v1.638,639: Freq memory changes, FT8 decoding improvements

jksjks
edited November 2023 in Software release information

If your Kiwi user page doesn't load with v1.637 please restart it to update to v1.638

From the CHANGE_LOG file:

v1.637,638 November 22, 2023

  Frequency memory:

    Items are now stored in the memory only on demand instead of automatically while tuning.

    The current frequency is stored in the frequency memory when:

      1) The "store" entry at the top of the memory menu is clicked.

      2) Or the freq memory icon (3 horizontal lines) is click-held for more than one second.

        (it will turn green when the store occurs)

    The "clear all" entry leaves only the current frequency in the memory.

   

  FT8 extension:

    Now decodes the DXpedition and Contest message formats.

    Shows the "i3.n3" message format type under "msg" column.

    Fixed some decoding bugs.


  Waterfall tuning/zooming now resets the inactivity timer. For example if you're recording you

  can reset the inactivity timer without having to change the frequency or mode.

   

  Admin DX tab: Prevent corruption when frequency entered in not in sorted order.


Comments

  • jksjks

    An example of the new FT8 DXpedition mode message decoding.

    ZL7A Chatham Islands (NZ) in fox/hound mode showing four exchanges in a single 15 second cycle.


    FT8.ZL7A.i3=0.1.DX.png


  • G8JNJG8JNJ

    Hi John,

    Thanks for this update.

    I understand your reasoning for the change to the memories

    I used to use the automatic loading of the memories to be able to go back to a frequency I'd previously quickly tuned to if I noticed that some activity had reoccurred. But now I think I'll make more use of switching between VFO A & B.

    Would it be possible to have something like a Windows "Undo" command to allow the user to step back through the last few tuned frequencies ?

    The VFO A=B function is currently at the bottom of the memory menu, but this can take some time to scroll down to.

    I have two suggestions

    1. could the VFO A=B function be placed at the top of the memory menu for quicker access.

    2. Could a long press (rather than a simple click) of the VFO A or B 'blob' make the current VFO frequency transfer to the other VFO before the VFO changes over. This would make it much faster to bring the second VFO frequency to be the same as the first, when trying to setup monitoring of stations using split frequency working.

    Thanks again for the updates and fixes, much appreciated.

    Regards,

    Martin

  • jksjks

    I used to use the automatic loading of the memories to be able to go back to a frequency I'd previously quickly tuned to if I noticed that some activity had reoccurred.

    Is it worth enabling the old behavior as an option on the left-click menu?

    Would it be possible to have something like a Windows "Undo" command to allow the user to step back through the last few tuned frequencies ?

    Interesting idea. And not too hard to implement. Especially if I could put it on a shortcut key. I'm constantly worried the user control panel is on the verge of becoming unusable due to its complexity.

    The VFO A=B function is currently at the bottom of the memory menu, but this can take some time to scroll down to.

    I have two suggestions 

    1. could the VFO A=B function be placed at the top of the memory menu for quicker access. 

    I had thought about that, but didn't want to clutter the menu top with non-frequency items. But let me try it. There is also the shortcut key M (capital-M) to do an "A=B".

    2. Could a long press (rather than a simple click) of the VFO A or B 'blob' make the current VFO frequency transfer to the other VFO before the VFO changes over.

    I like that idea. I can still turn the button green (from its orange or blue) when the A=B occurs and then restore the colors when the mouse-up happens.

  • G8JNJG8JNJ

    Hi John,

    I wouldn't bother enabling the old behaviour, as it's probably only myself who would benefit. I think if you can make the other changes it wouldn't be required anyway.

    Handy to know the M shortcut.

    I agree it's tricky to add intuitive new functions without further cluttering up the control panel, and also keeping the documentation up to date.

    Ergonomics and menu navigation was a big issue when I was working in set top box development, especially as the control handset only had a minimum of buttons you could use. A lot of stuff had to be contextual, and the 'go back' button played a big part in allowing it to function properly.

    Regards,

    Martin

  • jksjks
    edited November 2023

    I had a request to also store/retrieve the mode in the frequency menu. It could be conditional as follows. Each time you press the store entry in the frequency menu, while holding shift (or while holding down long enough), the mode and zoom would add/subtracted in a cycle, like what we have with other buttons.

    For example: 7020 => 7020 cw => 7020 cw z11 => 7020 => ...

    So if you click on a menu entry that has a mode and/or zoom level specified then those are changed in addition to the frequency.

    What do people think about that idea?

  • Steve_MWCSteve_MWC

    I too was surprised by the change to the frequency menu. I used to use the function to quickly flip back to frequencies I had just left without having the retype or even remember the frequency. Valuable if I had been flipping through 3 or 4 different channels looking for activity or signals to fade up.

    Sorry, can't yet see any advantage of the new functionality that replaces the old.

  • jksjks

    Alright, let me add back the old behavior as the default. And have a selection for the new mode directly in the menu itself so you don't have to know to go to the right-click menu to find it.

    I had a number of people say the old mode was useless as the memory, with its finite number of entries, would just fill up after a small amount of tuning around.

  • jksjks

    v1.639 has a completely new frequency memory menu user interface to try:

    v1.639 November 26, 2023

      New frequency memory menu user interface:

        Auto or manual save mode.

        Click-hold of memory icon does save in manual save mode.

        Optional save/restore of demod mode.

        Memory recall shortcut keys: ^1 ^2 ... ^9

        Click-hold of VFO A/B icon does VFO A=B.

        Help panel.


  • Steve_MWCSteve_MWC

    Hi John

    thanks for accepting my comment regarding memory function. V1.639 works fine now,

    I also find it helpful that it stores the previous frequencies even if session is terminated and browser closed.

    rgds

    Steve

  • LA6LULA6LU

    v1.639 November 26, 2023

      New frequency memory menu user interface:

        Auto or manual save mode.

        Click-hold of memory icon does save in manual save mode.

        Optional save/restore of demod mode.

        Memory recall shortcut keys: ^1 ^2 ... ^9

        Click-hold of VFO A/B icon does VFO A=B.

        Help panel.

    I like this manual store very much as now I can store what frequency changes really MEAN something, rather than storing every small fine-tuning change. The only very small thing I would have changed is having the mode stored as default too, based on: If you are on BC frequency on AM, then on a CW frequency. Then you wish to go back. I see a mode change too as the best, as you don't just go back to the frequency, you will want the old mode back on that frequency too, so storing the mode together with frequency should be the default, with the option of turning mode store off.

    73s

    Geir, LA6LU

    http://la6lukiwisdrno.ddns.net:8073 (NOR)

    http://la6lukiwisdrth.ddns.net:8073 (THA)

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