How good is Hamscope?

[K0OD]

Just bought a Signalink USB to use with my old TS-850. The TS-850 connects to the Signalink via the 8-pin mic and rcvr audio output. DXEngineering said that's the best way to connect the two.

Two years ago I had briefly tried a Rascal and Hamscope (with MMTTY) and never got that setup to work reliably. Now, I'm having similar problems with the Signalink and Hamscope. I'll print PSK or RTTY for awhile but then the printing stops, seemingly randomly. I've fiddled endlessly with the sound card and Signalink controls.

I've just tried MMTTY alone and Digipan and had no problems making contacts.

I love Hamscope's slick interface and its ability to handle multiple modes. But I'm beginning to think my problem is with Hamscope which I understand hasn't been upgraded in several years. It probably doesn't help that I'm using a very old Windows ME computer.

How good is Hamscope?  Any thoughts about my problem?  

 

[G0GQK]

Perhaps your problems with Hamscope may be the fact that you are using an old PC. I'm sure that there must be thousands of cheap used computers for sale using XP, which is excellent for amateur software. Should you decide to change for a newer PC perhaps you might try Airlink Express, or FLDigi which are both excellent.

G0GQK

[N6NKN]

I agree. Get an XP machine and try Ham Radio Deluxe and DM 780. It's free.

You will like it a lot!!

Rick N6NKN

[N0FPE]

Hamscope and my signalink USB work fine on both my XP and Vista machines. I agree  dump the ME machine. Nothing plays well with ME!

[VE3VID]

I swapped out the processor in an old ME machine for a 1Ghz processor for $40 and added RAM to 1 Gb and it will run XP........cheaper, but some work.

[K0OD]

Doh! Just noticed that the receive text window in my Hamscope had shut, which isn't as obvious as it should be, in my opinion. (why would anyone want to totally close it?)

My Hamscope WAS printing just fine... in a closed window.

[W1ZI]

After trying (it seems like) dozens of programs for PSK, I conclude that HamScope is by far the best one. I am running a Dell XPS 420 with dual boot: VISTA Ultimate and WIN 7 RC. I also use an ASUS 901 running WIN XP Home...same comments apply to it.

(Howevah...vide infra)

It runs on VISTA and on WIN 7 and has a couple of delightful features that others do not, e.g. (a) the ability to tweak the frequency with the arrow keys instead of hit-or-miss blasting with the mouse, and (b) the delightful spectrum display, much nicer than the WF.

Here's the "Howevah..."

1. Every so often, receive mode will go dead. This is cured by clicking once in the receive window, but is a bit annoying. Others mention the same problem.

2. The "receive" gain is 'way too much. I have gain controls on the transceiver, the interface, and there is one on the HamScope page, not to mention the one in Windows. All these are set pretty much at the extreme low end. I think a fix is needed in HamScope.

[K0OD]

No quarrel with your post but I decided to join the masses and try HRD with its DM780 digital module. My son brought home his modern Vista equipped machine for the summer from college... a nice toy for Dad to play with for 2 months.

Hamscope hasn't been updated for a few years. HRD/DM780 is updated, arguably too often. I'm waiting for it to include a $2500 Flex Radio as part of the next free download . I too miss a few of the Hamscope scope features, but HRD shortcomings seem to be corrected quickly.  

Can't say I've mastered HRD yet. There are too many features and modes. The PSK Superbrowser allows printing of 20 or more PSK stations simultaneously. It prints PSK and RTTY well. I've become fascinated by its SSTV capabilities. Are there any SSTV experts on here who can comment on how it rates compared with alternatives?  

Disadvantages to HRD: Massive number of features. If I go a few days without using HRD, I forget how to use it! HRD requires a powerful machine.

[N6RLS]

I can't seem to lower the cw output level from HamScope on my Vista laptop running through Rigblaster Plug & Play.   None of the volume controls anywhere on the laptop do anything to lower the way-too-loud level being fed to the FT-897 radio I'm using.

I have HamScope set to (Yaesu) "FT-817" as this is essentially the same radio... there isn't a "FT-897" option in HamScope.

I was able to lower the signal send from my laptop when in MFSK16 mode, but not in CW mode.