[Dxbase] Icom Split OK driver problem

Mon Oct 24 20:28:44 EDT 2011

Just to update the reflector, I found the problem and it is now resolved! 
Joe helped me quite a bit off line by suggesting modifying the IC-7600 
driver by changing the Pacing and ECO settings to slow down the 
communication between the radio and DXB. Unfortunately many hours of 
tinkering did not show consistent and reliable improvement.
Finally I focused on the possibility that the problem was related to CIV 
data collisions somewhere along the line. My IC-7600 is connected to a 
Microham MKII keyer and an IC-PW-1 amp. I went into the Set/Others menu and 
changed the CIV Transceive function from its default ON to OFF. That did 
the trick. Now I get no erratic or intermittent behavior when DXB reads the 
VFOs while in Split mode. So, if you have an Icom radio and start seeing 
problems with your VFOs changing frequencies after DXB reads them try 
turning the CIV Transceive OFF and see if the problem goes away.
As always thanks again to Joe - for updating the Icom drivers in the 
radios.ini file and for jumping in to help me resolve my issue. Turns out 
his driver settings were not the problem, but I still appreciate his taking 
an interest in my problem and trying to help me get it solved. Great 
support!
73,
Gary AL9A
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary AL9A" <al9a at mtaonline.net>
To: "DXbase Reflector" <dxbase at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: October 20, 2011 3:04 PM
Subject: [Dxbase] Icom Split OK driver problem
> Wanted to check with folks on the reflector to see if any have noticed
> this with Icom radios and the new SPLITOK drivers. This morning I was
> calling CQ on 10M and quickly developed a sizeable pile up on SSB that 
> made
> me decide to go Split. I hit Split on my IC-7600 and announced to the 
> pile
> up where I was listening. I soon noticed a problem with the way DXB2006,
> using the IC7600_SPLITOK driver, was handling the radio communication.
>> When I would enter a call and hit TAB to move to the RSTs field DXB would
> correctly record the receive frequency from VFO A in the Frequency field 
> and
> the Spit frequency in the Notes field. But, on some occasions, after
> recording the frequencies in the log, the frequency of VFO A on the radio
> would change to match the frequency of VFO B. This left me with both 
> VFO's
> on the transmit frequency and I could not hear the reply from the station 
> I
> had just called as I had now been QSY's to a different frequency! This
> happened often enough that I had to quit running Split and return to 
> Simplex
> operation as I simply could not manage the pile up with the receive VFO
> jumping frequency to match that of the transmit VFO.
>> After lunch I tried running in Split mode again off the air and entered 
> some
> dummy calls on other bands and am seeing the same behavior, so it is not
> just 10M. Also the radio is in receive at this time so it is not RFI
> related. It is intermittent in nature, darn it! Sometimes it works fine
> and leaves the VFO's set in the split offset frequencies. But many times
> the receive frequency VFO is reset to match the Tx VFO which is a big
> problem in a pile up.
>> On the IC-7600 the Rx VFO is highlighted in solid white numbers, slightly
> larger than the Tx VFO numbers that are a solid gray. When the TAB key is
> hit in DXB the Tx VFO frequency numbers are briefly highlighted in the 
> large
> solid white font and then the display returns to normal. I'm guessing the
> jump from one VFO to the other is DXB reading the Tx VFO frequency. But
> then when the Rx VFO is again selected in solid white numbers as the main
> VFO, the frequency will sometimes change. The IC-7600 has a CHANGE button
> on the front panel that when pressed and held will sync both VFO's to the
> same frequency. Except holding this button changes the Tx frequency to
> match the Rx frequency. What is happening here is the Rx frequency is 
> being
> changed to match the Tx frequency!
>> Any clue as to what may be causing this? As it is now if I'm going to 
> call
> CQ and get a pile up going I must stay simplex if using the IC7600_SPLITOK
> driver or change the driver back to the original IC-7600 driver which will
> not change the VFO frequencies, but will not record the Split frequency
> condition in the Notes field.
>> 73,
> Gary AL9A
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