Cat system computer control, Cat d – Vertex Standard FT-1000MP User Manual

Page 88

Page 86

PERATING

ANUAL

VERVIEW

The

CAT (Computer Aided Transceiver) System

in the MARK-V FT-1000MP

Field provides control of

frequency, VFO, memory, and other settings such as
dual-channel memories and diversity reception using
an external personal computer. This allows multiple
control operations to be fully automated as single
mouse clicks or keystroke operations on the computer
keyboard.

The MARK-V FT-1000MP

Field has a built-in level

converter, allowing direct connection from the rear-
panel

CAT jack to the serial port of your computer

without the need of any external boxes.

Each time a command instruction is being received

from the computer via the

CAT port, the “CAT” indi-

cator appears in the display, then turns off afterward.
You will need a serial cable for connection to the RS-
232C (serial or COM port) connector on your computer.
Purchase a standard serial cable (not the so-called "null
modem" type), ensuring it has the correct gender and
number of pins (some serial COM port connectors use
a 9-pin rather than 25-pin configuration). If your com-
puter uses a custom connector, you may have to con-
struct the cable. In this case, refer to the technical docu-
mentation supplied with your computer for correct data
connection.

Vertex Standard does not produce

CAT System

operating software due to the wide variety of personal
computers and operating systems in use today. How-
ever, the information provided in this chapter explains
the serial data structure and opcodes used by the

CAT

system. This information, along with the short program-
ming examples, is intended to help you start writing
programs on your own. As you become more familiar
with

CAT operation, you can customize programs later

on for your operating needs and discover the true op-
erating potential of this system.

CAT D

ATA

ROTOCOL

Serial data is passed via the

CAT jack on the rear

panel of the transceiver at 4800 bits/sec. All commands
sent from the computer to the transceiver consist of
five-byte blocks, with up to 200 ms between each byte.
The last byte sent in each block is the instruction
opcode, while the first four bytes of each block are ar-
guments: either parameters for that instruction, or
dummy values (required to pad the block out to five
bytes):

Each byte sent consists of one start bit, 8 data bits,

no parity bit and two stop bits:

CAT System Computer Control

Byte 1

Argument

Byte 5

Instruction

OPCODE

Byte 2

Argument

Byte 3

Argument

Byte 4

Argument

CAT 5-BYTE COMMAND STRUCTURE

There are twenty-nine instruction opcodes for the

MARK-V FT-1000MP

Field, listed in the table on pages

94 ~ 97. Most of these duplicate menu programming
settings or options, or else emulate front panel button
functions. Notice that several instructions require no
specific parameters. However, every Command Block
sent to the transceiver must always consist of five bytes.

The

CAT control program you are writing must con-

struct the 5-byte block, by selecting the appropriate
instruction opcode, organizing the parameters, if any,
and providing unused (dummy) argument bytes for
padding the block to its required 5-byte length (the
dummy bytes can contain any value). The resulting five
bytes are then sent, opcode last, from the computer to
the MARK-V FT-1000MP

Field CPU via the serial port

and

CAT jack on the transceiver rear panel.

Start

Bit

CAT DATA BYTE FORMAT

Stop

Bit

Stop

Bit