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microHAM © 2010  All rights reserved

Creating and Using Virtual Serial Ports

microHAM Router provides a set of virtual serial ports which allow Windows applications (logging and digital
software) to work with microKEYER II just as they would work with "real" (hardware) serial ports. 

In order to use these virtual Ports, you must first create the ports and then assign a port to each function
you wish to use (radio control, PTT, CW, FSK, etc.). 

DO NOT define a port that is already in use (for example, COM1 or COM2 which are hardware ports on
many motherboards) or a virtual port that is used by another USB device.  Even though Router will not allow
creating a virtual port on a COM port number which is already present in the system (like hardware COM
ports or internal modems), sometimes these ports are hidden.  If another device that also uses virtual ports
(external USB devices, bluetooth devices, mobile phones, PDAs etc.) is not connected when creating virtual
ports in Router, the ports can overlap  and will not work properly when you connect such device.    

WARNING:  Before you begin to create virtual ports, attach all external devices you are using with
computer and allow them to connected to the system.  Restart Router and then create virtual ports.

Virtual ports are created and deleted from the Virtual Port menu.  

Create - Creates virtual COM ports. It is possible to select
more than one port at a time by holding the Ctrl key on
keyboard and clicking on COM port numbers. Creating virtual
ports may take a long time (several tens of seconds), be
patient.

Delete - Deletes any single virtual port.

Delete All - Deletes all previously created virtual ports.

Do not delete a virtual port until all applications using that port
have been closed.

TIP: It is possible to select multiple ports at one time by holding the Control key on keyboard and
clicking on the COM port numbers.

TIP:  If you have removed another device which used virtual ports and Router does not offer the
released port number, you will need to reset the virtual port bus.  You can do this by deleting all
virtual ports in Router at once.  Select "Virtual Port | Delete All" then create the ports again.   Any
missing COM port numbers should appear.

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Summary of Contents for microKEYER II

Page 1: ...microHAM 2010 All rights reserved microKEYER II microHAM fax 421 2 4594 5100 e mail support microham com homepage www microham com Version 7 6 23 February 2010 1...

Page 2: ...orts CAT 2nd CAT 21 Ports FSK 2nd FSK 24 Ports CW 25 Ports PTT 2nd PTT 26 Ports Foot Switch 26 Ports WinKey 27 Ports Auxiliary 28 Ports Control 28 Audio Switching Tab 29 Audio Mixer Tab 32 PTT Tab 35...

Page 3: ...accessories Serial output for controlling generic peripherals user definable presets to recall all parameters for different control programs or contests all parameters stored in EEPROM and reloaded af...

Page 4: ...separate PTT output for digital audio mode operation with microphone muting nine 9 user programmable memories FSK supports PS 2 keyboard FSK transmission with type ahead and diddle function supports...

Page 5: ...4 SC LED lights when the sound card is generating audio 5 FSK LED flashes with FSK output 6 PTT LED lights when PTT2 transceiver accessory connector is active 7 LINE LED indicates Line input receiver...

Page 6: ...DIO DB37F connector for radio interconnections See Appendix A for details 5 MKD Not Used 6 USB USB B connector for computer connection Standard USB A B cable 7 CI V Auxiliary CI V output for controlli...

Page 7: ...output jack Maximum rating for the relay is 48V AC DC 1A TIP If you are not sure about the keying voltage of your Power Amplifier or LNA use the RE position TIP the RE SS jumpers are located on the ed...

Page 8: ...ers in the center of the board on both pins WARNING Microphones with both dynamic and electret elements are not supported Configure the MIC RJ 45 input for either a dynamic or electret element and do...

Page 9: ...f the Accessory power is less than 12 Volts when transmitting Elecraft K3 10 Connect a 12 to 16V DC supply to the DC 13 8V jack Be sure to observe the proper polarity 11 Locate but DO NOT connect the...

Page 10: ...device as the default device for Sound playback and Sound recording This is undesirable as Windows Sounds would be played through MK II and onto the air For Windows 2000 or Windows XP right click on t...

Page 11: ...s reserved For Windows Vista and 7 right click on the Speaker Icon on the task bar or open Sounds in the Control Panel select Playback Devices and reset the Default Playback device to your computer s...

Page 12: ...onfigured as required by the application logging control or digital mode software microKEYER II Status When the USB driver is installed correctly and microKEYER II is turned on Router will show a devi...

Page 13: ...ll not work properly when you connect such device WARNING Before you begin to create virtual ports attach all external devices you are using with computer and allow them to connected to the system Res...

Page 14: ...ation This setting is used to automatically select VOICE or DIGITAL audio switching and the proper PTT output PTT1 PTT2 The boundaries are necessary for transceivers which do not have a special mode f...

Page 15: ...nce from microKEYER II the user should create customized settings for each application used For easy switching among applications Router supports up to 12 user definable Presets Different configuratio...

Page 16: ...r more devices are connected to the Router For example microKEYER II and USB Interface II can be renamed to more identifiable names as shown here Delete Removes a device from the Router Only devices t...

Page 17: ...in microKEYER II The update may support new features in Router or improve application compatibility The most recent public version of the firmware is always available from www microham com contents en...

Page 18: ...been closed NOTE Properly working ports should not display an exclamation mark HELP MENU Manuals Link to microHAM manuals located on your system Setup Guides Link to software configuration guides for...

Page 19: ...microHAM CODEC levels NOTE The Audio Mixer is not available under Windows Vista or 7 Those operating systems do not allow an application like Router overall control of the sound device PTT configures...

Page 20: ...11 channels each channel provides an indication of the settings applied by the application and current state e g or or off CAT uses RxD and TxD 2nd CAT virtual fork for the main CAT channel FSK uses...

Page 21: ...flow from the host application to the radio and a red arrow indicates data flow from the radio to the application TIP If the application provides for PTT T R keying by radio control CAT turn this fun...

Page 22: ...microKEYER II is disabled This function is not currently supported SDR Tracking Tracking This function allows an external receiver to track the transceiver attached to the microKEYER II NOTE The trans...

Page 23: ...nd Unsolicited data from the radio such as automatic frequency mode updates Icom transceive packets or Auto information data from Kenwood Elecraft and recent Yaesu transceivers can be forwarded to bot...

Page 24: ...smit audio equalizer AND transmit DSP when AFSK is used DO NOT use any form of digital modulation sometimes called Transmit DSP with AFSK or PSK Some transceivers bypass these circuits automatically w...

Page 25: ...processing inter process communication and data flow from another peripherals sharing same the USB hub This can result in transmitted characters that are garbled To minimize these unwanted operating...

Page 26: ...the primary application also controls PTT for example a logging program and CW reader keyboard To test PTT click on the Test button with no port assigned or the port closed NOTE The test buttons do no...

Page 27: ...l transfer data to to WinKey at 1200 baud However reliable operation is not guaranteed Data flow is indicated by two arrows The green arrow indicates data flow from the application to WinKey and the r...

Page 28: ...large files If a line ends in three dots it means that the command or response has been broken across two USB packets CONTROL PORT The Control Port allows an application program logger that implements...

Page 29: ...ne amplifier in the radio can cause distortion because it is optimized for voice and its frequency response is often not as flat as necessary for digital modulating signals The proper method is to fee...

Page 30: ...smit audio DSP processing for example 3rd party audio equalizer software or for use with remote operation of MKII FSK DIGITAL settings Line input rear Audio from microHAM CODEC is connected to the rad...

Page 31: ...ne NOTE The black box here and on other tabs in Router is live It indicates which settings are currently in use When the black box turns gray it indicates that Router lost connection with the radio or...

Page 32: ...ixer tab provides the ability to store and recall level settings to the presets for each application or operating configuration Select microHAM CODEC to use the internal sound card in microKEYER II Th...

Page 33: ...WAVE for proper drive when using digital modes or playing voice messages from a logging program that includes DVK capabilities Adjust the MASTER only if necessary to keep the WAVE control from operat...

Page 34: ...e Windows Record Input Mixer for the selected sound card GET ID this button will retrieve the name and number of the sound card The name can be used to verify that the correct sound card has been sele...

Page 35: ...le speech processing circuits clippers audio equalizers transmit DSP etc that can distort digital modulation PA PTT is on the microKEYER II rear panel It is designed for controlling an amplifier PA PT...

Page 36: ...in PTT lead Specifies lead in delay In CW with PTT1 PTT2 or Semi Break in PTT lead is the time between activation of PTT1 PTT2 PA PTT and LNA PTT and the first CW output Transceiver PTT PTT1 PTT2 PA P...

Page 37: ...ady ended If Restore serial CW is not checked application generated CW will remain suppressed until the application releases PTT Mute serial FSK if checked the FSK ports will be blocked while the foot...

Page 38: ...bic A Curtis Iambic B Accu keyer Ultimatic Single lever Bug Keyer Vibroplex emulation NOTE To connect a straight key to MKII use Bug Keyer mode The straight key should be connected between ring and sl...

Page 39: ...eed knob Set Key close CW output for selected time in seconds Set Wait wait selected seconds during playback Jump to used for looping a message or calling another message Delay sets the delay in secon...

Page 40: ...ter character Blank Insert special Blank character Letter Insert special Bell character Jump to used for looping a message or calling another message Delay sets the delay in seconds before looping or...

Page 41: ...ve its own levels slider position It also allows each bank to be configured for the voice of a different operator if microKEYER II is used in a club station or other multi operator situation DVK memor...

Page 42: ...e ahead enables type ahead when using a PS 2 keyboard Characters are transmitted after a space word mode or when the buffer has reached its limit 16 characters Speed Step set the amount by which the U...

Page 43: ...rts The background functions are those that appear at idle The status messages appear depending on operating mode Contrast controls the LCD contrast Light sets the LCD backlight brightness Report time...

Page 44: ...ary general purpose serial port When the iLINK port function is set to Auxiliary port data is transferred between the Auxiliary virtual port defined on Ports tab and the iLINK serial lines without mod...

Page 45: ...d FSK DIGITAL to Microphone jack 8 Key the transceiver speak into the radio microphone and adjust the MIC center trimmer so that the transceiver ALC peaks at the top of the ALC zone 9 Disconnect the r...

Page 46: ...r tab Set the TX MASTER and WAVE sliders to the same level as the TX VOICE DIGITAL sliders on the Audio Mixer tab 13 Record a message and adjust the REC MIC slightly if necessary so that the REC MIC V...

Page 47: ...one level in the Levels window of the Sound Control Panel for normal rated output on your transceiver while keeping the ALC meter as low as possible NOTE For the Elecraft K3 only Do not adjust the TX...

Page 48: ...d system is a 1 6 GHz Pentium IV Windows 2000 512 MB RAM CD ROM and USB 1 1 port Whether Router can run as designed on slower machines with less memory and leave enough resources for application progr...

Page 49: ...number pad A message can be aborted with the ESC key or the zero key on the number pad Messages may be made to repeat loop by pressing DEL period on the number pad while the message is playing The def...

Page 50: ...y one without transmitting PG DN DN NUM WPM control Decrease CW speed step defined by configuration S N mode Decrement number by one HOME ENTER NUM ENTER WPM control Reset CW speed to pot knob value S...

Page 51: ...6 7 bit data 1 1 5 2 stop bits up to 300 baud PTT1 open collector max 30V 400mA PTT2 open collector max 30V 400mA PA PTT selectable by internal jumpers open collector max 45V 0 8A relay contact max 4...

Page 52: ...ice to the distributor from whom you purchased the product microHAM will pay return shipping What is not covered This Limited Warranty does not cover 1 correction of installation or software errors in...

Page 53: ...vice may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation European Union Declaration of Conformity micro...

Page 54: ...or 25 RS232 OUT RS232 TXD output 7 FIF OUT FIF 232 TXD output TTL 26 IF OUT IF 232 TXD output TTL 8 FILTER IN RXD input for all interfaces 27 PTT1 PTT1 output open collector generally used as all mode...

Page 55: ...x 100mA 5 CLOCK I2C Data Clock TTL 6 TX EXT Serial Data In TTL SHELL GND Connected to system ground and case PS 2 miniDIN 6 Pin Label Description 1 PS 2 DATA TTL PS 2 DATA line 2 RESPAD Input for resi...

Page 56: ...wered from the same branch circuit It is always better to avoid this source of noise interference It is also a good idea to check the power distribution for loose connections reversed neutral ground o...

Page 57: ...uture The initial version has been tested with Perseus SDR only PERSEUS Radio PERSEUS Port COM10 Source QRG Defines which frequency will be used for SDR tracking Offset Specifies frequency offset from...

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