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Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:07 pm
by ramdor
Hi all,

I thought I would create a thread for all changes/ideas/wants/wishes to reside. It makes it easier on the thread related to bugs/issues/problems. This top post can be updated with changes and update that are/will/should happen.

Cheers, Richie.

On the TODO list (in no specific order)
1) panadaptor blobs become markers, and have management facility and features from spec analysers such as find -3dB either side of marker, next high to the right, next high to the left, delta dBm, etc
2) split up the receivers, starting with display engine, and then moving to the internals of the console (lots of work, probably weeks and weeks if not months)
3) redo all control panels to be movable, and move away from forced spread out structure of UI especially problematic on large displays
[done_21g]4) drop GDI+ support in display engine
5) json or some such output feed for things like streamdecks
6) Multi-meter 'a better meter'
7) Spot colours and improvements to the lines, perhaps with blobs etc, overhaul essentially
8) IF view much like SDR console
9) New modern VFO control + skin-able
10) Setup tidy up
[done_21j]11) OC options for AMP/PTT/TUN/2TON - need to find out if the PTT jack on the back can be controlled directly
12) Drive power link to TX profile option
[done_21k9rc6]13) Import notch data with merge database
[done_21f]14) CTRL-right click add a notch
15) Insert manual notch from autonotch data. Is this data available - need to investigate
16) timer start on first PTT, and align to interval
17) Path Illustrator - someone will have to take that on. Not for me guv.
[done_21j]18) Mute the VACs
19) New updated recording system
20) Wideband update
21) DRM filter extension - investigate
22) FM adjustable RX filters - investigate
23) Customisable stack grids, where filters can be applied to buttons
[done_21l]24) Limit tune to viewed spectral area
25) MON on/off for recording playback
[done_21f]26) Gain multiplier option for Diversity
[done_21l]27) dBm/s decay time for various things like peak blobs and active peak hold
[done_21g]28) 2TON midi commands

29) Calibration Offset store for EXT/INT osc, so that if your ext ref is off you can select the value you stored for that situation.
[done_21j]30) Step size stored against mode
[done_21h]31) Close bandstack form on selected item option

32) VFO acceleration, much like the 'icom' solution. Rate over time config and speed jumps or linear?
33) RX2 rx audio into VAC1
34) Quick auto split, +/- 5Khz, tx to vfoB, RX left ear, TX (split rx) to right ear
[done_21l]35) Zoom to band
36) Cat? macro button panel
37) passband SNR calculation (peak power in PB? or using dsp signal power?)
[done_21k8]38) sliding agc or moving agc G grabber will disable auto agc compensation
39) auto agc set min of grid, however this causes jumps if step size is set, needs investigation
40) dragging splitter of panafall left and right will act the same as if dragging the top numbers
41) enable multi RX option for split mode
42) PA profiles
43) Drive slider limit in OC settings
44) delta sync drag of rx1/rx2 min/max
45) improved grid spacing to make it more readable
[done_21k9rc2]46) notch labels & offset when adding with +MNF
[done_21k9rc2]47) allow drag of spectrum even when in yellow cursor mode
[done_21k9rc2]48) change cursor to <> when over areas that can be dragged
[done_21k9rc2]49) ZZZT0 recall ZTB, ZZZT1 store ZTB. query using ZZZT; will return 1 if ZTB option is set to Store/Recall mode, 0 if zoom to bandwidth. +MIDI

50) Copy VFO-A => VFO-B (and B > A, and A <> B) include mode, rx-filter,etc.... enable/disable via setup
51) Count down timers
[done_21k9rc2]52) ZZZQ and ZZZR added to toggle control auto agc compensation. Use ZZZQ; ZZZR; to query, ZZZQ0; ZZZQ1; for RX1, and ZZZR0; ZZZQ1; for RX2
[done_21k9rc3]53) dB marks for EQ/CFC - done as tool tips when you drag
54) return cw delay to semi break in, remove when qsk, or add two options
55) waterfall palette to use gradient bar so can be configured
56) zoom/pan on gradient control
[done_21k9rc6]57) save load gradients
58) Midi command to swap vfo wheels

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:29 pm
by NC3Z
My "wish" from the chat last night, integrated JSON so you can use the Streamdeck for an enhanced user interface, much like you can do with Flex and FRStacks. :D

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:48 pm
by oe3ide
Hi Richie,

here are some of my ideas/wishes

  • Multimeter (Tx)
  • different color for spots in the spectrum (currently default font-color for gridtext is used)
  • small if-window with waterfall/spectrum display which shows the currently tuned signal (similar to sdr console)
  • "skin-able" VFO-Panels
  • Restructuring of the setup window... ie. CFC, EQ, Cessb..

Thans for 21d!!
Cheers

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:50 pm
by NC3Z
RX Antenna button selection to be remembered by band.

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:57 pm
by Joe
Thanks Richie,
Everything is much appreciated. The ability to set a checkbox to disable the amplifier ptt and checkboxes to allow amp ptt per band. I do have this in my version running and would be glad to send you my source but probably you could refine. I was hoping this could be done with the main ptt out instead of the OC setup page I use. Did you by chance find the source code name for the main ptt relay?

Thanks,
Joe
WD5Y

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 3:21 pm
by ea3aqr
My suggestions:

1) An option to have PA Settings linked to each TX profile. (I would like to have a full power TX profile when not using my amplifier and a low power one to drive my LDMOS amp).

2) That multi notch filters were saved and imported after a forced database update. It's a pain in the ass to set all my filters again :oops: .

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:06 pm
by W2PA
Notch filter suggestion:

I find the MNF very useful. Two enhancements would make it even more so.

1) Ability to place a new one on a specific frequency with a simple shift-click operation (e.g. ctrl-right-click or something) inside the panadapter (and maybe waterfall). As it is you have to add one at the VFO frequency, then move it into position.

2) Related to #1, another nice interface would be to add an automatic notch to the MNF list. In other words, activate ANF and have it be added to the MNF list so it becomes manually moveable and adjustable.

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:08 pm
by dl4zbg
My suggestion:

option to swap hi/lo cut of varaible filters for LSB (just like the K3 does)

73

Volker

DL4ZBG

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:13 pm
by NC3Z
Hate to bombard you Ritchie as these a re just "wish" items, but since you asked for "wish" items......

Expand the Timer function to either auto start with Thetis and/or autostart on your first PTT.

Option to Synchronize the 10 minute ID expiry to the next 10 hack on the clock (e.g. 10 after, 20 after, 30 after, etc.)

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:37 pm
by W1JA
ramdor wrote:2) split up the receivers, starting with display engine, and then moving to the internals of the console (lots of work, probably weeks and weeks if not months)
3) redo all control panels to be movable, and move away from forced spread out structure of UI especially problematic on large displays

These two items have tremendous potential. I'm very excited about them.

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:46 pm
by W1JA
Also, transmit multimeter. Back in December 2019 ( https://apache-labs.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3182&p=9625#p9625 ) I said

"On transmit, I would like to see several quantities simultaneously. This can be done with a multiple bar graph type meter. My Icom IC-7600 screen can display 5 parameters simultaneously when transmitting: power output, ALC, compression, SWR and drain current.

On Thetis we have 13 available transmit quantities: Fwd Pwr, Ref Pwr, SWR, Mic, EQ, Leveler, Leveler Gain, CFC, CFC Comp, COMP, ALC, ALC Comp, ALC Group. If we had, say, 6 bars available and could assign the displayed quantities via a setup dialog, I'd probably choose to show Fwd Pwr, SWR, Mic, EQ, Leveler, CFC, CFC Comp, ALC Group. Okay, that's 8 things; I guess we need 8 bars. :o

I really like (or maybe I've just gotten used to) the Edge meter in Thetis. Maybe we can have the edge meter for S units, and bar graphs below for these other transmit items. Just a thought - There are probably better ideas for graphic displays."

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 5:32 pm
by Taiga
W1JA wrote:
ramdor wrote:2) split up the receivers, starting with display engine, and then moving to the internals of the console (lots of work, probably weeks and weeks if not months)
3) redo all control panels to be movable, and move away from forced spread out structure of UI especially problematic on large displays

These two items have tremendous potential. I'm very excited about them.


Second both of these suggestions - both highly useful. Hopefully #3 wouldn't take a lot of work and would pay dividends re: operating w/ multiple active windows. Excluding the spectrum display / panadapter window, all of the existing controls could be re-arranged to take up 50% of the current space they use. The "collapse" function remains good, but limited. Still useful to have a reduced footprint 'regular' program window.

Suggest getting the path illustrator working. Knowing how the internal routing is set up would be useful for many applications. I currently have RX1 set up for FT8 and RX2 set up to monitor Morse transmissions on the same band from the same antenna. There's no way I could have done this without Scott's help. If the path illustrator was working, may have been able to figure it out without sending yet another request to helpful colleagues on this board.

As always - thanks again Ritchie for the tremendous, superb effort you've put into improving Thetis. Your contributions hugely contribute to keeping ham radio interesting and exciting! Have you considered setting up a Patreon page?

best,
Taiga.

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:53 pm
by Joe-W4WT
I would like to see a quick way to mute audio when running on VAC. The "MUT" button doesn't currently work in this case but I wonder if it couldn't be modified to simply take a look to see if VAC is enabled and if so, turn the RX1/2 AF down to zero (while recording where the settings currently are) and then restore them when MUT is pressd again.

I'm assuming there is no other quick way to mute audio when using VAC that I don't know of.

Thanks for considering,

Joe W4WT

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:22 pm
by Taiga
Feature request: Zero beat button for RX2 - so one can use FT8 on RX1 while more easily monitoring morse transmissions on RX2.

Thanks Ritchie!

Allthe best,
Taiga

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:22 am
by W3MMR
W1JA wrote:Also, transmit multimeter. Back in December 2019 ( https://apache-labs.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3182&p=9625#p9625 ) I said

"On transmit, I would like to see several quantities simultaneously. This can be done with a multiple bar graph type meter. My Icom IC-7600 screen can display 5 parameters simultaneously when transmitting: power output, ALC, compression, SWR and drain current.

On Thetis we have 13 available transmit quantities: Fwd Pwr, Ref Pwr, SWR, Mic, EQ, Leveler, Leveler Gain, CFC, CFC Comp, COMP, ALC, ALC Comp, ALC Group. If we had, say, 6 bars available and could assign the displayed quantities via a setup dialog, I'd probably choose to show Fwd Pwr, SWR, Mic, EQ, Leveler, CFC, CFC Comp, ALC Group. Okay, that's 8 things; I guess we need 8 bars. :o

I really like (or maybe I've just gotten used to) the Edge meter in Thetis. Maybe we can have the edge meter for S units, and bar graphs below for these other transmit items. Just a thought - There are probably better ideas for graphic displays."



Great Idea

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:50 am
by DO2ZA Erwin
I would prefer this one (from Ritchie)
file.png
file.png (30.58 KiB) Viewed 15484 times


73 Erwin

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 11:02 am
by rbduck
Rework the recording/playback over the air while using virtual cable features. Right now in order to play a sound check back to someone over the air a recording (or quick recording) is made. When "play" is pushed (Mon) monitor comes on. To play back on the air one has to remember to quickly turn the monitor off before pushing PTT. Three hands are needed to prevent feedback or other unintended noise over the air. The quick record and regular recording feature seems to work well. Resulting file locations are different for the two record functions.

It would be nice to have a function where if "play" were selected, it would automatically transmit. This would need to be an alternate function so one can record and playback themselves for sound checks.

Thank you!

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:10 pm
by W1JA
DO2ZA Erwin wrote:I would prefer this one (from Ritchie)

Richie's is good.

That is, as long as we get a chance to suggest improvements when it's under development. For examples, there's no need for the SWR_POWER meter since we already have FORWARD_POWER and SWR. There's no need for ALC and ALC_G since we already have ALC_GROUP. And a lot of vertical space is wasted by repeating the same scales over and over. (The -20 to +12 scale repeats 6 times.)

73, John W1JA

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:36 pm
by kc2rgw
Champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

A cleaner voice keyer interface.

It would be sweet to have a matrix of say a dozen buttons you could assign .wav files to or a list of files even, but with single click playback and maybe a right click context to loop on a specified timer. A small floating panel with buttons you can label like CQ, XCHG, 73 etc so you can just click through contest exchanges.

There is a wav playback interface but it’s very clunky and awkward. Automatic PTT upon click would even enhance the one we have.

Wish 2

I like watching the waveform scope but it's a fixed scale that is quite small on larger screens. It's useful to watch for flat topping and over driving in general. But I also want the waterfall up too.

I would love a way to dock it next to or below the waterfall and a way to be able to set the zoom on it.

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:47 pm
by rbduck
DO2ZA Erwin wrote:I would prefer this one (from Ritchie)
file.png

73 Erwin


I vote for this idea. I've been using the few brain cells I have left to come up with a really meaningful improvement for Thetis.
From a guy that doesn't do Digital or Contest. Yet.

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 5:37 pm
by K1LSB
DO2ZA Erwin wrote:I would prefer this one (from Ritchie)
file.png

73 Erwin


YES!! I've been waiting for this ever since Richie first teased it!

For my own part I have no problem with multiple scales, in fact I would think one would want to see the correct scale (whatever the scale is) imbedded for every meter displayed.

Mark

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:43 am
by PD3LK
1. i wish for these multimeters too :)
2. wish: dubble clicking on a peak in the WideBand display moves RX1 (or RX2..) to that frequency.
3. wish: a option (button) to integrate/insert the WB display as shown in this picture. (without the white part at the top of that WB pane)

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:31 pm
by vu2mb
Hi Richie,

I would request you to provide additional wide filters 20 kHz for DRM as the new pure DRM broadcasts are 18/20 kHz wide and we cant decode these new broadcasts. PowerSDR and DRM mode must have been incorporated 15 years ago when 9/10 kHz filters.

This is the most appropriate time to revisit the DRM mode.
I have posted screenshots of 2 different broadcasts transmitting 18 KHz wide signal.

Thank you & 73
Bhanu VU2B

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:53 pm
by K0MO
Richie,

Please make some changes to Thetis UI like adding TX Profile, Drive power adjustment to Andromeda collapsed view making the controls stretch all the way to the sides so they are compatible with 21:9 Ultrawide displays, as well as moving the S-meter to the left, the frequency counter to the middle or as you said make all control panels to be movable.

I like Simon Brown's inplementation of the dark themed Analog S-meter and the automatic notch filter ANF found on SDR Console V3:
It's super fast and effective. It works very well.

Consolidate RX and TX Filter Bandwidth CAT to MIDI commands together so they work both on receive and transmit modes.

Also, if you could improve Thetis "HttpServer" very basic network feature, located in Setup / CAT Control / User Interface, to work with any LAN via remote browser would be great!

Finally, take advantage of Net Framework like Simon did with SDR Console to improve and modernize the UI, graphics, sound routing, etc.

In other words make Thetis look and feel like ExpertSDR3 ;)

Manny

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 4:18 pm
by PD3LK
Moved from issues to here:
- Seperate bandstacks & bandbuttons for LW and MW with there correct boundaries.

and two other point's,
- Name giving to band stack entries and a option to show them in the FFT (vertical red line and name), something like "Markers" in SDRC.
- Option to show the station names in the FFT when the Spot SWL database is activated (same as DX spots and Memories)

r/Leon

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 10:26 pm
by ramdor
ok, went through everything up to this point and added to the list in post 1. I have not added something you feel really needs to be there, please state your case below ;) :lol:

Also, keep them coming, some great ideas so far !

Richie.

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 11:27 am
by rbduck
Take the Audio Record/Playback function and clean it up. Right now the audio files go different places according to which function is being used.

1. Make the Quick Record/Playback so it is possible to record someone and then immediately playback on the air without having to wrestle with turning the monitor function off before the feedback occurs.
a. Make it where it when Quick playback is pushed the transceiver transmits what has been just recorded.

I guess one may be using the record/playback function for one of two things.
1. To record siganls over the air and playback for sound checks demonstrating what one would sound like.
2. To record ones self for the use of going through the audio chain and setting up ones own station. W1AEX made a great example of how to set
up the audio chain for great over the air sound.

The entire record/playback function seems to be a little disfunctional. The recordings for quick record/playback is sent to one directory and the normal record/playback results are sent to another.

I'm sure other folks use these functions for things other than I'm listing here.

Thank you for all the hard work!

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 8:22 pm
by oe3ide
Hi,

don't know if its possible:
Would be nice to show the signal strength on the y-axis in the panadapter-window (maybe switchable "default", "signal-dbm","signal-uV" or "signal-S-units) and if selected, show also these values in the peak-blobs.

73 Ernst

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:37 pm
by Tom AA4VV
Fix the RTTY offset.

Setup -> CAT Control -> CAT

Under RTTY Offset

Enable Offset VFO A
Enable Offset VFO B

This will enable correct frequency when spotting RTTY or going to a RTTY a station that has been spotted.

Thanks
Tom AA4VV

Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:06 am
by KC1LKO
The AGC gain dotted line... Can it "float" on top of whatever the noise is when I turn on the radio + user defined offset (in db) ? Perhaps noise is constant for others at all times of the day? for me it changes based on band and time of day... I think band should be all set as the radio remembers, but day to day and hour by hour it tends to change even on the same band. Of course, if the user overrides this "default" "float over the noise" mode then it should then stick to what the user picks.

Hope this made sense.

PS1. Love the list of the 'redo' componetize UI features... and the API / JSONize things...
PS2. Will a commit be done to a github repo with all the changes done thus far? Hesitant to download/invest in the current 2.8.11 too much... though at least should be able to download/build/change/build-again/observe-change/rinse-and-repeat