RE: [linrad] Front end for Linrad

[leif@xxxxxxxxxx]

> I find the parameter setup somewhat confusing and cryptic.
Did you use the F1 help key on each parameter?
Maybe the best thing would be to make the texts longer in
the help.lir file. If you have an idea what would be a better
explanation please send a note to this list in each case.
I will happily change the help messages and having a little
discussion here on the list on each of them could help to
make the text informative and complete.

The most complete setup instruction is here:
http://www.sm5bsz.com/linuxdsp/qex/040102qex020.pdf
but more specialized info is scattered at the Linrad home
page in a unsystematic way.

Linrad is quite complicated and can be set up im many different
ways, not only for regular usage as a radio receiver. It does not
have much prejudice on what it assumes that the operator wants.

> BTW where does Linrad save it's paramater files? I found copies of them 
> in various directories in my install.
All files are in the currently logged directory, i.e. the place
from where Linrad was started. There are three types of parameters.

1) Hardware related. Reside in par_userint.
Once these are selected, there is no reason to ever change them
unless you change hardware.

2) Mode related Reside in par_mode (mode = wcw, ssb, fm, am,...)
These parameters select what receiver architecture Linrad should
have. If you want the noise blanker or not etc. It also sets
transform sizes and memory allocation for how long averaging times
you may use. Once something that works on the particular hardware
has been found, there should be no reason to change these parameters.

3) Window related parameters. Reside in par_mode_xxx
Each processing block has a window associated to it. The operator
is assumed to change these parameters on the fly with the mouse.
Some parameters are saved to the file, other have default parameters
that originate in the mode parameters.

You may install linrad in its default directory. Once the linrad
executable is sucessfully produced, copy it to /usr/bin or some other
place in your path so you can reach it from anywhere just typing
linrad (or some other convenient name. I use "l")

It is then possible to have full parameter sets that are different
in separate directories. Each directory has to have the correct
version of the .lir files to give correct help and error messages.
In case you want to run different hardwares from the same computer,
then you can have a separate directory for each one. In text mode
you can have 6 different versions of Linrad executing simultaneously.
Switch with alt and a num key. Two of them can not read or write
to the same sound device simultaneously and all except the one
that control of the svgalib screen will wait for access to the screen
causing overrun errors so having more than one copy running is not
of much practical usage.

To copy a all parameters to a new directory, type: cp par* dest.
To copy all calibration files, type: cp dsp* dest.

Maybe the best solution is to find someone who has similar hardware
and wants to do similar things, then ask for his par* (preferrably
as a tar archive)

The windows on the processing screens do not use any more space than
absolutely necessary. The info you need should be presented with 
the F1 help key and if it is too cryptic please suggest changes.

Screen space is a very limited resource. There is a need for some tx
controls and for antenna rotors, decoded messages (cw, digital modes)
The idea is to have many stations decoded simultaneously, not only
the current qso partner. All of it has to be on the screen simultaneously
so I do my best to not place any excess information on it.

Many things can be made more user-friendly with limited effort
once linrad has become multi-threaded. With the current architecture
it is not trivial, Linrad has developed gradually and I am not a 
programmer so many things are rather clumsy and difficult to work 
with for historical reasons only.

73

Leif


LINRADDARNIL