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Digital Modes and Swisslog
17-02-2015, 08:30 PM,
#1
Digital Modes and Swisslog
Hello,
I am using Swisslog since september 2004 (more than 10 Years). Now I like to try digital modes with Swisslog and Mixw.
My setup is Swisslog, Mixw, a Micokeyer II and a TS590. SSB, CW both with clusterconnection is working fine.

Is there a "Best Practice" how to configure the setup for digital mode QSOing and logging?

Any help is appreciated

vy 73 de Franz, DF6QV
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20-02-2015, 02:34 PM,
#2
RE: Digital Modes and Swisslog
Hello Franz,

First of all let me tell you that I have moved your message to this topic because you posted it in a topic regarding the Forum not the program.

I will try to explain you how is working MixW with Swisslog and my personal recommendations.

If you want to work in a contest my advice is to use MixW alone and after the contest export your contest QSO into ADIF with MixW and import them to Swisslog to keep your log updated and use Swisslog for logging porposes (LOTW, QSL, statistics, etc).

For your everyday digital modes operation I recommend you to use MixW linked with Swisslog. Normally you won't work many QSO and at the same time when you save a QSO in MixW it will be automatically saved in Swisslog.

First of all let's see how to setup the MixW link in Swisslog:

- Go to Options | PSK-Interface | MixW
- Check the first option if you want to be warned everytime you save a QSO in MixW before saving that QSO in Swisslog. Keep it unchecked for more fluent operation or when you have more practice working with MixW and Swisslog together.  
- Check the second option to get the CAT data from MixW instead of Swisslog. I highly recommend you to use VSPE program (http://www.eterlogic.com/Products.VSPE.html) which is free for 32bits operating systems and allow you to use virtual ports. This way you can share the COM port you use for CAT in up to 4 programs at once. Otherwise, if you configure Swisslog and MixW to use CAT you will get an error of "COM port already opened" if you try to keep both programs open. With VSPE you can split the original COM port in a virtual COM and this virtual port can be used at the same time with 4 programs. Then you can use Swisslog and MixW or any other program at the same time. If you move the transceiver dial you
will see that Swisslog and MixW will read the frequency. The transceiver will respond to the orders given by both programs. This is very useful!! otherwise you will have deactivate the CAT control in one of these programs if you have to use them at once.
- In Program Location select the MIXW2.EXE from the MixW folder. 

Because digital modes are normally used in USB/LSB you don't want to save QSO by reading the real transceiver mode but the digital mode used. If you allow to read the mode from the transceiver when working digital modes you will save most of your QSO in SSB and you don't want this behaviour. There is a solution to this: in the ADD QSO window in Swisslog, go 
to Options | Options for the active windows and check the option DO NOT SET MODE FROM TX. This way when you change the mode in MixW, Swisslog will use the same mode as MixW. Swisslog now recognises all MixW modes but keep in mind that the following MixW modes will be assigned in Swisslog other way:

BPSK31, BPSK63, BPSK125, CONTESTIA and MFSK are converted in Swisslog to PSK31, PSK63, PSK125, CONTESTI and MFSK16 respectively.

IMPORTANT:

When you want to use the link between MixW and Swisslog, open first MixW and afterwards Swisslog. Or if you open MixW later you will have to click the PSK button which is located in the ADD QSO window to start the link between both programs. As it is now programmed the link between MixW and Swisslog, Swisslog will read all the fields from MixW ONLY when the contents of the MixW is CHANGED! So if you have set RTTY in MixW and the mode field in ADD QSO window in Swisslog is SSB, until you change the mode in MixW, Swisslog won't read it. The date and time I recommend you to use realtime entry in Swisslog. 

With this setup when you enter a callsign in MixW a new QSO is opened in Swisslog and:

- Date and time is controlled by Swisslog. If you take some time to save the QSO in MixW the QSO Start Time used in Swisslog will be when you typed the callsign in MixW. So you have to double click on the Start time field in Swisslog to update the time before saving the QSO in MixW.
- The frequency is read from the transceiver not from the frequency field of MixW.
- Mode field can be selected manually in Swisslog or if you change it in MixW Swisslog will read it automatically.
- QTH locator will be read from MixW if you set it

My personal opinion is that the link between Swisslog ans MixW should be done in another way. I mean that Swisslog should give full control to MixW and reads all the input fields of MixW, not only when they change. This way you ensure that when opening Swisslog after MixW, Swisslog will read all the fields from MixW and will adapt the contents of the ADD QSO 
window to the ones used in MixW. Though the frequency field of MixW calculates the real frequency used when working in AFSK or other digital modes. Swisslog should read the frequency MixW field and not the frequency from the transceiver which is only the same if you are using FSK.

It's in my wish list to try to improve this link to have this behaviour. But I don't know if I will success... Maybe you see that new in a future version some day :-)

If you have any doubts don't hesitate to contact me.

Best 73
Jordi, EA3GCV
Current developer of Swisslog
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