If you have a rig with narrow filters, you can make use of very nice features in HRD DigitalMaster. In this example the rig is Kenwood TS-850, but this idea can be applied to other rigs as well. (I have done this also on TS-590 and it was somewhat even simpler)
Look at the picture above. In the DigitalMaster there is a way to make toolbar buttons, that work like a charm! First I will show you how they work:
In the The default mode in my waterfall is 2.7 or 6 kHz, and the base frequency of the rig is at the bottom of the PSK band, i.e. 14.070 MHz. When I find a station I want to get in contact with, I first click on the station and then the Narrow button. This happens:
- The station is centered at the defined center frequency (as with the green C button in the same toolbar). Older rigs don’t have a separate digimode setting, so digital transmissions are sent in SSB mode; at least in my rig it means that the voice amplifying depends on the sound frequency. If I choose to send in different places in the waterfall, i.e. with different tones, the transmission power and ALC has to be checked all the time. If you send always on the center frequency, you can rely on your ALC settings.
- The rig automatically switches to the 500 Hz filter. I you have worked digimodes, you have seen occasions, where strong stations make the DX stations drown because of AGC (Automatic Gain Control). With a narrow filter you can hopefully filter those strong stations and get the dx station decoded! Also, if you are a digimode contester, this is a very useful asset!
Magic, right? When the QSO is finished, the Wide button does this:
- It restores the original digimode base frequency in the rig, i.e. 14.070 MHz
- It makes the rig select the 6 kHz filter (the Wide SSB button swithes to the 2,7 kHz filter)
Magic times two?! 🙂
How is this done?
1. Click the Options toolbar in above the waterfall in HRD DigitalMaster.
2. Select Macros… in the list
3. Click the New button at the top-left of the Macro window. This window pops up:
4. Create a macro header as the picture suggests. You can copy and paste it from here also:
#++
#
# {{RADIO-CONTROL
#
#--
5. Add this line:
center-on 1350
This is the optimal TS-850S center frecuency. Check your optimal frequency.
6. Connect to the rig using the Radio Control button shown in the picture above. A simple rig control window pops up. Click Connect to HRD there. You will see this:
7. Select desired filter from the window above. If you are lucky, the filter is changed and there is a macro text appearing, like:
Set dropdown Filter CW 5 //Filter = CW
…good! Name your macro and save it…you have a nice button. Make buttons for all filters you need. Here are my complete macros (note: the details may vary depending on your rig and rig set-up!)
The Narrow button macro:
#++
#
# {{RADIO-CONTROL
#
#--
center-on 1350
Set dropdown Filter CW 5 // Filter = CW
The Wide button macro:
#++
#
# {{RADIO-CONTROL
#
#--
center-off
Set dropdown Filter AM 3 // Filter = AM
The Wide SSB button macro:
#++
#
# {{RADIO-CONTROL
#
#--
center-off
Set dropdown Filter SSB 4 // Filter = SSB
Good luck in digimode DXing and contesting!
