HOW TO SET UP MixBASE

Actually setting up an EchoLink remote base
is nothing more than getting MixW running
with CAT control of your radio. If you can do
that, and it is capable of a digital QSO with
control of frequency and mode from the
computer screen, you are good to go.

Audio from the EchoLink program, and to the
EchoLink program is the missing step after
that. Because of all the variances from
station to station it would be impossible to
describe exactly what you need to do in your
station. Logic and simple basic understanding
of what is happening is all you need to
achieve the results you're after.

Audio from the HF receiver needs to feed the
EchoLink MIC/LINE INPUT, and EchoLink
SPEAKER OUTPUT needs to be fed to the
HF MIC INPUT. I leave this up to your ability.
There are many rig interfaces that are PLUG
and PLAY for this. It may be only necessary
to cross couple audio patch cords, or you
may need to achieve isolation, depending on
your unique installation situation.

Once the CAT control, MixW Audio and
EchoLink Audio is complete, you need to
ensure that MixW can Key the HF radio.
Some radios do this in software via CAT
(Kenwood for example). Some require that a
COM PORT line like CTS/DTR is employed.
MixW will be able to differentiate and supply
these signals. MixW must be able to KEY the
HF transmitter when you click it's [TX] Macro
Button, and UKEY HF with the [RX] Button.
These may need to be changed from       
[TX] to <PTTON> / [RX] to <PTTOFF>.

Also if you are using a LINK or REPEATER
with EchoLink this may require additional
pins/ports. Depending on your interface, you
may already have more than what you need,
or you may be lacking. EchoLink should
NEVER key the HF transmitter, only the LINK
or REPEATER.

From this point on everything else is
software, and that's already done. Just load
the 3 programs, and you are ready to
configure the system. Adjust audio levels, and
you are set.

Configuration requires that you tell ART-DX
what type of radio you are using. Since MixW
can CAT control many different types and
models ART has to know which one you're
using. This is done in the SETUP menu of
ART SET IRB RADIO Manufacturer is the
selection and when you click it, a pop-up
window will ask for the manufacturer. A
second window will then ask for the
model/address. ICOM radios have specific
addresses that ART needs to know. Consult
your users manual for this hex number
address and supply it at the prompt.
Kenwood radios have 2 choices. If you are
running a TS-50 or TS940 answer the 2nd
question with "OLD", all others simply click
OK. If you find that some commands on your
Kenwood don't seem to be working, try the
"OLD" setting to see if this fixes that. Yeasu
radios don't need to be addressed, just click
OK.

MixW TX and RX MACROS might need to be
adjusted depending on your transceiver.
Some radios that use CAT PTT require that
the TX Macro in F9 be set to <TX> while
others require <PTTON>. This will be only for
the voice modes of MixW. SSB/FM/AM.
Usually RX will be <RX> but it may need to
be changed to <PTTOFF>. If your radio will
not KEY on transmit, you might need to
change the mode macro to PTTON etc.

One more setting that might need to be
tweaked is in the MixW program. To use
digital modes like BPSK31 (any PSK31) you
should check mark enable under OPTIONS
MENU the CONTINUOUS SEEK and
ARROWS for SEEK menu items. This will
allow remote seek left and seek right and all
the scan options pertinent to the modes.

One other non obvious setting is that some
portion of the MixW waterfall display must be
visible on the computer monitor screen, in
order for these tuning functions to work???

Other than that there are a bunch of subtle
settings that can be tweaked for best
performance, such as Receiver Hang Time of
EchoLink. You don't want this extended too
long, or you will cause large blanks in RX to
TX switching times. Same for Network and
PC Buffering. These can extend DELAY
times to unacceptable. RX hang times,
buffering delays, all common sense items that
can cause problems that don't need to exist.
You Are Doubling With messages too. Turn
them off. Same with Chat TEXT CHIMES,
you surely don't want them on when someone
is tuning your receiver with 1200 command
lines coming in per minute!
This is Graffiti from a 14 year old friend of
mine named Justin... ( Good kind of Graffiti.)
THE AUDIO FILES BELOW ARE USED BY ART AND ARE
PLAYED WHEN CERTAIN FUNCTIONS ARE ACCESSED.
THESE FILES ARE  PLACED IN EchoLink's WAV FOLDER.


RE - RECORD  THESE

AUDIO FILES WITH YOUR

OWN   INFORMATION
These  3 files are supplemental to the ARTiE program.




The 2 "BAT" files should be downloaded  to  your ROOT directory. Launching
news.bat will automatically connect and load A.R. NEWSLINE from the
Internet and store it in ROOT for playback from the OTHER pull down menu.




LOG.VBS is a script, Download it from here and place it on your Desktop.
LOG.VBS should be right clicked and then  "Opened With Command Prompt".
Not just opened or double clicked. When opened from command prompt a
new FORM window will be displayed on the desktop, and all Chat Text received
will be printed in the form. It can be saved by select all and copy to a notepad file.
"Your" chat entries are ignored, and all others will receive a time and day stamp.


You can use the OH2FH command button in the Top Left Corner of ARTiE and
open it's Chat Text   >>CHAT >> OPEN READ Menu item. You can save the  data
to a disk file whenever desired.

73 N8AD
THE  FILES BELOW ARE USED BY ART AND ARE PLAYED    
   WHEN CERTAIN FUNCTIONS ARE ACCESSED. THESE        
     FILES ARE TO BE  PLACED IN C:\   (YOUR ROOT DIR.)

RE - RECORD  THESE
AUDIO FILES WITH YOUR
OWN   INFORMATION
NOW CREATE 2 NEW FILE FOLDERS AND NAME  THEM

"INFO"     and       "HELP"

AND PLACE THEM IN THE EchoLink "WAV" FOLDER.

IN "INFO" RECORD "INFO 1" THRU "INFO 25" WITH
WHATEVER "INFO" AUDIO FILES YOU WANT.

DO THE SAME WITH HELP.  CREATE 25 AUDIO FILES
USING THE ECHOLINK RECORDER FEATURE.

WHENEVER A USER OF ART CLICKS INFO/HELP THE
CORRESPONDING AUDIO WILL BE PLAYED.

INCLUDE TWO ADDITIONAL FILES, 1 IN EACH FOLDER
FOR INFO AND HELP DIRECTORIES.  COPY HALT.WAV
FROM ABOVE TO THESE FOLDERS TO STOP THE
AUDIO PLAY PREMATURELY.
BE SURE TO INSTALL WINAMP FROM THIS HOME PAGE.
WHICH WILL PROVIDE ART-DX MENU FUNCTIONS (OTHER).
7.15
Congrats to Justin for 2007's Young Ham of the Year !
This page is only for
those that want to
set up a Remote
Base for others to
use from EchoLink.
Whenever ARTiE plays an audio file it places a     
PLAYED --------> File Name
Message in the Text Line below the main display.
These are some of those Files.
Re-DO them to correspond to your system.
First time I checked into ECARS/MidCARS
was from here Ferbruary 1970 --K5TYP--
EchoLink?

Are you sure!


The easiest Remote
Base system involves
only TWO additional
programs.

If you have any CAT
Control program
(MixW)  interfaced to
your radio, simply add
a VNC component,
and a Sound
Application.

I like RealVNC and
SKYPE.

Such a system will
allow you to use small
devices like a Palm
Top Computer, and
will give full control
from a shirt pocket.

The EchoLink
environment is NOT
an easy platform for
Remote Base work,
since it is Simplex in
nature. Because of
this,  audio response
time is very limited.
However, it offers the
ability for easy  
universal operation.

It is my desire that
some day there are
many Remote Bases
on EchoLink. If you
want to establish one
of your own, here is
where you start.

N8AD
300