Unfortunately my favoured SDR package, SDR Console, is a receive only package, which is a shame as it’s growing on me.
As such I need to find another way of controlling the radio for transmitting.
There’s a lot of documentation floating around on the internet, some is better than others.
I’ve worked my way through G4ZFQ’s guide to installing HDSDR this afternoon and things seem to be working.
https://sites.google.com/site/g4zfqradio/installing-and-using-hdsdr#First-time%20installation
If you start at the “Installing with references to SDRs like the SoftRock” it’s a firm foundation to get HDSDR running with the SoftRock.
If you then rewind to the “Digital Modes” section, things start getting a bit more interesting.
The SoftRock40 Yahoo group has a files section including a PDF (Using Fldigi with HDSDR.pdf) which is a good guide to setting up Fldigi so that it controls HDSDR and vice versa
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/softrock40/files/HDSDR/
(you need to be a group member to download and view the document)
Words of warning!
1/ Trust the text not the pictures as they are at differences.
2/ The setup uses VSP Manager to create virtual com ports to allow the packages to talk to each other.
http://k5fr.com/ddutilwiki/index.php?title=VSPM
Firstly you need to submit a request to Steve Nance (K5FR) to be allowed to use the software for personal amateur radio use. Once you are sent the download link, follow the setup guide on Steve’s site don’t just launch in or things go wrong (voice of experience!)
3/ When configuring Fldigi, the PDF document gives settings for the RigCAT configuration. Unfortunately these don’t work. Tucked in amongst the documents on the SoftRock40 group site is a jpg file which is a screen grab of settings which do work (Fldigi_RigCAT_configuration.JPG). Use that! Primarily –
Retries =4, Write delay = 5ms, Retry Interval = 200ms, Baud Rate = 9600, Stopbits = 1
Oh, remember to press Save and also save the config in Fldigi otherwise when you close the program, you loose your settings.
Encouragingly, when I hit TX in either HDSDR or Fldigi I get a nice little twitch of the needles of my ATU which is good!
Even more excitingly, I’ve had another crack at using the SoftRock to transmit and receive WSPR again. For some reason this was just not working and after a rethink I’ve changed the settings around and we may have success.
I’m definitely hearing people, SI9AM in Sweden to be precise and after a few Com Port issues the radio appears to be transmitting. Watch this space
2E0DFU - playing with amateur radio 
