[hpsdr] PowerSDR/OpenHPSDR mRX PS v3.3.2 released

[Doug W5WC]

All,

PowerSDR/OpenHPSDR mRX PS v3.4.2, July 5, 2017 has been released.
 
This release can be downloaded from the TAPR Github website.
https://github.com/TAPR/OpenHPSDR-PowerSDR/releases

This release contains the following changes/fixes:

Band Stacks - import and size:
This modification adds the capability to import BandStack information from
an older database, especially useful on starting up a new version, or simply
importing while already  running on a current version database.  In 3.4.1
this was not yet handled.  In addition, the bandstacks have been increased
to be 5-deep instead of 3.

CW Filter controls and setup:
This modification fixes the problem of CW filters not getting saved, and
worse, being lost whenever band changes or mode changes are made. It also
makes the actions of the width/shift/hi/lo/CWpitch controls all act more
consistently and intuitively, specifically for CW operation.  See details
section below.

CTUN operation:
CTUN has been modified to make mode changes behave in similar ways, whether
CTUN is on or off, and are identical to the way they always worked with CTUN
off in previous versions.  Behavior when tuning has also changed.  As the
VFO approachs the edge of the display, instead of disappearing off the edge
or stopping, the display re-centers itself so tuning is continuous, even in
CTUN mode. The re-centering occurs as the edge of the passband hits the edge
of the display, in order to keep any signals of interest visible even as it
approaches the edge.  In addition, zooming in while in CTUN mode
automatically centers the VFO in the spectrum display so that a signal of
interest (i.e. the one you're tuned to) gets zoomed in on, as is usually the
intent.  When zooming out, re-centering doesn't occur, since that wouldn't
cause the VFO to disappear off the edge of the display.

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CW Filter operation details:

There are several adjustments that affect the receiver filter settings in CW
modes.  They are: Filter buttons, Width, Shift, High, Low, and CWPitch, and
they are somewhat interdependent.

Filter Buttons
The filter selection buttons choose pre-defined receiver bandpass filters.
They are customizable by right clicking on each button and then choosing its
width, or low and high limits.  For CW it is recommended that you initially
choose a passband centered on the CW Pitch frequency, since CW filters will
automatically be centered whenever the CW Pitch is changed.

Width
Sliding the Width control automatically switches to the Var1 filter so that
your pre-defined Filter buttons aren't changed from the width for which you
set them up and labeled them.  Moving the slider left decreases the passband
width while sliding right increases it. As you increase width, one of the
passband edges (the upper edge in the "Lower" 
modes such as CWL, or the lower edge in the "Upper" modes, like CWU)
approaches the limit where opposite sideband images appear (i.e. a value of
zero (0) in High or Low).  When this happens, the width continues to
increase but only in one direction - downward in a "Lower" mode, and upward
in an "Upper" mode - so as to keep from hearing these images.  If you
subsequently move the passband across the sideband (image) boundary,
enforcement of the boundary ceases and you can change the width centered on
wherever you've moved the passband with the Shift control. When you move the
passband back across this boundary, the width control again obeys this
limit. Clicking on a filter button other than Var1 resets the receiver to
the filter settings assigned to that button, but Var1 remains as you set it,
until you change it again, either by clicking on
Var1 or having it be automatically selected by using one of the adjustments.

Shift
Sliding the Shift control automatically switches to the Var1 filter so that
your Filter buttons aren't changed from how you set them up.  
Moving the slider left shifts the passband down in frequency while moving it
right shifts the passband upward. The passband shift is not restricted the
way the Width control is and can freely slide up and down from one sideband
to the other (and affects how the Width control operates as described
above).  The "Reset" button returns only the Shift slider to its original
position.  Clicking on another filter button resets the receiver to the
filter settings assigned to that button, but
Var1 remains as you set it, until you change it again.

High/Low
The High control shifts only the high frequency edge of the passband.  
It is inactive when a pre-defined Filter button is selected, but becomes
active when Var1 or Var2 is selected.  It is also possible to control it
using the CAT interface or a MIDI controller.  When you do that while a
pre-set filter button is selected, Var1 is automatically selected, just as
with the Width and Shift sliders.  The Low control works the same way, but
affects the low frequency edge of the passband. Mapping a MIDI controller
knob to these functions gives you a control that operates just like the Low
Cut and High Cut adjustments some transceivers provide.

CW Pitch
The CW Pitch control determines how far (in Hz) a CW signal is offset so
that it produces an audible tone when the VFO is tuned to indicate the
signal's actual frequency.  Without this offset, tuning a CW signal to
zero-beat would be at the actual zero-beat point where no audible tone would
be present because its frequency is zero.  Thus, in CW mode, when you tune
the VFO to a point where you hear a station's tone exactly match the CW
Pitch setting, you are tuned to transmit at that station's exact frequency.

Changing the CW Pitch control has several effects, and its interaction with
the filter buttons can get a little complicated. First, the audible tone at
"zero-beat" (i.e. when tuned so that you transmit exactly on the other
station's frequency) changes, and so does the sidetone as an aid to tuning
in a station to match the CW Pitch (and offset).  Second, the CW filters are
all adjusted to keep themselves at your originally set bandwidths and
centered on the CW Pitch (offset) frequency. That way, whenever a CW signal
is tuned to its exact frequency, it's positioned in the center of the
passband.

The CW Pitch isn't usually adjusted as part of tuning in a station and
tweaking filters to reduce interference. And normally, when you customize
your CW Filter button settings, you configure all of them while keeping the
CW Pitch setting constant, using the Width (or Low and
High) setting for each button, centered around the CW Pitch frequency.  
Once set that way, they will always return to these settings whenever you
choose that particular CW Pitch.  When you vary the pitch from that value,
the CW filters change themselves to track the CW Pitch as described above
(but, of course, they retain their width as originally set to match their
button's label).  Note, however, if you customize a CW filter button in a
way that is not centered on the CW Pitch frequency, the next time you change
CW Pitch that filter will center itself.  Bandwidth takes priority over
Low/High setting values for the filter selection buttons, so that their
labels always match their bandwidths.  There is one exception: If you lower
the CW Pitch below the point where the passband edge hits the sideband
(image) limit, the passband stops moving while you can continue to lower the
pitch - but the pitch/offset point will no longer be centered in the
passband.

73,
Doug, W5WC
Chris, W2PA
Warren, NR0V