ProCat for Windows Main Help
ProCat for Windows  v1.1

QuickStart!

Program Description

Procat for Windows is a computer program that allows many different transceiver types to be controlled under Microsoft Windows.  This program was designed to provide useful help by the computer in the operation of complex modern day Amateur Radio transceivers. Double click on the word QUICKSTART! above to try the program out right away! Additionally there are sections in the online help for SETUP of your transceiver as well as OPERATION of the ProCat for Windows program. PLEASE, REGISTER this program if you find it useful.

This program  was not created to show off  the authors particular transceiver choice - it was designed to provide CAT assistance in the smallest possible area of the computer screen. This allows for other programs of the users choice for QSO logging, QSLs,  contests, awards, etc. Support your local Ham programmers, even modest projects may take several hundred hours to complete and test!

Please give the program at least one hour of fair evaluation before making a decision on its merit as  an operating aid.  For a brief demonstration, click on MEMORY, then select record 16. This record is empty to allow for experimentation. Then click on the FREQUENCY button, enter an active  frequency  including the decimal after the megahertz (eg. 14.250). Then press one of the MODE buttons to set the  frequency. Tune up the band. Save the strong signals to one of the eight available MEMORY buttons by clicking on it. After the MEMORY buttons all have a frequency displayed on them, you can simply click from MEMORY button to MEMORY button to listen to the various conversations.

File Names

PROCATW.EXE	PROCATW.HLP	PROCAT.INF

PROCAT.DBF	PROCAT.NDX	VBRUN300.DLL

VBDB300.DLL	XBS110.DLL	MSAES110.DLL

MSAJT110.DLL	MSMASKED.VBX	ANIBUTON.VBX

THREED.VBX	SPIN.VBX	MCI.VBX

PROx.WAV (10 files)	PROVO.WAV	PROPT.WAV

PRONUL.WAV	SHARE.EXE

Distribution Note  This program is being placed on electronic bulletin board systems to allow for  maximum exposure of the program to Hams with computers. Please pass Procat for Windows on to your HAM friends. The author encourages you to register this product so that you can receive a fully functional and paid for version of the program, and so you can be notified of fixes and enhancements to your  program.


QuickStart Instructions
QuickStart!

* Click on the RIG button to select your SETUP.

* Click on the word FREQUENCY.

* Enter 5 frequency digits, use a decimal point if desired.

* Click on AM, FM, USB, LSB, or CW.

* Use the buttons to the right of the GMT Clock to tune.

* Click on SPECIAL for an enlarged display.

* Click on the VOICE button for frequency callout.


Setup Instructions
SETUP

Setup can be as simple as clicking on your transceiver maker and COMM port if you have a KENWOOD radio. Yaesu will require a trip to the customize option to select your particular transceiver. The ICOM selection also has the customize option to select the transceiver. There are two baude rate selections for ICOM. ICOM ships transceivers configured for 1200 baude, the transceiver can be modified to run at 9600 baude in many cases. This modification is highly recommended if it is available for your radio.

Select your transceiver model from the drop down list. If your transceiver is not on the list, consult your user manual to determine the values to enter in the area below the drop down list. After you have selected your transceiver from the drop down list, you may want to consult your transceiver manual for the FM narrow value to substitute it for the FM WIDE value supplied in the default. The defaults for MODE will always be the WIDE value. A check box is available for YAESU radios, it will be set automatically if a transceiver is selected from the drop down list. This check box determines if the command byte is sent to the transceiver as the FIRST byte of the command, or the LAST character sent. There is a check box for ICOM that is used to determine if your transceiver or receiver has the ability to accept frequency sets in the HF AND VHF range. Check this box if your radio has coverage of frequencys both above and below 100 Mhz. The pacing delay is used to slow down the commands sent to the transceiver. This value must be specified as a hexadecimal number which multiplied by 10 will determine the number of milliseconds to wait between commands to the transceiver. A value of 0A (10 decimal) would be multiplied by 10 to give a delay of 100 milliseconds, or one tenth of one second. This value will be set for you when you select your transceiver from the drop down list. It is suggested that you reduce this value to its lowest possible setting, through trial and error, to fine the fastest possible setting for your computer/radio combination. Be sure to click on the SAVE button to save your changes.

QUIET TUNE MODE, for Yaesu FT990/FT1000 and later models, replace the frequency set opcode (0A) with an opcode of (8E) to eliminate possible receiver muting which is inherent to these transceivers. Look in your transceiver manual to see if the (8E) command is supported.

WARNING - even though your radio may be displayed in the drop down list this DOES NOT mean that the values contained in the boxes below the DROP DOWN list are correct for the radio displayed. Always click on the drop down box to call the values for the radio displayed on the drop down box into the setup boxes below it. Then click on SAVE to commit these values to disk.

In addition to this program, you need a transceiver that is capable of CAT operation, a computer that is Microsoft Windows (TM) capable, and a level converter. Generally the output from the computers serial port swings from -12 volts to +12 volts. The level converter is a hardware device that changes this output to TTL (5 volt) signals. Check with your favorite distributer in the U.S, or SISKIN Electronics in the UK for pricing and availablity of a level converter for your brand of transceiver.


Operation Instructions
OPERATION

When the MEMORYS button is clicked from the compact display, the display grows to produce a display similar to the example shown above. Eight MEMORYS are displayed for the record number listed in the box in the lower right corner. The active MEMORY is displayed in BLACK, the others are displayed in BLUE.

Click on the FREQUENCY button located just below the GMT clock to set a new operating frequency. An edit box will appear in which you can enter a new operating frequency. Enter 5 frequency digits, use a decimal point if desired. Then click on AM, FM, USB, LSB, or CW to set a new frequency, press the ENTER key to set the frequency to the current MODE, or click on the CLEAR button to cancel. The frequency entered will be displayed on the FREQUENCY button and will also be displayed on the active memory button. After you have set a frequency, use the frequency change buttons (located to the right of the GMT clock) to tune in a signal. Now click on a button that says MEMORY to set it to the first signal found. Next use the frequency change buttons to tune in a second signal. Load this frequency into an available MEMORY button by clicking on it. Use this method to load your MEMORY keys, use the CLEAR button to empty your MEMORY keys.

When you click on one of the eight memory buttons, the frequency of the transceiver will be set to the frequency displayed on the button clicked. If the button has the caption MEMORY, then the button itself is set to the frequency displayed just below the GMT clock.

Alternativly, press the RECORDS button to see a list of all RECORDS in the database.

The CLEAR button is used to clear the active MEMORY.

The UPDATE box is checked to indicate that changes in frequency will be retained in the database, otherwise the MEMORYS are restored to their initial values after the program is quit, or the MEMORY record number is changed.

Click on the spin control in the lower right part of the display, or click in the record number display box itself to change the MEMORY record number displayed.

Click on any button to set the tunable upper display to that MEMORY.

If the button says MEMORY on it (all of the buttons shown have a value), the button will be set to the frequency in the upper display. This is the method used for SETTING a memory.

Click in the area to the right of any button to change the descriptive label for that MEMORY. This area can be used for notes about the frequency, signal strength, times of operation, or any other comments you care to keep.

Click where the example says Amateur Radio Bands to enter a new label for the record number (which is displayed in the lower right corner of the display).

Click on the VOICE button for frequency callout if your Windows configuration includes a WAV compatible sound driver. Click on the REC button if you have a sound card that is capable of RECORDING. Record CQ messages, contest exchanges, whatever you want to hear later! Connect a spare microphone to the microphone input jack of your sound card, then put the microphone next to the speaker of your transceiver to record prized DX contacts or just your ragchew friends! The Vox buttons are used to playback the recorded messages that have been recorded by you while in the VOICE RECORDER window

Click on the GMT CLOCK button to STOP PLAYBACK of any playback in progress.

The GMT TIME CLOCK can be changed by clicking on the SPECIAL command button. Then click on the displayed time in the expanded time/frequency display to enable the time change process. Once this has been done, simply press the plus key (+) or the SHIFTED minus key (this is the key above the letter P) to adjust the GMT clock to your timezone. This change will be retained for future operation of the program.


Register Instructions
REGISTER

If you like ProCat for Windows and decide that it is the CAT program that you want to use, why not register it? Send your name, address, and callsign (if you have one) to:

Don Rasmussen   WB8YQJ/6

2916 Lancaster Road

Carlsbad, Ca 92008

The cost of registration is only $25 (U.S dollars). Please supply a self addressed floppy mailer and a floppy disk. Without BOTH of these, your payment will be returned. I will respond to questions ONLY to registered users of this program. California residents add 7% sales tax, foreign orders should convert to $25 U.S.

* You will be placed on the list of registered users.

* You will be sent a full featured version of the program, customized to your name or call, 200 records rather than the DEMO limit of 16, and will see no runtime requests for registration.

* You will be eligable for future enhancements and program corrections.

* You will be sent the required files to update ProCat for Windows , but you WILL ALSO NEED TO KEEP the files from the version of ProCat which you are now using. These files do not change with the update and do not need to be sent if you already have them. Please include (2) 1.2Mb or (2) 1.44 Mb floppys if you are registering this program for a friend who does not have ProCat for Windows already.

* Please bear with me with respect to providing your own mailer, postage, and floppy. I program part time, and mailing disks cuts into time that can be better spent creating great Ham software.

NOTE: This program requires a level converter to be used between the computer and the radio. Please call Siskin Electronics in the U.K, or your favorite dealer in the U.S for help in obtaining and installing one of these units if you do not presently own one. The $25 donation does not obligate the author to provide any services to the user with respect to this program.

Use this program at your own risk, I cannot be responsible for any damages, direct or indirect from the use of this program.


Records button
RECORDS

Groups of eight records are displayed, with a record number on each button. The record label for the first record in the group is displayed at the bottom of the list. Use the spin control to change the record group displayed.

Click on the record number button that you want to use.

The UPDATE check box indicates the status of the active record.

The record labels are displayed to the right of the record buttons and are display only. You can edit these labels after the desired record number has been selected

.


VOICE RECORDER

The voice recorder allows you to make your own recordings for frequency callouts, or for other messages that you may want to play back while operating. Be certain to start speaking at the same instant that you start recording and click on the STOP button the instant you have finished your last spoken word. Also keep in mind that these recorded messages will sound more NATURAL than what you are used to hearing after SSB signal processing. The macho factor can go way down, so you need to speak loud and put some real energy into the recording! The VOICE RECORDER is an attempt to make recording convenient through the PFW program. Chances are you have an old dynamic microphone that would easily plug into your SOUND CARD. You can record from your radio by holding the microphone up to the speaker of your radio. You can send these files to your friends or play them back on the air. There is no reason that you cannot create WAV files for ProCat using your favorite WAV editing program, the SOUND RECORDER program that comes with Windows 3.1, or even in a studio if you feel like it! PRO0.WAV through PRO9.WAV are the frequency digit numerics, PROPT.WAV is the decimal point, PROVO.WAV is voice on, and PROVX1.WAV-through PROVX6.WAV are the voice keyer files. You can modify the caption which is displayed on the main program screen Vox buttons by replacing the values which are shown in the example as Vox 1 through Vox 6 with a SHORT (5 lower case or 4 UPPER CASE) captions. Use CALL, CQ, QSL,QRZ, 5/9, etc...  In order to prevent blank key captions, if you clear any one of these fields entirely, it will be replaced with its default (Vox n) value.