How To Hugg Cooking Spray

Serial Ports ( 232) virtual because they do and how to use them (Part II)

Hello,

resume the discussion on virtual serial ports, which are necessary for seamless integration of SDR with the various programs of traditional use in a station radio, focusing on a variety of software: Visrtual Serial Port Emulator (VSPE), available for free on the Eterlogic .

VSPE, unlike other software of this type, does not install a permanent serial port driver in the operating system (ie not on the list of devices the OS) but it creates the required devices when you need to be chosen by the user and configuration files that can be loaded at will. In the configuration file is to record all information of the various ports that we created, including the classic parameters of speed, parity, etc. etc.. It 'important that all devices, both hardware and software that we want to connect, use the same communication parameters.

Normally, when the configuration meets the needs of the user, the configuration file can be put into the autostart folder of Windows so you do not have to do any manual operation.

This is the "panel" of VSPE, one of our example, which shows the serial ports Virtual active in the system and used in a configuration that SDR will be seen below.

VSPE allows different types of serial ports, including some very special type of UDP to be used in remote connections. What you see in the panel above are of 2 types: COM 7

• type "CONNECTOR"
• COM 8 type "SPLITTER"

The COM 7, type CONNECTOR, is a virtual port that is responsible to create a primary connection, a port to be dedicated to software to communicate with other software, such as a CAT SDR radio.

The COM 8, type splitter is a very special door and exclusive VSPE not present in any other program of its kind: it allows multiple programs to simultaneously share a port type connectors. It 'a kind of brings very useful as it allows various programs to share a radio and CAT, the information in transit, are available to each of them. Through a door
SPLITTER we can, for example, controlling a SDR with a logging program and at the same time, the SDR can be controlled by yet another program.

image above is visible then another port: COM 1 \u0026lt;=> COM redirector type 8, which has the task to redirect the serial port COM 8 on a "real" (COM1) to allow external devices that use software to connect to virtual ports. This type of feature is unique to VSPE and allows, as in the example below, to link up via the CAT EXPERT 1K-FA linear amplifier.

VSPE described configuration is actually used in the SDR configuration shown here:

The image configuration "CONTEST" which includes:

• FLEX-5000 can operate with PowerSDR, CAT enabled COM-7
• Software N1MM on COM 8
• Tmate on COM 8
• EXPERT 1K-FA COM-1 (redirected COM-8). The remote management software amplifier is connected to the same port with another "real" COM 2 on your PC.

In practice, all devices being connected, are perfectly synchronized in the manner and frequency (regardless of who carries out a variation or PowerSDR Tmate or N1MM), then you can tune in on the SDR panadapter Click on a SPOT DX CLUSTER, turn the knob to change frequency Tmate / how all connected devices.

amplifier, because of its great features, it is always ready and tuned to the frequency of use in an automatic and instantaneous.

VSPE The possibilities of use are varied, allowing a complete management of virtual serial ports of any kind and for any needs related to the Protocol CAT sommutazione automatic antenna rotor commands, synchronization of multiple devices, etc. etc.

We hope this article may be proved helpful in understanding the "why" and "how" virtual serial ports are needed in a modern amateur radio station based on Software Defined Radio.

73 Beppe
IK3VIG