UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide for UIView

Andrei UZ7HO’s sound card modem currently has the following features:
1. 300 or 1200 bd packet operation, configurable by port.
2. Supports internal Soundcards or external USB Soundcards
3. Runs under XP. Vista or Windows 7, without any need for installation.
4. Uses existing preinstalled device driver files for soundcards
5. Emulates SV2AGW packet engine, in TCP mode and can be used as a direct replacement.
6. Dual Channel operation, for unconnected nets.
7. Supports multiple decoder pairs per channel (explanation later)
8. Supports Com port 1~10 or parallel ports 1~3 for PTT triggering
9. Supports VOX (in the case of Signalink Modems)
10. Menu config for basic settings
11. .ini file for extended options

The software is still in beta and Andrei is churning out versions rapidly as it gets tweaked.
It is has become quite stable in the last few weeks as Andrei has got to the bottom of a few Vista and
Win7 bugs.

The application is provided as a zipped single executable, which when extracted and placed in a folder,
can be run. It needs no “installation” and creates the .ini file when the application is run.
The application provides dual channel operation and dual waterfalls, so different spot frequencies can
be monitored for decoding. Either channel or waterfall can be disabled if not required.
Each channel starts off as a single decoder, however, the number of decoders can be increased in pairs
either side of the “standard” decoder (subject to CPU “horsepower”, the more enabled, the more
resources used).
This allows parallel decoding of “off frequency” transmissions either side of the centre spot frequency.
The default step, at the moment, is 30Hz per decoder pair and it is possible to add up to 16 additional
decoders per channel (8 either side of the centre decoder, giving approx ±270Hz decoding bandwidth
per channel on Rx (Similar effect to the SCS tracker modems) of strong signals. The decoder pairs are
enabled in multiples of 2, i.e. one pair either side of the centre pair.
Note: Enabling more decoders than the CPU can handle will cause instability, this will exhibit itself as
random locks of the s/w, and horizontal bars in the “quiet” areas of the waterfall.
If parallel decoding is to be used, it is better to increase the number of decoders a step at a time, to
ensure reliable operation.
DCD only works on the centre spot frequency.

Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 1

In the frame grab above, the window is split into 5 layers:
1. Menu Bar
Provides access to configuration and settings
2. Hold Pointer (Spot Frequency slider lock), DCD threshold and DCD indicators.
(It should not be necessary to adjust the DCD threshold)
3. Monitor Window
Shows Tx packets and Decoded Rx frames. Each displayed frame is prefixed with the applicable
port number
4. Status Window
(This only works on connected nets)
5. Waterfalls
Channel 1 at the top, channel 2 below. (The window above shows packets received. The
green/yellow area is the spectrum in use (I use a narrow packet filter on my TS2K, so hence
the full spectrum is not shown). Data is shown as red.
Once run, the application creates a .ini in the same folder, which allows some tweaking of the settings.
However, the basic default settings that are created will serve most people and the settings menu
provides access to the general settings to configure the application.

Menu Bar - Settings:

The Settings Menu provides access to the following:
1. Output volume* sets the Tx output (mic)level . As with any packet mode, adjust for minimum
ALC deflection
2. Input Volume* Adjust for moderate density of monochrome waterfall. If using colour
waterfalls, you should set for green with some yellow patterning in receive state and red when
data is detected.
3. Devices
4. Modems
*These don’t do anything if the sound card doesn’t support them (as in the case of the Signalink
USB, where levels are set by front panel potentiometers)

UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide (v0.25b) – Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 2
 Device Menu
The Devices menu offers the following:

Select the appropriate I/O device from the drop down list to use the relevant soundcard as a
modem. In Windows Vista/7 these can be separate to the default sound card.
Select Dual channel if required.
The Sampling rates can be left at their defaults.
Tx Rotation – this prohibits the sending of multiple transmissions on the same channel, and forces
packets to be sent sequentially. Mostly for older soundcards.
PTT Port – sets the serial or parallel port to be used for PTT switching.
If using serial ports, DTR is used for Channel 1, RTS is used for Channel 2
If using parallel ports, Pins 2 & 3 are used for Channel 1 and 8 & 9 are used for Channel 2.
If using a modem that supports VOX (e.g. Signalink USB), then this should be set to none to avoid
any conflicts.
Once these settings are changed, the modem should be closed and restarted.

Modems Menu
The Modems Menu offers the following:

Each modem can be configured individually and quickly from this window.
To change any feature from default, uncheck the box first.
Feature definitions are as follows :

UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide (v0.25b) – Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 3
 I. BPF Width*
This sets the width of the receive Bandpass filter in Hertz
II. TXBPF Width*
This sets the width of the transmit Bandpass filter in Hertz
III. LPF Width*
This sets the post detector bit stream filter, (Always AFSK Baud rate/2).
IV. BPF Taps
Band Pass Filter quality – increase/decrease in steps of 2. Increasing this will increase CPU
load but improve Q of filter. If this is reduced, the BPF value should also be reduced.
V. LPF Taps
Post detector bit stream filter quality – increase/decrease steps of 2. Increasing this will
increase CPU load but improve Q of filter.
VI. Modem Type
This sets the modem type (300bd or 1200bd).
VII. TXDelay
Sets the length of the lead in tones before the main packet of data is sent, defaults should
be ok, but can be fined tuned to allow for radios that have a longer or shorter delay in
switching to Tx.
VIII. TXTail
Sets the hold time after the packet is sent before the radio switches back to receive. The
default value for this should be ok.
IX. Show Buttons
These give an indication of the current width and Q of the filters. Note that you have to
click “OK” to save changes you have made, close and reopen the modem window and then
click “Show” before you can see any changes you have made.
* These settings are automatically set to their optimal settings for the baud rate if the
“defaults” box is checked

Menu Bar – View:

This allows monitoring windows, status windows, status table and waterfalls to be toggled on or
off. By default, all are on.

About:
General “About” details – this shows the version number of the s/w

.ini file:
This is created when the application is run for the first time.
A sample ini file is below, with explanations in red.
ini file notes:
1
Set from Devices drop down window
2
Set in Modems drop down window
3
These items only appear if default boxes are unchecked and changes to the modem
configurations have been saved.
4
Enabled or disabled in the View window

UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide (v0.25b) – Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 4
 Note that some of the settings apply for “connected” communications, which for APRS (being an
unconnected net) do not apply.

Sample .ini file:

[Init]
PTT=NONE Selected PTT port1
DispMode=1 Waterfall colour, 0= Mono, 1= Colour
StatLog=1 Enables a log file for connections. n/a for unconnected nets like APRS1
SndRXDevice=4 ID of sound card used for Rx1
SndTXDevice=2 ID of sound card used for Tx1
RXSampleRate=11025 RX sample rate 1
TXSampleRate=11025 TX sample rate 1
DisableUnit=0 Used debug, disables various modules of the program. Leave @ 0
TXRotate=0 Prevents tones being Tx’d from both encoders at the same time. Set
to 1 to enable serial transmission1
DualChan=1 Single channel mode=0, Dual channel mode=11
TXBufNumber=16 Buffers allocated to Tx 16~64
RXBufNumber=16 Buffers allocated to Rx 16~64
[AX25] Standard AX25 settings, specific to the windows API – these generally
should not need adjustment.
Maxframe=3 Max number of frames transmitted at once
Retries=15 Maximum retries of frame sending
FrackTime=5 Interval between retries (in seconds)
IdleTime=180 Time (seconds) a link will remain idle before auto disconnect
(Connected Net)
SlotTime=100 Milliseconds, reset time for Persist timer.
Persist=64 Tx Probability, A larger number will increase probability, assuming
DCD doesn’t detect a signal If a signal is present, the Modem waits
slottime before restarting the persist timer. Values = 32~255. 64 is a
good value for a digi
RespTime=2000 Wait time for an ACK (Connected Net)
[Modem]
Default1=0 Modem 1 running in custom settings2
Default 2=1 Modem 2 running in default settings2
DCDThreshold=32 This should not need adjustment, (set in Devices drop down)
HoldPnt=0 Spot freq sliders, 1= locked, set in main screen check box
RXFreq1=1700 Channel 1 spot frequency (set by slider). Set at 1700 for KAM tones
and use published dial frequencies.
RXFreq2=1800 Channel 2 spot frequency (set by slider)
AFC=32 AFC for bit generator – do not adjust
TxDelay1=250 Set Modem 1 transmit lead in time in mS2
TxDelay2=250 Set Modem 2 transmit lead in time in mS2
TxTail1=50 Set Modem 1 transmit lead out time in mS2
TxTail2=50 Set Modem 2 transmit lead out time in mS2
Diddles=0 Default is 0. Do not adjust.

UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide (v0.25b) – Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 5
 NRRcvrPairs1=0 Sets the number of additional decoder s in use in Channel 1. 0=1
central decoder, 1=3 decoders (centre plus one either side of centre),
2 = 5 decoders, 3=7 decoders, 4=9 decoders upto 8=17 decoders. Use
this setting with caution!
NRRcvrPairs2=3 As above, for Channel 2
RcvrShift=30 Sets the shift from the adjacent “inner” decoder pair centre frequency
for each additional decoder pair enabled
ModemType1=0 Set Modem 1 Type. 0= 300Bd 1=1200bd2
ModemType2=0 Set Modem 1 Type. 0= 300Bd 1=1200bd2
BPF1=500 Modem 1 Rx Band Pass setting in Hz (set in Modems Menu)2,3
TXBPF1=450 Modem 1 TX Band Pass Filter 2,3
LPF1=150 Modem 1 Post detector bit stream filter, AFSK Baud rate/2 2,3
BPFTap1=256 Modem 1 Band Pass Filter quality – increase/decrease in steps of 2 2,3
LPFTap1=128 Modem 1 Post detector bit stream filter quality – increase/decrease
steps of 2. Increasing this will increase CPU load but improve Q of
filter. 2,3
BPF2=500 Modem 2 Rx Band Pass setting in Hz 2,3
TXBPF2=450 Modem 2 TX Band Pass Filter 2,3
LPF1=150 Modem 2 Post detector bit stream filter, AFSK Baud rate/2 2,3
BPFTap2=256 Modem 2 Band Pass Filter quality – increase/decrease in steps of 2 2,3
LPFTap2=128 Modem 2 Post detector bit stream filter quality – increase/decrease
steps of 2. Increasing this will increase CPU load but improve Q of
filter. 2,3
[AGWHost]
Server=1 Enables AGW host mode (0=disabled)
Port=8000 TCP port used for the AGW server.
[Window]
Top=404 Vertical position of the top edge of the window
Left=225 Horizontal position of the left edge of the window
Height=543 Window Height
Width=668 Window Width
Waterfall1=1 Channel 1 waterfall, 1=enable, 0=disable4
Waterfall2=1 Channel 2 waterfall, 1=enable, 0=disable4
StatTable=1 Show stat table, 1=enable, 0=disable4
Monitor=1 Show Monitor Window, 1=enable, 0=disable4

Interfacing Notes:
The Sound card modem supports Host or Kiss (The AGW API defines this as RAW) TCP connections. In
RAW/KISS mode BPQ or UIView are easily supported and will support dual channel operation.
Applications that use Host mode to connect to the Soundcard Modem will only be provided with a
single channel.
The Soundcard Modem not does support the Direct Data Extension (DDE) mode used by Winpack.

Using with UI-View.

UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide (v0.25b) – Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 6
Configuration is simple. Run the Soundcard modem on a PC connected to the appropriate soundcard
and radio.
Configure UIView Comms set up to use AGW Host mode:

If you are using the UZ7HO sound card modem in the same PC as you are running UIView, then the
host machine should be set to “localhost”, as I run UIView in a Virtual Machine on an Windows 7 host,
UIView is directed to the IP address of the Host to pick up the SCM TCP traffic. No password is
required. Ensure that the Port in UIView also matches the Port= setting in soundmodem.ini file,
otherwise no traffic will flow.
Ensure that the correct Unproto port is set in UIView for transmission:

UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide (v0.25b) – Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 7
UIView Unproto Port 1 = Channel 1 on the Soundcard Modem.
If in doubt, refer to the AGW help files within UIView, as this provides all the necessary set up
information.

UZ7HO Soundcard Modem Setup Guide (v0.25b) – Compiled by Jon Eyes, G7OMN Page 8