In a previous post, I wrote about using hamlib to control my Yeasu FT-450D from the Windows command line.
This time, we’ll look at integrating hamlib with Log4OM to achieve cat control from within the logging software, primarily so that I don’t have to record the frequency whenever I enter a new QSO.
If you haven’t already installed hamlib, you’ll want to follow the instructions in the previous post. If you can run the rigctl examples in that post, you should be good to go.
Configuring Log40M
First, we need to tell Log4OM to use hamlib. Unlike N1MM+, Log4OM does not come with the ability to talk to your radio, and it needs some help to do so.
From the Settings menu in Log4OM, choose Options, and in the dialog box that appears, select the Cat & Cluster tab. We only care about two controls on this tab:
- Under the CAT SOFTWARE heading, choose hamlib
- Under the CAT & Cluster heading, select the Open CAT on program start checkbox
Click on the big floppy disk in the bottom right corner to close the dialog box.
Back on the main screen of Log4OM, click on the icon that looks like a pair of headphones in the toolbar:
Why it’s a pair of headphones is beyond me. While I do wear headphones while using my HF radio, they don’t have anything to do with cat control.
Anyway, clicking on that button will open the Log4OM Cat dialog box, where you can configure cat integration with your radio. There are three settings that you want to change in this window:
- Select the make and model of your rig from the RIG Model dropdown box. My primary HF radio is a Yaesu FT-450D, and I use the Yaesu FT-450 0.22.1 Beta | 127 profile.
- Select the COM port that your radio is connected to. My radio typically connects to COM4, but that can change if I plug its serial cable into a different USB port
- Choose the appropriate Baud Rate for your radio. My radio is set to 9600 baud, but this can be changed in its menu. The radio and Log4OM have to be expecting the same Baud Rate for communication to be successful
Once configured, press the Open button in the bottom right hand corner of the dialog box to test and save your settings. if the CAT Status indicator in the bottom left corner of the dialog box turns green, you can close the box.
So What’s the Point?
Once you configure cat control, Log4OM will communicate with your radio as you use it. Most notably, the frequency that your radio is tuned to will appear in the top right-hand corner of the logger, and will automatically record that frequency in any new QSOs that you enter.
Cat control also allows Log4OM to change your radio’s transmit/receive frequency, and to activate the radio’s transmitter. This in turn allows you to connect your radio’s audio input and output to your computer, and play pre-recorded audio snippets from the logger, which can be very useful while contesting.
