Sunday, June 12, 2016

ICOM IC-7300 setting for Meteor Scatter and digimodes

If You having troubles getting IC-7300 on digimodes, here's a short tutorial "how to" simply and effective.
Although it's another new family ICOM radio, they made changes in PC communication.
As You remember when using IC-7100 we were obliged to use separate Virtual COM port software to get running on 7100 on TX via CAT command. Things are slightly different in 7300, I would say they simplify the settings.
There's only need to choose right settings in TRX descibed below.

Starting with USB Driver download from ICOM's page
Remeber not to connect your TRX prior to have USB driver installed. Well, it will not kill You ;-) but can make some trubles installing USB driver properly.
After positive instalation You'll get Windows Device manager screen like this :


Of course the numbers of the port will be set depending of your PC. This is the port we will use to connect the 7300 for sending CAT commands and other things.

Now time to set some things inside TRX. Enter the MENU, SET, and choose the CONNECTORS label.

NOTE: These setting are valid, assuming You will use 7300 for digi modes work using PC. If other interfaces - we need to change other settings as well.

Position to change : ACC/USB AF Output level - set it according to your PC needs to have proper level of audio signal steering the software You are using.

Position to change : USB MOD level - a level of the PC signal going into TRX - check with ALC readings on TX and power meter in radio.

This is page 3 of 4 where we change default settings, obviously we need to choose USB as DATA MOD port.

And finally position which will help us to key 7300 TX via USB COM port installed lately.
You can simply choose which type of Serial command line will key the TRX. We have "Data Terminal Ready" line (DTR) and "Request To Send" (RTS) lines. Choose according to your software settings.

This is it. Now the radio is ready to get PTT signals from MS/digi software.
For Meteor scatter digi modes I am using MSHV software developed by LZ2HV, and this is how the settings look like :


All we need is to set the COM port number installed previously, set the speed accordingly, and check DTR or RTS line same as TRX settings.

As You can see, LZ2HV offers direct CAT communication with TRX. Althought there's IC-7100 on the list already, it will not work with 7300. I am pretty sure that LZ2HV will expand RIG list soon.

We are done! GL with MS/digi.

4 comments:

  1. A great help, at long last I can TX JT65 using WSJT-X.
    This was the best web page I have seen, for getting the IC-7300 going using WSJT-X.

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  2. I Just found your page Great stuff
    I have the IC-7300 running on HF bands and 4m JT65 using WSJTX
    The 6m band receives, switches to transmit but no audio output.
    I have it running on the IC-7100 all OK.
    I am baffled Any ideas

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    Replies
    1. Can You describe me exactly what is the problem but on e-mail? Tested all possible software and did not found any bugs, except WSJT RX/TX 5s transition delay.
      Call at gmail will be OK.
      73 Greg

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  3. Grzegorz, dziękuję za skuteczną pomoc telefoniczną w uruchomieniu FT8 na IC-7300 po kablu USB. Pozdrawiam - Mietek SP3CMX

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