Enable CAT Grayed-Out

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W4NNG
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Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby W4NNG » Thu Jan 07, 2021 1:19 am

RE: Thetis Ver 2.8.11 CAT Control Tab

Trying to setup WSIT-X,

In the CAT Control Column, Enable CAT Grayed-Out and Port Drop-Down only 'None' at a choice

Any help appreciated

Bob W4NNG
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Tony EI7BMB
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby Tony EI7BMB » Thu Jan 07, 2021 10:18 am

Hi Bob, do you have a port emulator installed ? Like this for example http://www.eterlogic.com/Products.VSPE.html
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w-u-2-o
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Jan 07, 2021 3:51 pm

The only reason this should happen is if you have no COM ports installed, real or virtual.
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby W4NNG » Fri Jan 08, 2021 5:55 am

Thanks Tony and Scott

Normal PC with a bunch of real jacks & USB comm ports and now virtual ports from Voicemeeter Banana

Basically I'm just following the Thetis User manual's instructions in para 3.6 Digital Mode Operation, except when it has me at CAT Control, I can't enable CAT
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:54 pm

USB ports don't count as COM ports unless you have an RS-232--to-USB adapter plugged in. But you don't need that.

Voicemeeter provides only virtual audio connections, no virtual serial COM connections, so while you do need Voicemeeter, it has nothing to do with CAT connections, only audio.

What you appear to be missing is the software that provides the virtual serial COM port connections between Thetis and WSJT-X so that CAT communications can flow. You have three choices: com0com, Eterlogic VSPE, or VSPM. My preference is Eterlogic VSPE. It isn't free, but I find it the most stable. After that I'd suggest com0com before VSPM.
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby laurencebarker » Fri Jan 08, 2021 4:09 pm

Section 7.4 of the manual covers installing virtual COM port program. It doesn't cover the Etherlogic one though. It looks like it is more capable that the free one.

Scott: The manual refers just to the Eltima "paid for" program, and com0com. Should I add a section on the Etherlogic program too? (It looks like it can do more; com0com is JUST cables from one port to another port, no sharing for example.)
Laurence Barker G8NJJ
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri Jan 08, 2021 6:14 pm

@laurencebarker

I just looked at your manual. Section 7.4 would benefit from some expansion. Note the hot links below for the URLs...

I do not recommend the Eltima product because it is far too expensive. I never mention it in any of my responses.

The Eterlogic (note spelling) product, VSPE, is what I prefer and recommend due to its extensive capabilities and stability. It is only $25.

com0com would be the free product of choice. It also has more capability than VSPM and is quite stable.

VSPM is another free (to hams) option. However it has only the most basic capabilities and has not proven to be as stable for me as the other choices.
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby W4NNG » Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:45 pm

Interesting discussion. With at least one Amp now allowing CAT control via a virtual cable through a network pipe, it would be helpful if the scope of any manual clarification of virtual cabling included via network pipes.

For example the RF-KIT amp can be networked connected. The amp has PA Bridge Software installed that links to DX Lab Suite Commander to complete the link Thetis

I started trying to make the DXLab connection to the Anan. New to virtual connects, realized I was jumping in to the deep end and decided better to start with WSJT-X since it was mentioned on the Thetis manual.
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby W4NNG » Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:53 pm

Sorry - Also meant to mention that your comments have cleared up my misunderstanding of what I was getting out of 'VM Banana'

Tnxs
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby K1LSB » Sat Jan 09, 2021 12:59 am

w-u-2-o wrote:I just looked at your manual. Section 7.4 would benefit from some expansion. Note the hot links below for the URLs...
.
.
VSPM is another free (to hams) option. However it has only the most basic capabilities and has not proven to be as stable for me as the other choices.

Scott,

Not sure what you mean by "[VSPM] has not proven to be as stable for me as the other choices" but for the record, that utility is the only VSP software I've ever used and it has never given me a single problem. It may not be as feature rich as some of the others but it is as reliable as an anvil (and it's free). It appears to be based on the Eltima software, here's a snapshot of my Device Manager screen:

Capture.PNG
Capture.PNG (31.46 KiB) Viewed 3870 times

If you have any specific examples of instability you've encountered with VSPM, can you share them with us?

Thanks,
Mark
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Re: Enable CAT Grayed-Out

Postby w-u-2-o » Sat Jan 09, 2021 1:56 am

Certainly. For me VSPM has often caused an inability to make a virtual serial port connection without having to reboot. It will work for a while, then just stop.

To add insult to injury, when combined with DDUtil this problem had persisted for me across reboots. All honor to Steve, and I love what his software does for my station, and I am totally reliant upon it, but there is something funky about his serial code.

With VSPE I never have any problems except with DDUtil, and I can fix the latter by restarting VSPE without rebooting. Also, I need port splitting, which VSPM can't do.

It is worth noting that I've experienced this in both Win7 and Win10 environments.

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