[wxsig] Transmit problem with T-238+ Modem

Thu Oct 16 03:25:02 UTC 2008

Michael:

I thought I had released 1.16.0, but it doesn't appear so, so do please
update to 1.15.8.  1.15.4 was the very first T238+ firmware release and it
did have a decent number of bugs.  Data from that firmware release will not
be displayed on a Kenwood radio due to the callsign issue I discovered.

The spaces on the screen are OK in the WIDEn-n setup.  I do that just to
keep text in the same place.

With no data in the two repeater fields, the igate has to hear you directly.
To my knowledge, if you do use WIDEn-n, it should only be in the first
repeater and the second should be blank.  Mark's suggestion of putting
WIDEn-n in both fields is surprising, but if it works, cool.

To your earlier question of how to set the transmit volume.  Ideally you
have a silly-scope and you look at the output on another radio and increase
volume until you start to see clipping.  The real-world suggestion I've
heard and personally used is set up a radio to listen to either your
existing kenwood or just any other TNC in earshot and then transmit yours
and adjust volume until they sound similar.  The other suggestion is to
increase volume until you don't hear it getting any louder on the receiver
(clipping), then back off until you hear it get a little quieter.  General
good news is that short of massive overclipping, TNC signals are reasonably
tolerant of clipping.

If you are in TNC mode, the baud rate for transmissions is fixed at 1200
baud.

On the position format, I had to go back and look at the manual! :) Your
format is correct

This menu is used to enter a position string and set up the
modem if you have it. The position string is only used in
the TNC and modem formats and is optional. You are first
asked if you want a string, and if so, you are asked to enter
the string. The format is "ddmm.mmN/dddmm.mmW" (or S/E
depending on where you are in the world). The cursor
starts at the first digit. Press the up and down buttons to
select the digit/letter you want, then press select to go on to
the next character. Note that the format assumes decimal
notation for the minutes, so 45 degrees, 30 minutes, 15
seconds would be entered as 4530.25.

Do you have a TNC of any sort?  If so, one debugging trick is to put it in
KISS mode and have it listening to your transmissions. If you get any data,
that is a really good sign.  If nothing else it may give you a hint as to
what in the transmission may be broken

Good luck, feel free to keep on asking questions until the problem is
solved.

will

-----Original Message-----
From: wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org] On
Behalf Of Michael Dzado
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:01 AM
To: 'TAPR Weather Station SIG Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [wxsig] Transmit problem with T-238+ Modem

Hi Mark
Thank you for your suggestion.  I just tried it and no luck.  I think that's
definitely one of my issues.  I am running version 1.15.4R.  WIDE2-2 shows
up as WIDE2 -2 on the entry screen.  I assume the space gets eliminated in
the output string.

Best regards
Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org] On
Behalf Of Mark Patton
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 7:31 PM
To: TAPR Weather Station SIG Mailing List
Subject: Re: [wxsig] Transmit problem with T-238+ Modem

Michael,

Have you tried putting "wide2-2" in both Repeater 1 and Repeater 2?  I 
had a similar problem with not being heard when I left it blank. That 
way it will use any Igate that can hear it.

73's
Mark

Michael Dzado wrote:
> Hi Will
>
> Thank you for your reply.  
>
> I tried my Kenwood TH-D7A(G) using its internal TNC and a GPS from the
same
> physical location and antenna.  It gets to the IGate and my data shows up
on
> FindU.  It was suggested to me that I may not have signal level on the
modem
> audio output set properly.  Do you have any suggestions on how to measure
> it? 
>
> I have several questions: 
> Is the baud rate in modem mode set at 1200 or is it selectable?  If its
> selectable, how do I set it to 1200?
>
> The GPS coordinates are 4202.877N 9134.466W.  I wasn't able to set a
decimal
> between 42 and 02 or 91 and 34.  It took 4 digits as an input.  Should the
> input be 0042.05N and 91.57W?  
>
> Can you send me the link for 1.16.0?  I only found 1.15.8 online.
>
> I appreciate your help.  It's a great learning experience for me.  
>
> Thank you
> Michael
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]
On
> Behalf Of William Beals
> Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 11:28 PM
> To: 'TAPR Weather Station SIG Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [wxsig] Transmit problem with T-238+ Modem
>
> Michael:
>
> You may be having two different problems.  
>
> All of the Kenwood radios with TNCs built-in will only display data if the
> source ID begins with AP.  I found this out pretty (OK, VERY) late in the
> process, so you need firmware rev 1.15.8 or 1.16.0.  Starting with 1.15.8,
I
> changed my source ID from WX1W to AP1WWX for that compatibility issue.
That
> shouldn't affect you showing up on FindU though.
>
> For FindU, I have a couple leading questions that may help isolate the
> issue: 1) Do you have any independent confirmation that you can get to an
> Igate from your location?  That is, just confirming that it is a T238+
> issue, not something else?  2) It may be a typo, but the coordinates you
> show below are missing a decimal point.  3) I am actually not sure what
> happens if you specify your own call-sign and same SSID as a repeater
> callsign.  You'd essentially be telling the radio initiating the
> transmission to listen for it and send it again.  The T238 will certainly
> not do that!  What you need to do is look at other stations in your area
on
> FindU and look at the raw data for those stations.  From those you can get
> hints as to what they are using for the repeaters to get to the Igate.
The
> other method is a judicious choice of WIDEn-n for the repeater ID, but for
> that do consult a local expert, that can lead to a lot of clogging of the
> airwaves.  Lastly, you maybe within earshot of an Igate, in which case you
> would not need any repeaters.
>
> Hope that helps or at least gets you started in the right direction.
>
> will
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:wxsig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]
On
> Behalf Of Michael Dzado
> Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 7:28 PM
> To: wxsig at lists.tapr.org
> Subject: [wxsig] Transmit problem with T-238+ Modem
>
> Hi
>
>  
>
> I built the T-238+ Kit with Modem and have it connected to my one wire wx
> system.  Basically, everything appears to be working, but I am not seeing
> data on the FindU site and do not receive APRS WX data on my Kenwood
> TH-D7A(G) handheld.
>
>  
>
> I have tried transmitting through a TH-K2 and TH-D7A(G).   I can hear the
> packet go out and received on my radios, but do not see the data.  I can
see
> the waveform on a scope.  The amplitude set almost full on the tx output.
>
>  
>
> I have the UART/Display options set for 5-min avg (modem)
>
>  
>
> I have the Position String and Modem Setup set
>
> 4202.877N 9134.466W
>
> MyCall Sign AC0HB - 1
>
> Repeater 1 AC0HB - 1
>
> Repeater 2 AC0HB-1
>
>  
>
> Not sure what the correct settings should be or whether they have an
effect
> on this problem.  It appears that the data string is not set correctly,
but
> I don't know how to verify it.
>
>  
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks
>
> Michael
>
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