[Flexradio] Tuning knob replacement, Logitech MX-620 mouse!

[Dudley Hurry]

Brian,

I have another option for your fast tuning..  Just in case you have not 
hear me say this yet,  I found that the fairly new,  Logitech MX620 , 
Hyper Tuning mouse is just what a good SDR needs to react just like a 
weighted tuning knob..  What makes this mouse special is the weighted 
roller wheel,  and there is a switch on the bottom to disable the normal 
detentes of the roller wheel..  It is sooo smooth and reacts by moving 
quickly at first and then gradually slows down.  I can flick it once and 
completely tune the 17 meter band end to end,  and this is set at 1 
khz..    AND THERE's MORE!!    It does not need any special drivers to 
do this, just a USB port,  it's wireless..   Works great!      

Of course your mileage may vary, depending on the speed of your 
computer.   

Everyone have a happy July 4th. 

73,
Dudley

WA5QPZ



Brian Lloyd wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 5:03 AM, Ray Andrews, K9DUR<k9dur at rnacs.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> There an additional advantage to using this method -- I found a useful
>> application for my Griffin PowerMate.  Like many, when I bought my SDR-1000,
>> I was nervous about not having a VFO knob, so I bought the Griffin
>> PowerMate.  I quickly found that I did not like using the PowerMate for
>> frequency change.
>>     
>
> This is an interesting example of how a tiny change in user-interface
> can make a huge difference in usability. I too like a VFO knob. It is
> actually a very natural way to change frequency and everyone is very
> comfortable using it. On other radios it works very well. Older radios
> with analog VFOs have a much faster tuning rate so that one can use
> the finger dimple and quickly QSY from one end of the band to the
> other. Once you get near the desired frequency, the fact that the VFO
> is analog means that you can tune spot-on just by turning the knob
> very slowly.
>
> Newer radios approach the problem a different way. Newer radios either
> have a PLL or DDS VFO which tunes in discrete steps. The problem is,
> you want to go quickly when QSY-ing to the other end of the band and
> then you want to go slowly when you tune to the final frequency. I
> have seen two approaches to this problem which work pretty well:
>
> 1. use a small step-size but have a free-wheeling weighted VFO knob
> that can be spun very quickly to make gross frequency changes and yet
> still have a reasonable step size, usually around 10Hz, that will let
> you tune in the desired signal when you get near;
>
> 2. use "acceleration" to increase the step size when tuning quickly,
> e.g. 100Hz, and then change to a smaller step size when tuning slowly.
>
> The problem with the Griffin knob is that you can't spin it. So in
> order to move quickly you need to change to a much larger step size.
> That precludes final tuning of the signal without changing the step
> size again. Some use the ability to push down on the knob to change
> the step size but then it is more awkward as you are trying to push
> and turn at the same time. So the only way to make the Griffin knob
> work well would be to apply acceleration when turning the knob
> rapidly.
>
> So you can see why the Griffin knob is not particularly useful AS IT
> IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTED. If one were to add acceleration to frequency
> selection in  PowerSDR, the Griffin knob would become very useful and
> desirable.
>
> As it is, I think most people have adopted the same approach to
> solving the problem: drag the panadaptor display for gross frequency
> changes and use the mouse-wheel for fine tuning. Both are accomplished
> from the mouse which saves moving one's hands around to different
> places. If that is going to be the preferred method of tuning the
> radio then I would deprecate the use of the Griffin knob entirely.
>
> Here's a question: does anyone use the keyboard shortcuts to tune the
> radio? I know there are keys that will tune up/down for the various
> digits in the frequency display but in over a year of use I have never
> been even slightly motivated to use them. Am I the rule or the
> exception?
>
> 73 de Brian, WB6RQN/J79BPL
>
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