[hpsdr] Introducing a "Path Illustrator" feature

[Joe Martin]

All, 

There is now a new feature created for HPSDR PowerSDR called Path Illustrator (“PI") that is available to help users and developers understand better how signals are routed in HPSDR and ANAN-series SDR radios.  Signal paths depend upon the specific menu options that have been selected in HPSDR PowerSDR (and other SDR-control programs).  The PI feature shows, in a graphics window separate from the main PowerSDR display, the transmit and receive signal paths resulting from the options that have been selected.  The feature is accessed by selecting the new “PI” tab on the main PowerSDR display.  

The “PI” graphics display is abstracted significantly to hopefully avoid unnecessary confusion for the beginning HPSDR/ANAN user to assist in proper connection of I/O cables to the hardware and yet detailed enough to provide an overview for users and developers  to achieve an understanding of how the signal paths vary internally depending upon menu option selections.  

A “PI” modified version of the current HPSDR PowerSDR v3.3.6 is available for evaluation and testing from 

http://k5so.com/HPSDR_downloads.html

On the download page there is a link to a HPSDR PowerSDR v3.3.6 mRX PS PI (18 Dec 2015) zipped folder containing the executable files for the modified program.  Simply download the folder, unzip it, and double click on the PowerSDR.exe file (no installation or de-installation process is necessary).  

Also on the page is a similar link to a stand alone version of the Path Illustrator feature (Path_Illustrator_v1.2.2 (18 Dec 2015) which will run without the presence of PowerSDR, in case you would like to observe the connection options without the presence PowerSDR at all.  

I have tried to be accurate in my abstraction of the actual signal paths depicted in the graphics representations by frequently consulting relevant existing HPSDR and ANAN schematics, manuals, diagrams, firmware/software source code, and recommendations from other developers relating to the level of abstraction that has been adopted in the display.  

The PI graphics display feature will update properly for most (not all) menu selection options without clicking the “Power” button in PowerSDR, so the user can see how signal paths in other hardware platforms are handled, without actually having the hardware present.  

I should note that the PI display for Hermes-based platforms show only two DDC receiver modules in the FPGA.  That is due to the fact that in the new protocol versions of firmware/software that is expected to be released soon, the developers have decided that all Hermes firmware going forward will be limited to two DDCs.  

Also, I have provided display options for only single and dual Mercury/Alex platform configurations under the HPSDR hardware selection.  Persons using more than two Mercury/Alex setups will have to visualize how additional boards are handled in the hardware/firmware/software.  

Please be aware that there are literally thousands of configuration combinations possible with the various menu selections available that are relevant to the depicted display so it is a certainty that I, and the others helping to check out accuracy of the intial versions of this feature, have not tested/verified every possible combination of settings.  Therefore, there may well be some errors or omissions that exist in this initial release of the program and I apologize in advance for that if some are found.  

After the PI feature has been available for interested persons to access it for a while, to hopefully reveal major discrepancies should they exist, it is expected that Doug will incorporate the new PI feature option into his next public release of HPSDR PowerSDR.  

Many thanks to Doug W5WC, especially, and Warren NR0V, Phil VK6PH, and Abhi for assisting with suggestions/comments/testing of the alpha versions of this new feature.  Any errors you may find in the behavior of the PI feature are most certainly due to me so please direct your comments about them to me and I’ll be happy to try to address them appropriately.  

It has been my pleasure to create this feature for the group and it is my hope that you find it at least somewhat useful.  Thank you all for the opportunity to learn and help.

73, Joe K5SO