[GreenKeys] WRU and SELCAL

[email protected] [email protected]
Tue, 27 Apr 2004 3:04:42 +0000


Hi Eric,

Great suggetions !!!  I agree, we should maintain complete comptability with  mechanial selcal and wru.
Regards -- Roy, K4eeg
> 
> From: Eric Scace  K3NA <[email protected]>
> Date: 2004/04/26 Mon PM 01:59:52 GMT
> To: Roy Norris <[email protected]>,  [email protected]
> Subject: RE: [GreenKeys] WRU and SELCAL
> 
>    Suggestions:
> 
> 1)  Stick to "NNNN" (four "N") as the standard turn-off sequence, but programming the SelCal system to turn off on receipt of 3 Ns.
> This takes one less slot in a stunt box.  This has work successfully for decades on commercial and military RTTY circuits.
> 
> 2)  No need for double-LF in the sequences.
> 
> 3)  Why use [callsign]ZW for the WRU interrogation?  What was wrong with the traditional "[callsign]Figs H Ltrs" followed by
> immediate drop of carrier?  The stuntbox would be set to respond upon receipt of [call] Figs H; the Ltrs was used as a buffer to
> compensate for mechanical lag.  (See page 17 of the "Teletype Model 28 Stuntbox" booklet.)
> 
> 4)  Given the scarcity of function bars, latches, forks, pawls, levers, etc., perhaps we could agree to use the last 4 characters of
> a callsign as the actual selection sequence.  For four-character calls like "K3NA", this amounts to a full call.  But for "WB3ABC",
> "3ABC" would be the sequence encoded into the stuntbox or its electronic equivalent.  The cases of overlapping 4-character sequences
> would be rare.
> 
> 5)  A complete SelCal system needs to define:
>    -- "conditioning code": the sequence of characters used to alert machines that call-directing codes are to follow.  Upon receipt,
> a machine is in the 'select non-print' state.
>    -- "call directing code" (CDC): this is what selects a machine to receive the message.  Selected machines switch to the 'select
> print' state.
>    -- "end of address code": this tells machines that all CDCs have been sent; if the machine hasn't been selected yet, it need not
> pay attention to the message.  All non-selected machines move to the 'non-select' state and don't pay any attention to anything else
> until the next conditioning code is heard.
>    -- "end of message code" (EOM): this tells machines that were selected that the message has been completed.  They can move to the
> 'non-select' state now.
> 
>    An example of a commonly used approach:
> 
>    conditioning code: twelve LTRS, five SP, CR CR LF.  Note that normal message text would be unlikely to send a sequence of spaces
> followed by a CR.  The stuntbox might be encoded to use just four or three spaces, followed by one CR, to actually put the machine
> in the 'select non-print' state.  The twelve LTRS are sent to allow all the machines to get synchronized.
> 
>    call directing code: last four characters of a callsign, or ZCZC (selects everyone).
> 
>    end of address code: CR CR LF.  Detection of CR CR or CR LF should be sufficient to put unselected machines into the non-select
> state.  For reasons discussed below, Figs H must also be interpreted as an end-of-address code.
> 
>    end of message code: NNNN.  Detection of NNN should be sufficient to put a selected machine into the non-select state.
> 
> 6)  If the above definitions are used, the WRU function can be:
>    12 Ltrs, 5 SP, CR CR LF Ltrs K Figs 3 Ltrs N A Figs H Ltrs (drop carrier).
> This uses the conditioning code, CDC, and Figs-H as a WRU/end-of-address code.  For the called station, Figs-H triggers the WRU
> response.  For the other stations, Figs-H places their machines in the non-select state because their CDC did not immediately
> precede the Figs H.
> 
>    As I recall, in the Model 28 world the WRU response was generated by a drum encoded with the response.  I don't remember the
> number of characters available on the drum, but it should be enough to send some number of Ltrs, CR CR LF DE [callsign].  The drum
> clicked on right away after Figs-H was received.
> 
> ========
> 
>    Of course all of this can be imitated by computers or other electronic controllers.  I detect that one of the desires of the
> community is to use sequences which can be handled by traditional machines as well, which is why I made the above suggestions.
> 
>    -- Eric K3NA
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Roy Norris
> Sent: 2004 April 26 00:58
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [GreenKeys] WRU and SELCAL
> 
> 
> 
> I have been searching the internet and old issues of RTTY Journal
> looking for suitable designs for a WRU (answerback) and SELCAL design
> that would serve our purposes for an auto start net.  While this could
> be done on a PC, my thought is that most would not want to keep a PC
> running continuously to provide that function.  WRU and SELCAL functions
> can be provided in a model 28 stunt box arrangement however that
> approach would require leaving the TTY machine on or the use of an
> analog/TU  based autostart which are notoriously sensitive to false
> triggers by noise or off frequency signals and carriers.
> 
> It seems to me that an ideal solution would be an external,
> microcontroller based box connected to the TU via an RS-232 port that
> would provide the following functions:
> 
> 1.	PROVIDE DIGITAL AUTOSTART.  - monitor the RS-232 output of the
> TU and when a valid digital signal is present, close a relay that would
> turn on the teletype machine. Turn off the teletype machine when an
> "NNNN" is detected.
> 2.	PROVIDE WRU CAPABILITY - monitor the RS-232 output of the TU and
> when either the sequence "ZCZC"  or (callsign)ZW was received, close a
> relay which would key the push-to-talk switch on a transceiver and send
> the following string to the TU
>     : " (20 diddles)(CR)(CR)(LF)(LF)(LTRS)(LTRS) DE (Callsign), (name),
> in (location) (CR)(CR)(LF)(LF)(LTRS) NNNNN (CR)(CR)(LF)(LF)(LTRS)",
>      followed by turning off the relay which had activated the
> push-to-talk switch.
> 3.	PROVIDE MULTIPLE SELCAL - monitor the RS-232 output of the TU
> and when any of several individually selectable code sequences were
> received, close a relay      that turns on the teletype machine.
> Monitor for "NNNN" and turn off the relay that operates the TTY machine
> when received.  Codes would include a) ones for receiving a message
> directed at that particular station (possibly use the station callsign
> as a selcal trigger). b) a code for receiving bullitiens  c) a code for
> receiving "all-calls"..  Each code would be individually activated by a
> front panel switch so that an operator could choose to receive or not
> receive messages addressed to his station, messages that were bulletins,
> messages that were "all-calls".
> 
> All of this capability has been incorporated in various devices in the
> past so there is nothing new here.  I don't recall seeing it available
> all in one external unit.
> 
> IIt would be wonderful if this capability could be incorporated in the
> TTY Connect project currently underway by Gil Smith.  I believe he has
> made provisions for an optional microcontroller on the board he is
> developing but I am not sure the board is designed so that it could
> provide these functions.  (What say, Gil??)  Alternative, a small
> inexpensive stand alone box could be designed using a microcontroller.
> If there is anyone on GreenKeys that has the necessary skills and would
> be willing to undertake the project, please speak up.
> 
> Alternatively, I will try and do it myself, although it has been 20
> years since I did any programming of this nature and it was on 8085
> computers, not microcontrollers.  But I guess I could get back up to
> speed in a couple of months.  It would be tremendously helpful if I
> could locate any of IRV Hoff's source code for his RMON program or his
> standard teletype program that was use on the 20 meter autostart
> frequency of 14.0875 Mhz.  Does anyone on the list have this or have an
> idea of where I might find it??
> 
> I have looked at the aforementioned RTTY12 program.  It is written in
> Basic and has selcal but no WRU that I can find.  Irv Hoff's code would
> be the best if we can find it.  I hate that I threw away my copies some
> years ago.
> 
> Thoughts?  Suggestiohns ??  Ideas, pro and con ??
> 
> Best regards - Roy Norris, K4EEG
> 
> 
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