Subject: re: PC-ALE and MS-DMT for Armed forces day crossband
Hello All,
For ALE during the Armed forces day crossband if one wants to actually operate multi-channel scanning and PC-ALE is to be used, then the HF radio will need to be under PC-ALE CAT control. Otherwise the radio can just be programmed for split frequency and left sitting on a single channel at a time.
The normal use of ALE does NOT include split frequency operation. However some years ago I did code such support into the MARS-ALE radio control library which I later integrated into PC-ALE. Below are listed methods for PC-ALE support as coded to provide split frequency support either on-the-fly or via radio memory channel operation. These methods hard coded into PC-ALE support. A limited number of radio make/model families are supported due to various reasons.
However anyone who is a programmer can create a DLL-RADIO driver in any language be it C++ or other that supports the creation of a Dynamic Link Library (.DLL) to support any radio for split frequency operation in PC-ALE via either on-the-fly frequency and mode updates or memory channel control. For details on this see the documentation at:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/PCALEDOCS/info
I am also going to look at the prospect of integrating the new MMI-RADIO interface from MARS-ALE that has been in testing since last November into PC-ALE by the end of April which will allow anyone to easily create a driver library for most any radio. The MMI-RADIO method makes use of the Man Machine Interface radio control commands in MACRO statements via a series of ASCII files that combined represent an MMI-RADIO library for a single radio. Full details are provided in:
www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MMI-RADIO_Developers_Guide.pdf
It would be nice if those that create an MMI-RADIO library for a particular radio post it for everyone after they have validated that it works properly. The example TS-480S library above is for normal operation and not required except for the old TS-440 as all other models are directly supported as to split frequency. The TS-440 is not as putting it into split has no effect as to QS/S.
PC-ALE and split frequency operation:
Radios that support split frequency under On-the-fly frequency control where RX and TX frequencies are entered into the scan group channel.
Radio Type Selection:
FURUNO
FT-600
FT-920
FT-920_DATA
ICOM_IC765
ICOM_IC775
ICOM_IC781
ICOM_IC746
ICOM_IC746PRO
ICOM_IC756
ICOM_IC756PRO
ICOM_IC756PROII
ICOM_IC756PROIII
ICOM_IC7410
ICOM_IC7600
ICOM_IC7700
ICOM_IC7800
ICOM_IC9100
ICOM/ICOM pairing
ICOM/WJ pairing
ICOM Marine models
ICF7000
JSB176
JSB196
JSB196GM
K505DSP
KENWOOD and KENWOOD_HS
RF-5022
RF1310 series and receiver pairing
T4150
T4180
TT588REM
TT599
Channel Mode: See RHUG Appendix A for mode info on radios that support CHAN operation.
NOTE: MMI commands are used to ENABLE and DISABLE the use of MEMORY CHANNEL support in MARS-ALE, “ENABLE CHANNEL” or “DISABLE CHANNEL”. The radio memory channels must match the .QRG file channels, e.g. channels 1 thru 10.
Radio Type Selection:
FURUNO
JSB176
JSB196
JSB196GM
MICOM
RF350ALK
RF350ALK_TNC
RF3200 Note: Only works in channel operation.
SGC2000
TK-80
TK-90
TK-90_HS
TT516 Note: Only works in channel operation.
XK2100
Both MARS-ALE and MS-DMT can be used for MIL-STD-188-110A FEC RATT in ASYNC for interoperability by HAMS during the Armed forces day crossband event.
In MARS-ALE the use of the MS110A modem for ASYNC is not tied to the requirement of a license file, however for all else that is the case, thus only those in MARS or otherwise qualifying for a license can make use of MARS-ALE for two-way ALE.
The latest software builds in full install distributions can be had a the support site below and in the open at:
www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MA300B1000_TB5_1_7_4FI.zip
www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MSDMT32v101B1011_FI.ZIP
Although MARS-ALE v3.00 that provides this support is currently under development, it has all been tested and works well and there is sufficient draft documentation in place. The latest MS-DMT has been released for nearly a year now and has been in daily use by MARS since that time and is well documented and a proven performer.
MS110A is demanding due to its 2400 baud symbol rate and complex waveforms. The use of either tool makes many requirements of the host PC and OS as well as the radio to bring about full MS110A performance close to that of a hardware modem coupled to a MIL grade HF radio that the Radio Amateur needs to make the effort to achieve in their configurations. The MS110A modem is a CPU hog being as all the DSP is implemented in software, floating point support is key and thus many compiler optimizations are used, to include SSE2 in the CPU, thus only Intel P4 class processors and newer supporting SSE2 will run the software unlike PC-ALE that will work on much older CPU's at this time still.
MARS-ALE and MS-DMT support as to MS110A for the Armed forces day crossband test will be provided by me via this HFlink Yahoo forum between now and the event.
Feel free to start asking any questions regarding any of the tools between now and the event and I shall respond ASAP.
/s/ Steve, N2CKH