Using the 1T1R Configuration
Bill, K1GQ, December 2015
The 1T1R choice in OpMode preferences applies when you are operating with a single radio (one transceiver — 1T) without a sub-receiver (one receiver — 1R). The QSO entry boxes are labeled Run and Pounce. You use the Run QSO entry fields when making contacts with stations that answer your CQs. You use the Pounce QSO entry fields when making contacts with stations whose CQs you have answered. Note that SkookumLogger does not require that you always log QSOs this way, but it is necessary if you want to use run/pounce context-dependent features described below.
So, it is important to efficiently manage which QSO entry box handles what you type with your keyboard. This is called keyboard focus. The two QSO entry boxes independently keep track of radio frequency and mode, so it is also important to efficiently manage which entry box is controlling your radio. This is called transmit focus.
There are several commands (menu items) that manage which QSO entry box has keyboard focus. I use View ► Toggle QSO Entry Focus (F12). This command transfers keyboard focus from wherever it may be (as long as SkookumLogger is the active application) to the most-recently-focused field in the “other” QSO entry box.
To manage transmit focus, I turn on the Transmit focus follows keyboard focus option in the 1T1R section of Configuration preferences.
The QSO entry box with transmit focus automatically tracks radio frequency and mode. Sometimes I find myself tracking the radio with the “wrong” entry box. For example, I abandoned my CQ frequency and started tuning to find another one, then trip over a CQ that I want to answer. In this case, I use Log ► Copy Run to Pounce to copy the radio information from Run to Pounce, then switch focus to Pounce. A second common case is tuning with Pounce focused and finding a frequency where I want to CQ. For this case, I use Log ► Copy Pounce to Run, then switch focus to Run.
You don’t want to be using your mouse to choose these commands via menu items. Instead, learn the keyboard shortcuts, which are displayed in the menu items. Furthermore, you don’t want to be using shortcuts that involve multiple keys when using a MacBook or Apple wireless keyboard that don’t have page up keys. Use the Shortcuts pane in the Keyboard section of your System Preferences to change a shortcut.
I use an external USB button box and its software to “extend” my wireless keyboard. The software associates button presses on the box with shortcut key combinations in SkookumLogger.
The buttons labeled RUN and POUN manage keyboard and transmit focus. They are at the top right corner of the 24-button matrix, where I can locate them easily without looking. The adjacent buttons to the right perform the copy commands.
When running, and sometimes when pouncing, I use the up and down arrow keys to bump the offset between receive and transmit frequencies. The NOT SPLIT button returns the radio to transceive mode. SPEED UP and SPEED DOWN step the CW sending speed. CLEAR QSO erases the entry fields for the QSO entry box with keyboard focus. The other keys on the button box (not shown) are used to select among my transmit and receive antennas. All of the buttons except the four in the rightmost column also trigger the View ► Focus Recent QSO Entry command.
When running, I want to begin a QSO by typing a call and playing the His Call + Exchange message. To end the QSO after typing the received exchange, I want to play the Acknowledge + Log QSO message. When pouncing, I want to begin a QSO by playing My Call, and end the QSO after typing the received exchange by playing Exchange + Log QSO. Since I am careful to manage focus properly, I can have SkookumLogger choose which messages to send when beginning and ending Run and Pounce QSOs. In the Special Keys box in Messages preferences, I assign semicolon as the key for the Begin QSO function, and apostrophe as the key for the End QSO function. Then I start either kind of QSO by tapping semicolon, and finish either kind of QSO by tapping apostrophe.
Sometimes I need to resend the other station’s call when finishing a QSO. For that purpose, I assign the left square bracket key as the special key for the Messages 5 + 3 + Log function. So, while routinely making QSOs, I am either typing information into QSO entry fields or tapping semicolon, apostrophe, or left square bracket.
I interleave Run and Pounce QSOs using Activity tables as follows:
- Double-click on an activity table row to copy the activity to Pounce and focus Pounce.
- Tap semicolon to answer the station’s CQ.
- If the station responds, complete the QSO. Otherwise, possibly tap a CQ message function key — SkookumLogger automatically changes transmit focus to Run before playing a message with “CQ” in the label. Tap POUN to return to Pounce to continue calling.
When Pounce has focus and I discover a good frequency for CQing, I use Messages ► Copy Pounce to Run + CQ to grab the frequency and start a CQ with one keystroke. One other command that I use frequently is Messages ► Beacon CQ. This command focuses Run if necessary, and starts sending the F1 CQ message.
There are two reasons that I do not use the 1T2R configuration, even though I have a radio with a sub-receiver:
- I have tried and failed, more than once, to train myself to make QSOs efficiently while listening to more than one audio stream.
- I enjoy completing difficult contest QSOs, which often involves digging out weak signals with QRM and QSB. Using my sub-receiver in diversity mode contributes to success in that endeavor; diversity mode is incompatible with the 1T2R sub-receiver frequency management scheme.