Table of Contents
Last update:
20 July 2002
- I have gray space under tool bars is too
large
- How can I set MixW for slow computers?
- Waterfall seems to move toooo slow?
- Why doesn't work CAT interface?
- How to set callbook database path in
Callbook Settings dialog?
- Is it possible to export selected
QSOs?
- Is it possible to work PSK
having another mode at second receiving channel?
- Is it possible to send from MixW2 a 1750Hz tone to open a repeater?
- How
can I do calibrate Sound Card with WWV mode in SSTV?
- How to set a beep on receiving a reply to an
AUTOCQ, and turns off the AUTOCQ?
- I cannot edit the logfile thru the edit
program. Why?
- I cant access to logfile! Why?
- How can I do slant correction in SSTV mode?
- Is it possible to run two instances of MixW?
- How can I start another program just by opening MixW?
- Whether uses MixW the Registry
of Windows? And how to delete the program MixW from the computer?
- At the low end of the Waterfall display I have at a zero audio frequency two
yellow bars close together. What is it?
- How can I use mixw and ui-view with my SOUNDCARD ?
- I can't setup the PTT option, because have to set it
each time the program is loaded to work, the message was posted
about it.
- When listening/reading only, the frequency is
stable, but when receiving just upon my transmission the reading is garbled and the
indicator has to be adjusted a few Hertz lower. Why?
- Where can I find specific macros:
"OnStartMixW", "OnEndMixW",
"OnOpen....", "OnClose...",
"Gray..." etc?
- What is to be done to have a shorter delay between TX and RX in FSK
mode?
- When I executed the downloaded file, all when well until a window popped up
during installation stating, "Error starting program The CREATEMIXW2SHORTCUTS.EXE file is
linked to missing export SHELL32DLLSHGetSpecialFolderPathA"
Following this notice, another window displayed, "Error Executing the Specified Program
D:\Program Files\MixW2\CreateMixW2Shortcuts.Exe". Why?
I have gray space under tool bars is too large...
- To get rid of docked tool bars, drag them out
of MixW window, or double-click with left mouse button, or drag with
CONTROL or SHIFT key pressed.
For very slow computers:
- Turn tuning indicator off (View menu);
- Set spectrum speed to Slow (See soundcard settings);
- Set samplerate to 8000 (See soundcard settings);
- Set DSP filter to none (See soundcard settings);
- Reduce the height of waterfall;
- Turn off average spectrum line (if not in waterfall mode).
Waterfall seems to move toooo slow...
- Set Spectrum speed (See soundcard settings) to
higher value (x4 is OK).
CAT interface doesn't work:
- Refer to interface manual and set RST and
DTR state properly (CAT/RCP dialog, port details, don't
forget to set RS232 baudrate, etc.). Several interfaces require RST=Always
On or DTR=Always On. Please check CAT settings carefully!
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How to set callbook database path in Callbook
Settings dialog?
If D: is the drive letter of
CD-ROM,
- for QRZ CD-ROM, type D:\callbk\
- for Buckmaster's HAMCALL, type D:\ham0\
- for Radio Amateur Callbook (RAC), type D:\
HAMCALL and RAC callbooks require DLL files in MixW
directory (HAMCAL32.DLL and RACCD32A.DLL).
Is it possible to export selected
QSOs?
Sure,
- select QSOs with mouse or cursor keys (Ctrl and Shift keys will
help),
- export (or calculate statistics).
Is it possible to work PSK having another mode at
second receiving channel?
Yes, Ctrl + Click on the second
signal.
Right Click on the third (4th,...) signal and select New Rx Window in
the local menu... Right Click in the RX window to change Mode or
current settings. You may want to try Ctrl + drag any RX channel to
another frequency.
Is it possible to send from MixW2 a 1750Hz tone to open a repeater?
Yes, Hold Shift and click TX.
How
can I do calibrate Sound Card with WWV mode in SSTV?
The WWV mode can be used to calibrate the soundcard while receiving WWV
signals. Time marks are transmitted on 4996, 9996, 14996 KHz. Tune your
TRCVR to 4994.100, 9994.100, 14994.100 (USB). Be patient if you do not hear
anything as Timing marks are not transmitted all the time, Sometime there
are 5 minutes pauses between these transmissions.
When the WWV signals are tuned:
Select the WWV mode from the dropdown mode menu Tune your receiver so the tuning indicator is on the signal as indicated in
the waterfall display. Click on the RX button You will see black and white box patterns
Adjust the slant until the edges are straight.
The image will depend on the timing intervals, but the edges should be
straight in any case.
This SSTV slant correction can also be moved to the soundcard sample rate
correction to let other modes use that correction as well. To do this select
the SSTV settings dialog from the Mode Menu, or the mode box on the status
bar, and click on the "Go" button.
How to set a beep on receiving a reply to an
AUTOCQ, and turns off the AUTOCQ?
Use "ALARM" and "OnAlarm" macros.
Beep on finding "de" in the input stream:
<ASAUTOCQ><ALARM:de>CQ CQ de <MYCALL> <MYCALL> k<RX>
You may replace "de" with your callsign or the tail of your callsign...
You may create a macro called "OnAlarm" for more things to do on "de" heard.
I find I cannot edit the logfile thru the edit
program. It shows changes made but does not record them. Selecting "yes" and exit
program and then returning reverts back to original info. Why?
Check the "properties" of the MixW2.log file. If "read only" is
checked, uncheck it.
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I cant access to
logfile ! Why?
There may be two mistakes:
- MixW2.log being copied from the CD has "Read Only" flag set. Clear the flag.
- You opened MixW2.log as Rx log. Close the Rx log file and choose another name for Rx log.
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How can I do slant correction
in SSTV mode?
In MixW slant correction can be done in very easy way: just "draw" a line along the slanted
border and that slant goes away.
But since there are many programs which can't repair the slant or the slant correction is not very easy, the calibration is highly
recommended.
RX calibration is very simple, and as the first step you may set TX correction value equal to RX correction value.
Usually RX and TX sample rate corrections are equal, but what to do if they aren't?
It is very easy to tune TX sample rate during a QSO with MixW2 on other side. Just ask for the value of the RX slant
correction and substract it from your current TX correction value.
On Windows 2000/XP we can run two copies of MixW using the same soundcard. So, assuming both copies have RX calibrated by receiving
WWV or any other process, we can use one copy to calibrate another:
the second instance of MixW is playing a role of a remote station.
Be sure, such process requires more computing power.
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Is it possible to run two instances of MixW?
One instance from the left audio channel, another instance from the right audio channel.
No. Two instances of MixW need two sound
cards installed.
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How can I start another program just by opening MixW? Can it be
done in the MixW ini file? I want to start QuickMix.exe automatically when I call MixW. It can run before or right after.
Yes, I do have a macro, but I want this to be automatic.
Do it:
- Menu Configure - Default macros - Edit
- Add new - Select "OnStartMixW" in the Macro combobox
- type <EXEC:QuickMix.exe> in the Text window
- OK - Close - OK
Of course, you must use "Edit" instead of "Add new" on the second stage if you have defined already that macro.
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Whether uses MixW
the Registry of Windows? And how to delete the program MixW from the
computer?
MixW does not use Windows Registry, so you may install several copies of MixW on a single PC.
Deleting the MixW folder completely removes MixW from the PC. Be sure you have saved your QSOs
somewhere before the action. QSOs are stored in MixW2.log.
Updates or new versions can be installed over the old copy, log and settings will not be lost.
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At the low end of the Waterfall display I have at a zero audio frequency two
yellow bars close together. Just like an idling PSK31. At about 360 Hz there
is a single yellow bar. I am togle to USB, LSB but are still there.
Most of soundcards produce a noise below 100 Hz. 360 Hz yellow bar can
may be produced by any other device like fan, DC converter etc.
MixW shows up to 80 db dynamic range on the waterfall, so even small noises are visible. You may reduce the visible range by changing the
waterfall palette, making first two or three bars black.
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How can I use mixw and ui-view with my SOUNDCARD ?
MixW 2.xx does emulate KISS TNC into attached COM-port. Go to menu Configure, TNC emulation, and select the port used as a KISS
TNC. Let it be COM2 in our example. Now we have the following configuration:
TRCVR - SoundCard - MixW - COM2
COM2 must be wired to another computer or another comport on this computer, and be used with any program which works with KISS modem.
For example:
TRCVR - SoundCard - MixW - COM2 - COM3 - UI-View.
This solution requires two physical comports. Since these comports do nothing except transferring data between programs, we can use virtual comports.
Somewhere on the Internet one can find a driver of pseudo com-port, for example - com-port usage via Internet connection.
Our hardware setup be as follows:
TRCVR - SoundCard - MixW - Emulated COM5 - Internet - Emulated COM6 - UI-View.
Com5 and Com6 are not physical ports and cab be placed on the same PC or on two PCs connected through TCP/IP.
In MixW has implemented a driver which represents an emulated tied couple of COM ports. It appears as "MixW serial port bridge" in
Windows device manager window after installation. See http://mixw.net/related.htm
for details. Note: the driver for W95/W98 is not written yet.
My own, UT2UZ, setup:
TRCVR - SoundCard - MixW - COM9 - MixW serial port bridge - COM8 - UI-View.
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I can't setup the PTT option, because have to set it
each time the program is loaded to work, the message was posted
about it.
Check if MixW2.ini does not have the "ReadOnly" or "System"
attribute.
This may happen after copying files from CDROM.
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When listening/reading only, the frequency is
stable, but when receiving just upon my transmission the reading is garbled and the
indicator has to be adjusted a few Hertz lower (abt. half of the sinal width). This has to be repeated after each pair of
TX-RX. This happens NOT with Zakanaka!
Zakanaka uses 8000 samplerate, MixW uses 11025 by default. This may
cause different driver behavior like on one of my soundcards
(UT2UZ):
TX sample rate differs from RX sample rate if 11025 is requested while actual rates are equal for 8000 sample rate.
You may find the reason by measuring the TX-RX jump value for different sound frequencies.
If the jump value differs from point to point and is proportional to the sound frequency, say 15 Hz jump for 1000 Hz sound frequency and
30 Hz for 2000 Hz sound frequency, that means you deal with soundcard
driver bug. If the jump value does not depend of sound frequency - that means that RX-TX offset source is the TRCVR. I had such effect
with my old IC-735 when I placed it sideways (TX heat changed the XFO frequency).
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Where can I find specific macros:
"OnStartMixW", "OnEndMixW", "OnOpen....",
"OnClose...", "Gray..." etc?
Menu Configure -> Default macros..., Edit.., Add new...
Now select the necessary command in the Macro combobox. Enter <EXEC...>
in the text box for use.
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What is to be done to have a shorter delay
between TX and RX in FSK mode?
Perhaps it is not a real delay but significant delay between visible
end of transmission on the screen and end of sound output.
MixW sound buffer is ~1 second by default.
One more reason of a delay is switching between sound input and output devices if your soundcard does not support full duplex.
You may play with the sound buffers, changing the length of each buffer and/or changing the number of buffers. Note that too small
values may cause sound interrupts.
These values can be found in MixW2.ini
m_iBufRxNum=48
m_iBufRxSize=256
m_iBufTxNum=48
m_iBufTxSize=256
48 buffers, 256 samples each, 1/11025 sec per sample.
Don't forget to exit from MixW before editing MixW2.ini.
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I have found that running
spectrum speed at 4x and above seems to swamp my processor and bring the program to a grinding halt. (P III
730 Mhz w/ 256 k RAM) I would like to see the detail at 8X. Am I doing something wrong?
Fast drawing require two things: fast processor and fast 2D in your
video-adapter. It's a pity, but some modern videocards have bugs and they work very slow for simple 2D pictures while the 3D performance
is very good.
Try to switch the color resolution and reduce the size of waterfall. For
example: old Celeron-366 with S3 LC-2X videocard took ~90% of processor power displaying the ~50x750 pixel waterfall at 8x.
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When I executed the downloaded file, all when well until a window popped up
during installation stating,
"Error starting program The CREATEMIXW2SHORTCUTS.EXE file is linked to missing export SHELL32DLLSHGetSpecialFolderPathA"
Following this notice, another window displayed, "Error Executing the Specified Program
D:\Program Files\MixW2\CreateMixW2Shortcuts.Exe"
This is a known bug which appears when installing MixW 2.02 on old Win95
systems. Just ignore the error, MixW2 executable will be installed correctly,
but MixW shortcut on the desktop should be created manually if needed.
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