Category : Science and Education
Archive   : HAMCOM1.ZIP
Filename : HAM.DOC

HAMCOM

Author: Dan Diehlman AE6G
5478 N. Bond
Fresno, CA 93710 209-439-5520

Note: The author of this program has expended considerable time and energy
in writing, testing and debugging of this program. Each copy is
customized for one call sign. If you would like to buy a registered copy,
contact me at the above address. You will then receive also any
corrections/updates.
It has, I believe, a couple of unique features, one being the QSO
card file which enables you to do away with any card file and gives
practically instantaneous response on Call Sign searches. The other
feature is the low RFI(noise) generated. This is very noticeable on
HF. During inactivity, the processor chip is put into a full halt
condition, thus eliminating birdies caused by instruction loops.
This was made possible by the fact that the program is completely
interrupt driven, therefore it can be put to sleep, then awakened by
a keystroke or communications activity. This was written to take
advantage of a PK232 -IBM/clone configuration, with 256K or more.
Although it can be used with other TNC's, it's full capabilities will
not be realized.

RUNNING THE PROGRAM

There are two files initially, this file "Ham.doc" and the program itself
"Hamcom". The program will create other files, and keep them updated as
necessary. It uses the default diskette.

To run the program, copy the two files "Ham.doc" and "Hamcom.exe" onto a
diskette which already has Dos on it.
Then type "Hamcom"
The first time you run the program, it will ask for information necessary
for customization as follows:
prompt reply
What is your validation number? Insert your val number
What type TNC are you using? Appropiate number.
What is your Call? Your call
What is your Selcall? Your Selcall (if you have not determined your
selcall, see 232 ref manual.)
Is this a PCJR? y/n y or n
Which Comport 1 or 2 ? 1 or 2
Select type of Display Adapter 1-4
Are you using a Color Display? y or n n for monochrome monitors
y for any color monitors
Enter your CTEXT.Use > for CR Your connect message. If you wish to imbed any
Carriage Returns, use the ">" symbol.
Enter your BTEXT.Use > for CR Your beacon text.
Which Drive for default Enter A,B,C or whatever drive you wish to be
the default drive for logging, receiving, and
sending files. It can be overridden in any
event when specifying a file i.e. B:xxx.xxx
Baud rate between TNC and computer. Select any of the listed speeds. 1200 is
best. (You should use 1200 baud with the PK232)
Customized Packet Ending This allows you to enter a special characters
which will be appended to your packets when
you release it with the "]" key. I set mine for
"==>" but set it for BK or whatever you like.

Special Parms: Opportunity to set additional/different
parameters. Separate them with a slash.
such as: monitor on/txd 50

Do you have a 440-940 connected. Discussed later.

Is your primary output a Voice Synthesizer Y/N? Normally select "N". If "Y"
is selected then the screen is written thru
BIOS calls so that voice synthesizers can
intercept. Also assists the synthesizers in
pronouncing words instead of spelling the
words.

On subsequent runs of the program, you will not have to enter this information.
It will be preserved in a file. If, in the future, you desire to change these
parameters, select "Alt A" from the main screen.

The program will then proceed and stop on the main display, with the heading
"The following data was stored in the TNC". Below it will be listed any
connects you received, while your computer was off.
This data ends with the message "1: Proceed with TNC reset" and "2:Proceed
without TNC reset". The first time you run the program, use "1". This will
set certain parms in the TNC. On subsequent runs, if the TNC has not been
powered off, you can use "2".

After you depress a key the program will load it's other files , ending up
back on the Main Screen.

The Main Screen displays any text from the TNC above the horizontal line, and
any text that you type is displayed below the line. If you would like to
change the line position, use the "Alt D" to raise or lower the divider.
The lower left hand corner displays the current Mode of the TNC.
The lower right of the screen displays the status of whether you are also
logging to diskette, the data received from the TNC. At the far right on the
bottom of the screen, a number (0-99) will appear on some TNC's. This number is
an indication of how many connects you have had. It is reset to 0 by going to
the Scroll Back Buffer.
Also on the bottom line you can display Help in any mode by depress "Alt H". It
can be turned off in the same manner.


The Main Screen has the feature of being able to scroll back thru the received
text. To use this feature: use the "Page Up" key to scroll back further. If
you reach the top of the buffer, a message at the top of the screen will say
"Top of Buffer:". You can at any point, scroll back down through the buffer
using the "Page Down" key, or the "Home" key to get to the top of the buffer,
or you can return to the Main Screen by depressing the "Esc". At any
time, while in the Scroll Back Buffer, you can depress "Alt M" for a menu.
While in the Scroll Back Buffer, you can "Mark" the beginning and "End" of
a block of text, and then either "Send" the block or "Write" it to a file, or
"Print" it. You may also load any Text File into the buffer. You can also
edit the text in this buffer. You may also "Search" for particular words.


Notepad: You can reach the Notepad screen from the Main Screen by depressing
"Alt N". This screen is useful for any notes. I use it for recording tuner
settings etc. The only keys in effect on this screen are the regular alpha/
numeric keys and the Cursor positioning keys. Anything written onto this
screen will be preserved in a file and read back in automatically whenever
you rerun the program. You may exit this screen with the "ESC" key.

Menu: You can recall the Menu screen from the Main Screen by depressing "Alt M"
On this screen are listed all the functions available from the Main Screen.
F11 through F20 are invoked by using the regular function keys along with
the Shift Key. i.e. F12 is called by using "Shift F2". Similarly F21 is called
by using the Ctrl Key along with F1, additionally F31 is called by using the
Alt key long with F1.

F1-F30: This is the User Macro function
Depressing F1 to F30 will execute Macros 1 to 30.
Initially all the macros will be empty. To create a macro depress
"Alt F". This will take you to a screen which displays the macros,
and gives you the opportunity to enter any macro. The screen is
self explanatory.
examples: "c w1aw>" will initiate a connect to w1aw.
"m 4> mfrom yes all> mto yes all>" will set monitor to 4 etc.

F31: This will pull down a window and allow you to select different modes
on those TNC's that have different modes.

F32:Log to Disk. Initially the received data is being logged to "Logdat.1"
as indicated in the lower right hand part of the Main Screen.
This key will pull down a small window, allowing you to stop/restart a
new log, or to display the previous log, or to view any ASCII file.

F33: This will set the Date and Time in the TNC from the Dos clock.

F34: Allows you to Create/Send a Brag tape, the size is limited only by
Available disk space.

F35:File Transfer. This will send/receive any Ascii or Binary file. using
Hamcom's own protocol or Yapp protocol.
You will be prompted for the name of the file to send. A "File Xfer in
progress" message will be posted and at the completion a "File Xfer
Complete" message will be posted when all the data has been sent from
the computer to the TNC. Note: There may be remaining packets yet to be
sent and acknowledged in the TNC before the xfer is fully complete.
NOTE: To do Binary Transfers, you must have a Computer to TNC cable
that has pins 1-8 and 20. You cannot have just (TD,RD and ground).
(N O T E T H I S I S V E R Y I M P O R T A N T)

F37:CW Output. Causes your computer to output received text in CW. You can
vary the speed up or down. This feature is for the DieHard CW man who
would rather copy CW even while working packet or rtty.

F39:Tone. This key toggles a tone on/off to help the visually impaired to
tune in data modes on hf. It sounds a 2100 hz note in all modes except
for Morse, in which mode, it sounds a 800 hz note.

F40:This will cause the received data to also go to the printer. Successive
depressions of this key toggles the feature On/Off.

Alt B:Sound. This pulls down a menu which gives you control over the bell etc.
The soft bell can be selected or the regular bell, which is the default.
The soft bell is rather nice when you are in the room, and don't require
the harshness of the loud regular bell.

Alt X:End Program. Always use this to exit the Program. It will insure that all
necessary files are updated, and that the tnc is put in the proper state
to receive connect messages, and also set monitoring to 0.

Alt M: Menu. Takes you to the Menu Screen from the Main Screen.

Alt N: Notepad. Takes you to the Notepad Screen, already discussed

Home: Clears the Main Screen.

Del: When using a PK232, this clears the transmit buffer in all modes.

Alt F: Setup Macros....previously discussed

Alt C: Sends CQ-automtically adjusts to whatever mode is in effect.

Alt H: Toggles On/Off a summary of commands at the bottom of the Main Screen.

Alt K: This clears the Scroll Back Buffer.

The program is set up so that the Esc key duplicates the Ctrl C
function, thus lessening the number of keystrokes necessary therefore
whenever you want to enter a Ctrl C, just hit the ESC key.
The Tab key is set up in packet to do Channel Switching more easily.
For instance, if you are in converse mode, in packet, and you wish to
switch to another channel, instead of typing Ctrl C,Chs X, K simply
type "Tab" and the number of the channel you are going to. It will
switch you to that channel and return you to converse mode.

The program is set up so that the "Enter Key" does send the packet.
Or you may use the "right bracket" key to send the packet with your
customized ending. (substitute for BK or K or whatever).

Alt S: Shows the current state of all packet streams.
Incidentally, when in a multiple connection situation, any change in
the received data stream, will automatically insert a solid line
accross the screen to alert you to the change.
Alt Z: Allows you to create messages for individual callers. Allows
personalized connect messages.
Ctrl D: If in packet, sends a disconnect.

Baudot: self explanatory
Ascii: self explanatory
Morse: self explanatory
Amtor: normal operation except for turnaround, type only the "+". It is not
necessary to type the "?" also.
The "Tab" key has been setup to force Turnaround. It is the equivalent
of going to control mode, typing ACHG, enter, k, enter. Again, we are
trying to save unnecessary keystrokes.
FAX: selects Fax mode, and turns Prcon On.

Alt L This is a very usefull feature in that it is not necessary to
maintain a card file on your contacts. You can quickly go from
the Main Screen to search on Calls, and return, knowing the
calling party's name,qth, etc.
To implement this feature, type "Alt L".
You will be given several choices, however, until you have
created a database using the "Create" option, none of the other
functions will actually do anything. So intially choose.
"Scratch and Create DATABASE". It will then ask you to type the
word "CONFIRM" (must be in upper case), to proceed. The reason
for this added entry, is to prevent any accidental erasure. I
have a 128K file, and would hate to lose mine accidentally.
Enter a couple calls and the other requested information and then
do some searches to become familiar with this feature. A search
on a call is almost instantaneous with 1500 entries in the file.
Searches on QTH's, Activity(dates), takes longer as it must
sequentially go through the file to search for matches.
An "*" asterisk, limits the field searches, such as searching on
QTH thusly "TO*" will list all contacts with Tokyo and Toledo and
Toocumcari if Toocumcari were spelled that way.
An Activity search such as "12/*/86" will list all qso's in Dec of
86. etc.
A Call Search such as "W3*" will list all qso's with W3's.

Alt P: DOS SHELL. This feature allows you to temporarily leave the
program and go to DOS and run whatever you like. Whenever you
are finished, and have the Dos prompt, type "EXIT" and you will
return right back into the ham.com program, as though you had never
left. During your absence, the TNC will store any incoming messages
and give them to you on your return.

Alt T: This is only active if you have stipulated in the configuration
the presence of a Kenwood 440 or 940 and the Kenwood inteface.
Selecting this function, will take you to a screen which
has a simulated transceiver dial, displaying the frequency, offset
modes, etc. The options are listed at the bottom of the screen.
To return to the Main Screen, depress Escape. If you are using a
440 you can build several databases using F14, and select any of
them to be loaded into the 440 memories.

Naturally, it would be wise to backup your files occassionally.

If you have "snow" on the screen, redo the Hamparms and answer "Y" to the
question "Is your Primary Output a Voice Synthesizer".

If for some reason you need to include an ESC character ($1B or dec 27),
the reverse apostrophe will send that character.
You can store the other fellow's call by typing a tilda "~", and you can
recall it by typing the left brace"{". This is handy for modes other than
packet where you must identify periodically. The right brace "}" will recall
your callsign.

If you are transferring a physical card file into the program's card file,
it is best not to enter them in a sorted order, but rather in a harem/scarem
order. Because of the search algorithm, search times will be reduced.

When using a PK232 in Morse, Baudot, Ascii modes, you can type ahead the
text you want to send, even while receiving, and when you actually want
transmission to begin, enter a "ctrl X".

Additionally, when using a PK232, you are far better off to remove the
batteries. Sometimes the PK232 can get into a state wherefrom it is hard
to exit as long as the batteries are inserted.

There are 2 parameters that can be used when calling the program.
If you call the program thusly "Hamcom/1", it will load,restart then tnc,
and continue without intervention.
If you call the program thusly "Hamcom/2", it will load, and continue
without manual intervention.
You may also eliminate the beginning audible cw greeting by using the "/q"
parameter.

I would appreciate any criticism . Thank You
Hope you enjoy using the program.



***** NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT USE WRITE PROTECT TAB ON YOUR WORKING DISK
HAMCOM NEEDS TO WRITE SEVERAL FILES TO THIS DISK

-------------------------------------------------
Dan Diehlman AE6G
5478 N. Bond
Fresno, CA 93710
209-439-5520
 5478 N. Bond
Fresno, CA 93710