========================================================= SIMPLEX by Gabriel F6DQM ========================================================= SIMPLEX is a program which manages a simplex or duplex repeater. It requires Win95 or later, 16 Mb of RAM and a sound card. In Simplex mode, the repeater uses the same receive and transmit frequency. It records and replays alternatly the received signals. This mode allows anybody who possesses a single transceiver to transform its station into a repeater. The station will be able to repeat packet frames without the need of a TNC. Your friends will be able to perform modulation and decommutation testing through your station while your are doing some gardening. Any modulation may be recorded (SSB, FM, Packet, SSTV, PSK31 etc). Friends who cannot access a duplex repeater will be able to contact some more correspondants through your station. In Duplex mode, the program acts just like a classical duplex repeater or transponder with tone opening, chat timer, beacon message etc. The program may replace a hardware repeater logic. The duplex repeater mode requires separate receiver and transceiver working on different frequencies in the same band. The duplex transponder mode requires two differents transceivers working on two different bands. A more detailled description will be found in the chapters Simplex Mode, Duplex Repeater Mode and Duplex Transponder Mode. Whatever the chosen mode, SIMPLEX is sensitive either to audio signals or radio signal to initiate the record process. A radio signal is for example a squelch DC signal sent by your transceiver which goes high when carrier is received by the receiver and resets low when the frequency is clear. In the later case, record will start on carrier detection just like a hardware repeater. SIMPLEX may be used with CW, SSB, FM, SSTV or any other modulation mode. SIMPLEX allows you also to play up to 11 different audio wave messages, 6 of which being looped if desired. This will provide an efficient help to contesters as a parrot. It is an intelligent parrot. Please read carefully the help file SIMPLEX_EN.HLP before starting with SIMPLEX. Connections between your home computer and your transceiver are described in the help. You will also find detailed schemes of the connection between the COM port and the PTT line of your transmitter in the joined file called PC_TX.BMP. Three examples are proposed : simplex repeater, duplex repeater, duplex transponder. This program is free but it has required many hours to be written and tested. If you like it, we would appreciate some help for our club station F6KFV in Versailles (France). That would be great to let our club-station continue its action for the development of radioamateurism. Release History : V1.2 ==== First release to be distributed V1.2a, 1.2b, 1.2c, 1.2d (for testing only) ======================== -Fix a problem with the creation of simplex.ini on configurations that do not accept to rename read-only files. -Start Simplex with NO COM port when running the program for the very first time. -Improving handling of sound card error V1.2e ===== -Add the ability to loop on personnal messages V1.2f, 1.2g, 1.2i, 1.2j, 1.2k, V1.3 (for testing only) =================================== -Monitoring of the incoming signals when in stand-by (manual mode without recording) -Possible maximal record length up to 5 minutes with menu -Implementation of Radio detection -choice between Duplex repeater mode or Duplex transponder mode -in simplex auto mode, choice for immediate replay or wait for free channel to replay -add the TIMEROUT message in duplex repeater mode when the record timer is passed -Correction of anomalies -Add right click on messages buttons to display their relevant dialog box V1.3.1 ====== - to be downloaded from the Net V1.3.2 ====== - Add an RX delay when unkeying the transceiver to filter audio spikes generated by some transceivers when swiched from emission to reception. V1.3.2b ======= -Mimimum delay to close the repeater is lowered to 3 sec. -F10 to swich on or off the repeater directly from keyboard V1.3.3 ====== -Emission security timer is set to 15 minutes -Possibility to disable the emission security timer V1.3.4 ====== -Introduce a delay to reopen the repeater when TimerOut occurs -fix an error with the security timer which closes the repeater even in Duplex repeater mode when it should close it only in the Duplex Transponder mode. V1.3.5 ====== -Fix a bug that switch off the TX after playing the beacon when the repeater is open in duplex mode. -Inhibit the TIMEROUT when the checkbox of the TIMEROUT configuration panel is not checked. V1.3.6 to V1.4.4 ================ Test releases for following modifications : -CTCSS decoding -DTMF decoding -New mixed mode Duplex Repeater+Transponder V1.5 ==== -DTMF decoding -CTCSS decoding -Mixed mode Repeater+Transponder IMPORTANT NOTE : This last release needs a CPU speed greater than 100 MHz for best audio decoding performance. V1.5.1 ====== -Correction of an error -Ppossibility to send a different K message for the repeater and the transponder. V1.5.2 ====== -Beacon period set from 1 to 120 minutes V1.5.3 ====== - Add option to choose DTR ou RTS for PTT in Simplex mode. V1.5.4 to V1.5.6 =============== - Test releases V1.5.7 ====== - Open/Close the repeater by clicking the RPT bubble - Set TX ON/OFF by clicking the TX bubble (same as F10) - Choose the channel where to decode DTMF - Use message n#2 as NACK (no acknoledege of the DTMF code) - Don't replay the silence delay in simplex mode - Complete english translations V1.6.0 ====== - Choice a particular sound card - Run remotely an external application in using DTMF control V1.6.1 ====== - Delay of silence : steps of 100 milliseconds - Dalay to close : steps of one second - Option to send the beacon only when the repeater is active - TimerOut delay up to 900 seconds (Modifications required by Filip ON4PC) V1.6.2 ====== - Waiting for the end of the tone burst before opening the repeater (This does not apply to CTCSS detection) - Use of message #3 to notice the end of the penalty delay after closing on TimerOut - After closing on timerout, reopening the repeater is disabled until the frequency is not clear. V1.7.0 ====== - Four LPT lines to be remotly commanded for TRX configuration (Up/Down, channel choice, power off etc) - Remote Inhibition of a transmitter V1.7.0c ======= - to fix a problem that could appear on display of local sound cards V1.7.1 ====== - To fix a bug when opening the message configuration panel V1.7.2 ====== - Add the full recording option for long monitoring of bursts or short signals. You will also find the very last releases of SAT-EXPLORER : Satellite tracker CW_PLAYER : Morse Trainer BEAM_DX : Antenna finder AZIWORLD : Azimut world map generator on my WEB pages : http://www.f6dqm.fr or on the following site: http://www.f1orl.org Good DX and have fun with SIMPLEX. Gabriel F6DQM http://www.f6dqm.fr e-mail via site