[amsat-bb] Re: Those using a Buxcomm adaptor

[Nate Duehr]

On Dec 13, 2007, at 4:51 PM, Ed Tump wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> I bought a Buxcomm adaptor for my FT60 to run some sound card  
> packet. I
> really like the unit and it sure works great. The only thing I  
> noticed is
> when you reboot or lose the packet engine, the unit "keys" the mic and
> transmits. It only stops transmitting when you restart the packet  
> engine. I
> would not want to TX unless I wish to.
>
> Anyone found a way around this concern.


Hi Ed,

It really has more to do with what state the pin on the serial port on  
the PC gets "left" in when the software crashes.  If the pin is  
sending voltage to the interface, the rigs going to stay keyed.

Does the FT-60 have a time-out timer as many modern rigs do?  That  
could be set to limit the amount of transmit time...

Otherwise, you'd have to build up an external time-out timer circuit  
that would kill the PTT after a set period of time, if you're finding  
that the software crashes a lot.

More difficult for most folks, but "do-able" at least from an  
engineering standpoint would be to write a software watchdog timer  
that accomplishes the same thing... monitor the pin and if it's  
asserted for too long, whack it over the head in software.)

(Of course, root-cause analysis would indicate that you just need  
better software!  GRIN!!! Something that doesn't crash so much.)

--
Nate Duehr, WY0X
nate at natetech.com