hfterm - graphic terminal program for hfkernel, HF (shortwave radio) protocol implementation using a soundcard

hfterm -k /var/run/hfapp [> <logfile> 2>&1]

hfterm is a terminal program for hfkernel (see man hfkernel), which modulates and demodulates Pactor 1, AMTOR (SITOR) and RTTY ham radio protocols. As far as we know hfkernel is worldwide the only program that also can transmit Pactor. hfterm connects to hfkernel via an UNIX domain socket. It is programmed with Gtk+ toolkit and runs under X. hfterm has a frequency spectrum, monitor function, help, menus and windows for editing paramaters and personal data, text macros, logbook entries.

see README in /usr/share/doc/packages/hf/hfterm or in the doc directory in the source tree of the hf package. It is important to start first hfkernel as root and then hfterm as normal user to get the two programs connected. In the package there is a script 'hfsu1' to make things simpler, it needs su1 (giving users root rights), see help in README and in the script itself.

-c <socket> (default: /var/run/hfapp)

This option tells hfterm the path of the communication socket hfapp.

[-h <mailbox-host> -p <mailbox-port>]

change the adress of a TCP-IP port to a mailbox program, e.g. F6FBB. Defaults are 127.0.0.1 (localhost) and 6300 (standard port of F6FBB)

> <logfile> 2>&1

redirects console output to logfile, e.g. hfterm -k /var/run/hfapp > ~/hf/hferrlog 2>&1 This can help debugging.

The state menu, mode menu, and the buttons left side will explain themselves. If you don't like mice, like me, the 'F..' and 'Shift ...' and 'Alt ...' keys (see menues) will do everything for you.. The Status Display Window on the bottom tells you what the program is just doing. (If you have a small screen maybe you do not see this Status Display window, then press 'Shift Q' to remove the log window! This may bee neccesary on a small 14-15'' screen!)

For founding first friendship with the program try to receive and later transmit RTTY. Tune on your tx e.g. in the 20m band and look for the typical beautiful machine-sound of rtty. Open the frequency spectrum display through the menu 'utilities' or - quickest - by keying F2 or 'Shift F' (keep Shift pressed and hack on F). In my experience it is quickest not to change mark and space in the program, but turn the tx until the double peak of an rtty QSO come under the blue and red lines in the spectrum. By 'Shift F' again leave the spectrum. You will see the Receive window decoding text. If someone is calling CQ - if you have an amateur radio license - why not answer? Maybe you have to adjust the output level of your soundcard, do not tx with too much power (20 W enough!), listen before tx... like in all the digimodes.

Pactor is a science... If you do not know what Pactor is, read 'pactor.txt' in /usr/share/doc/packages/hf/hfterm. First train to receive. It is more difficult than RTTY. In the spectrum Pactor looks almost like RTTY, but the sound is hacked in typical 1.25 sec rhythm, sometimes you can hear the short control signals of the other station in between. Even if you adjust frequency exactly, sometimes you will not decode anything because people are using Pactor level II and maybe III. Sometimes you fish a callsign out of the fog, which is sent in levl I. Call CQ by FEC. If you have a partner answering by FEC, call him by ARQ. Call a mailbox by ARQ. After transmitting, do not go to standby directly, the program will hang. Instead, do QRT ('Alt Q'), wait a little (let the program finish its QRT routine!), then go to standby again.

By 'Shift P' you will open a notebook where you can enter parameters like mark, shift, baudrate, txdelay etc. for the different modes. Here also in a coming version I hope to install a page for a contest number and size for logfiles. When you finish the program, these parameters will be stored in ~/hf/hfterm.rc, so on next start they will not be forgotten.

also called 'Personal Data': By 'Shift B' you can open an entry field where you can enter your call and personal 'brag' e.g. power, rig, antenna, locator, qth, name, mail address. This data will be used by the text macro processing functions to create texts while transmitting. When you finish the program, the brag will be stored in ~/hf/hfterm.brag, so the everlasting fame of your amateur radio station is granted on your hard disk.

If you like text macros - edit your Fixtexts (up to 12) by 'Shift T'. There are macros allowed for your call, name, QTH, locator, rig, pwr, ant, mail/internet address, timestamp and all the dates of your QSO partner. You can not keep this all in mind? No matter, the window on the bottom reminds you. In a later version, we will also implement an automagic increasing contest number. If you want to transmit one of the macros, click on one of the 12 buttons, or 'Shift F<1..12>', lean back and drink coffee. The fixtexts are stored in ~/hf/fix.<nr>, can be edited there. By renaming or inserting you can import here any text, maximum 1024 bytes. You can also choose a file to transmit from file menu.

We even have 2 logbooks. One for big screens, always open. Write your entry, and click 'save' in the log menu to save, or 'clear' to clear. The other for my little old screen (a bigger one does not fit in my shack). Shrink the big log frame by 'Shift Q'. By 'Shift N' you can open the little log frame if you need it and you will still see the status display on the bottom. With 'Shift O' you can search old entries to edit or clear them. The log will be stored in portions of 50 entries, you will be able to change this number from next version on. The old log files are numbered and can be opened with every text editor. The ascii format is adapted to cabrillo standard.

If you receive something, it will be stored, the old stored rx files will be renamed, and kept, up to 5 of them, in ~/hf. In the file menu, there is also an option to choose a file for storing.

A lot, but programming is fun, just help !

man hf, man hfkernel, man dcf77rx, man dcf77gen. The HF-HOWTO and other interesting texts, the (German only) 'pactor.txt' in /usr/share/doc/packages/hf/hfterm and in the doc directory of the source tree of the hf-package. This manpage can not be actualized regularly.

hfkernel & first version of hfterm by: Thomas M. Sailer, HB9JNX/AE4WA, sailer@ife.ee.ethz.ch (This was most & most difficult work, Thank you, Tom!!!) hfterm graphical interface improved by: Ralf-Axel Krystof, DF3JRK, df3jrk@gmx.de hfterm functions implemented, log, help, this manpage by Guenther Montag, DL4MGE, dl4mge@darc.de, Packet: DL4MGE.#DB0ZKA.BAY.DEU.EU