Suggested Improvements for SO2R Operation
Overview…
Now that I have gotten used to SO2R operation it is easy for me to see that there is room for improved integration of software and SO2R switching. I know this because I design software myself. These suggestions will make life better for everyone.
The basic problem is the degradation of concentration suffered when listening to separate frequencies in each ear while trying to complete a QSO with a weak station with only one ear on the problem. The louder the QRM in one ear, the harder it is to copy in the other. It is better to switch to use both ears in such situations, but the SO2R Master and most homebrew SO2R boxes provide only a manual switch for the headphones.
The other problem I encounter several times per contest: If I manually switch the headphones for both ears on one radio, I forget to switch back to stereo. I might call a mult while calling CQ, and not hear him come back to me because the SO2R box is manually switched to the run rig – or miss someone answering a CQ because I needed both ears on a pileup. I have a software solution to these problems.
Why Do We Listen in Stereo?
Though we may have our SO2R box set to receive a radio in each ear, the only time this is essential is when we are simultaneously seeking a QSO on both radios (and currently in QSO on neither). Once we make a contact on either radio, we mentally try to ignore the other - or reach for the knob. As long as the station we are working is loud enough, there is no need to train both ears on the problem. However…
- In most runs a lot of the stations calling are weak, and a loud pileup in the opposite ear can really make them hard to dig out.
- Often times (especially on the low bands) you need more concentration on a station you have called on the 2nd radio - to make sure he has your call right or to copy QSO information.
With the right integration of options between the SO2R switch and contest software, it is possible to automatically switch both ears to a QSO in progress and resume stereo operation when the contact is complete.
- On the run radio, both ears would switch to the radio in QSO as soon as you press the first key of the callsign (or press ESCape to terminate auto-Cqing). You could dig out weak callsigns and ask for multiple fills with maximum efficiency, then automatically resume copying both radios as soon as you punch QRZ.
- On the pounce radio, you would switch both ears to the 2nd radio as soon as you call a station. Automatic resumption of two radio listening would occur when you resume Cqing on the run rig.
The above two scenarios would be independently selectable in the software. As long as the pounce stations are loud, you often want to monitor your run frequency during a contact so you know when others are already calling and waiting. The option for the pounce radio should have an operator toggle to enable/disable the feature depending on conditions.
Software Modifications…
K8CC’s software already has a stereo/mono toggle and has for a long time. I am not sure of any of the others because NA is what I use and prefer for CW and SO2R. The stereo/mono feature in NA sends the signal to pin 9 of the LPT port, and I would hope a standard is agreed on.
In the NA documentation there is also a schematic for an SO2R box which supports this signal and does switch the headphones between stereo and mono. In the mono position, the headphones follow the radio A/B signal from a different LPT pin - the same signal that controls which radio your keyer, mike & PTT connect to.
In NA, the stereo/mono LPT pin is toggled manually by a command on the keyboard - not automatically as in the scenarios described above. I suggest that this be enhanced. As a programmer myself I can definitely say this would be a simple software modification - requiring less time than it is taking me to write this rant. If additionally a major commercial SO2R switch (WX0B) were to support the stereo/mono signal from the LPT port, the other software products (CT, TR and even WriteLog) would hopefully follow as the benefits are realized. They would be easy changes.
Hardware Modifications…
SO2R switches need to be modified to support a stereo/mono signal from the parallel port (pin 9?). When in mono, the selection of which radio to listen to with both ears would be determined by the radio A/B LPT port signal which also controls the keyer, mike and PTT.
With the current SO2R Master there is an additional problem: The center knob which controls the headphones does not have a position where the selection of radios is controlled by the radio A/B signal that does control everything else. I have always wished it did, because manual selection of either radio A or radio B is more cumbersome than a simple mono position that always follows the signal from the computer. Why? Because if you toggle from radio A to radio B on the keyboard you must also do the headphone switch when listening with both ears. One toggle programmed on the keyboard should switch everything.
Since there may still be situations where you would want to manually select radio A or B with both ears instead of following the LPT A/B signal, I would leave the existing headphone options alone and propose a 4th position on the center SO2R Master knob that would support all fully automatic headphone switching. It would work as follows:
- LPT signals for stereo/mono and radio A/B should only control the headphones when the auto/manual switch (lower left) is on AUTO. When in MANUAL the headphones should be controlled (both ears) by the "Run Radio" A/B switch (lower right). Thus, the Run Radio switch would control keyer, mike, PTT and headphones in manual mode. This would also be the preferred selection for casual Dxing - when contest software isn’t even loaded.
- In AUTO mode, the two LPT signals would control the headphones when both rigs are in standby. When the stereo signal is on, you hear both radios. When stereo is off, you hear the radio designated by the A/B signal in both ears. The software does the rest, and will set the headphones to MONO anytime you are in QSO.
- A dip switch or jumper setting would be needed to disable the stereo/mono signal on the LPT port when contest software is used that doesn’t support it. You don’t want the SO2R Master to falsely read the signal as stereo. It should force the setting to mono so you can still use the software to toggle keyer, PTT, mike and headphones with one stroke of the keyboard. Stereo SO2R operation would be manually selected using the A+B setting of the center headphone switch.
Headphone Selection in Transmit…
None of the suggestions documented above should in any way effect the operation of the SO2R Master when any rig is transmitting. In this regard the SO2R Master is already perfect: it switches both ears to the opposite radio unless it sees paddle input. My suggestions only apply when both rigs are in standby.
Additional Benefits: Dueling CQ’s…
This is a curious feature I found in TRLog, which may still be the only program that supports it. I tried to use it once and found it maddening. A lot of things about TRLog are maddening.
In "Dueling CQ’s", you Auto-CQ on both radios at once - until somebody calls you. This is for when running rates are low - like toward the end of a contest. The CQ’s alternate from one radio to the other, and you are always listening on the band that has just sent a fresh CQ. You could, for example, have slow runs (35 per hour) of JA’s on both 10 and 15 late in the contest - and double your rate to 70.
With SO2R Master, you would always be listening on the right radio while either is sending CQ, but once you start copying a call the Cqing stops. You loose track of which ear to listen on if the headphone switch is set to A+B, and with the current SO2R Master that is the only option. You can’t quickly switch manually to A or B correctly unless you are really paying attention, and most likely you are groggy. In practice, dual Cqing is too confusing.
With a new AUTO position for the headphones (the stereo signal should be off for dual CQ’s), you will always be listening with both ears on the radio that is making the contact, and your ears will always be in sync with the radio selection in the software. You log the contact to the right band without even paying attention to which radio is calling you. (On CW, you might need to know which RIT to adjust). I think this would work.
Conclusion…
I am interested in feedback to these ideas I have, and hope they are implemented.
/*end of rant*/
Computer Programmer since 1967
Real-Time Contest Logging since 1981