ve attached labeled “WORKING-GRIDTRACKER-SETTINGS-1”. Then goto the “Logging” tab and set two things that are highlighted red in the screenshot labeled “WORKING-GRIDTRACKER-SETTINGS-2”. NOTE: since there is no WRL option in GridTracker i enabled the last option that says “HRD Logbook” and tied it to the same port. Again, this may or may not be necessary but this is what I did.

4. Then go to your WSJTX / JTDX settings and go to the “Radio” tab and make sure its set to hamlib as well as click the “Update Hamlib” button at the bottom of the screen (this is highlighted red in the screenshot “WORKING-WSTJX-rigSETTINGS”) NOTE: after clicking the ‘update hamlib’ button you’ll need to close and reopen WSTJX)

5. Then reopen the WSTJX Settings and goto the “Reporting” tab in WSJTX/JTDX and make sure everything is setup the same way it shows in the screenshot “WORKING-WSJTX-reportingSETTINGS”

At this point everything should be setup to correctly talk to one another. I would close everything out and open each app in the order I mention in #2. Then make a contact, once the logging window pops up in WSJTX add your power and comment (if you add this information) and click the ok button to log the QSO. After about a second or so the contact will show up in your WRL logbook as well as in your QRZ logbook .I’ve also added a screenshot of the JTDX settings if you prefer to use that instead of WSJTX, if not you can ignore that screenshot.

I hope this helps, somewhat!

Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE

[K4AZE]

@HI8O Here are the other two screenshots

[HI8O]

Thanks Brad and good morning to you too.

I see a couple of reasons why probably things arent working for me, and it has to be to my current set up. I am unable to replicate your guidelines, but because my actual set up, which I will try to summarize:

1. I run a remote station comprised of Flex 6400, a Mac Mini (main shack computer) and a Windows PC (backup shack computer) -both computers run at the same time.
2. On the Mac I run SmartSDR for MacOS, MacloggerDX, Gridtracker and JTDX (on some days I run the normal Wsjtx). In the Mac, Jtdx send udp to a broadcast udp so all apps gets the info and they talk among each others easily. And I have GT sends udp to a second GT (running on the Windows PC) on the same network. Qso´s are logged to MacloggerDX fine.
3. On the Windows PC side of things, GT picks the udp and send it to Log4OM and N3FPJ (my secondary and third loggers, I will cease to use N3FPJ once WRL is running full time). Those loggers are fed with direct connection using GT´s list of loggers.

As for your excellent guidelines and instructions (kudos for a very detailed job), there are a couple of things I wont be able to set without disrupting my “now working configuration”:

1. On the WRL cat control I must connect the radio as Flex 6xxx
2. On JTDX I cannot change radio to Hamlib (it needs to stay as a Flex)
3. On JTDX I cannot change to primary UDP info as it is sending packets to a broadcast ip/port so every software can read.
4. On GT I cannot change the “send udp to second GT”, because it is sending everything to the Windows PC.

Therefore, the only available settings I can use to integrate WRL with JTDX are:

1. As Flex Radio on WRL cat control app
2. To listen as Wsjtx:
   1. Using Secondary UDP on JTDX, directed to the port set on WRL Cat control
   2. Using HRD Logbook connection directed to the port set on WRL Cat control
3. To listen as N1MM
   1. Using HRD Logbook connection directed to the port set on WRL Cat control
   2. Using N1MM connection directed to the port set on WRL Cat control

When I use GT, it sends and ackowledges the Qso´s as “logged to” in both HRD and N1MM, so GT is sending the info to that port, but WRL is not picking up, as logbook nevers updates with new Qso.

Is safe to say that integrations with QRZ (for both look up and download/upload) is working great, as the Lotw integration too. No worries on those two things.

If, in order to have the integration working, I must change either the primary udp on JTDX/Wsjtx or the primary and secondary udp on GT, then I wont be able to do it, due to my complex set up (we ham never work with simple things, we love to complicate ourselves!).

I also tried everything without the cat control function connected but only using the listening feature, with the same results. Also I tried it in both computers (Mac and PC).

I hope this explanation makes sense. Meanwhile I´ll keep trying to make things work.

Thanks a lot and enjoy your Sunday.

73, Santiago HI8O

[K4AZE]

@HI8O Thank you so much for the EXCELLENT breakdown! So now that i’m thinking about this more and have a little better understanding of how you have things set up i’m wondering if there is a simpler solution to make this work. I wonder if you could just open the ‘Logging’ settings in Gridtracker and use the last option “HRD Logbook” (even though your not acutally using HRD Logbook thats fine, its just broadcasting the QSO data over UDP to the IP/Port that you enter) and put in an unused UDP Port, something like 8888 and be sure to put a check in the ‘Log?’ checkbox column, then in the WRL Cat Control app, in the settings under the WSJTX listener set the port to 8888 and select your WRL logbook and then click the ‘start listening’ button.

In theory, what would happen is everything would work as it normally does but when you log a QSO in JTDX/WSJTX it should be sent to Gridtracker and then Gridtracker would forward that QSO data to the WRL cat control app and on into your WRL Logbook.

Give that a try and let me know if that works, since the actual cat control isn’t needed in your situation and all you want/need to do is capture the QSO data being broadcast that might actually work.

Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE

[HI8O]

Just tried that solution and several combinations and still Qso´s are not being synced to WRL. I believe that has to do with something on my end.

Will keep testing and trying.

Santiago

[HI8O]

Ok, so I got it to work at last. Here´s what I did (which was as simple as “duh”):

1. I have JTDX broadcasting udp to a broadcast ip and port, to both computers (Mac Mini and PC), which freed the “GT on a second computer”.
2. Then I just set that to a free port (2237 in my case)
3. In WRL Wsjtx listener I put 2237 and voila!

Now, all Qso´s are syncing to WRL (web based), MacloggerDX (on Mac Mini) and Log4OM (Windows PC).

Now I´m off to enjoy WRL at it´s fullest!!

73, Santiago HI8O

[K4AZE]

@HI8O HAHA!!! NICE!!! Thanks awesome, glad you got it sorted out! Hope to hear you on the air.

Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE

[HI8O]

An update on this matter, just for future reference if anyone is interested. I´ve found another way to integrate WRL, MacloggerDX, Gridtracker and JTDX on my Mac.

With the help of my assistant (aka ChatGPT) we came up with a python script that listen to a specific udp port and forward it to one or more ports. With that in mind, I made the following configuration:

• JTDX broadcasts udp to a broadcast ip (239.xxx.xxx.x) and udp 2235
• Gridtracker listen to that ip and port, as the main listener
• Gridtracker forward such packet to a unicast udp port 9000
• The python script then listen at that port and forward it to two separate ports in the same network, WRL (2230) and MLDX (2237). One can as many udp as we need
• WRL Cat Control app is set to listen to Wsjtx at 2230 and MLDX by default always listen to 2237.

What I gain with this new configuration is that I can operate my station using only my Mac (in case the Windows PC goes down) and still get both MLDX and WRL to be synced.

If anyone is interested in the python script, just let me know and I´ll forward it by email.

Santiago, HI8O