Basic AGWPE Setup

Sound Card Packet

Introduction
    AGWPE=20 Overview
    More = about=20 AGWPE
1. Interface
   Getting=20 Started
    Kits = and=20 Pre-assembled
    Receive = Audio=20 Cable
    Transmit = Audio=20 Cable
    PTT = (TX=20 Control) Cable
    2 = Radio=20 Modification
2. AGWPE Set Up
    = Download and = Install
    Basic = AGWPE=20 Setup
    2 = Radio=20 Setup
    2 = Card=20 Setup
3. Sound Card Setup
    Basic=20 Settings
    Additional=20 Settings
    Tuning=20 Aid
4. Windows=99 Setup
    TCP/IP = Settings
    Update=20 Windows
5. Problems?
    Program=20 Behavior
    Receiving=
   =20 Transmitting<= /A>
   =20 Connecti= ons=20
6. Using AGWPE
    AGWPE = on a=20 Network
=   =20 Baud Rates=20 & Modes
    Remote=20 Control
    TCP/IP = Over=20 Radio
    Tips and = Tricks
    Traffic=20 Parameters
7. Compatible Programs:
    = Setup=20 Help
    UI-View
   =20 WinAPRS<= B>
   =20 Winpack<= B>
   =20 Others  =20

Basic AGWPE Program = Setup

One Radio to One Sound Card

= Navigating=20 in AGWPE
Configuring=20 the Radio Port Properties
Configuring=20 the Sound Card

AGWPE uses the concept of Radio=20 Ports to define how it will interface with a radio. An = AGWPE radio=20 port is created for each TNC, radio modem or sound card channel = that AGWPE=20 will manage. This page will show you how to setup an AGWPE sound card radio port in just a few = minutes. Note=20 that to complete your configuration, you will need to decide which = RS-232=20 port (COM or LPT) you plan to use for PTT control, in other words, = where=20 your PTT cable will connect to the computer. Usually this is an = unused COM=20 port. See PTT = Cable=20 for more information.

Before starting AGWPE, always = close:

any programs that might be using the = serial=20 or parallel port you plan to use for PTT control=20
any programs that might be accessing the = sound=20 card

a. Navigating in = AGWPE

When you start the AGW=20 Packet Engine.exe program for the first time, you will = be=20 greeted with a Packet Engine banner = all in gold=20 and a Software License Agreement which you must accept. The banner = will=20 disappear in a few seconds or you can click on it once to speed = things=20 up. At this point, you will = discover that=20 AGWPE does not put an open Window on your desktop, nor will there = be a=20 button on the bottom Task Bar of your screen. Instead, = all you=20 will find is the AGWPE tower icon on your Windows System Tray = at the bottom=20 right of your screen. This icon is your only access to = AGWPE=20 when it is running! To help you find it, a yellow = pop-up=20 'balloon' message points to the icon when AGWPE = starts.

To change any of AGWPE's = configurations,=20 left or right click on the AGWPE icon = to bring up AGWPE's = pop-up=20 menu:

Note: The Sound Card Tuning Aid option on the = menu
will be grayed out until you create and configure a "radio = port"
as described below.

b. Create=20 and Configure an AGWPE Radio = Port

The = first step in=20 working with AGWPE is to create and configure a radio port for a = sound=20 card channel and its associated radio. From = the AGWPE=20 menu, select Properties. A blank RadioPort Selection window will=20 open. Press the New Port button on the right. A message window will = appear:=20 A New TncPort File Has Been = Created. Click OK to close=20 the message and move on.

The = Properties for Port`1 = window should now appear. Remember that AGWPE also can = manage TNCs=20 and radio modems, so some of the fields on this screen will not = pertain to=20 sound cards. The field outlined in red will be the key fields for = a sound=20 card radio port. Follow the step below in filling out the=20 fields:

1. Make the following selections first on = this screen=20 (i.e. TNC Setup tab):

Select=20 Port enter the port where you = will attach=20 your PTT=20 cable, e.g. COM1 or LPT1; = see notes=20 below *

TNC=20 Radioport:
Port = Description you can overwrite the = current=20 description for Port 1 and enter a description of your own = choice,=20 e.g. Icom=20 1200=20 = Packet

* Notes about Port = selections=20 (COM & LPT):

To select a parallel port = scroll to the bottom of the port=20 list =20
If you are=20 setting up a receive-only installation or using a = SignaLink=20 interface or other audio-controlled PTT interface and don't = want to=20 tie up a real port for a PTT line you won't be using, the AGW = software=20 will accept non-existent parallel = port=20 assignments, but not non-existent serial = ports.=20

2. You can leave all other selections at = their=20 defaults, including Serial Port/ = Modem Baud=20 Rate, which is not used for sound = cards.

3. Now go to the TNC = Type=20 field in the top middle of the screen and use the pull down list = to select=20 "Sound = Card".

c. = Settings on the=20 Sound Card Setup screen:

When = you select=20 "Sound Card" for your TNC=20 Type (or if press the Options = button in=20 the middle of the TNC setup window, = underneath=20 TNC subtype), the program will bring = up the=20 SoundCard Modem/TNC Setup window = which looks=20 like this:

1. Baud Rates: = Note that=20 your sound card is capable of supporting two radio ports using its = left=20 and right audio channels. If you are only using one radio, it will = be Port=20 1 on the left channel. Set the left channel baud rate for = the rate=20 you plan to use, i.e. 300=20 baud for HF SSB work; or 1200, = 2400,=20 4800, or 9600 for VHF/UHF = work.=20

Assuming that you will not be = using the=20 right channel for a second radio connection, set the right channel = rate=20 for a baud rate different from the = one you have=20 chose for the left channel. This may prevent the possibility of = future=20 problems. (If you will be connecting to 2 radios, see Configuri= ng=20 AGWPE for 2 Radios. )

2. Sound Card = Selection: Use=20 the pull down menu to select the sound card device you will be = using with=20 AGWPE. You may see other choices, such as a telephone modem (don't = use) or=20 another another card if you have two.

3. For now leave = the other=20 fields at their defaults:

Full Duplex = Driver: The=20 Full Duplex Driver box should be = checked.=20 Most recent sound cards are full-duplex capable. If you later = encounter=20 transmitting problems, you may need to un-check the Full Duplex Driver box. This is likely to = apply=20 only to older sound cards; see Problems=20 with Connections for more about this.=20
Sound Card = Clock: This=20 setting is used if you have problems receiving distant stations; = see the=20 P= roblems=20 with Receiving page for more information, but for now leave = the=20 setting at 4, the default.

Now press the OK = button to=20 return to the Properties for Port1 = window but do not close it yet.

4. Note that, by default, AGWPE has created = two sound=20 card radio ports. To avoid future operating problems, = change the setting from = Dual Port to SinglePort=20 in the = TNC Control Commands section of=20 the Properties = for=20 Port1 window. (Doesn't apply = if you=20 really will be connectin= g=20 to 2 Radio).

For a simple, first time installation, all = other=20 selections can remain "as is" (use the default selections), = including=20 those in the Tnc Commands tab window = in the=20 Properties for Port1 window and any = other=20 selections on the AGWPE menu.

5. Now press the OK button=20 at the bottom of the Properties for = Port1=20 window. You should get a popup message telling you to restart the = program,=20 so click on the Packet Engine icon = once again and select 'Exit'. Now restart AGWPE. The Packet Engine icon should once again appear, = but in addition=20 you should now see a TNC icon next to it. This new icon = represents your=20 new sound card Radio Port.

d. Editing a Port's Properties

If you want to change a setting in the Radio = Port's=20 configuration, click on the AGWPE icon to call up the menu, select = Properties, and then click on the radio = port you want=20 to change. Then click OK and edit the fields in the Properties for Portx=20 window.

e. Problems?

Any time you have trouble starting or = configuring=20 AGWPE, it is often best to close AGWPE and delete all port*.ini files and the=20 agwpe.ini file in your AGWPE directory/folder. Then = restart and=20 re-configure AGWPE from the very beginning. =
=20
If you don't see this TNC icon=20 , you probably have a = conflict with=20 another program or device:
- Make sure that the COM or LPT port you = have select=20 in AGWPE is not already dedicated to another device, for = example, an=20 internal modem or printer) or has been "captured" by another = program=20 (for example, your Palm Pilot's "Hot Sync Manager". You'll = have to=20 resolve any conflicts by either closing the other program, = disabling=20 the device, or selecting another port for AGWPE's PTT=20 control.
- Make sure that no other program is = running and=20 using the the sound card. =

For further help in resolving port=20 conflicts, go to the Problems=20 with Program Behavior page on this = site.

Configure= =20 AGWPE for one sound card and 2 radios
Config= ure=20 AGWPE for 2 Sound Cards

Last Updated: 06/23/2008=20

Return = to=20 Top of = Page