Introduction

Quick Start

Basic Operation

Using the Callsign Entry Form

Understanding the Status Bar

Using Macros

Macro Characters

Options

Menu Reference

Advanced Tips

Example CQ File

Example Macros

Reporting Problems

About WD5GNR

Supporting the PSKGNR Effort

PSKGNR is a 32-bit Windows program that works in conjunction with PSK31. To use PSKGNR here's what you need:

• The PSKGNR installation disk
• Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT
• PSK31SBW.EXE V1.06 or PSK31EVM.EXE V1.26

This document assumes you are moderately familiar with Windows and the PSK31 software.

To install PSKGNR you should download the two distribution ZIP files from the Web. Unzip these two files into the same directory. Then run SETUP.EXE. The setup program will install PSKGNR and any other files PSKGNR needs. If you have out of date files on your system, SETUP may ask you to reboot you computer and then resume setup. PSKGNR does not modify your PSK31 files in any way. If you wish to stop using PSKGNR, just don't run it -- you can continue using PSK31 as usual.

Once setup is complete, you can run the PSKGNR program. The first thing you'll want to do is set your options. Select Tools | Options and set your call sign and the number of hours difference between your computer's clock and UTC. You also need to specify the path to your PSK31 program (please include the name of the program as in: c:\psk31\psk31sbw.exe).

While you are on the options screen you should decide if you want to use PSKGNR's function keys or PSK31's function keys. If you are new to PSK, you'll probably want to leave this function at the default. However, if you have used PSK31 for a long time, you can check the Use PSK31 Function Keys box. This makes PSKGNR send PSK31 commands when you press F1-F8 so that you don't have to learn new keyboard commands. IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU TURN THIS OPTION ON, PSKGNR's FUNCTION KEYS BECOME CONTROL KEYS. So if you turn this option on, and this manual says to press F8 you will really be pressing Control+F8. If this option is off, Control+F8 sends the F8 command (tune) to PSK31.

Once your options are set, exit the program and restart it to be sure everything is set correctly. If you want to practice using PSKGNR, just keep your transmitter turned off and you can try it out without broadcasting on the air.

When you start PSKGNR, it will look for a running copy of PSK31. If it finds one, it will attach to that copy. If it doesn't find one it will launch the program and then attach to it. Either way, you should wind up with PSKGNR and PSK31 both running. You may need to shuffle windows or move and resize windows to make sure both programs are visible at the same time. When you have the windows the way you like, select Tools | Save Window Setup (PSKGNR will also save settings when you close it, but only if you have not closed PSK31 yet).

Using PSKGNR is easy. Just type what you want to send into the PSKGNR window. When you want to send press F9 or click the Send button. If you want to switch to receive, press F10 or click the Receive button (remember to use Control+F9 and Control+F10 if you have the PSK31 function key option set). You can press F10 before you press F9 if you like. Then when you do press F9, PSKGNR will send all the text up to the F10 and then switch to receive mode. Anything you type after the F10 key press will wait until you press F9 again. When you press F10 to switch to receive mode, you will see a special character ("\" by default) to indicate the switch to receive. PSKGNR does not send this character, it only appears for your benefit.

If all you want is a type-ahead buffer, you don't need to learn any more features. You can use the buttons at the bottom left of the screen to send your call, a time and date stamp, or a serial number. The second button from the left will send the other station's call if you have set it (press F12; see below). To change either call, or the serial number, right click or Shift+Click the corresponding button. If you don't want to use the buttons at all, select Tools | Options and unclick the Show buttons box.

A note about editing what you type. You can use the backspace key to change what you have typed. If the text has not been sent to PSK31 yet, the backspace is handled by PSKGNR. Otherwise, the backspace is sent to PSK31. Other editing is not allowed and the program will not allow you to change text already on the screen. You can move the cursor around and select text to copy to the clipboard (you can paste text in using the mouse, the Edit | Paste menu, or Control+V).

PSKGNR's keys are reprogrammable. However, if you haven't reprogrammed them, here are the basic keys you can use:

When you make a contact, press F12 to view the callsign entry form. This form allows you to type the callsign of the station and the operator's name if you want. You can press the Lookup Now button to search for the call in the QRZ or other database (requires an Internet connection or the appropriate CDROM). If the Lookup check box is clicked, the program will automatically search when you close the callsign form. You can also search at any time using the Lookup Now button.

The copy button copies the callsign into the system clipboard. This is useful if you want to paste the call into another program (like a logging program) or recall it into the buffer using Control+V instead of F3.

Notice that when you enter a new callsign, the program clears the operator's name so you don't inadvertently use the wrong name.

You can control the way the callsign entry form behaves by pressing the More button. This will show options that allow you to set the URL used to lookup callsigns, force the callsign to uppercase, and set Internet search on or off by default. You can also force PSKGNR to copy entered callsigns into the clipboard automatically. PSKGNR remembers your settings.

You can bring up the callsign entry form from the menu, using F12, or by clicking the name or callsign windows in the status bar (see below). You can also Shift+Click the second button at the bottom of the screen.

Beginning with Version 1.22 you can use the callsign form as a palette. Press More and check the Palette mode check box. When checked, the callsign form will remain on the screen until you explicitly close it.

QRZ NOTE: If you wish to use the QRZ CDROM, you must have QRZ32.DLL on your computer (or copy the one from your QRZ CDROM to your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory). You must also enable CDROM lookup by opening the callsign form, press More, and Lookup Data to select the QRZ CDROM.

FLYING HORSE NOTE: If you wish to use the Flying Horse CDROM, you must have RACCD32A.DLL on your computer in the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory or the directory where PSKGNR resides. You must also enable CDROM lookup by opening the callsign form, press More, and Lookup Data to select the Flying Horse CDROM. You'll also need to modify the information on this screen to indicate your CDROM's drive letter.

BUCKMASTER NOTE: If you wish to use the Buckmaster CDROM, you must have HAMCAL32.DLL (from the API\WINDOWS directory) in your \WINDOWS|SYSTEM directory or the directory where PSKGNR resides. You must also enable CDROM lookup by opening the callsign form, press More, and Lookup Data to select the BuckMaster CDROM. You'll also need to modify the information on this screen to indicate the CDROM's drive letter. If your CDROM is, for example, drive D, the correct string is: *BUCK DRIVE=D:\HAM0.

At the very bottom of the PSKGNR screen is the status bar. To the left, the current time is available (set to time zone you set in the options). The next panel shows the callsign of the station you are working. You can click on the callsign panel to access the callsign entry form. Shift+Click will clear the callsign and the operator's name.

Next to the callsign is the operator's name. Clicking it will bring up the callsign entry form with the name field active. You can also Shift+Click this panel to clear the name.

The next panel will be gray to indicate receive mode or black to indicate transmitting mode. Notice that you can manually switch PSK31 to transmit and PSKGNR may not notice. This panel only shows if PSKGNR knows you are in transmit mode or not. If you don't use the PSK31 commands, this won't be a problem. Click on this panel to switch between TX and RX mode.

Following the TX panel is a panel that shows if you are in BPSK or QPSK mode. You can click on this panel to toggle the mode.

The final panel shows the elapsed transmit time if you have the option Show Elapsed Time on Status Bar set.

If you want to use the default macros, you can just press the corresponding function key. However, you may want to modify the existing macros or add new ones. One way to do this is to select Tools | Options and then enter the macros in from that screen. The second tab is for normal function keys (or Control+Function key if you have the PSK31 keys option set). The third tab always sets the macros for Shift+Function key combinations.

In addition to setting the macros from the options screen, you can also send and modify macros from the Macro Palette (in the tools menu). This palette shows all 20 macros. You can select any macro and modify it in the box at the bottom of the palette. You can also send a macro by selecting it and pushing Send or double clicking it. Once you send a macro, you are returned to the main screen, but the palette stays open.

When editing a macro in the macro palette, you can press Enter to accept your changes or Esc to cancel them. Changing to another macro will also accept your changes. When you press Send, PSKGNR uses the macro as it appears in the list, so if you have not accepted changes yet, you will send the unchanged macro.

The palette has two option check boxes at the bottom. The Expand box causes macros to appear in an expanded form (unless they expand to blanks). The Auto Show box causes the macro palette to appear whenever PSKGNR starts. To close the macro palette, click the X button at the top right corner of the window.

You can use several macro characters in any macro (or file) that you wish. These characters are not interpreted when you simply type them in.

PSKGNR has many options. Here is a summary of the main options:

• You can prepare files with macro commands in them and send them using the Xmit | File menu. It is not necessary to use ^N in files (although you can)
• A macro can send a file instead of supplying text. Simply make the first character an @ sign followed by the full path to the file. For example:

• Right-click on text to see a menu of actions (copy, paste, insert time and date).
• If PSKGNR has found PSK31, the Tools | Launch/Find PSK31SBW option will be gray. If PSKGNR does not know where the PSK31 window is, the option will be dark and you click on it to have PSKGNR find PSK31 or rerun it if necessary.
• Use Alt+PQ to send CQ
• Using the Convert 0 to Ø option may confuse computers that use this special character for something else (including the other station's computer). You may wish to turn this option off if you work DX (especially Eastern European stations)
• You can program more than one character to a key. So to make an autoincrement serial number, for example, use ^5^6. For a contest you might program: UR 599-^5 599-^5^6 QSL? BK
• PSKGNR can't tell where PSK31 will wrap the lines so don't press Enter. Use PSKGNR just like a word processor -- only hit Enter a the end of a paragaph.
• If you aren't sure what something does, let your mouse hover over it -- chances are you'll see a baloon with help text in it.

This file starts transmitting, uses your call sign, and a date stamp, then switches to receive. You could assign it to a macro key with "@c:\pskgnr\cq.txt".

^9CQ CQ CQ de ^2 ^2 ^2
CQ CQ CQ de ^2 ^2 ^2
CQ CQ CQ de ^2 ^2 ^2
^4
K

^0

If you have problems with PSKGNR, feel free to contact me. It is helpful if you tell me what OS you are running (Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, etc.), what version of PSKGNR you are using, and what version of PSK31 you are using. Other details (memory, etc.) are helpful too. You can email me from the PSK31 Help menu or at alw@al-williams.com. Keep in mind that PSKGNR is a freebie, and while we try to support it, it might take a while to get back with you.

I'm Al Williams, WD5GNR. Some of you know me as the C++ columnist from Visual Developer magazine (www.coriolis.com). Some of you know me as the Java columnist for Web Techniques (www.webtechniques.com). Some of you know me from books I've written Like DOS 6: A Developer's Guide or MFC Black Book. Still others know about the microprocessor tools my consulting firm (AWC) markets. Even more of you have no idea who I am. If you really care -- and I have no idea why you would -- have a look at http://www.al-williams.com.

Some of you have asked about supporting this effort. I'm not looking for money for this program. However, if you insist on doing something, consider donating to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital which helps kids (often at no charge) who have leukemia and cancer. My dad died from leukemia and this was his favorite charity -- they are good folks there and leukemia is a tough illness for anyone, especially a child. Don't send any money to me! Send it right to St. Jude's! Look for them at www.stjude.org If you like, you can make the gift in memorial of Cecil Williams, but that's strictly up to you. Thanks for helping.