Posted: 11/22/2016 5:50:31 PM EDT
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Hey guys,
Trying to use RMS express with my TS-590s. I've set up the 590 menus according to the winlink help file to no avail. When I start the winmor session (not using a siglink) to a selected gateway the 590 is not transmitting (meaning, no red light on the 590 or any digital sound). I'm running the latest firmware for the radio along with drivers (Windows 8.1, 64 bit) plus ARUA-10. I'm also running Kenwoods rig control software (ARCP-590) but it seems to interface with the radio fine with the A/B printer cable. I'm fairly new to HF, but suspect my problem may be on the computer side, possibly incorrect configuration of the soundcard. Anyone have configuration settings or have any ideas why I can't get the radio to transmit via RMS Express? Thanks, Ibcguy |
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I haven't tried it with fldigi as Winlink is my first attempt at running anything other than USB phone.
I did come across a blog that indicated RF interference with the printer cable has caused a similar issue with the 590 and that the solution is a new printer cable with ferrite chokes. Seems like an unlikely solution though since my radio doesn't even attempt to Tx. |
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I've never used Winlink, but your PC should have some sort of USB virtual comm/audio port codec installed for the 590S. I would guess your program needs those input/output ports assigned. I renamed my 590's comm/audio ports so they are easier to locate for future setups.
I should have said comm/audio ports instead. Like nikdfish mentioned below the 590S & USB connection are all you need to do it all with the 590. |
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Are you using data vox?
On the WINMOR setup, are you using the microphone USB audio codec for the capture device and speakers USB audio codec for playback? On radio control port, do you have the correct Baud & RTS & DTR enabled? Does the radio change band/frequency to correspond to changes made to your channel selection? The only "soundcard" settings are those associated with the 590 USB audio codec. No seperate hardware is needed on the PC (other than USB capability) you can certainly use a PCsound card for other things, but it is not needed for Winlink with the 590. Nick |
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Thanks Nick.
Yep, I'm using both USB mike audio codec and USB audio codec. I'll go back and double check those settings. There are some other options in the drop-down menus for those fields, but neither include "USB" in the description. I do have both the RTS and DTR boxes checked, and I believe Baud should be 9600. The radio does NOT display the frequency from the channel selection field; currently, I have to input that directly into the radio. I still suspect an issue with the setup in the computer due to my relative computer illiteracy. Quoted:
Are you using data vox? On the WINMOR setup, are you using the microphone USB audio codec for the capture device and speakers USB audio codec for playback? On radio control port, do you have the correct Baud & RTS & DTR enabled? Does the radio change band/frequency to correspond to changes made to your channel selection? The only "soundcard" settings are those associated with the 590 USB audio codec. No seperate hardware is needed on the PC (other than USB capability) you can certainly use a PCsound card for other things, but it is not needed for Winlink with the 590. Nick |
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If the radio doesn't track with your channel/frequency change automatically, you don't have things quite right yet. Within a Winmor Winlink session, look at the setup menu, under Radio. TS-590S is an option on the "select radio model" pull down list. You should set Radio Control Port to match the TS590's USB serial port (different from the USB audio, but uses the same cable). Use the com port # that gets created when the radio is connected - be sure the baud rate matches. Remember that changes to USB baud rate on the radio itself don't take effect until an on/off sequence (front panel button) is done.
Nick |
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Also, on the 590S, Data Vox can be found under menu 22 (external accessory control).
vox operation with data (usb/acc2) input should be "on" I use vox gain for USB Audio input set at "4" on menu 21 (external audio (input/output) I use settings of "3" for both "audio level of usb input for data communications" and "audio level of usb output for data communications" these are working OK for me. Just did a winmor/winlink send/receive session to refresh my memory & double check settings. Connectied with a station 345 miles out on 40m w/20 watts & had success. Nick |
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I found the Tx problem. The Baud rate in the radio (don't remember the menu number) wasn't set to 9600. The radio is transmitting now and I made contact with two gateways. Failures to send/receive traffic though. I'll work on that problem later today. Winlink is pretty complex, lot's to read up on!
Thanks for the help everyone. Best radio forum on the interwebs! Ibcguy |
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Have you configured RMS Express with your callsign, grid square and set a password? When running a winmor winlink session, do you adjust your RF gain so the Receive strength indicator stays pretty much in the green? Does the ALC level indicator on the 590 stay pretty low? Are you running in data mode?
Have you composed an email in RMS Express that will be sent during a session? Have you sent an email to your winlink.org account (using "//WL2K" at the front of the subject line) that you can expect to receive upon connection? Nick |
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My $0.02... watch your radio's power output and ALC meters. Also your SWR if you are not sure, but since SSB works for you it should be fine. On TX, your power output should go to nearly but not all the way to 100%. It shouldn't be low like most digital modes, but it also shouldn't max out the meter, because that means that you are getting distortion that will ruin the data. Similar with the ALC. I'm not familiar with your radio, but the ALC should be minimal. If it is moving much at all, that will also mean data distortion. If that fails, keep trying new RMS, and be sure to update the list from the internet and update the propagation predictions. But remember that the program's predictions (like all predictions) are sometimes BS. |
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We're pretty slim on Winmor gateways up here. If you're in the Anchorage/Mat-Su area and you've got a 2m radio you can use with sound card modes (or with a TNC, for that matter), you might try the VHF packet gateways. I've had better luck with them than with the Winmor gateway up in the 'Banks.
Edit: Actually there are more 2m packet gateways than I thought: 
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Yes to all of these.
Quoted:
Have you configured RMS Express with your callsign, grid square and set a password? When running a winmor winlink session, do you adjust your RF gain so the Receive strength indicator stays pretty much in the green? Does the ALC level indicator on the 590 stay pretty low? Are you running in data mode? Have you composed an email in RMS Express that will be sent during a session? Have you sent an email to your winlink.org account (using "//WL2K" at the front of the subject line) that you can expect to receive upon connection? Nick |
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Some success with the Fairbanks gateway this afternoon. I was finally able to connect and transmit a short email (success!), but only once though. I tried again a few minutes later and back to the same problem...couldn't connect with any gateways. That seems odd to me, but I'm a newb to all this...
Is this spotty reliability the norm for Winmor? Maybe I should continue tweaking computer/radio settings in hopes of optimizing my setup? Also found 2 programs installed on the laptop and I'm wondering if they could be interfering with the soundcard settings: Smartware CPL and Dolby Digital Plus. Any thoughts on those? I'm tempted to disable them or uninstall them altogether... Ibcguy |
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Quoted:
Is this spotty reliability the norm for Winmor? Maybe I should continue tweaking computer/radio settings in hopes of optimizing my setup? Spotty reliability is the norm for all HF radio, unless you are the government and can put up giant log periodic wire arrays and run 10KW. If you are running 100W on a relatively low, single wire antenna (OCFD, dipole, end-fed, whatever) then you are significantly handicapped in terms of achieving reliable communications. This is not to say you can't make contacts and have fun, but they are more random than deterministic. If you are running 1500W on a 100ft tower with Yagis or log periodics, then you are going to be much more likely to be able to make the contacts you want to make when you want to make them. That's not to say you still don't need to pick the right band for the job according to propagation, time of day, season of year, etc., of course. Earlier in the thread I had suggested you start learning to work digital and fine tuning your station for digital mode operations using simpler modes and simpler software, specifically Fldigi. Did you do that? If not then you may (or may not) have a lot of learning curve to go. Make some PSK contacts. Make some Olivia contacts. Join us on the digital net on Wed evenings. Get some signal reports on how good your signal looks and sounds when running digital. These are not things you can do when running an automated mode like WINMOR. Did you install the propagation prediction software that goes along with Winlink Express and download the station list into it? Are you going by its recommendations for which stations to try to contact at that time of day? I'm not very familiar with 590 setup for digi mode operations, but I do understand that by virtue of its built-in USB sound interface it is a) a very good rig for digital modes and b) can be a little more involved to setup because of the complexity of its menu settings. There are a lot of good Youtube videos on how to set it up with Fldigi, all of which are directly applicable to WINMOR. And don't forget that all signal processing must be shut off for digital mode operations. No COMP, no NR, no ANF, no NB, nothing of that nature on either TX or RX. WINMOR is a so called "ARQ" mode (automatic repeat request--yes it's a dumb name coined by some hams a long time ago). That means the radio and PC must be accomplishing TX-to-RX switching quickly so that the acknowledgement packets can flow smoothly and quickly. Is the WINMOR TNC reporting acceptable switching times? Because WINMOR is a multi-tone mode with high crest factor, it is very unforgiving of over-driven amplifiers. That said, having run a lot of WINMOR myself, you can get away with 50W or 60W peaks on your built-in 590 watt meter regardless of what the ALC meter is telling you. Finally, and perhaps most important, WINMOR is not a weak signal mode. It requires a decent path, good propagation, and a fairly strong signal for it to move data efficiently. Again, make use of the propagation prediction software that comes along with Winlink Express and be sure to download the station information into it. |
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Part of the problem is our local RMS landscape. There is one Winmor gateway that runs 40m/80m in Fairbanks. That's about 250 miles from my home station. If I can't hit that, which oftentimes I can't, the next closest one is 900+ miles away in BC, well outside "reliable" NVIS range. The next closest one after that is probably 1300+ miles. That's why I've used local 2m packet gateways for Winlink when I've tested it.
If I can figure out a way to put my old IC-751 into service as a Winmor gateway without disrupting my normal station, I will do it. Then we'd have two Winmor stations in the state. 
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