QRPworks

Message Utility

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Overview

The QRPworks Message Utility is used create messages and macros to be used with the QRPworks Ham Central Terminal 2, SideKar, and KBoard.

Message and Macros are in defined and stored groups of 20. This Message Utility allows 10 groups of message/macros to be saved, for a total of 200 message/macros.

Any one of the 10 groups may be sent to the Ham Central Terminal 2, SideKar, and Kboard for use with the Elecraft KX3, K3, or K3S.

You may want to save groups for different purposes, such as:

• Routine QSOs
• Field Day
• SOTA operations
• Other contest and events

Applicability

The QRPworks Message Utility is applicable to the following products and revisions:

Kboard: all revisions

SideKar: revision 2.3.0 and later

Ham Central Terminal 2: all revisions

 

 

• Serial Port - select the PC / Mac USB port connected to.

• Connected at... - displays the baud rate of the connection. The dot is red if not connected. The speed is controlled by the rig's RS232 baud rate. 38,400 is recommended.

• ReConnect - if not connected, click to retry the connection.

• Groups(10) - displays the names of the 10 groups of messages (20 messages in each). Click on a Group to make it the Current Group being displayed and edited..

• Current Group - name of the group currently displayed in the message list. Edit the name of the group in the textbox here. This is the group that will be sent to the Ham Central Terminal 2, SideKar, or KBoard.

• Trace - used for debugging. It will show the data moving between the PC/Mac and the KBoard. Typically this is left unchecked.

• Save - saves the current group of 20 messages on the PC/Mac. The button is enabled if any data in the group has changed.

• Read - reads the 20 messages from the Ham Central Terminal 2, SideKar, or KBoard and displays them in the message list.

• Write - writes the group of 20 messages displayed to the Ham Central Terminal 2, SideKar, or Kboard.

• Name - optional name of a message/macro. It's helpful to remind you what the message/macro is for. It can be seen on the rig by pressing:
  • KBoard: Alt-P, and then the F key you want to check (F1:F10 and Alt-F1:F10). The name is displayed on the rig, if text decoding is on and in a non-SSB mode. Maximum 10 characters. Macro names must start with a period (.). Note the PSK31 macro in the screenshot above in F8.

  • KX3/K3/K3S: Page Up or Page Down to see the message summary.

• Message - the message or macro to be sent to the rig from the Ham Central Terminal 2, SideKar, or KBoard. 80 characters maximum, including the length of the name plus 1. If no name is used, 80 characters are available.
  Example: if the name is CQ, then there are 77 characters remaining for the message. The "characters left" counter is shown to the right of each message.

Notes:

To copy a group of 20 macros:

• Select an unused group
• Click Read to read the current KBoard messages/macros. Save it.
• Click the name of the group you want to copy
• Click Write. Those messages are now in the KBoard.
• Click the name of the group where you want the new messages.
• Click Read. Edit the group name and messages as desired. Click Save when finished.
• Click the group to write to the KBoard and click Write.