[Skimmertalk] No waterfall display

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

Phil,

First, you're right; I don't know a way to search the SkimmerTalk archives
other than to use a Google search with "site:
dayton.contesting.com/pipermail/skimmertalk" in the search box, followed by
search keywords, e.g.:

site:dayton.contesting.com/pipermail/skimmertalk flex


Unfortunately, Google's search index doesn't include recent posts.  There
were no hits on "IC-7300" in the archives, because even though it claims to
be an SDR, it can't really work with CW Skimmer the way the Flex does.

I'm not clear on exactly what you're trying to do, so I have to make some
assumptions:

   1. The waterfall display provided by the IC-7300's built-in band scope
   works OK, no hash.  Otherwise, scope sensitivity (or "REF level") can be
   adjusted using the radio's SCOPE->REF menu and the multi-function knob.
   See Chapter 5 "Scope Operation" in the IC-7300 manual.
   2. You're trying to use CW Skimmer in "3 KHz Audio" mode as code reader
   only, not as a wideband SDR that receives and decodes CW across an entire
   band at once.  The IC-7300 does not provide a wideband "IF" or "I/Q"
   output, so you cannot use it's internal SDR for skimming an entire CW band
   as you could with the Flex.
   3. You've connected the External Speaker jack of the IC-7300 to the LINE
   IN jack of your PC sound card.  LINE IN is usually blue, MIC is usually
   pink.

First, the audio output level of the radio's speaker jack could be
completely incompatible with the LINE IN level required by your sound
card.  If you connect headphones to your PC sound card and unmute the
monitor for the LINE IN port, you will hear that the audio is way too hot
and probably very distorted.  An audio isolation transformer such as this
one <http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/555-8492> connected between the
speaker output and the LINE IN or MIC jack will fix that, but  you really
don't need to to do that, and you do not need to use your PC's sound card
at all.

The IC-7300 provides its own built-in "external USB" sound card that feeds
received digital audio directly from the radio to your PC at the right
level.

First, install the Icom USB device drivers
<https://www.icom.co.jp/world/support/download/firm/IC-7600/usb1_20/> in
your PC, then connect your IC-7300 to the PC with a USB cable and power up
the radio.  Perhaps you have done that already.  But if instead you're
currently using the *CI-V Remote Control* jack to control the radio with an
Icom CT-17 or equivalent interface, it could now be disconnected to use the
USB cable for both rig control and sound card features.  The COM port will
also have to be change to the new virtual serial port added by connecting
the USB cable.

Once connected, will now have a new serial port *and* a *new sound card*
listed in the Windows Device Manager, called *USB Audio CODEC*.  This is
the radio's built-in sound card.

In CW Skimmer:

   1. View -> Settings
   2. On the *Radio* tab, set *Hardware Type* to *3 kHz Audio*
   3. Set *CW Pitch* to *500 Hz* or whatever CW pitch you have selected in
   the IC-7300 menu (set radio to CW mode, tap multi-function knob, tap pitch,
   rotate knob)
   4. On the Skimmer Settings *Audio* tab, set *Signal I/O Device* to *USB
   Audio CODEC*
   5. Set *Audio I/O Device* to your PC sound card *Speakers*
   6. On the *CAT* tab, click *Configure* and select* IC-7300* (I also have
   a better version of the Icom IC-7300.ini file for CW Skimmer only that I
   can send to you upon request)
   7. Click *OK*
   8. Click the *Start/Stop* icon (first one) in CW Skimmer and the
   waterfall should appear normal with proper frequencies displayed that track
   the radio
   9. Tune in a CW signal and watch the dots and dashes flow on the
   waterfall, with the CW decoded to text at the bottom.
   10. Set the radio's CW filter to as wide as it can go to decode multiple
   signals in a pileup
   11. Unmute the Skimmer "speaker" icon (3rd from left) to monitor the
   sound card with your PC speakers or PC headphone jack

But I suspect you wanted Skimmer to do much more than simply skim 3 Khz at
a time.

73,
Bob, N6TV

On Tue, Aug 1, 2017 at 6:56 AM, Phil Cragg <phil at headstartpets.co.uk> wrote:

> Hi All
>
>
>
> I'm new to this list, so forgive me if this has been aired before. Looked
> for a search facility but couldn't find one.
>
> So here goes:
>
>
>
> I've been using Skimmer for years with my Flex 5000 so I'm reasonably
> familiar with its workings. Now with the Flex, setting up was relatively
> easy - all virtual audio cables and virtual COM ports.
>
> The Flex has gone and I've replaced it with an Icom7300, so I'm having to
> use a real cable from the Icom to the PC. With Alex's help I found the .ini
> file to get the CAT working satisfactorily, but despite all my efforts and
> much tearing of what's left of my hair, I cannot get the waterfall to do
> anything except produce a lot of hash, even from the dummy load.
>
>
>
> I've connected the audio cable from the ext socket on the Icom to the
> line-in socket on the PC, which uses a Realtek sound facility on the
> motherboard and selected line-in. I can see the bar graph of incoming
> signals when I check on the Realtek control panel, so I know the signal is
> getting that far. Absolutely no response from Skimmer though. As I
> mentioned
> I used this same motherboard with the Flex so there shouldn't be any driver
> incompatibility issues.
>
>
>
> Please someone save me from complete baldness.
>
>
>
> Thank you
>
> Phil
>
> G3UGK