Digital - External TNC Support

The Digital Interface will not only work with MMTTY, MMVARI and external TNC"s like th ePK232, HAL DXP38 but with ANY TNC.
This because the commands for the TNC are not hard coded into the program. This has to be done by the user of the program :-)

Information about the following external TNCs can be found below but as already stated ANY TNC can be used with N1MM logger which uses serial communication.

HAL DXP-38 KAM PK-232 SCS PTC

The Digital Interface

The Digital Interface can be used with any external TNC.

Using a TNC will show an interface like the one above.

Setting up the TNC in the Configurer

  1. Start the N1MM Logger application.
  2. On the Logger Main Window do a 'Config> Configure Ports, Telnet Address, Other'
  3. In Digital Setup
  4. Load the Digital Interface from the Window menu.
  5. Create your Abort macro (This should be in the upper left corner) by right clicking on it. This will open up the RTTY setup area. Click on the same macro and enter what ever key sequence you need to abort transmission and save the macro.
    Example PK-232: {CTRL-C}R{ENTER}    and save the macro.
  6. You should be ready to copy RTTY make sure your interface is set to copy 45 baud and 170 shift. You can configure a macro key to change this or you can type the key sequence needed in the transmit window and it will get sent to the TNC.

That should be it. You will need to add the CTRL keys that turn on and off the TNC
Example CQ macro for the PK-232:    X{ENTER} CQ CQ CQ TEST DE {MYCALL} {MYCALL} K {CTRL-D}

Test your External TNC

Make sure your radio and TNC work on your computers serial port by testing them with an existing terminal program. Connect your TNC/Radio into your computers serial port. The Hyperterm terminal program is included with Windows and works well. Make sure you note all COM port parameters. You should be able to tune in a RTTY signal and print it on the Hyperterm terminal program.

The interface has been tested with the three mentioned TNC's below and work fine with them. Any other TNC should also work as long as you place the right commands for that TNC in the macros.

Additional Macros for he External TNC interface

The Digital Interface will accept all of the Macro keywords that can be used in the Packet window and other places in the Logger and will also accept the following:

Macro keywords can be used in any of the macro buttons or the Logger function keys..

The TX window will accept all control key commands except for the Esc key, this must be sent as a Shift+Escape combination.

There is one special macro key on the TNC interface. The very first macro button must be setup to send the abort transmission command. As you see in the above picture I have this marked as Abort and have it colored RED. If at any time you press the ESC key while transmitting it will send this macro to the TNC to stop transmission immediately.

Remember that when to set up a macro key that is not a TNC command you will need to include the sequence to key the TNC before it sends. If you click on the macro without the TNC transmitting, your TNC will think it is a command being sent to it and not know how to process it.

TNC users have to enter in what ever CTRL characters are needed to turn on and off your specific TNC....

To use the free form typing in the TX window you need to create a macro that will key your TNC and another to Turn it off. Click the macro that starts transmitting and then click in the TX window. Whatever you type will be sent out… then click the macro to turn things off after you are done.

HAL DXP38 - Setup

By Brian, K3KO

The following instructions will get the HAL DXP38 TNC up and running for FSK in N1MMLogger. I admit to not trying AFSK but it should work. This implementation is not elegant but does work with some 'features' of its own. There is a built-in tuning indicator accessible through macro toggles. The implementation is very basic but is working, there are other programs around if you want all the bells and whistles. Thanks go to N2AMG for making the program changes necessary to accommodate HAL commands.

Since there is essentially only one way communication between N1MMlogger and the DXP38 in the command mode, don't expect error checking or error detection. It is assumed that turning on the DXP38 properly loads the internal software. No capability exists here to do such. No capability exists to update the internal programs. This must be done with the HAL software. My unit uses the latest update .LOD and .S28 files from the HAL website http://www.halcomm.com .It is not clear that the updated files are needed here. However, the reason given for the update was to fix a PTT error with another program. So if you are having problems with PTT activation, these updates may be appropriate. Unless you alter the attached initialization macro, you must use LSB RTTY for FSK or LSB for AFSK..

There are three distinct phases - Hardware setup, Software Setup, and Use. The last section discusses two problems that have cropped up and solutions found.

Hardware Set-up

It is recommended that one first get the DXP38 running with WF1B, HAL or a known 'tried and true' software package first. Doing so eliminates the need to troubleshoot both hardware and software when configuring N1MMLogger. Hardware setup:

  1. Connect the PTT and FSK lines to the rig
  2. Connect the COM port (1 for HAL software) to the TNC
  3. Connect audio input to the DXP-38
  4. Connecting the power.
  5. Connecting AFSK output to the rig (AFSK only)
  6. Consult the DXP-38 manuals for the details. The rig must be set FSK RTTY (LSB) or LSB for AFSK.

Software Setup in N1MM logger

There are three parts in setting up N1MM logger to work with the HAL DSP38. Make sure the version of N1MMLogger being used supports the DXP38 hexadecimal commands.

Port configuration

Digital configuration

Macro Creation required to initialize and control the DXP38

Example Macro file (other 1.mc). This macro is available for download from the N1MM website (Other files)

*,-
INIZE,{H8084}{H8085}{H80D1}{H80C0}{H80DB}{H80D3}{H805B}{H8089}{H80E3}{H8002}{H80ED}{H8001}
                     {H80E8}{H8037}{H8000}{H805D}{H8059}{H800E}
*,-
RXinv,{H804C}
RXnorm,{H805C}
Echo y,{H8059}
*,-
*,-
SQlow,{H80E8}{H8015}
SQmid,{H80E8}{H8037}
SQhigh,{H80E8}{H8045}
B45,{H80E4}{H8000}{H800E}
*,-
Echo n,{H8049}
*,-
Tun Off,{H804D}
Fnar,{H80EB}{H8000}
Fmid,{H80EB}{H8001}
Fwide,{H80EB}{H8002}
*,-
*,-
*,-
*,-
Tun On,{H805D}
TX,{H800D}
RX,{H800E}
ESC,{H8006}

First time startup

Known problems

I have experienced some occasional problems on start-up and shutdown.

Startup - Sometimes the DXP38 and N1MM logger just don't want to communicate. The TNC won't accept the initialization commands. The cure is to shut off the TNC and wait about 45 seconds. Shutdown N1MM logger. Start up the TNC and wait until it has finished its internal initialization. (LED indicators have stopped flashing). Restart N1MMLogger. This may be a problem I have with the COM3 port here and you may never see it.

Shutdown - About half the time the DXP38 will go into the transmit mode when N1MMLogger is shutdown. The cure is to turn off the DXP38. Hopefully a more graceful shutdown can be developed.

HAL ST-8000 (not supported)

The  HAL ST-8000 TNC is not supproted and will not work with N1MM Logger as the baud rate used by the HAL is 45 baud andthe serial port control in N1MM only will go as low as 110 baud...

KAM - Setup

Below some RTTY settings for the KAM TNC

AUTOCR 0 AUTOLF ON AUTOSTRT OFF
BKONDEL ON CD SOFTWARE CRADD OFF
DIDDLE ON ECHO ON FILTER OFF
FSKINV OFF INVERT OFF LFSUP OFF
LOWTONES OFF MARK 2125HZ RBAUD 45
SHIFT 170 SPACE 2295HZ USOS ON
XFLOW ON XMITECHO ON    

There are three parts in setting up N1MM logger to work with the KAM.

  1. Port configuration
  2. Digital configuration
  3. Macro Creation required to control the KAM

PK-232 - Setup

Setting up the PK-232

By John VK4WPX / VK4CEJ

Setting up the PK-232 for RTTY is very simple and straightforward.

Setting up macros and the main logging window "F" keys for the PK-232 is also really very simple.

SCS PTC