[WriteLog] Unlimited SSB Voice Automation Exists in WL !!!

Wed Jul 20 15:14:29 EDT 2005

When I went back to bed about 4AM this morning, a few seconds after my head 
hit the pillow a wild idea came which I checked out at 7:30AM before 
heading off to a meeting.
I discovered "Unlimited" SSB Voice Automation actually exists in WL with a 
bit of clever workarounding! My previous suggestion of being able to use 
ALT+K in the SSB mode will produce much better results, however, because 
the workaround involves added additional time-consuming keystroke steps 
which have too much of an up-front delay for contesting.
For casual QSO, Non-Contesting, it is a workable solution for Hams who 
can't speak but want to do SSB (with someone else's voice files, of 
course). Using multiple X-Keys devices, umpteen different typical QSO 
messages (beyond the current 20 slots) can be programmed for use, to 
trigger individual .wav files such as:
1. "The station here, OM, is an FT-1000MP and 3element tribander at 45 
feet." (maybe named station.wav ?)
2. "73 & hope to CU on the band again when condx are better."
3. "Sorry, I don't speak Russian, Dear OM." :-)
With USB X-Key devices (Sticks, Desktop or Footswitches), the X-Keys 
Macro-Recorder allows you to record multiple keyboard keystrokes, save it 
to a file for future modification, & them download the sequences to the 
devices via "Write To Device". The X-Keys units then operate independently 
of your computer keyboard.
For the quick test, I used the F2 SSB message slot in WL, but any F-slot 
can be used. However an extra "Tab" keystroke would be necessary to 
"scroll" down the message slot entry lines to your choice. When you press 
START on the Macro-Recorder, resume Window focus in WL and do the following 
keystrokes:
1. ALT + P (Yields the "Setup" drop down list from the Main Menu at the top)
2. Y (This selects the CW/RTTY/SSB messages option
3. filename.wav (Type the filename of the .wav file you want to have play 
- different for each separate X-Keys button)
4. <ENTER> (Press the keyboard ENTER button once...this closes the 
messages dialog box)
5. F2 (This ultimately triggers the F2 function key when the X-Keys 
button is pushed)
Then, press STOP on Macro Recorder, Save the file, and to a "Write To 
Device" to the X-Keys (making sure to 1st put the X-Keys device in 
"Programming" mode BEFORE attempting to write, and then returning to 
NON-Programming mode when done).
For my test, I used a SS file called<uk6vva57scv.wav>. By shortening it to 
<vv1.wav>, I cut the delay a bit.
It is my firm belief that implementing ALT + K to work in SSB for these 
purposes will further cut the delay because keystrokes in #2 and #4 above 
would be eliminated. Also, not having to include ".wav" to the filename 
would reduce the auto-typing time, if WL auto-appends .wav to whatever text 
is typed in the ALT + K window and auto-triggers a Play 
command. F-function keys on the keyboard would no longer be necessary, 
which eliminates even more keystrokes!!!
Optionally, if perhaps an asterisk (*) is simply added to the name of the 
typed filename (minus the .wav), internal WL programming could view that as 
a command to "add .wav and play" :-)
The process of recording in Macro-Recorder would thus be refined to the 
following keystrokes:
1. ALT + K
2. filename.wav (Type the filename of the .wav file you want to have play 
- different for each separate X-Keys button), but as: filename* ... and 
using only 2 or 3 digit filenames would save even more time.
WL *could* automatically do an ALT + W command at the end of "filename*", 
which then closes the ALT + K window, although this could be added to the 
keystrokes but not would increase delay time since the .wav file would have 
already started playing. Use of % type command statements would require 
some added thinking, but aren't that necessary 'cuz they can be used in the 
existing F-slots.
The future of "effective" FULL Voice-Automation in contesting requires a 
LOT of extra messages like:
1. Please repeat your Prefix
2. Please repeat your Suffix
3. Please give me your call PHONETICALLY
4. What's the last letter of your call?
etc., etc. - beyond all the extra ones I used in the SS test last fall.
FYI & 73...
Rick, K6VVA