CAT Troubleshooting

CAT troubleshooting requires the activation of the CAT Trace Facility as outlined in the paragraph on this topic. In order to interpret the data the trace files CAT.TRC and CAT.LOG should be cleared first. These files are located under the root directory. With the CAT facility enabled the following tests should be performed for reading data from the rig ( internal command GETFREQ ) and answers prepared:

•Turn off the automatic frequency polling in the CAT SETUP menu.

•Turn on the tracing checkbox in the CAT SETUP menu.

•Carefully set the communication parameters according to you rig's CAT interface documentation.

•Select AUTOMODE in TurboLog 4's logging information frame.

•Did the CAT status indicator on the bottom status bar turn into green after you started TurboLog 4 with the rig turned on?

•Set your rig to 14123.45 KHz.

•Turn off XIT and RIT.

•Press Cursor+Down from the call field just one time. This polls the rig for the frequency on display.

•Then QSY your rig to 21123.45 and press Cursor+Down from the call field again.

•Inspect the response in the trace file. There should be 2 TRANSMIT and RECEIVED headlines in the file. The information will be written upon leaving the program. Thus, quit TurboLog 4 in order to perform this operation.

•Please e-mail us the CAT.TRC  and CAT.LOG files if you want to receive help or you do not get along with the trouble yourself.

It may require some knowledge in machine representation of numbers if formats like Binary, BCD or RBCD are applied by the manufacturer of the rig. The solution to any CAT problem, however, is based on the interpretation of these handshake strings. The structure of the strings, i.e. the command codes should be available from your rig's handbook in the paragraph on CAT control.

If you do not get along with all of this: Please send us the trace file along with additional observations and a copy of the few pages in your rig's manual dealing with CAT control, both as E-mail attachments. The trace file is required in digital format in any case since we put it into our interface simulator for the tests with TurboLog 4.

In case only the other direction of CAT control, setting the rig to a selected frequency, causes a problem you should proceed as follows:

•Grab a packet spot ( Drag & Drop or by pressing Ctrl+G on a selected spot ) ...just once. This will activate the SETFREQ command.

•Note its frequency.

•Read the frequency the rig QSYed to and or observe its reaction.

•Inspect the response in the trace window.

•E-mail us trace file, noted frequencies from spot and rig and include CAT documentation as above.

We will fix the problem in the shortest possible time. If the problem is to define a new CAT file or to modify an existing we will send it right back to you for immediate use. All you need to do then is to include the new CAT file in TurboLog 4's  ...\DEVICES directory. In tough cases there may be some fine tuning necessary. We urgently require your feedback and cooperation for this task.

If in severe cases the main body of the program had to be modified the solution will be presented with the next update of TurboLog 4.

Don't worry in cases of trouble. For the time being we have overcome all CAT problems that were brought to our attention....

This topic was last edited on  Monday, 03-Jul-2023,  at  23:57