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SWR and Power readout via CAT
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Gill
I built the controller without the optional SWR metering. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be possible to modify the code to display the SWR and power output from CAT on the radios that support it. Has anyone looked at doing this? Are there technical reasons it won't work? I realize the space on the display is already tight.
Gill W4BXA |
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K7LRK
Gill.
I've wondered about this as well. I'm not proficient in C so can't manage this alone. But I have look at the code and found some remnants that suggest this option was considered at some point. Here for example is a subroutine in the ML_TRX.ino file ======= void ft2000_request_swr(void)
{
trx_print("RM6;"); // Query SWR information
} ======= 73, Clark K7LRK |
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Gill
Thanks for that. I’m not proficient in C either, but if we can get a second controller built for my son, I will try to motivate him to look into this. Still trying to come up with a Teensy and a circuit board, so it will take a while. It sure seems to me like this could work.
Gill W4BXA |
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Guys
I’ve just checked this out on my dx10.
If I send if RM6 during tx is does reply with the SWR. Ie RM6026000 Once back in rx it replies RM6000000
Having been a programmer for over 50 years this is not a big mod BUT where to display is on the screen?
Maybe a menu option to display normal screen OR SWR screen when in TX mode?
Regards
Barry – 2E0IDE
From: loopController@groups.io <loopController@groups.io> On Behalf Of K7LRK
Sent: 06 July 2022 16:10 To: loopController@groups.io Subject: Re: [loopController] SWR and Power readout via CAT
Gill. void ft2000_request_swr(void) { trx_print("RM6;"); // Query SWR information } |
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K7LRK
Barry, Gil:
In general, the code is aware of differences b/w rigs. So, it would be good for this mod to be implemented wo that rig specific differences can be accommodated. We already make changes to ML.h the control the interaction with the rig. I assume some change in the various “Autotune” sections would allow us to pull SWR from the rig. ========ML_SWRtune.ino struct { unsigned Prepare : 1; // Do initial preparations unsigned Progress : 2; // Track tune progress unsigned Ask_SWR : 1; // Request new SWR measurement - Yaesu special case... unsigned InitPWR : 1; // Init Power Setting for Tune unsigned InitMode : 1; // Init Mode Setting for Tune } tune; Apparently, “tune.Ask_SWR” is a variable that was designed for this purpose. Right now this variable is consistently set for ‘false”. On another front — I have a KX3 and have used the command SW to pull the SWR. Here is the documentation for this command: SW (SWR; GET only) RSP format: SWnnn; where nnn is 010-999. Value is SWR in tenths of a unit, from 1.0:1 to 99.9:1. The value is updated on any transmit, but not on a band change. SW works during transmit, TUNE, and during ATU tuning. In this case the SWR is updated whenever the rig transmits. But the return value will need to be parsed. It is a string “SWnnn” — so the numeric value “nnn” will need to be isolated and divided by 10 to get the SWR. |
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If you are considering this to allow the loop tuner to auto tune without having built the SWR bridge hardware in the loop tuner, doubt this will be of much use. The communications delay is much too slow and the motor will overshoot the tuning point, and the tuning algorithm will hunt around and not work. If that is not the goal then you probably can query the rig for SWR and get a value to display on the loop tuner display during TX but since you have the SWR display on the rig anyways, what would be the use of that?
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hi Joe (VE7VXO) and all thinking about this...
getting SWR via CAT from the TX will be too slow, even if it's possible. One poll every second will lead to nothing... While tuning the stepper makes some 100 steps a second, so the controller never will find the best SWR. Long version look at my post #680 . Even using the little bridge from kits-and-parts it is mandatory to lessen the values of the filter capacitors to one tenth of their original values (4n7 instead 47nF) to speed up measuring conversion. 73, Immo |
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Gill
I didn't bring this up to implement auto-tuning. The hardware from Loftur will handle that. based on stored frequency/positions. I'm trying to avoid needing a separate SWR meter. While the IC-7300 can display this, the display is already crowded and tiny. I would rather dedicate the display on the radio to the waterfall.
Since discovering this project, I am working to get this going as an alternative. Looks pretty neat! GitHub - armel/ICMultiMeter: ICMultiMeter |
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