[TVARC] Preparations for RTTY+FT8 in the upcoming ARRL RTTY RoundUp

[K2PS Pete Stafford]

Thanks, Rich, for that tutorial.  Sounds as if it could work.  Unfortunately
I'll probably miss that contest too.  But I'll utilize it for the June VHF
Contest, for sure, unless N1MM and WSJT can work out a real interface.

 

73, Pete, K2PS

 

From: tvarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:tvarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Rich Erlichman
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2018 5:30 PM
To: 'TVARC MailList at QSL.net'
Subject: [TVARC] Preparations for RTTY+FT8 in the upcoming ARRL RTTY RoundUp

 

For anyone interested in the setup for N1MM+ in the ARRL RTTY Roundup
contest (including FT8 as a separate mode) in January, I have a process
worked out.

Of course your conditions and equipment may require some adjustments, but
here are mine; with all multipliers and scoring in N1MM+ working properly.

 

First my equipment:

Kenwood TS590S, West Mountain Radio Rigblaster Advantage, Desktop computer
running Windows 10 Pro

 

Software:

N1MM+, WSJT-X, JTAlertX

 

The main issue I found is that WSJT-X does not play well with others, and it
MUST have radio control, which conflicts heavily with N1MM+. 

N1MM+ normally has radio control when running the RTTY mode. 

So, how do you avoid having to change the configuration of N1MM+ when
changing modes back and forth from RTTY to FT8 and back again?

>From a suggestion to my post to the N1MM+ forum, it was suggested by one of
the moderators (Rich/VE3KI) to setup two shortcuts for launching N1MM+ with
the new or second shortcut using a different/dedicated ".INI" file. The key
here is to make the unique configuration changes in N1MM+ with the special
".INI" file using no radio control. You will use this configuration when
running WSJT-X for the FT8 mode. Make sure that you setup N1MM+ in BOTH
".INI" file configurations to look at the same contest. This way there is no
configuration changes during the contest.

I additionally have JTAlertX running with WSJT-X, using the UDP transfers
feature. When logging the QSOs from WSJT-X the full exchange is successfully
logged into N1MM+. WSJT-X can log directly into N1MM+ also as it too, has
the UDP transfer feature into N1MM+, however, you are then relying on a
color coding for "new" contacts. That is to say, avoiding dupes. I find
JTAlertX is more robust in that I don't have to remember a color code
scheme, because JTAlertX offers a suffix added to a callsign "-B4" if the
station is a dupe. (Ex: AA5AU-B4)

Another thing I like about using JTAlertX with WSJT-X is a single click on
the callsign to select the station and the contest messages get filled in
WSJT-X on the mouse click. Using WSJT-X without JTAlertX requires a
double-click of the mouse when selecting the station you want to work.

Not a big deal, but in the mouse driven world, if you cut down on the amount
of clicks it takes to work a station, it seems more relaxed and less
stressful than double-clicking all day long.

Lastly, to do the actual changes from one mode to the other, now requires
closing or shutting down N1MM+ and WSJT-X when changing from FT-8 to RTTY.
Once closed, open N1MM+ from your normal shortcut which should open with the
RTTY mode and full radio control. When switching later back to the FT8 mode,
close N1MM+, and re-launch N1MM+ using the newly created special shortcut,
with no radio control. Then launch WSJT-X and you should be rock-n-rolling.

 

That's my thoughts for now. If I find more or newer information, I will pass
it on.

Unfortunately, I will be in Tampa for that weekend attending the Bar Mitzvah
of a Grand (or is it Great?) Nephew, so I'll probably miss the whole
contest.

 

Good luck.

73, Rich, ND4G

 

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