N1MM+, Voicing wav files, 7000dle Mic

[NN3RP]

Good day everyone!

I've been enjoying my 7000dle in numerous ways; FT8, CW, RTTY . Particularly, linearity pure signal is a cool tool to be clean on the bands.

This past weekend I setup N1MM+ to work the SS SSB ARRL test. And here is where I need a hint to sort out how to automate the process.

My setup:

VSP Emulator
Virtual Audio Cable Control (VAC)
PowerSDR mRX 3.4.9 (PSDR)
SPE1.3Kfa amp
N1MM+
DDUtil (not using in SS SSB)

I have recorded *.wav files properly using Audacity. They play just fine (contesters proof) through N1MM using VAC1. I do not have wav files for the serial numbers. So I have to voice the number via Mic (connected in the front of 7000) for which I need to focus the PSDR and hit the space bar to TX and again to RX. Then I need to have focus back on N1MM so as to send the wav file(s). But this back and forth is a tedious process and, in a couple of instances, the other contester moved on to call someone else (there exist almost no patience in a test But overall I did 100+ Qs like this.

I was wondering if there is any hint I can receive from those who are probably doing this already. I have noticed a box for N1MM in the CAT Setup of PSDR. The box is call Focus Master but I am clueless as to its use. It has under Mode: None, N1MM+, Select by Click, and Enter Window Title.

Maybe I just need to create wav files for the numbers?

73

Rafael / NN3RP
Proud 7000dle user

[w-u-2-o]

Rafael,

You need to do two or three things to really have a high performance N1MM contesting setup:

1. Use FocusMaster. What FocusMaster does is when you touch PowerSDR with the keyboard or mouse and thereby remove the "focus" from N1MM, it will automatically move the focus back to N1MM after a user definable delay time.

To set up FocusMaster

a) select the "N1MM+ Logger" option in Setup > CAT Control > CAT > FocusMaster

b) go into the N1MM+ Configurer Broadcast Data tab and turn on the checkboxes for Application Info, Radio and Contacts.

This will not solve your problem by itself, but it will enhance your contest operations.

2. Provision a physical PTT switch on your radio and in Setup > Audio > VAC1 make sure that "Allow PTT to override/bypass VAC for phone" is turned ON (checked).

When you activate the PTT switch you will cause the radio to switch from VAC audio to Mic audio and your "voiced" audio will go out over the air instead of the N1MM voice keyer audio.

The reason you want to do this with a physical PTT switch is because the keyboard will be focused on N1MM and you don't want to have to change the focus, as you well know!

3. (Optional, but highly recommended) provision a MIDI controller surface to control PowerSDR. You can have direct, focus-independent control of your radio this way, including a MOX button. All you need is a MIDI controller (the Hercules and Behringer products are popular) and a good label maker to label the controls

If you decide to do this instead of a physical PTT switch you can use the VAC1 option for MOX override.

The video below is getting a little dated, but will give you a good idea on how to get started with MIDI control of PowerSDR.

73!

Scott

[NN3RP]

Scott, this is valuable information! I have applied the settings on both software ends (N1MM and PSDR) however I am not able to test until I get home. I will do the Hercules MOX first as I have that jewel box connected since my beginnings of 7000dle saga. I have seen the video before and it is not dated for me. It is actually a beginners must watch in terms of MIDI controller setup.

I also have a Heil PTT that I can test with but it uses a different plug connector (modifiable).

I will report back with my findings later.

Million thanks in advance.

Rafael

[NN3RP]

Good morning!

PTT issues:

Scott, last night I played with the 7000 after applying the settings in both N1MM and PSDR. I selected PTT in the Setup / Hardware of PSDR as well.
I modified a Heil PTT switch with an RCA plug and connected to PTT In (PTT Out is connected to SPE amp (send). No joy.

I tested with dummy load and Yamaha mic. Although the PTT triggers the SDR, there is not intelligible output or any signal out (watts). I mean I do not hear myself but some gibberish sound. I also tested it using MOX via the Hercules or the space bar same result. Seems as if the PTT In has some issues inside of the box or I am missing some step?

So I reverted back the configuration as it was before

Any clues?

[NN3RP]

I will test with a simple two wire RCA connector and see. Maybe the Heil is bad.

[w-u-2-o]

I tested with dummy load and Yamaha mic. Although the PTT triggers the SDR, there is not intelligible output or any signal out (watts). I mean I do not hear myself but some gibberish sound. I also tested it using MOX via the Hercules or the space bar same result. Seems as if the PTT In has some issues inside of the box or I am missing some step?

PTT is obviously working fine. You have a microphone setup problem that you need to sort out.

Was VAC OFF for this test? If not then it should be in order to keep things simple at the beginning.

How is the microphone connector wired? If it is not wired properly you may be shorting the microphone audio out with the PTT switch. This is my favorite guess right now. Review your radio manual for how the microphone connector and PTT line should be wired.

Is it a dynamic or condenser microphone? Is the mic bias setting properly configured?

[NN3RP]

VAC either on or off did the same result.

I am using a Yamaha CM500 headset w/Boom mic. It's been working flawlessly with my 7000 and PC. I have even made some new TX SSB 7000dle profiles with it and use them in all the time and in contest. So I know the Yamaha is working. It's just the annoying back and forth from N1MM to SDR that prompted me to write about a solution.

When I reverted back to my original state, Yamaha worked as it always has.

I do think that the Heil PTT switch might be the problem here. It happened before on a different radio and Heil send me this new PTT switch free of charge that I seldom use until this time. I will test with a different PTT method tonight.

[w-u-2-o]

I hate to say it, but the problem is not the CM500, nor is it the Heil PTT switch. It is more probably the fact that you did not properly make an adapter for the CM500.

The CM500 pinout for the microphone is:

Tip -- MIC
Ring -- BIAS
Sleeve -- GND

On Apache radios:

Tip -- MIC (and BIAS if enabled)
Ring -- PTT
Sleeve -- GND

The rear panel PTT input on the radio is in parallel with the PTT connection on the microphone jack.

If you plug the CM500 microphone connector directly into the radio without a PTT switch the BIAS is left floating. I'm not sure how the CM500 works like that. When you plug in a PTT switch and key the radio with it, the BIAS connection on the CM500 is grounded, and it definitely doesn't like that.

You are going to have to make an adapter for the CM500 microphone connection:

Radio plug <> Mic jack
Tip--10uF capacitor--Tip
Tip--Ring
Sleeve--Sleeve

[NN3RP]

Scott, thanks for your support.

The CM500 comes with a little black box that has a battery inside. I am not using that box with my 7000dle and it works without the new setup.

I do recall making an adapter with similar component for an Icom?

So I will follow the information provided for creating an adapter for Anan 7000dle.

I will report back when I am done with that.

[w-u-2-o]

I've been thinking about this and it is possible that both tip and ring are actually connected together in the CM500. If so, then the BIAS voltage supplied on the tip by the 7000 would be sufficient to run the CM500. However, if that is the case, then when you close the PTT switch it still shorts the ring to ground, and that would kill the bias to the CM500, and thereby kill any audio output from the mic.

So IF that is the case, you could make an even simpler adapter that just isolates the radio ring terminal from the microphone ring terminal:

Radio plug <> Mic jack
Tip--Tip
Ring--no connection
Sleeve--Sleeve

You could probably test that in about 1 minute using a spare 3.5mm plug and some clip leads.

[NN3RP]

It sorts of explains why it works without the new configuration and I have been able to create TX profiles.

I will apply this simpler approach.

[NN3RP]

Scott, I found me a 3.5mm stereo plug and clip leads and attached to tip to tip, shield to shield. There was nothing connected to ring.

Same results

When I press PTT (Heil), the PTT gets activated but no signal out when I speak on the Yamaha CM500. i noticed that when I depress the PTT I see a signal jumping

7000dle_unkeyingPTTSwitch.JPG (1.78 MiB) Viewed 32242 times

I am looking for a Shure 522 that I bought new and never used. When I figure out the pin outs for the Mic and ground I will connect to SDR.

Else, I am going to live with this setup.

[w-u-2-o]

Do you have bias turned on? Do you have mic selected, not line or VAC?

[NN3RP]

Scott, we did it! It was all in my hands.

I used the little black box that the Yamaha CM500 come with. It contains the necessary capacitor, etc. in a little board. It needs 2 AAA batteries which I will need to replace from time to time. I had tried it before but it still did not work. I opened the box (see pic) and noticed the cable / plug with tiny hair wires. One of the wires did not look well at the solder point. I replaced the cable with bigger ones....whoala!

I can now use the PTT in conjunction with playing the wav files.

I might have to edit my TX profile

Today, Nov. 22nd 2018, we celebrate Thanksgiving. I thank God everyday for all He gives us; Love and Unity. I am so thankful to you for your unselfish time spent in helping me get this going. Here is a pic of the black box.

YAMAHACM500_CAPACITORBOX.JPG (1.65 MiB) Viewed 32225 times

See if you can view this small video:

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Al_5NCnHQyKal0U6jPLGoNycS-uH

[w-u-2-o]

Great news, Rafael

I was able to watch the video. Thank you for the kind words.

You will have to let us all know how the next contest works out for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[NN3RP]

I wanted to report that I play the NAQP SSB contest this weekend using the Anan 7000dle with focus on N1MM+. I have *.wav files prepared via Audacity for the main exchanges; CQ, Name, State. These files I have always used with other rigs. They played superbly well using VAC1, I think, as I did not hear any complainers of my audio. Also, using Yamaha CM500 for the times needing it (Running).

I had to make a few configuration settings on both N1MM+ and 7000 so files will play and VAC be happy. Mainly, checking PTT via Radio Command SSB Mode on N1MM+ Configurer. On Thetis Setup / Audio / VAC1 Buffer Latency in / Out to their max (ms) of 240 as it kept the Overflows/Underflows at its lowest.

Here is a pic showing those settings:

1-N1MM_SSB_SETTING.PNG (74.48 KiB) Viewed 31913 times

[w-u-2-o]

Great news!

[pa1hr]

Hello,

In N1MM I configured a WAV file under F1 (CQ).
When I push F1, PTT on my ANAN-7000DLE MkII black works perfect!
However I don't hear the WAV file...

I use N1MM+ latest version
Thetis v2.8.11 x64 21k8
Virtual Audio Cable 4

Enclosed some of the settings.

Why does Thetis not broadcast the WAV file?

[w-u-2-o]

You posted a screenshot of VAC2 settings. That implies you are trying to transmit audio via VAC2. Regardless of the fact that VAC2 allows defining a transmit audio device, transmission via VAC2 is not supported, only VAC1.

[pa1hr]

Great! Now it works.... TNX Scott.

BTW; Can I use VAC2 for CW Skimmer?

73, Hans.

[w-u-2-o]

VAC1 is dedicated to RX1 and, for lack of a better term, "TX1".

VAC2 is dedicated to RX2. It has no transmit facilities.

Within those limitations you can certainly use either for CW Skimmer receive.

[N4XD]

I've been struggling to get the combination of N1MM, Thetis and VAC (voicemeeter banana) to work together to play the recorded SSB messages from n1MM. I can see with the N1MM audio setup and monitor window that the recorded messages are getting to N1MM. But no joy getting them to Thetis.

Think i've tried every combination of input and outputs for Thetis.

Does someone have a setup that works and would be willing to share?

A side note. I had this working, after a fashion, on another computer using the WDM-KS driver for Thetis VAC. I see others are also using that driver. However, I never see line 1 or 2 or any number as a choice for input or output in VAC. What am I missing?

Thanks

Ron
N4XD

[w-u-2-o]

Ron: post screen shots of your Voicemeeter Banana setup, your Thetis VAC setup, and your N1MM setup for audio devices.

[4L5O]

Hi to all, before i receive my order anan 7000 dle, i'm tryng to connect anan 200 d to N1MM, Thetis to N1MM log, but my sound and cw massages can not transmitt, cat switching but my audio files not transmiting do i need any virtual audio cable donload? if yes what is the version?

Thank you for help.
Kind regards,

[w-u-2-o]

Hi to all, before i receive my order anan 7000 dle, i'm tryng to connect anan 200 d to N1MM, Thetis to N1MM log, but my sound and cw massages can not transmitt, cat switching but my audio files not transmiting do i need any virtual audio cable donload? if yes what is the version?

Yes, you need to implement a virtual audio cable connection between N1MM and Thetis. There are at least two examples of this shown above.

I recommend Voicemeeter Potato to make these connections but there are other options including VB Cable and Muzychenko VAC.

[4L5O]

Hi to all, before i receive my order anan 7000 dle, i'm tryng to connect anan 200 d to N1MM, Thetis to N1MM log, but my sound and cw massages can not transmitt, cat switching but my audio files not transmiting do i need any virtual audio cable donload? if yes what is the version?

Yes, you need to implement a virtual audio cable connection between N1MM and Thetis. There are at least two examples of this shown above.

I recommend Voicemeeter Potato to make these connections but there are other options including VB Cable and Muzychenko VAC.

ok, thank you for info, i download VBCABLE it's works, but when i transmit for example audio file cq it's not finishing last 1-2 secon is cut, any delay somewere?
also i can not transmit CW massages.

[w-u-2-o]

With regard to the cut off voice keying: take a look at N1MM setup and make sure it is set to properly key the radio through Thetis.

For CW see this topic: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2629

In particular my post of Mon Jul 02, 2018 5:35 pm.