It's interesting seeing all the discussion on what folks would like to see
on the new Orion, but I'm still trying to make the most out of my Pegasus.
I'm currently developing some control software. Not that there's nothing
wrong with what's already available, but I want to try my hand at it.
I'm trying to take advantage of the fact that the interface is a computer
program and not just make it look like a picture of a radio. I've been
thinking about how best to approach the tuning functions. Obviously, one
approach would be to follow TT's lead and just implement concepts that we
all are familiar with such as dual VFOs, RIT, split operation, etc.
However, I would like to take a systems approach and analyze what operators
are really doing and see if there isn't another paradigm that could be used.
One of the areas where split operation is used is in a DX pileup. I'm not a
DXer, so I'm looking for suggestions from you verterans out there. For now,
I want to limit my thoughts to a single receiver setup, so there will be no
dual watch or frequency scanning while listening. But with that in mind, if
you could have any controls (knobs, buttons, whatever) that you wanted for
working a split pileup (for now, lets consider it from the side of the
operator trying to work the DX, not from the side of the DX), what would you
want?
Here are my thoughts. I would first tune in the DX station then click a
button that would lock in the DX station's frequency. I would then find the
pileup and tune around looking for a frequency on which to call. There would
be a toggle that would let me listen to the DX station's frequency or the
pileup frequency, but all the tuning would take place on the pileup
frequency. Another idea I had is to provide some way of limiting the tuning
to the range specified by the DX, say they said 200 - 210, I could set the
radio up so it would tune from 199 to 211. Once you tuned past 211, the
frequency would restart at 199.
Thanks and 73,
Mark, N8ME
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