Contents

TITLE:

Advanced Radio Control Program (ARCP) software for select Icom Radios.  Developed by Umbra Systems, Inc.

DISCLAIMER:

This software is free for you to use.

Bug reports can be sent to arcbugs@umbrasi.com

LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF REMEDIES:

     	THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED "AS-IS", AND NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE), EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE AS TO IT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE PROVIDE ANY OTHER REMEDY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING FROM IT, INCLUDING SUCH FROM NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, EVEN AFTER NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

CONTENTS:

Introduction:

Getting Started (Set-Up)

Running the Program

Support

System Requirements

TCP/IP

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Introduction

Welcome to the ARCP program.  It was designed to control the following  Icom radios using a serial port and an Icom CT-17 level converter.

IC-706

IC-706 MKII

IC-756

IC-821

The program is designed to implement existing CI-V capabilities provided in each radio.  Not all radio functions, e.g. transmit, are allowed under the existing CI-V command structure in these radios. Please refer to your radio user's manual for specific control capabilities.  Control functions outlined in "blue" on the radio images, are the ones implemented.

At the discretion of Umbra Systems, Inc. other radios may be added in the future.

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Getting Started (Setup)

Download arcp.zip and one or more of the "radio".zip files, corresponding to the radio (s) that you own.  After downloading unzip all files into the same folder (directory).

1.  Run arcp.exe and select help and read the "about" file.  You can select help at any time to get basic instructions on the use of the program.

 2.  Select  "Device Setup" from the main menu.

Select "Add Device".  You can name the device or  accept the default.  Select serial port or TCP/IP if you are running COMRED (see help TCP/IP), hit "OK".  Select the serial port, it must be the port that your IC-CT17 is connected on.  Select the baud rate based upon the configuration you have set in your radio. (Consult your user's manual on how to configure your radio for CI-V control.) Click "OK".

3.  Select "Radio" from the main menu.

Select the radio that you have the IC-CT-17 connected on.  In a few moments you can select the device, use the default unless you renamed it in the previous step, make sure that the radio address is the same as you have your radio set (ARCP uses the Icom default radio addresses). Click "OK".

4.  Play with the radio.

In a few moments your screen will update with your radio settings.  You will then be able to control your radio from your computer screen.

In Case of Difficulty:

Make sure that your radio is set up for CI-V control per your user's manual.  Make sure the IC-CT-17 is working on a known com port on your computer.  Make sure the radio address selected in the radio is the same as the one selected in ARCP.  Be patient, you may need to play for a while to get a feel for what is happening.

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Running the Program

The control program was designed to implement all CI-V commands as shown in your Icom Radio user's manual.  Please understand that only those functions for which there is a CI-V command can be controlled by this program.  The controls outlined in "blue" are valid for computer control.  Checking the "snoop" box will allow you to view the commands being sent back and forth from the computer and radio.

If you are controlling multiple radios at the same time and you have transceive turned on (a radio CI-V option), changing a condition from a radio (rather than from ARCP) will cause all connected radios to change.

Should the progam and radio go out of sync., just click on "refresh" or "force state".

1.  Frequency Entry

A.  Knob Rotation:

     Place the cursor on the right half of the dial causes the tuning knob to rotate clockwise.  Place the cursor on the left half of the dial causes the tuning knob to rotate counter-clockwise.

B.  Direct Frequency Entry:

     In the "green" box, defaulted to all zeros, enter a frequency from left to right. All spaces must be filled in.  Leading zeros must be input, and trailing zeros may be completed by hitting the space bar.  Continue by clicking on "Dial Main" or "Dial Sub" as appropriate.

2.  Other Radio Buttons

Use any of the other "blue" highlighted buttons to make appropriate changes.

The kHz/MHz or TS button will change the tuning step as indicated by the inverted "^" over the appropriate frequency number on the main dial.  The function button will allow secondary button choices on those items allowed under CI-V computer control, e.g. duplex.

3.  Memories

Clicking on the Memories button will call up the memory form.You may perform the functions shown on the left side of the memory form.

You may load memories into the program from a file.  This file is a comma delimited text file.

Use notepad to view the sample "freq.mem" file included with the program to view the structure of a the .mem file.  Files taken from frequency CD-ROMS may be able to be used with this program provided they are in comma delimited text format.

If you double click on a frequency it will cause the radio to go to that frequency, assuming the radio is capable of receiving that frequency.   However, if you return to the radio screen you will need to hit "refresh" to update the display.

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Support

No support is provided for these programs.  You are free to use them for your own pleasure, however they are copyrighted.

You may report bugs to:

arcbugs@umbrasi.com

This help file was created with HelpScribble.


System Requirements

This program was designed to run under Microsoft Windows '95 or Windows NT.  It will not run under DOS or prior versions of Microsoft Windows.

Minimum System Requirements:

-486 with 8 meg or RAM

-video card with monitor capabilities of 800x600 by 16bit color.

-small fonts are preferrable

-serial port connected to an IC-CT17, on its own interrupt.

-hard drive with sufficient capacity to store the program files.

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TCP/IP Control

ARCP supports the N4USI COMRED protocol as a native COMRED client.  To use this feature you must download the COMRED program and have it running on your computer before you can control radios via TCP/IP (e.g. over the Internet).  COMRED may be downloaded from the same location that you downloaded ARCP.

To add the TCP/IP device, simply select the device TCP/IP when you "Select Device".  When the socket form comes up, select a Host name and Port Number.  (This is a TCP/IP port number not a serial port.)  COMRED defaults to port 6005 so you should not need to change the port.  The Host name is the domain name of the computer that is controlling the Icom radios. Hit "Connect".  Once the connection to the COMRED server is made you can add a radio and use the device just as if it were on a local serial port.

As an example:

Home:   Establish a connection to the internet.  Make sure your radio is connected to an IC-CT-17, and then run COMRED, selecting the serial port and baud rate that your IC-CT-17 is connected on. Make these selections after clicking on "Configuration" in the COMRED program.

Remote Location:  Establish an interntet connection.  Run ARCP.  As a device select TCP/IP, then type in the I.P. address of your home internet connection as the Host name.  You do not normally need to change the Port number.  Select a radio and continue using ARCP as if you were operating on a local serial port.

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