Whats new with HamPAL 08JAN06: ============================= HamPAL 08JAN06 is now available for download from the internet: http://members.iinet.net.au/~crac/HamPAL.zip HamPal 08JAN06 by Erik VK4AES ================================== This version was released in January 2006. It is primarilly used to digitally transfer images using the DRM mode. Many new features have been added. This version requires the screen resolution to be at least 1024x768. The older 17MAY05 version is still available and it may be run with a screen resolution of 800x600 or greater. Erik had a lightning strike that destroyed his computer and some of his amateur equipment. The hard drives with the only source code for all his programs have been sent to a commercial recovery company and they could not recover anything. The drives have been sent to a second company. If the source code can be recovered, Erik may continue his development of HamPal. ================= For general information on the use of HamPAL, see the presentation at: http://www.tima.com/~djones/hampal06.htm ================= When receiving an DRM transmission with HamPAL 08JAN06 from a station with a 0 (zero) in the call, this call will appear as a slashed zero in the received call sign area in the upper left corner of the screen. It will also appear with a slashed zero in the Session and Log. You should not attempt to use a slashed zero when entering a call into the configuration or options. The regular zero in the call is automatically converted only on receive with this version. ================= HamPAL 08JAN06 offers the option for CAT PTT for selected rigs. ================= WebCam - When activated, it allows remote systems to access your system to send a live image captured using a Microsoft WDM Image Capture device. I use the Logitech QuickCam Chat that connects to the USB port. It sells for $30 at Staples. ALDI stores have been selling the Tevion Video Chat for $16.99. Many HamPAL users have been using this as both a webcam within HamPAL and as an TWAIN image capture device within HamPAL. To activate: 1 The Windows drivers for the device must be installed. 2 Click "File", "Activate Auto WebCam", and "OK" to close the window with the instructions. 3 A live camera image should appear in the upper left corner of your screen. 4 Right click this image to reveal the menu. 5 Select "Settings" and "FTP". Leave all three check boxes, unchecked and click "OK" to close this window. This step should not be necessary in the future. 6 Right click this image again to reveal the menu. 7 Select "Settings" and "Image". Enter your call in the "Text Overlay" window if you want it to appear in the transmitted image. Click "Apply" and "OK" to close this window. This step should not be necessary in the future if you do not want to make any changes. 8 Right click this image again to reveal the menu. 9 Click "Run". Now ACTIVATE AS BASE REPEATER. (See next section). ================= Repeater function: To access the controls, select "Show Repeater Options" under "Setup". A new dropdown menu appears listed as "Repeater". From this "Repeater" menu, select "ACTIVATE AS BASE REPEATER". Click "OK". "Unattended operation" under "Setup" will automatically be turned on to avoid the "Error" dialog box because this message will prevent the repeater from operating. HamPAL can now act as an SSTV repeater, automatically receiving pictures, sending BSR's, replaying pictures as requested without an operator assisting. Once the repeater successfully receives a file, it may transmit the waterfall message "FILE-OK". Other Repeater features are listed below. ================= Repeater Beacon - When activated, it will send out the audio from the file "beacon.wav". This may be a voice message, text in the waterfall, or an image in the waterfall. Create the file "beacon.wav" and place it in the HamPAL folder. You must "ACTIVATE AS BASE REPEATER" then select "Repeater SETUP". Check "Beacon ON" and enter a number for the time interval in minutes for the period between beacon transmissions. The first beacon transmission will begin immediately after clicking "OK". Repeat these steps each time you wish to re-activate the beacon. Note that the beacon will send the beacon message over any transmission including your own digital SSTV transmissions. ================= Repeater access is available from remote stations using special repeater access transmissions. To access these controls, select "Show Repeater Options" under "Setup". A new dropdown menu appears listed as "Repeater". Clicking any of the repeater access options from the "Repeater" menu will immediately start transmitting that command to any active HamPAL repeater on frequency. None of the repeater access transmissions include any waterfall messages other than the text, "HAMPAL". ================= "Interrogate External Repeater" will send out the file "a.r". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will automatically respond with a waterfall message: HELLO DE REPEATER After this will be the message contained in the "repeater.wav" file from the HamPAL folder if one exists on the repeater. Any HamPAL repeater that is "Activated Base Repeater" will generally respond with a waterfall message such as " Repeater". Use this function to check for active repeaters. If there is no "repeater.wav" file in the repeater's HamPAL folder, then there will only be the responce listed above. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. ================= "Request Repeat back file" will send out the file "b.r". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will automatically replay the last received file or any image loaded into the RX window in the same mode as the "Request Repeat back file" was sent. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. The "Request Repeat back file" should only be used after the repeater successfully receives a file. The repeater should have sent the waterfall message "FILE-OK". If someone at the repeater were to click on a thumbnail, the repeater may load a JPEG image into the RX window and this may result in a very long transmission when the repeater goes to "repeat back file". ================= "Ask Repeater to resend its BSR request" will send out the file "c.r". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will automatically respond with its BSR (if it has one to send). This should be used when it is apparent that the repeater has not successfully received the file because it has not responded with the waterfall message "FILE-OK" or the last BSR sent by the repeater could not be copied. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. Note that any "FIX" received by the repeater that was not requested by the repeater, may cause the repeater to send a BSR even if the repeater has already successfully received the file. If two (and only two) stations on the frequency are activated as Base Repeaters, any files sent by one system will cause each system to automatically send BSR's and FIX'es until the file gets through successfully. It may still be necessary for some manual intervention in the case of a BSR or FIX that could not be copied. ================= "View Repeater Directory" will send out the file "f.r". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will automatically respond with the text file "repeaterdir.txt". This will identify the repeater by call sign, provide the status of the WebCam, and list files present in the "Repeater" folder". This file will display as a NotePad file on the receiver's screen as long as the receiver's station is NOT setup as a repeater. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. ================= "Send back specified file" will send out the file "g.r#". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will automatically send the file specified by number from the list found in the file "repeaterdir.txt". The "#" in the file name is the number of the file specified. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. To make files available for the repeater to send, just copy the files to the "Repeater" folder (a sub folder under HamPAL). ================= "Request WebCam picture from all repeaters" will send out the file "i.r". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will automatically respond with a live WebCam image with a file name ending with "WEBCAM.jpg". If more than one repeater is active on frequency, they all may respond at the same time. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. ================= "Request WebCam picture from ??? repeater" will send out the file "j.rcall". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by the ststion with the specified call and activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will respond with a live WebCam image with a file name ending with "WEBCAM.jpg". The part of the name "call" will be the call sign of the repeater you wish to respond. If the callsign contains a zero (0), do not use a slashed zero when entering the callsign. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. ================= "ShutDown External Repeater" will send out the file "d.r". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will automatically disable and the "Unattended operation" under "Setup" will be turned off. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. ================= "Restart External Repeater" will send out the file "e.r". This is a very small file and it may send as many as 30 instances within 30 seconds. When this file is received by another system activated as a Base Repeater, the repeater will send it's "repeater.wav" file and re-enable all repeater functions. Allowing HamPAL to send the full 30 seconds is not necessary. You may click the "ABORT" button after 10 seconds and the command should still get through. ================= The initial TxMode uses 2.3Khz Width and Long Interleave. For compatibility with the "Default" settings in WinDRM and DIGTRX, these settings should be changed. From the TxMode menu select "DEFAULT" then go back to select Short Interleave. Selecting Short Sync Leader will also shorten the transmission time. If "exact" replays are made in the same mode as originally sent, the segments copied will automatically repair those that need them. After making any changes in "TxMode" or "Setup", close HamPAL to save these settings. If HamPAL should close on it's own, the changes will not be saved. ================= "Copy RX > TX (exact, no compression)" will only work properly if used immediately after receiving the picture. Clicking on a thumbnail first will prevent access to the original file. ================= On some systems, loading an image using the "RX to TX" will turn the image green and distorted. In this case, use "Copy RX > TX (exact, no compression)" under the File menu. ================= Clicking on a thumbnail when an BSR is necessary should be avoided. The error message "There is nothing to repair" will appear when the BSR button is clicked after clicking on a thumbnail. If this happens, it is still possible to get fixed. Just have the original sender send about 30 seconds of the picture file and abort. The BSR will then be available to send. ================= The "Replay NOW" button: Using "Replay NOW" will fix any station that has segments missing. You must have received an image without any missing segments before you can use "Replay NOW". (OK to use once "FIX'ed" too.) The button "Replay NOW" should be used whenever possible to do replays and repairs as it will automatically reload the file exactly and set the TxMode to the same as originally sent. "Replay NOW" should be used by any station that successfully receives a file and is better able to get the transmission to those that need it. This should be done prior to handling individual repairs with BSR's and FIX'es. A third party, after successfully receiving a file, may assist in repairs by clicking on the "Replay NOW" button and then the "ABORT" button, just as soon as it becomes available. This makes the station able to receive the BSR's from others and able to send the FIX's to those that need them. The "Replay NOW" and "ABORT" should be done as soon as possible after the the file is successfully received so that the TxMode set for transmit is not changed by later transmissions. Note that "Replay NOW" can still be used even if another image has been loaded into the RX or TX window by the user. "Replay NOW" should still work as long as the file was successfully received. Put another way, you do NOT have to have the image in the RX window in order to do a "Replay NOW". After a "Replay NOW" or any file transmitted, BSR's can be received and FIX'es can be sent even if another image has been loaded into the RX or TX window by the user. Note that "Replay NOW" cannot be used to replay animated GIF files. To replay animated GIF files, use the "RX to TX" button and manually select the same TxMode as received before transmitting. Note that "Replay NOW" will not work if the last image received did not go into the "Last RX" thumbnails in the leftmost position. This can happen if the file name is identical to one previously received and still exists in the "Last RX" thumbnails. ================= "Reload TX" - If the transmission time or image quality is not what you want after loading a picture, adjust the "Pic Size" slider and click "Reload TX". The image will be re-compressed into a different file size. Repeat the process if necessary. "Reload TX" may be necessary after the use of "PicEdit" so that the new edited version will be converted and compressed. Using "Reload TX" after the image file has been sent will create a new file with a new name than the one previously sent. If this file is transmitted, it will be treated as a entirely new file. ================= Original images that you load for transmit that are larger than 1024x768 pixel resolution, should be resized smaller. For best results, use the "Load ANY" button to quickly load the image into the TX window. The displayed time for transmit will be very long. Using the zoom slider at the bottom of the screen, move the slider up until the image shows large borders. Click the "Reload TX" button. If the image quality is poor due to compression artifacts, run the "Pic Size" slider to the right and click the "Reload TX" button. If it is not possible to get the image quality good enough while keeping the time to transmit down to a reasonable amount, then the process should be done again but with larger borders. The smaller the image, less compression is required. Another option would be to use another program such as Paint Shop Pro to do the resizing and cropping. When the image is ready, it is not necessary to save it if it will be used to transmit right away. Just click "Edit" and "Copy" in Paint Shop Pro and then "Paste to TX" in HamPAL. ================= IrfanView is not required to send and receive pictures. HamPAL can now convert and display JP2 images on its own without using IrfanView. IrfanView is necessary for "Progressive RX" and other features. ================= "Rptr Tones" must be checked to allow access to the "1750" button. This is intended to activate the repeater function on a remote system running "SSTV-PAL Multi Mode". It has nothing to do with HamPAL's repeater functions. When checked, HamPAL will send a Vertical Interval Signaling (VIS) Code at the beginning and end of each DRM transmission. The Vertical Interval Signaling (VIS) Code used on the start is the same as the WRAASE SC-2 60 COLOR mode. The Vertical Interval Signaling (VIS) Code used on the stop is the same as the PD-50 mode. The "1750" button sends a 1750 Hz tone for 2 seconds. It may be used to activate systems that require a 1750 Hz tone. ================= Cropping - Right click the image in the TX window to crop. Select the crop type, Draw the lines around the area you wish to keep. Right click anywhere and select "Send to TX". ================= User Directory - Quick access to images in select folders for transmitting. From "Setup" set the "User1 Directory". If the Autosave folder is selected, then quick access to received image files is available in the original format. After clicking the thumbnail, the image is in the RX window. Click "File" and "Copy RX > TX (exact, no compression)". This allows for exact replays even after other files have been received. ================= "AutoSave" must be selected in "Setup" or the original files copied will not be saved. ================= "Unattended operation" must be checked to avoid the "Error" dialog box. If files are received and the "Error" dialog box is not checked right away, then the received pictures will not be saved into autosave and it will not be put into the thumbnails. If the "Error" dialog box is checked before the next file is received, then the file will be saved and it will be put into the thumbnails. The "TempPix" folder will hold these "lost" images until HamPAL is closed. ================= The "announcestart.wav" file may be longer without overwriting the "HAMPAL" text in the waterfall. This wave file is sent automatically ONLY at the begining of a picture/file transmission. It is NOT sent with a BSR, FIX, or repeater access function. "HAMPAL" is sent in the waterfall at at the beginning of the BSR, FIX and picture/file transmissions. ================= Right click the image in the RX or TX window to Edit. "Effects" are also available. "Undo" is available from the drop-down menu area to undo "Effects". ================= The RX and TX viewing window is 768 x 545 pixels actual size. Images larger than either of these dimentions when viewed in the RX or TX window using "Max 768*548" will distort slightly. ================= "SAVE RX PIC MANUALLY" only works if you have an image on the screen. If there is no image there because "Progressive" is not turned on or there is not enough to display anything, then the thumbnail may be blank. It may be possible to view some part of the image saved into the AutoSave folder using IrfanView or other picture viewing program. ================= The reception of a monochrome JPEG image will cause all newly created thumbnails of received images to be saved in monochrome. Click on any color thumbnail to reset. Clicking on any monochrome thumbnail will also cause all newly created thumbnails to be saved as monochrome. Click on any color thumbnail to reset. To reset on some systems will require closing and re-starting HamPAL. ================= Double click the image in RX or TX window to view "Full Screen". A single click will allow return to the HamPAL screen. If the "Full Screen" image appears under the HamPAL screen, click the "Full Screen" button. ================= "Session" shows calls and time stamp for last received files for the current session only. As the list gets large, the calls may become scrambled. The prefix of one call may be used as the prefix for another. In this case, select "Log" and correct the errors. ================= "Log" shows all calls decoded by FAC - list saved for next session. You may edit the text to make changes or add more information such as a name for each call. If this is done, then the name will appear with the call in the upper left corner as the call is decoded during transmission. As the list gets large, the calls may become scrambled. The prefix of one call may be used as the prefix for another. This will also cause the call displayed in the upper left corner of the screen to be scrambled. This "Log" is contained in the file "calls.txt". ================= If "Full Screen" is selected, once the image is fully received it will redisplay "Full Screen". Sometimes, just as this happens, the program will disappear from the screen. If HamPAL should shutdown automatically, the last received picture may be found in the "TempPix" folder. ================= OTT Problem: Sometimes as you start transmitting a picture, the program will quit sending after only 13 seconds. When this happens, just click the "Transmit" button again. It ALWAYS works the second time! If the transmission of a "FIX" is too short it will be necessary to close HamPAL and start all over again. ================= The inital/default "PTT COMMPORT" selection is port 1. If there is a conflict on your computer where this port is in use, HamPAL may shutdown. If this happens, it will be necessary to aquire the file "HamPal.set" and edit the first line so that the number "1" is changed to "0" (zero). This updated file must be placed into the same folder as the HamPAL EXE file. ================= When HamPAL 08JAN06 sends a "FIX", it may send the wrong data. This will result in an image that appears distorted while still reporting no missing segments. If you wish to try again with this image, delete it from the "Last RX" thumbnails, close HamPAL, restart HamPAL, then have the sender send it again. ================= When HamPAL 08JAN06 sends an "BSR" it may send the "BSR" for an image that had been sent previous to the current image. It is possible to get fixed on that image as well as the current one. If the station that sent the earlier image is still available, and received the "BSR", he may send the fix. After that image is fixed, it is possible for the current image to be fixed by first having the sending station send about 30 seconds of that image again and abort. This will trigger the receiving station with the ability to send the proper "BSR" for the current image. ================= Create waterfall images or waterfall messages: Making waves: The new HamPAL makes it easy to create audio wave files to display text and images in the waterfall. Created wave files are stored in the "User.wav" folder. This is a sub folder within the folder where HamPAL is run. It is necessary for some of the created wave files to be moved into the parent folder so that HamPAL can use them. Here is a list: announcestart.wav - This file, if present in the HamPAL folder, will play just before the start of the transmission of an image file. announcestop.wav - This file, if present in the HamPAL folder, will play just after completion of the transmission of an image file. beacon.wav - This file will play once immediately on activating the beacon for the repeater and again every so many minutes as slected. repeater.wav - This file is played whenever the repeater copies the command, "Interrogate External Repeater". bsr.wav - This file will play before the start of the BSR transmission and again after the completion of the BSR transmission. fix.wav - This file will play before the start of the FIX transmission and again after the completion of the FIX transmission. Here is an example of how you could create a waterfall ID for HamPAL: 1. HamPAL includes a new feature for creating a wave file that sends text in the waterfall. For this feature to operate, HamPAL requires Irfanview. 2. Select the "W/FallTxt" menu at the top of the screen. Enter your call in the text window. You may want to pad a couple of space characters on the left side so the call will appear centered. Click "Save to USERWAVE" then enter "announcestart". (Do NOT add an extension.) 3. To send your waterfall ID from HamPAL, left click the "User.wav" button. Select the file "announcestart.wav". Clicking the "Open" button will start the sending of the wave file. 4. Continue these instructions to setup HamPAL for sending your ID in the waterfall automatically before the sending of a picture. 5. Left click the "User.wav" button. Looking in the "UserWav" folder, locate the file "announcestart.wav". RIGHT click this file, then LEFT click "Copy". Click the "Up One Level" icon near the top of the Open dialog box. Note the folder name in the "Look in" box. Click the "Up One Level" icon again. Find the folder name previously noted. RIGHT click this folder, LEFT click "Paste". 6. HamPAL will now send your ID in the waterfall prior to each picture transmission automatically. It may be necessary to restart HamPAL to activate this feature. In addition to text displayed in the waterfall, waterfall images can be used. Even voice or other short audio samples can be used. Waterfall ID information is also available here: http://www.tima.com/~djones/hampalid.htm ================= This file updated August 13, 2006. The latest version of this file is available here: http://www.tima.com/~djones/newHamPAL.txt KB4YZ