CW Skimmer

CW Skimmer

General

• This implementation loads and connects SmartSDR to CW Skimmer without using a virtual serial port pair. Connection is accomplished using TCP/IP and special Telnet commands.
• This feature only supports F6000 radios.
• This feature only works with Slices A/B.
• Optionally, VFO B can be set from a CWS waterfall or band map click.
• Optionally, the call sign can be sent to DXLab's WinWarbler when a CWS waterfall or band map is clicked.

Setup

• You must own a registered copy of CW Skimmer (v1.83 or later) which can be obtained from the DX Atlas web site.

DDUtil

• In the CW Skimmer group on the Features tab.
  • Select the Skimmer Close check box if you want CW Skimmer to close when the Enable check box is un-selected or when DDUtil closes.
    • Not selecting this check box will cause CW Skimmer to be minimized when the Enable check box is un-selected or when DDUtil closes.
  • Select the QSY VFO B check box if you want VFO B to QSY when a CWS Waterfall trace or a call is clicked in CW Skimmer.
  • Select the WinWarbler check box if you want WinWarbler's Call window to be populated with the Band Map call sign if the call sign is clicked.
  • In the window next to the Enable check box select the TCP/IP port to be used to communicate with CW Skimmer (default is 7310).
  • Select the Enable check box.

CW Skimmer

• When CW Skimmer starts for the first time from DDUtil, open the Settings pane and configure the following tabs.
  • Radio tab
    • Hardware Type → SoftRock
    • Sample Rate → to match DAX IQ Stream in the DAX control panel for slice A.
    • Lo Frequency → This is automatically set by DDUtil.
    • CW Pitch → to match the CW Pitch frequency in the SmartSDR CW panel.
  • ' Audio tab
    • Soundcard Driver → WDM.
    • Signal I/O Device → DAX IQ RX 1.
    • Audio I/O Device → to match your system's Play Back Audio Device.
    • All other settings use the default values.
  • Telnet tab
    • Enable Telnet Server → selected.
    • Port → 7310
    • Require Password → not selected.
    • Do not send callsigns without CQ → user preference, but usually not selected.
    • Allow Skimmer Commands → selected
  • All Other Tabs
    • Set as desired/required.

SmartSDR

• Open the DAX Control panel
  • In the IQ Streams group
    • Set the #1 sample rate to match what you setup in the CW Skimmer settings panel.
    • Enable the #1 stream by pressing the #1 button.
• Open the DAX item of the Panadapter controls group.
  • Select the DAXIQ Channel (1) set above.

Note: → Any DAXIQ Channel may be selected as long as the above settings and the CWS Skimmer Setup panel agree.

Operation

• Use CW Skimmer as you would normally.
  • Frequency control can be set from either SSDR or CW Skimmer.
  • If working a pile up and you have selected the QSY VFO B option when you click a station in CWS VFO B will be QSY'ed to that frequency.
  • Sometimes when CW Skimmer is first started, a Knob Bump is required to synchronize the CW Skimmer frequency display.

DXLab Interoperation

• Selecting the WinWarbler check box in the CW Skimmer group on the Features tab will cause:
  • DDUtil to send the call sign of the station that was clicked in the CW Skimmer band map to WinWarbler's QSO Panel.
  • If DXKeeper is running a call sign look up will be initiated to fill in the remainder of the WinWarbler QSO Panel information.
  • Commander also needs to be running so frequency and mode information can be available for logging purposes.