How to Setup the N1MM Logger v7.0.0 with PowerSDR 1.x

• N1MM v7.0.0
• PowerSDR v1.10.1
• vCom 1.0.0.4 (build 226)

• For this example PowerSDR uses COM6 and N1MM uses COM7 for the virtual port pair. Any other valid vCom pair may be substituted. See the example below.

• In the PowerSDR menu bar, navigate to PowerSDR Setup -> CAT Control and perform the following:
• In the PTT Control Panel, select Port COM6 and leave the RTS and DTR check boxes blank.
• In the CAT Control panel, check the Enable CAT box.
• In the ID as: control, select PowerSDR. (SDR-1000 in older versions)
  

1. In the Logger menu bar navigate to Config -> Configure Ports, Telnet Address, Other and perform the following:
2. Select the Hardware tab.
3. In the Com7 row, do the following:

• For the Radio select Kenwood
• Put a check in the CW/PTT box
• Click the Set button

1. After clicking the Set button and configure the following com port parameters:

• Speed: 9600
• Parity: N
• Data Bits: 8
• Stop Bits: 1
• DTR (pin 4): CW
• RTS (pin 7): PTT
• Radio/VFO: 1
• PTT Delay (msec): 30
• SW/PTT Port Addr: 2E0

The following boxes should be unchecked:

• Radio PTT via command
• Allow exit interrupts
• WinKey

Click on OK when complete.  See example below.

1. If still open, click Apply and OK as appropriate to close N1MM Configurer and PowerSDR Setup windows
2. Verify communications by selecting various frequencies in PowerSDR's VFO A window and verifying the same change in Logger's blue Title bar.

1. In the PowerSDR menu bar, navigate to PowerSDR Setup -> DSP -> Keyer
2. On this tab make the following changes to your basic setup:
3. In the Connections Panel perform the following changes

In the Secondary control select CAT. PTT Line and Key Line controls will appear.

• For PTT Line select RTS
• For Key Line select DTR
• Leave all other controls unchanged.
• Click Apply and OK to close the window
  

Step 7. You should now be ready to send CW strings from N1MM. To test this, perform the following:

Select an unused portion of a CW band and tune your SDR. (remember to use a dummy load to minimize QRM or very low power)

1. Enter a test string behind one of the Logger function keys say F2
2. Click F2 and observe the CW being sent by your SDR.
3. Check the TX Meter to make sure signal is being sent
4. With MON activated listen to the code quality.

Assuming you can hear the code and appropriate power is being generated you are done.

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To restore control to your normal CAT program for PowerSDR:

In the PowerSDR menu bar, navigate to PowerSDR Setup -> DSP -> Keyer

1. Select "None" in the Keyer Secondary Port box.
2. Terminate N1MM Logger and activate your normal CAT program.

There is one remaining issue. That is insuring smooth CW transmission.

Assuming on contest day there will be several programs running on your machine, application priorities must be set appropriately.

I set mine as follows:

Start with all applications at normal.

• In the PowerSDR menu bar, navigate to Setup -> General -> Options and select a Process Priority of High.
• Press <CTRL>+<ALT>+<DELETE> simultaneously and select Windows Task Manager's Processes Tab
• The processes PowerSDR and taskmgr.exe should have a Base Priority of High
• Right click on the N1MM Logger process and select Set Priority from the pop-up box
• In the drop down window select AboveNormal
• Leave all other tasks at a Base Priority of Normal.

The resulting performance is solid at least through 30wpm. But be forewarned, this configuration has not been tested under the combat conditions of a real CW contest.

NOTE: I've been hearing from a few hams who have the interface working but are still having some problems getting smooth code. All the reports were from people running single processor CPUs.

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