[Tlf-devel] WAEDC QTC - RTTY support

[Ervin Hegedüs]

Dear Tlf users,

looks like I could finished the core works on Tlf QTC support for
WAEDC-RTTY (which will on next weekend, 8-9th of October - so we
have more than one week).

You can download it from here:

https://github.com/airween/tlf/archive/waedc-qtc.zip

Note, that this is not the official Tlf release, and this is just
a beta version.

I'll make a detailed howto, but if anybody could/wants to help to
test it, here is a short description about it.

First, prepare the directory as usual: copy and the logcfg.dat,
make rules/ directory, and copy on of the rule files from rules/
directory from source above. There are two rule files for this
contest: rules/waedc_dx_rtty and rules/waedc_eu_rtty. Choose what
you need, and save as "waedc". There is a new config keyword:
EXCLUDE_MULTILIST, which described in Tlf's manpage.

Note, that if you wants to send AND receive QTC's on contest, you
need to pass the "BOTH" to QTC keyword in rule file.

In that source directory, there is a simple Python script:
gmfsklogger.py. So, Tlf can works with Fldigi, and it uses
gMFSK.log to read the RTTY received lines. If you type in
callsign field of Tlf the ":mini", then a terminal will opens at
left-top corner of main window, and you can see the RTTY traffic
- this is just an optional solution.

Here is a sample logfile, what gmfsklogger.py script uses:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8zfj5uni46qhhyu/waedc.log.

Grab this to your home, and you can run this command:

/path/to/gmfsklogger.py /path/to/waedclog_above.log

or (and it's important)

/path/to/gmfsklogger.py /path/to/waedclog_above.log qrm

Note, that the "qrm" switch makes some "pseudo" QRM, and you can
test the RTTY parser, which can helps to read the QTC's.


If those things works above, you can start the Tlf:

"tlf -r -n" - yes, there is a new switch: "-r" disable the radio
control, so you can set it up parmanently, but if you pass this
argument to Tlf, it will ignore that line. "-n" switch will
disable the cluster.

Everything works as formerly, but if you can help to check the
rules (multipliers, etc...), that could be good.

If you want to send a QTC block, press "CTRL-s", which means
"SEND". Then a QTC window will open, you can fill the callsign
field (if it's empty in normal callsign field), you can fill only
the number of QTC's, and follow the help at the right side of QTC
window. When the "imaginary" station ackonledges the block, you
can save that block (see the Tlf messages!). It's easy.

Then you can check the QTC_send.log file, and the worked window:
if you meet a station which have QTC from you, then the worked
window indicated that, under the "Q" letter.

If you wants to receive a QTC block from a station, press
"CTRL-q", which is the "QTC" window. Fill the callsign field (if
that's empty...), and pres F2 key - then Tlf will send the "QRV"
message, and start the capturing in an opened bigger terminal.
There are 12 lines, which shows the real RTTY traffic. If a line
is completed (\n sequence received at the end), you can move that
with up and down cursor. Only the complete lines can be selected.
If on a selected ine you press the ENTER, then Tlf tries to
detect the type of the line: QTC info or real QTC. If the line is
something like this: "QTC 34/5 QTC 34/5"), and then press ENTER,
Tlf will parse that and fill the serial and number fields. If the
line is a real QTC line (eg: "1122 DL1A 123"), then Tlf will fill
the next empty QTC line in QTC block. When you press the ENTER,
and Tlf realizes the line, then it will signed by a "*"
(asterisk) at the end of the line. Those lines could't parsed
again, so you can't add more that once a single line.

If the number of received and parsed lines reach the number of
QTC's (which had been sent in first line), then the capture will
stopped - then the lines will not scrolled to up.

Note, that all functions all accessable through own shortkey -
see the helps in HELP window (just try it please!). Of course,
you can reset the content of terminal with CTRL-R.

If you received and copied the lines, those will be marked with
"+" in the QTC block. Now you can move through all line, and you
need to press ENTER one by one - if a line has an invalid
character (by QRM), then it will signed with a "?" sign. If you
press ENTER on this line, then Tlf will send "AGN 03 03"
(example...), and you can modify till you will see the "+" sign.

If the number of signed lines with "*" is equal to number of QTC
(in the beginning of QTC block), then Tlf will send automatically
the "QSL ALL", and will save the received block.


Hope this is clear and will helpfully to test this version.


If anybody has a question, just let me know!


73,

Ervin
HA2OS