WinWarbler CW Settings

WinWarbler Online Help Contents

 

The CW tab of WinWarbler's Configuration window provides panels  that controls the generation of CW. It contains general settings, and six panels: Keyboard mode, PTT, Keying, Weight, Cut numbers, and WinKey.

 

General settings

Xcvr mode specifies whether Commander (if running) should set the transceiver mode to CW or CW-R when WinWarbler is placed in CW mode
CW offset (hz) specifies an offset in Hertz that aligns the displayed CW receive frequency with a known CW frequency; negative values are accepted. This can be used to compensate for an offset between your transceiver's VFO display and its actual frequency, ensuring that an accurate frequency will be logged with the QSO.
Default TxPwr specifies the default power used to initialize the QSO Info panel's TX Pwr textbox when the Enter or Tab key is struck in the QSL Info panel's call textbox with the Main window's Mode panel set to CW
don't change Xcvr sideband if checked with Commander  running, WinWarbler will not change the transceiver's mode from CW to CW-R or from CW-R to CW
display xmit/rcv characters when checked, presents a receive pane in which characters are displayed as they are transmitted or received 

  • CW reception requires an external modem such as those provided by Kantronics or Timewave

  • this setting can only be changed when WinWarbler is in CW mode
send Ø as 0 when checked, the Ø character is transmitted as a numeric 0

 

Keyboard mode panel

Settings on this panel specify when characters are transmitted if the CW Keying panel is set to serial port RTS, serial port DTR, WinKey, PTT port RTS, PTT port DTR, or parallel port.

auto start when checked, automatically starts CW transmission when characters are entered into the Transmit pane by keystroke or macro

Note: the auto start setting will be un-checked and disabled if the Send control characters from Transmit Pane setting is checked while in CW mode with keying via the external modem; this prevents keystrokes intended to control the external modem from initiating transmission.
auto stop when checked,  automatically stops CW transmission if there are no more characters to transmit

Note: the auto stop setting will be un-checked and disabled if the Send control characters from Transmit Pane setting is checked while in CW mode with keying via the external modem; this prevents keystrokes intended to control the external modem from initiating transmission.
character when selected, transmit each character as its entered in the transmit pane
word when selected, wait to transmit until a word is entered, as signified by a space, punctuation, or pro-sign character

 

PTT panel

Settings on this panel specify whether and how PTT is asserted during CW transmission if the CW Keying panel is set to serial port RTS, serial port DTR, WinKey, PTT port RTS, PTT port DTR, or parallel port.

assert PTT during CW when checked, assert PTT during CW transmission; this option is disabled if the PTT mode panel is set to none
PTT lead time (ms) PTT lead time, in milliseconds; WinWarbler will wait for this amount of time after asserting PTT before transmitting CW (with WinKey, non-zero values will be rounded up to the next largest multiple of 10 ms)
PTT lag time (ms) PTT lag time, in milliseconds; WinWarbler will wait for this amount of time after transmitting CW before un-asserting PTT (with WinKey, non-zero values will be rounded up to the next largest multiple of 10 ms)

If you have configured WinWarbler to generate CW via WinKey keyer and you plan to use paddles, set the PTT lead time and PTT lag time settings to 0 to ensure smooth operation.

Keying panel

Note that changing the CW keying while a CW transmission is in progress will abort that transmission.

serial port RTS when selected, key the transceiver via the specified serial port's RTS modem control signal

notes:

  1. if the specified serial port is selected in the PTT port panel, and if the PTT port's RTS signal is available for CW keying, then PTT port (com n) RTS will automatically be selected; if the PTT port's RTS signal is not available for CW keying, then use of the PTT port for CW keying will be disallowed.

  2. The generated CW's timing will be more stable if you use the Windows Control Panel to set your computer's Power Plan to High Performance.
serial port DTR when selected, key the transceiver via the specified serial port's DTR modem control signal

notes:

  1. if the specified serial port is selected in the PTT port panel, and if the PTT port's DTR signal is available for CW keying, then PTT port (com n) DTR will automatically be selected; if the PTT port's DTR signal is not available for CW keying, then use of the PTT port for CW keying will be disallowed.
  2. The generated CW's timing will be more stable if you use the Windows Control Panel to set your computer's Power Plan to High Performance.
WinKey when selected, key the transceiver via a WinKey keyer connected to the specified serial port
serial port selector serial port to be used for CW keying
PTT port (com n) RTS when selected, key the transceiver via the PTT serial port's RTS modem control signal; this option is disabled if the PTT mode panel is set to none, RTS, or Xcvr Ctrl SW, or if the PTT port panel is set to none

Note: the generated CW's timing will be more stable if you use the Windows Control Panel to set your computer's Power Plan to High Performance.
PTT port (com n) DTR when selected, key the transceiver via the PTT serial port's DTR modem control signal; this option is disabled if the PTT mode panel is set to none, DTR, or Xcvr Ctrl SW, or if the PTT port panel is set to none

Note: the generated CW's timing will be more stable if you use the Windows Control Panel to set your computer's Power Plan to High Performance
parallel port when selected, key the transceiver via the specified parallel port signal; while WinWarbler is in CW mode with parallel port keying enabled, the specified parallel port's strobe signal  is asserted, placing a TTL 0 voltage on DB25 pin 1
parallel port selector parallel port to be used for CW keying

  • LPT1 is the port whose hexadecimal address is 378

  • LPT2 is the port whose hexadecimal address is 278

  • LPT3 is the port whose hexadecimal address is 3BC

  • LPT4 is the port whose hexadecimal address is 2BC

  • Custom - lets you specify a parallel port address in the range of 0000 to FFF8.

Note: the generated CW's timing will be more stable if you use the Windows Control Panel to set your computer's Power Plan to High Performance
parallel port signal selector determines which parallel port signal is used to convey CW keying

  • databit 0 (DB25 pin 2)

  • databit 1 (DB25 pin 3)

  • databit 2 (DB25 pin 4)

  • databit 3 (DB25 pin 5)

  • databit 4 (DB25 pin 6)

  • databit 5 (DB25 pin 7)

  • databit 6 (DB25 pin 8)

  • databit 7 (DB25 pin 9)

  • initialize printer (DB25 pin 16) - not available if the parallel port Radio selection & PTT setting is enabled

  • select input 0 (DB25 pin 17) - not available if the parallel port Radio selection & PTT setting is enabled
parallel port Radio selection & PTT when enabled with the parallel port setting enabled,
  • if Commander is running, the currently-selected radio is encoded on parallel port pins 16 and 14:
    Radio Pin 16 pin 14
    1 0 0
    2 0 1
    3 1 0
    4 1 1

     

  • if Commander is running, parallel port pin 17 is asserted when WinWarbler is transmitting 

Note that pins 14, 16, and 17 will be set as described above in every operating mode, not just CW.

external modem when selected, key the transceiver via the an external modem 

  • disables all settings on the CW keyboard mode, CW weight, and CW PTT panels (as these functions are controlled by the external modem)

  • to display characters decoded by the external modem, check the display xmt/rcv characters box
Xcvr Ctrl App when selected, generate CW by sending text to Commander which is then conveyed to the transceiver via CAT command ; this option is only enabled if Commander's active transceiver is capable of this function.

 

Weight panel

Settings on this panel specify the relative time-weighting of transmitted CW elements if the CW Keying panel is set to serial port RTS, serial port DTR, WinKey, PTT port RTS, PTT port DTR, or parallel port.

dot time units per CW dot
dash time units per CW dash
element space time units per CW element space (not adjustable if keying via WinKey)
character space time units per CW character space (not adjustable if keying via WinKey)
word space time units per CW word space (can only be set to 6 or 7 if keying via WinKey)

 

Cut Numbers Panel

use cut #s in macros when checked in CW mode, sends T or O for the digit zero and N for the digit nine in the results of RSTsent, RSTrcvd, transmit_power, rx_serial_number, and tx_serial_number macros
send T for 0 when selected with use cut #s in macros enabled, sends T for the digit zero
send O for 0 when selected with use cut #s in macros enabled, sends O for the digit zero

 

WinKey panel

Settings on this panel control the operation of a WinKey keyer; this panel's caption indicates WinKey's firmware version.

speed potentiometer

  • establishes the range of speeds that can be set by the speed potentiometer, in words per minute

  • specifies the standard 3-wire potentiometer connection, or the optional 2-wire potentiometer connection
timing

  • if the Farnsworth speed setting is greater than the current CW transmission speed, then Farnsworth spacing is used at the Farnsworth speed; setting the Farnsworth speed to 0 precludes Farnsworth spacing at any transmission speed

  • the dot/dash ratio setting sets the ratio between dot and dash durations, by the formula

    Dot/Dash = 3 x (N/50) where the setting N must be in the range of 33 (producing a 2:1 ratio) to 66 (producing a 4:1 ratio)

  • the first extension setting increases the duration a transmission's first dot or dash by the specified number of milliseconds to a maximum of 250; this can be used to compensate for a transceiver's slow break-in response

  • the compensation setting increases the duration of all dots and dashes in a transmission by the specified number of milliseconds to a maximum of 250, reducing the duration of spaces to maintain the specified speed; this can be used to compensate for the shortening of transmitted CW elements by a transceiver's QSK circuit
sidetone

  • enabled box

  • paddle-only box, if checked, generates a sidetone at the specified audio frequency in response to paddle entry, but not in response to CW generated by WinWarbler

    • this option is disabled when using a WinKey version 1

    • this option is enabled unless the sidetone sub-panel's enabled box is checked
paddle

  • iambic A, if selected, sends alternating dots and dashes when both paddles are pressed (Curtis-style)

  • iambic B, if selected, sends alternating dots and dashes when both paddles are pressed, and sends an extra alternate dot or dash when the paddles are released (Accu-keyer style)

  • ultimatic, if selected, sends a continuous stream of whichever paddle was last pressed when both paddles are pressed

  • bug/straight, if selected, sends dots when the dot paddle is pressed, but sends a single dash when the dash paddle is pressed; to use a straight key, connect it to the dash paddle input

  • swap, if enabled, configures the right paddle to generate dots and the left paddle to generate dashes

  • autospace, if enabled, interprets a pause of more than one dot time as a letter space, and generates the full letter space timing; additional dots or dashes entered during this interval will be buffered and sent once the letter space has been completed

  • echo back, if enabled, decodes CW generated via the paddles for display in WinWarbler's receive pane (if enabled)

  • the switchpoint delay setting determines when a new paddle press will be accepted after sensing the current one; the default value of 50 corresponds to 1 dot time, and is adjustable as a percent of dot duration by the formula

    Delay = (N x DotDuration)/50  where the setting N must be in the range of 10 to 90

  • the ultimatic priority setting determines dit/dah priority when ultimatic is selected

    • norm: normal ultimatic operation

    • dah: will send dahs when both paddles are pressed

    • dit: will send dits when both paddles are pressed

  • the hang time dits setting specifies how many dit times are added to a wordspace time before ending paddle insertion

 

output port

  • checking the 1 box enables the port 1 Key and PTT outputs

  • checking the 2 box enables the port 2 Key and PTT outputs

  • when run with Winkey version 1, this panel is disabled