JUNE/24/2002: Version 1.0.92 Update: ### Bugfix in the part with the automatic Doppler correction. It was not possible to select different ways to calculate the Doppler shift and the affection of the transceiver. Every time when a non standard calculation was selected, the normal calculation has been engaged instead of the selected one. This should be fixed now. Additional Information: I'm now preparing for the HamRadio 2002 in Friedrichshafen / Germany (between 28th June and 30th June 2002) . You are very welcome to stop by at the WiMo booth, to see our special setup with the FT-847 transceiver, FT847-SuperControl, NOVA and the ARS rotator-interface which will be connected to a Yaesu G-5500 rotator controller. I'm trying to show you all the possibilities in the software and all the connected parts. I also try to answer your special questions live.

JUNE/12/2002: Version 1.0.90 Update: ### Added the ARS rotor interface. You can find this new part of the program by going to the pulldown menu "Network / Misc. -> ARS Rotor". Of course you'll need the RCI-Board and the ARS-Software to get the Interface to work. Please visit EA4TX's homepage, where you can download the latest free ARS windows software to evaluate the features (http://www.ea4tx.com ). You can switch the ARS-software to a demonstration mode, where you can see how the ARS-interface is working together with FT847-SuperControl. The ARS interface is announced to work with every rotor hardware. You must start the ARS program in the background, FT847-SuperControl will connect to that program then and controls the rotor interface either manually or automatically. To automatically control the rotor, you can use the special memory banks with AZ/EL data, or you can use a satellite tracking program which is connected to FT847-SuperControl. FT847-SuperControl will act as a translator between the satellite tracking program and the ars software then.

MAY/21/2002: Version 1.0.59 Update: ### If there is an active repeater offset, then it will be turned off, when using non repeater memories or homechannels. In earlier versions the repeater offset was turned off in the software, but not in the transceiver. ### Fixed some small internal Windows XP related problems. ### Did also some improvements to the Doppler correction program part. ### Unfortuneately FT847-SuperControl has been cracked like many other programs too. Therefore we had to change some things within the registration number routines. All the older licence numbers were cut off now. If you are allready a registered user, please write an e-Mail to me with your new registration number. I need this number to generate for you a new personal product licence number. You can find your registration number by going to the registration menu. It is the number in the red textbox. Please exactly submit this number to me, as only if i have the correct number, i'm able to generate for you a working final licence number. The final product licence number will only work on the computer where the registration number was created from! So if you wish to have also your local network computers working with FT847-SuperControl, feel free to contact me with the registration numbers from these computers too. The licence will also include the licence for up to three connected (and hopefully your own *grin*) network computers. I thought this is a must, if someone wish to use the network capabilities of the program. Please excuse any unconvenience, but i had to do this to prevent unauthorized usage of the program. I have spent (and still spend...) over two years on the development, and every one had the chance to register to a preliminary beta version for a snap price. So i'm very sorry, but i think the program is worth the registration fee.

APR/10/2002: Version 1.0.55 Update: ### Added the possibility to choose between different number formats for the way how to calculate the Doppler correction function. The reason for the changes was, that with the latest update of NOVA, there was a problem with the country specific number format. ### The users manual has been updated with the new information on the changes in the Doppler function. There is a need to set up the correct country specific number format first, before we can use the Doppler function. ### Added some new entry's to the chapter 5 - Troubleshooting in the users manual.

MAR/27/2002: Version 1.0.53 Update: ### Bugfix: If the transverter function was turned on, and the transverter display read "NO DEVICE", then it was impossible to get a correct transverter frequency display, if we changed to a frequency with an active transverter device. The display read always "NO DEVICE". ### New button in the doppler function. The button "SET" can be used to put in a new selected frequency pair to the doppler function. in earlier versions it was only possible to set up a "perfect frequency pair" which was used as base for the calculation of the doppler shift. With the "SET" button there are now two new possibilities to take over a new frequency pair as new base frequency for a new start of the calculation, or to take over a new frequency pair as new target frequency with the doppler shift included. The second way should be of use if you wish to change the frequency while the doppler correction is still working. Please read more about the changes in the doppler function in the updated users manual (Chapter 3, automatic doppler correction).

MAR/07/2002: Version 1.0.45 Update: ### Made the internal cat command testing environment available to all users. You can find it in the pulldownmenu "Network / Misc.". Warning: under some circumstances, if you find undocumented cat commands, it could be that you can harm your transceiver with these commands ! So if you are not sure what you are doing, please don't do it. If you like to do it anyways, please note, that the author is not resposible in any ways for your defective transceiver. Nevertheless the author is allways interested in getting knowledge about any undocumented cat commands, if you can find any. ### Bugfix: in the doppler-correction window the usage of the checkbox "affect trcvr" caused the software to generate a false frequency value if the checkbox was used several times. This part is fixed now. ### Bugfix: If the doppler checkbox was pushed several times, a new base-frequency was created, and therefore the calculation was not correct. This part is also fixed now. ### Bugfix: The doppler-calculation has an internal error iin the formula, caused to generate the doppler shift with the wrong sign. This part is fixed now. ###Bugfix: The discriminator-meter was gone while automatic doppler-correction was turned on. The meter is now visible again on the transceiver and helps to find out whether the automatic doppler correction is working or not. ### Also i made the doppler function available to non satellite mode too. This is because we need this function to work the ISS or some other satellites with the same frequency as up- and downlink. Unfortuneately you'll be able to use only VFO-1, as the the firmware of the FT-847 transceiver is not capable to poll split frequencies, or frequencies from the second VFO via CAT commands. ### Also a big change went to the registration routine. If some registered users are having problems now, when starting the program, please let me know: hotline@supercontrol.de. They may have a new licence number then. I apologize any unconvenience.

FEB/18/2002: Version 1.0.37 Update: ### From now on, you are able to enter frequencies also by hand with the number-pad on your keyboard. To enter the frequency, please push the "ENTER VFO1"- or "ENTER VFO2"-button. Then you can use the number-pad on your keyboard instead of the graphical number-pad in the software. As seperation points you can use all the special keys like point,  comma, slash, plus, minus, etc. and you can end the entry by using the return or  enter key ! ### Some improvements went also to the logbook. While you are  setting up a new entry to the logbook, you can see in additional text-boxes, whether the entered callsign has been worked before or not. ### Also some improvements went to the time displays for the local and the UTC time. ### Maybe it is interesting to you, that i'm also working on my next project "FT100-SuperControl" for the YAESU(tm) FT-100 transceiver. I'll try to develop it with the same look like the  FT847-SuperControl program. I'll put early development stage pictures or first beta versions to the web-site soon, so you can take a look at it and tell me, what you would like to see in the program. You are also very welcome to vote on my homepage for which transceiver you wish me to develop a software for. Let us know, how we are doing and what we can improve. We'd love to hear from you ! It would be great if you could sign our guestbook with your latest impressions and thoughts.  Thank you very much...

JAN/17/2002: Version 1.0.31 Update:  ### Several improvements went to the routines for the s-meter, the discriminator-meter and therefore also to the bandscope, which is now more sensitive. With the correct settings for your special computer-speed
(see: update intervals), all the weird "ghost" s-meter readings should belong to the past. This happened to users with faster computers only. ### FT847-SuperControl is now able to accept network connections via tcp/ip. So you can turn on a special
server and a special client mode. This will probably also work via internet ! You can use this feature in the first release now. It is possible to gain frequency's, s-meter-readings, power-meter-readings, mode etc., from the server, and you are also
able to change the frequencies and mode via any connected client. Please read more about this new feature in the updated users manual.

16/DEC/2001: Version 1.0.3 update: ### In the part with the clone-data editor, there is now a possibility to load single memories from the new special memory banks. ### Some new additional voice-announcements for some new buttons have been implemented (smem.wav, smem1.wav, smem2.wav, smem3.wav, smem4.wav, voiceid.wav, writespec.wav and nmem.wav). If you need these new wave files, please download the file "ft847robot.exe"
and put the extracted files into your sound-drawer in the FT847-SuperControl application path. ### Bugfix: In the bandscope-function there was a small bug which don't let
faster computers scan correctly (the frequency was not polled from the rig). ### Hint: On faster computers, it could be, that after the installation of FT847-SuperControl the behavior of the program lacks (My developing computer is a PentiumII-300mhz,
so a faster computer is above these specs... HI). In this case it is a must, to change the update-intervals (Pulldown menu: configuration -> update intervals) to a greater
setting. So it may be possible, that the continuous tuning is not working, even if the button "FAST" has been turned on. So please slightly change the interval-settings to a higher value until the continuous tuning will work again ! ### You also can see some basics regarding the tcp/ip network-functions. But this part is very beta and not useful yet.

NOV/26/2001: Version 1.0.1 Update: Finally the program version 1.0 is ready ! Hmm... ok there are so many new ideas and improvements left, that i can say, the developing will go further. Unfortuneately the possibility to register to a pre-release version is no longer available. So here are the news. ### Bugfix1: The wave recording functions are completly redesigned and for sure they are working now without problems. In earlier versions the recording did not work sometimes. ### Bugfix2: If you have choosen a serial port which was not currently active or not available, the program crashed at this point. The only way was to CTRL-ALT-DEL then. This part is fixed now. ### Bugfix3: As of this version it is possible to set a plus-offset to the crossband- repeater function. In earlier versions onlyminus- offsets were possible. ### DDE-interface / Doppler correction: Under some circumstances it could be, that the calculated data is too slow or too fast, and the actualization of the main VFO's with correct data lacks. This could depend on which satellite has been used, your position, your position hight over zero (NN - normal null) or on other influence. It is not possible to generally solve this problem. For this case there is a slider control "alter speed", which can be used to slightly improve the speed, if needed. ### Some improvements were done for Windows XP compatibility. So now you should'nt have any problems when running the program under the Windows XP system. ### NEW: Automatic 10 minute station id and the possibility to record up to 10 announcements for e.g. calling CQ with just one mouseclick (An interface for the soundcard and the transceiver is needed)! ### NEW: There are some new additional memory banks with DCS, DEC, ENC, AZ and EL capabilities implemented. You can scan these memory banks in the way you already know from the older memory banks, of course with the new additional tone functions. ### NEW: The program is now able to use EasyComm protocol commands to drive EasyComm-compatible hardware like a rotator or other transceivers. You can add more EasyComm commands to the special memories, where the az/el-data is located. You can send the data thru another second serial port ! For this case the serial port configuration menu has been improved to handle 2 serial ports. ### Some big changes went to the timer routines. In earlier versions sometimes the program went into some kind of "hang" and no actual transceiver data was sent to the computer anymore. There was only one way to correct this behavior by pushing the reset button in the program. So now the timer routines will work without these problems. You also can find a new menu item to slightly change the speed of the important timer routines. Please note that big changes to these timer routines may cause malfunctions in the software ! ### Of course you can read about the new functions in the latest version of the users manual.

OCT/25/2001: Version 0.98.1 Update: Finally i got it, the users manual is ready to use ! You can download it in the download area. Please search for the file called  "FT847chm.exe". You can start this help-file directly with a double-click of your mouse, or if you have copied it to your FT847-SuperControl application path, you can use the "F1" key or the menu "help -> help F1" to load it directly from the program. This help file has been created in english and german language and will be improved shortly. ### Another highlight is the visual band scope which is now ready to use in the first version. ### Bugfix: There was a bug when the priority channel scanner was turned on. It was not possible to manually tune the frequency then. ### Some OM told me, that the program uses a lot of CPU-time, when doing not much, so i changed some stuff within the timer routines. When the software now waits for some reason, a new sleep routine will be activated, which should take much less on CPU-time yet. ### Finally i got the skip-memory function to work. If you are scanning memories with the skip-field activated, this memory will not be scanned (good for packed radio memories).

SEP/13/2001: Version 0.96.2 update: A new, great function has been implemented to this version, the DDE-interface (Dynamic Data Exchange) which makes communication with satellite-tracking programs possible. With that interface it is possible to gain actual satellite-data out of satellite-tracking programs to calculate the doppler-shift from it and to automatically update your transceiver with the calculated doppler-shift-offset. With this function it is possible now, to work satellites without continuous tuning of the RX- or TX-VFO by hand. FT847-SuperControl now do the tuning by itself and shows you all the data which is calculated for this satellite and especially for your actual frequency (azimuth, elevation, doppler-shift, doppler-calculation, source-frequency, target-frequency, etc.). With this data you are able to check the correctness of the calculation. There is a full compatibility for NOVA only yet, because its the only program, which sends all, for the calculation of the doppler-shift needed data, via the dde-interface. Other programs like Station, WISP, WinOrbit, ARS have also a dde-interface, but less on data which is transmitted. I can't calculate a real dopplershift only with az/el-data without knowing how far a satellite is away from earth. Maybe somebody can help with formulas which helps to calculate from these programs too. I'll try to implement these programs also, but i don't lay my hand into the fire, that it will work. ### The part with the transverter-device configuration has been improved. You now can configure up to four transverter-devices for each antenna-jack of your transceiver in FT847-SuperControl ! When this function is activated, a calculation will start. Based on the source-frequency of VFO1 or VFO2 and the frequency-range itself (the routines will distinguish between HF-, 6m-, VHF- and UHF-frequencies), FT847-SuperControl will switch automatically to the correct transverter-offset and displays the final calculated target-frequency in up to two new frequency-display's in the root program window. There is no need anymore to do the calculation by hand or to use spreadsheets, to know where you are in the upper bands. The final target frequencies affect also the calculation of the dopplershift of course ! ### Priority channel scanning is now possible ! You are able now to configure up to eight priority channels, which can be scanned in the background. Its like a small scanner, if a signal is found the scanner stops or scans further. ### The VFO-copy-functions (A>B, A<B, A<>B) have been improved. Also the mode can be copied from one vfo-display to the other vfo-display yet. ### Some of my last work went als to the general error-handling of FT847-SuperControl. It should not happen anymore, that the program crashes totally. So if an error occurs, a messagebox should pop up and after your given "ok", the program should work further. ### I updated the download-page on www.supercontrol.de with an empty database-file. With the normal installation, there comes a database with a lot of crap to be installed. This database is my "test"-database and most of the entry's are useless to you (german repeaters and stuff). So normally you are going to play awhile and then you may wish to delete the entry's. This is a boring job. So if you need an empty database, please download this one (FT847MDBE.EXE). If you want to edit this database-file by hand with Microsofts Access, please *DON'T USE MS-ACCESS2000* or higher, as these versions are not compatible with FT847-SuperControl ! You can use Access95 or Access97. All programmers or serious users of windows are knowing this problem of Microsoft, so for sure it's not my mistake. If you already have edited the database with the newer Access versions, and FT847-SuperControl have errors since that time, please download the empty database and try it that way.

Aug/05/2001: Version 0.95.7 update: Bugfix: manual saving of memories (pulldown-menu) is now possible again. Thanks to Larry (wb4sms) for his report. Also all possible windows in the program are arranged to pop up in a specific area within the root-program-window now. So if you ever change the position of the root-program-window, all the other windows will open at the new calculated position.

Aug/01/2001: Version 0.95.6 update: A new feature is the transverter frequency calculator, which shows on software-VFO2 the calculated target frequency. You also can use this feature for lower or upper band frequency-display while operating repeaters. The database file has been moved to your specified program path ! In earlier versions of FT847-SuperControl ｩ the database-file was in the drawer "..\program files\database\ft847con.mdb", so you should copy your existing file to the FT847-SuperControl ｩ program path, otherwise you'll get empty memory-listboxes or these listboxes are filled with older stuff which were already installed to that directory. In the part with the clone-data editor the standard path for loading and saving clone-files has also been altered to the existing program-path. Also the wave-recorder has been slightly altered. sometimes the recording won't work, so it should go better now. The long awaited function-keys are now covered with all the functions from the pulldown-menus, but function-key F10. It seems that this key is covered by the windows system. I have to check that further. If you need a description for the new key-functions, please take a look to the pulldown-menus, as there you can find a hint about it. When you exit the program, some routines remember whether you was in vfo- or memory-mode. So if you start the program, you'll get your previous memory display (Mem1, Mem2, Mem3, Mem4 or VFO). The source wave files for the voice announcements in FT847-SuperControl has been moved to the directory .\sounds in your application path. This was made for a better overall view in the program path. Please remember, that you can alter these wave-files with your own speech and your own language ! If you have some cool sounds, it would be great if you can give it to me, so i can upload it to the web-site. A few additional voice-files has been added to this drawer, and they sound like a robot. Also you can see a new feature, which is not yet ready: The proirity channel scanner.

May/27/2001:  Version 0.94.3 update: In the menu "configuration - tooltips" you can switch between english and german tooltips now. For every button in the first window of FT847-SuperControl a tooltiptext in the specified language will be displayed (scheduled are all the other buttons in all the other windows). A new feature is also, if you do a double-click to an entry of any memory bank, this entry will be taken to VFO2 ! If you don't have the satellite-mode already active,  the frequency will be taken to the "virtual" software-VFO2 for futher usage. As you know, if you don't have satellite-mode activated, it is not possible to send anything to VFO2. Therefore a normal mouseclick still takes the selected entry into VFO1. Some specials are now included to the VFO-scanner. Now, when scanning,  it is possible to select an s-meter strength. All found signals above the selected signal-strength will be written to a quick memory bank. You can use this (new) quick memory bank as an overview for all the found frequencies. After, or while you are scanning, you can click on an entry in that quick memory bank to take over the frequency to VFO1. Then, if you wish,  you can save it to a regular memory bank, or do other things. Also the possibility to set up a busy-delay is now given.  If a signal was found, the scanner stops for the time the signal is active. With that new busy delay, the scanner waits additional time (1sec to 5min) when the signal dropps. You also can set up to twelve predefined scan ranges now. There is no need anymore to sit near the computer and click with the mouse if a needed range has passed. Please make sure, that your defined scan-ranges are inside the specifications of your transceiver !!!  Please don't put in frequencies, which are not supported by the transceiver, programm-errors may occur !!! Lets go to the memory-scanner as some new functions are also here implemented. There is now a new function called auto-resume. You can specify a special time-range (1sec to 5min), which will initiate an auto resume of the scanner, after a signal was found. Sometimes it is boring to hear all the local QSO's while scanning, so you can cut off these. Like the busy-delay in the vfo-scanner, this function is now also available in the memory-scanner. You can specify a special time-range (1sec to 5min)  which let the scanner wait after a signal has been dropped. Additionally or seperated from the other time-ranges you can specify a normal delay (1sec to 5min) too. This delay can be used for scanning of beacons within a special time-bar. If you have a dsp-program like fftdsp or spectran and wish to use it in slow-display-mode, it is necessary to scan each channel 1 or 5minutes long, so it will fit the specification of that program. Thanks to G�nther (DL4MEA) for that suggestion.

Apr/22/2001:  Version 0.93.1 pre release. A new button with the name "TIPS ON" was created. With this button we can switch on tooltips for each button in the root program-window. Simply move your mouse to a button for which you want a description and wait a second. One OM wanted to see a 1.0mhz repeater-offset in the program, its implemented now. Bugfix1: The EXIT-button in the clonedata had no function - fixed now. Bugfix2: The button "REV" did not worked properly, a wrong inverted offset frequency was displayed - fixed now. One OM told me, that the fullduplex-crossband-repeter-function sometimes crashes. So i spent some time for that problem, but i don't found anything helpful. I can only advice to set the crossband speed not to the fastest setting. A speed of 5 works very well with my equipment. Also in this case i made a new feature for that part. You now can set up a virtual offset to one VFO in satellite-mode. It's not for satellite-operation, but for crossbanding !!! If you know some fast repeaters  without a too looooooong carrier, you can use crossbanding on them !!! Unfortunately it's not possible to interrupt a carrier, so you have to wait until the carrier goes off, if you wish to send. Please make sure you have a good swr, because the rig switches to tx, regardless of which swr you have with your antennas !!! At last a few words: It would be great if someone can click on the banner below. Because there are not so many registrations on FT847-SuperControl, it is maybe a small income for my business. I would apreciate it very much if you can click on these banners as often as you visit this page, it helps further developing this software. Thank you very much !

Mar/04/2001:  Version 0.92.5 pre release. Some different old men talked to me, that they might have problems with the download of the FT847-SuperControl 25mb-file. The filesize is too big and it's too difficult to download the whole file at one time. Therefore i have splitted the 25megs into 18 parts each 1.44mb, which will fit onto 3.5" floppy-discs. Please copy all the files to a temporary drawer on your harddrive and start the file "ft847supercontrol.exe" . Normally the installation should could also work directly from floppy-disc, but its not checked. Due to the fact, that the ars-function caused a lot of errors in the program, i have defused some parts of the code. That means, as of this version there is no continuous checking of the ars anymore when a frequency has been changed, therefore the program checks, if the mouse still click on the tune-buttons (<Mhz, Mhz>, <Khz, Khz>, <Hz, Hz>) and after one mouseclick the ars checking comes into function for one time. With this "solution" the ars-function don't take too much cpu-time and therefore the errors and the program-hangs are gone. Unfortunately there is no possibility anymore, to get an ars-check when the rig is tuned manually without the software. Also i did some changes to the dx-cluster-logger. The problem was the static ip-adress ! All users tried to connect with that ip-adress and therefore the german server was busy most of the time. In this version there is a possibility to choose from a world wide list of servers, unfortunately without the port information. The port adress is normally "23" up to 75% of all known server-adresses are using this port. Please take a look to the "LINKS" on my homepage to get further information how to handle the different adresses and ports. You can ask for them on their homepages

 Jan/24/2001:  Version 0.90.3 pre release. Unfortunately in version 91.1 there was an error in the logbook-function. You could not save a logbook entry. Of course its fixed now.

Jan/14/2001:  Version 0.90.1 pre release. As of this version there is a new multilingual installing-routine implemented, with all the components like DCOM or MDACTYP. So everyone should be able to install that software without Problems. The only known Problem is, that under Windows 2000 you must create the database drawer by hand and copy the database file into that drawer (...\program files\database\ft847con.mdb) ! Unfortunately, all components are now integrated in the setup-archive and therefore the archive is grown. The skedbook-calendar has been fixed, so now the actual time and date will be shown. NEW: Wave recording of QSO's or defined QRG's. As of this version you can record a qso or watch some qrgs while you are away. In the left half of the recording-window you can set up the  automatic-recording, in the right half of the recording-window you can do a manual-recording. The recorded data is saved to the program-drawer into the drawer "voicerecorder" with the following format: Manual_145.500.000_01.01.2001_17.24.53.wav is a manual created recording, Automatic_145.500.000_01.01.2001_17.24.53.wav is an automatic created recording. Also i must say, that this part is the first try of a recording-possibility ! For the connection between the soundcard and the transceiver, i'm using a simple microphone which you should locate in the near of the FT-847-speaker, or, the better way is a cable that fits in the external-speaker jack on the rear of the FT-847 and the line-in jack of the soundcard (In Germany the plugs called 3.5 Klinkenstecker - i don't know the name in english, sorry). You must setup your recording channel of the soundcard. Normally the microphone-channel is predefined. If you want to change it to the line-in jack, you have to change the settings of your soundcard. Please take a look to your soundcard-manual and search for recording-devices. I hate to say: ATTENTION: The use of the information above is always at your own risk ! I'm not responsible for any defective parts of your rig or computer, which may be happen when you follow the steps above !!! (Its working fine for me...!)

Okt/11/2000:  Version 0.89.3 pre release. New: with the button "VOICE" you can make a voice-announcement of the vfo1-frequency. This function will be improved in later versions for mode and other things, maybe you'll  find it usefull. You can edit the wave files if you don't like my voice, or convert it to another language. All the files have ".wav" as suffix like 0-9.wav, mhz.wav or khz.wav so they will be easy to find. Another new part is the dx-cluster display. You can use it as simple as a normal packed radio connection. You'll need an internet connection or a lokal network (if you have a dx-cluster software running) to connect to a special ip-adress via telnet which provides the dx-cluster data. Please take a look to my link page, where you can find some stuff about it. There are different ways to log on such a server, therefore it is a must, to read the given description on the homepage of the desired destination adress. Normally you must log on with your callsign and some additional data, then enter clx to start receiving dx-cluster messages. On some computers running WIN98 sometimes the connect will crash for an unknown reason. Unfortuneately for the next few weeks i'm unable to create new updates ! I'm moving and therefore i have to renovate my new and my old house. Hopefully in december 2000 i'll be back with some news...

Sep/18/2000:  Version 0.88.1 pre release. Bugfix: Database-error in ft847con.mdb fixed. There was an error when saving a memory to the priv2-memory bank, because it was not possible to write the same description to other channels. Normally when you are going to save memories per doubleclick, a standard description will be saved to the channel (automatic saved). Therefore it was impossible to autosave more than one channel with that description. You now can do the following: download the latest version of the database-file, or if you are familar with MS-Access, you can go directly in your own database file, searching for the priv2-table and change the properties for "text" to "no index" or "double entrys possible". Please make a backup-copy before you are going to change anything ! Also i spent some work on the vfo-scanner. That part is working now with basic functions.

Aug/18/2000:  Version 0.85.1 pre release. The row width of the log- and skedbook is now remembered by the program. In previous versions the width was not remembered and therefore we had to change it at every programstart if altered. Also i reached the border of possible buttons per window ! Therfore i had to cover some buttons with two functions (e.g. "sat on" and "sat off" on one button, etc...). As of today a new function is born: the ARS (automatic repeater shift) For those fellas who modified the rig and lost the ARS. Hope you like it...You must put in the frequency range and the offset via the menu "Repeater offset" in the menu. The data can be saved to the windows-registry. Also i recognized that on slower computers the tuning will be more difficult and results sometimes in a hang of the program. In this case you should enter a small step value like 1 khz and avoid tuning with the rig. I have to find out some better routines for that fact later. 

July/26/2000:  Version 0.80.1 pre release. Bugfix1: On some systems there was an error with the serial port with versions greater than 0.74.0 when com2 was selected - this part should be fixed now. Bugfix2: Also after bugfix1 it was not possible to use the clone-functions on the higher com-ports - fixed. The download links are changed for use with internet explorer. I previously used some java script code (which is standard !!!), which sent me an e-mail when a file was downloaded. Unfortuneately internet explorer was not able to understand these simple commands. Maybe some kind of software politics ?

July/24/2000:  Version 0.76.1 pre release. Bugfix1: In the unregistered version there was an error when loading the program - fixed. Bugfix2: When the program has been started, the khz-step-entry had a wrong entry - fixed. Bugfix3: After the first installation of the program the step-variable was not set and caused an error if the khz-up and khz-down button was pressed - fixed. 

July/17/2000:  Version 0.75.0 pre release. As of this version you can use the clone capabilities to load a clonefile from the transceiver to a file on your computer, to edit this clone-file and upload the edited clonefile back to the transceiver. You can edit the normal memories, the satellite memories and the two scan-range-channels. You can simply use the FT847-SuperControl memories to fill the clone memories !!! With a simple mouseclick you can copy the avilable memories from the FT847-SuperControl program to the clonefile. Bugfix1: After resetting the program via the reset button, the clock routine did not work and the display looked like "00000000". That part should be fixed now. Bugfix2: If the program was terminated with the Windows own window close symbol "x" on the upper right side of the program-window, the program still remained in ram - fixed. Bugfix3: In some cases the program stopped with a "file not found error" in the starting sequence - fixed. There are still a lot of things to do, and the clonepart took a lot of time and still take a lot of time, as in that part a lot of things can be implemented.

June/04/2000:  Version 0.74.0 beta. Added some features for the memory scanner. You now can choose whether the scanner completely should stop at a signal, or when the ptt was pushed in the program or with the microphone.

June/01/2000:  Version 0.73.5 beta. Added the possibility to enter the product licence code via the menu "HELP - REGISTER". If you register the program, you simply can enter your code now, to switch into the registered version without copying files to weired directory structures. And now you also be able to alter your registered name and callsign, if you upgraded to a higher licence class or have another reason for that. The tracking mode for satellite operation is working now (TCK-NOR, TCK-REV) if you alter the frequenzy via the KHZ-buttons. The other buttons (HZ and MHZ) don't affect the tracking mode yet. I cut off the detection for the tracking mode, because the transceiver is not being able to send the correct information for that feature. In earlier versions of  FT847-SuperControl this detection caused sometimes some weired blinking in the display. So i advice to do these operations only with your transceiver, or do it only with the software. If you are going to use it the same time (turn on tck on the software and turn off tck on your ft-847), the display shows you incorrect data. One OM told me, that the window-size don't fits his 800x600 screen, therefore the size of the program window has been slightly changed. Hopefully its better now. Also you now can see the first try on the af-spectrum display, which is used later for automatic saving of QSO-data, when you push the "OSC" button. Another new part in the program is my first try on the clone data. When you push the button "Clone", you can download the data from the rig, save the data to a file, edit the data and re-upload the data to the rig. Also you can save different clone files to disc, for different memory usage. (A big thank you to Randy for the info concerning the clone-part!) Bugfix: The memory-scanner crashed after completing one band - fixed.

Mai/16/2000:  Version 0.72.2 beta. Bugfix2: "type mismatch error"... sorry...forgot the logbook and the skedbook to fix...

May/14/2000:  Version 0.72.1 beta. Bugfix: "type mismatch error" encountered on some machines, when the display colour was changed and a memory was saved -> fixed. The Buttons SatWrite and CrossWrite are working now, but the satellite mode must switched on. The listwindows for the logbook and for the skedbook, can now be easily sorted with a mouseclick on the title of each column. And finally the problems with downloading from qsl-net are fixed as of today, so the backup-server in germany is down already.

May/05/2000:  Version 0.71.2 beta. With the button "STEP" you can now use different step sizes for the VFO. You can use these steps only with the tuning buttons "<< khz" und "khz >>". Before you are going to use different step sizes on your VFO, make sure, that you have tuned in a correct base-frequency, because at this stage of the program, there is no check, whether the step size fits the correct frequency-roster or not. The buttons "Logbook" and "Skedbook" are working now. Also the buttons "LogWrite" and "SkedWrite" with which you can save (double-click) an entry to the desired log- or skedbook. In the following window, some data is already polled from the display, so that you only have to enter the data of your qso-partner by hand. In the  listwindow of the log- or skedbook, you can alter the entry's by clicking the mouse on it and you can edit the desired cell. Every entry to the listwindow is saved automatically. There is no need to go to the menu for editing. Bugfix: in earlier versions the program remains in memory after an exit, this should be fixed now (Thanks to Glenn for the info).

April/20/2000:  Version 0.71.1 beta. Unfortunately for this version you must download the full installation package (10MB) again. Some new components are needed, and they have to be registered to the windows system library. Due to some small bugs, i worked again on the buttons "REV" and "NOR". In earlier versions the use of these buttons caused some strange QRG-displays. As of this version you now can use the buttons "MEM write", "BC write", "Priv write", "Priv2 write", "Beac write" to save the memories "live". No need for complicated hand-editing anymore ! Please notice, that you have to push the buttons twice to save one memory. The button "MEM write" will detect the frequency and writes it  to the correct memory bank. E.g. if you have 14.250.000 in your vfo-display, there will be written a memory-entry to the 20m band memory bank. If you have a vfo-display, that shows 433.500.000, a memory-entry for the 70cm memory bank will be generated automatically ! If you push the button "BC write", you can save every vfo-display to the BC (broadcast radio) memory bank (No sorry..., there is no detection wether the qrg is a broadcast px or another service...grin).  The button "Beac write" is used to save beacons or baken. The buttons "priv write" (HF-entrys) and "priv2 write" (VHF/UHF-entrys) are used for different, private frequencies without a special sense. With the button "REP write" you can save any repeater frequencies with offset. If you don't have an activ offset, you can't save repeater memories !!! The one and only thing what you must do by hand is, to write the correct description of each memory bank, because a default description "automatic saved" is used.

April/04/2000:  Version 0.71.0 beta. A new button and a new entry in the menu (reset program) was created. In some cases the polling-routine for the s-meter and the qrg will hang. Now you can reset the program without leaving it. In the bandscanner window there is a new entry called "activate listwindows". With this button you can switch the memory listwindows on and of while you are scanning, and therefore the scanner is faster (without actualisation of the listwindows) or slower (with active listwindows). Also the homesettings are working now. At this version you can save and alter your favorite homechannels for each band. The buttons "fasttune" and "slowtune" are now remembered by the program for a later start. The DCS-function is completely new programmed. Due to the fact, that some om's wanted to have different dcs-entry's for each vfo in satellite mode, i reprogrammed this section. I could not test the result, because my handheld don't have dcs-functions, and i have no other possibility to test it, but the program will do that now. Unfortunately i think, that the FT847 itself has only one internal memory entry to save the state of the dcs-code. Therefor the function will not work properly, i think its possible, that the last code-entry will be transmitted to both vfo's. If you have any information on that behavior, please post some words about to the forum. If it is working, i will reprogram the routines for DEC and ENC too, or i have to discard these changes.

March/22/2000:  Version 0.70.9 beta. The settings for the display-colour, the serial port, the utc-offset and the crossband speed setting, are saved now and reloaded after every new start of the program. Also i did some work again on the crossband function. For proper work of this feature it is a must, that you  go to the FT847-settings menu and switch the menu 41 X RPT to "ON" after the software advised you to do so. After that, you must push the menu-button on the rig once again to leave the menu and finally you can do a mouseclick on the "OK" in the software to start crossbanding !!! If you don't follow these steps, the crossband-repeater has no function. You can leave the settings menu in the transceiver also by simply clicking with your mouse on the "OK" button, but the crossbanding will not work. 

March/19/2000:  Version 0.70.8 beta. Some timer-routines have been changed and improved. Yesterday i tried to start the crossband-repeater function and it don't started...strange... i made this part a long time ago and it worked fine before ! So i spent a little time for that problem too. The scanner-part is completely new programmed. If you wan't to improve the speed of the scanner, you should move the scanner-entry-window above the memory-list-windows. The result is, that the actualisation of the single memories in the list-windows don't take to much cpu-time and so far the scanner is faster. The satellite- and crossband-memories are reprogrammed. If you click on an entry in the list-window, the complete values (vfo1/mode1 and vfo2/mode2) are transmitted now, also it is possible now, to scan these satellite- and crossband-memories in the memory-scanner. The satellite-picture in the display-window has now the correct backgroundcolor when changed. 

March/09/2000:  Version 0.70.7 beta. The discriminator-center-meter is working now. Unfortunately it is not that comfortable like the display on the transceiver. The reason for that problem is, that the transceiver transmits only the data when the discriminator center meter is centered. In this case we only can switch the part of the meter on and off. There is no way to get any additional data, which is needed for the case, when the discriminator meter is not centered. In the repeater memories, the repeater shift is now activ, but it is working only with modes which are not bigger than 2 chars (eg.: FM, AM, PR, CW - normally only FM is important for repeater-operations). That means, with every mouseclick on a repeater-memory in the windowlist, also when you are going to use the scanner, the repeater-shift on the transceiver gets activated and will be changed to the correct saved value.

March/04/2000:  Version 0.70.6 beta. On some machines the display was too dark. So a new menu was created, where you can edit the backgroundcolor of the display. You can find it in "EDIT - COLORS". In the scannerpart, the modes are no longer inactive. For this part it is necessary, that you put the right entry to the memories mode section when you do that by manual. The mode must have a length of three characters. The possible entrys are: AM, AMN, FM, FMN, CW, CWN, CWR, CWRN, LSB, USB, PR, AMT, PAC.

February/26/2000:  Version 0.70.5 beta. Bugfix: ADO-error 3706 - cannot find provider. That problem occured on some  computers running WIN95. I put two new files to the download section: DCOM95.ZIP and FT847INST.TXT. DCOM95 is a special version for Windows95. Attention: If you have installed DCOM98 on your Windows95 computer, please try at first the program update. If you still have the ADO-Error 3706 when starting the application, install the DCOM95. In this version, the scanner should work also with the mode.

February/22/2000:  Version 0.70.3 beta. Bandscanner-Button is working now. A window opens and you can select all the bands you wish to scan (Multiple Bandscanning possible !!!) ATTENTION: With this function you are able to scan all the bands you wish... BUT, be careful with your relay-type devices in your transceiver - The author is *NOT* responsible in any way, if you ruin your transceiver with hyper-bandscanning on different bands !!! You should only scan such bands, which do not ruin these devices in your rig !!! The scan-function is programmed to stop at the case, when the squelch opens. If the squelch closes, the scanner starts immediateley scanning further. If you are pressing the abort-button when you have a signal, the scanner stops at the frequenzy shown on the display. I'll work on the scanner-routines in future for more functions. This is the first try on the scanner. Please realize that the mode is not being touched by the routines yet. The scanner takes only the frequenzies out of the database yet. It is not possible to scan sat-mem, cross-mem and sked-mem yet...

February/05/2000:  Version 0.70.1 beta. Bugfix: the buttons "A>B", "B<A" und "A<>B" caused sometimes an error in the s-meter and frequenzy reading. In satellite mode you can now enter different tone modes for each vfo (digital code squelch (DCS),  ctcss encoder (ENC) and  ctcss decoder (DEC) ). In earlier versions both vfo's got affected at the same time. Btw.: I'm still working on the database functions to save the all the stuff "live"...

January/26/2000:  Version 0.70 beta. Memory-banks can now be copied into the display and the transceiver, by clicking on the desired memory bank entry. The saving of single memories can only be done by entering the pulldown menu or the external use of MS-Access yet. The direct saving of the display and mode is planed for the next update. The REV-Button now shows the lower frequency of any repeater-offset channels. The NOR-Button let get you back to the normal repeater display. Also there is a new version of the database out ! Two new memory banks are born ! If you have installed the full installation package, then you wonder where is the database file ? The file path is *not* changeable and all the new updates of the "ft847con.mdb" database file, must be copied to the "c:\program files\database\" directory. ATTENTION: FT847-SuperControl v0.70 is *not* working with the older database file ! Unfortunately with this version there comes the first limitation of the unregistered program. In the unregistered version the memory banks are limited to 5 channels each, in the registered version the max. channels are unlimited.

January/20/2000:  Version 0.69 beta, FT847- SuperControl Installationpack Update. After one week of searching i found out what went wrong in the setup-section. Today i can tell you, that the database is implemented and my first try's show you the handling of the memmories. Unfortunately, for Access database operation you'll need  some additional files from Microsoft. These files are named MDAC_TYP.EXE and DCOM. Both files together are about 7.5  megabytes big. If you don't have DCOM already installed, you must download DCOM and install it before the installation-packet !!! Another problem that comes with the database is the difference between german and american computers. I cannot get an installing-routine which is working on both systems. For a reason i don't know, the installing-routine crashes on an american system. Solution: Change the country-format of your computer to standard german, *before* you are going to install the package and it should work. If you are afraid of downloading tons of megabytes, i can send out a cd-rom with all the needed files on it. Please e-Mail me, if you are interested.

January/12/2000:  Version 0.685 beta. Did some final improvement on the up- and down buttons for the QRG-entrance. You can alter the buttons FAST and SLOW for automatic- and "step-by-step"-change of the Frequency now. All the bugs for this section are finally eliminated, but for some reason sometimes the first mouseclick won't work. QRG-entrys can now be done without any errors of the program ! Also the first database-structures are implemented. (Please give me some Feedback about the Layout !). The full installation package is growing and growing.... the reason for this is, that the database-part needs more modules and librarys to work with. A new file was created: ft847con.mdb ! Yep, this one is the database-file. Oh well, this file is not encrypted, you can edit this file also without the FT847SuperControl via your MS-Access application. The complete installation-package will be online in a couple of days...(i have to fix something with the installing routine...)...l8ter

January/05/2000:  Version 0.681 beta. Finally after 3 months my transceiver is back from Yaesu and finally i could test the software with the rig. Bugfix 1: The buttons "EnterVFO1", "EnterVFO2" and the "numberblock" are working  (also in satellite-mode), you must enter the QRG with seperation-points for correct operation. Bugfix2: The up- and down-buttons for the QRG-change (<<MHZ, <<KHZ, <<HZ) are completely new structured and they should work now (also in satellite mode).

December/18/1999:  Version 0.68 beta. I just worked on the routines to display the correct UTC-time and UTC-date. This is necessary for the logbook and the skedbook routines. Its a little difficult, because of the different time-formats of various countrys. This Program can handle the german and the american timeformat now. I hope this part is working correctly. The UTC-offset can be altered in the menu or directly via button, but you can't save it yet. I also added COM-pics to the display, so you still know what com-port you are using.

November/30/1999:  Version 0.674 beta. The CTCSS encoder (ENC/ENCoff/+/-) should work now. Repeater-offset 5mhz added. (tnx to Larry, WB4SMS for the info), repeater-menu should work now.

November/23/1999:  Version 0.673 beta. The CTCSS decoder (DEC/DECoff/+/-) should work.

November/13/1999:  Version 0.672 beta. Serial ports 5-8 because of the requests of some users added.

November/08/1999:  Version 0.671 beta. Digital code squelch (DCS) Bugfix. Now you can use the repeater offset. At this moment, the offset is hard-coded to the program. I need some further information about the repeater-offsets of other countrys than germany. If you have some information of that, please post it in the forum. Thank you.

November/05/99:  Version 0.67 beta. Digital code squelch (DCS/DCSoff/+/-) added. Now you can enter the DCS-code.

October/30/99:  New homepage layout. I decided to create also german pages. Hope you like it.

October/07/99:   Version 0.66 beta. PTT-button (TXon/TXoff) added. Code detection for registering the program added. While crossbanding it seems, that the repeater shift option  is definately *not* possible, because when the software do crossband, it is not possible to send an opcode to the rig, which will alter the QRG. If such an opcode is sent, it will result in modulation loss, though there is still a carrier. Thanks to David (K5DRM), he told me, that the crossband TX must come from the rig itself, and it don't work when i try to tx via the tx-opcode. That also will result in modulation loss. I modified the crossband section of the program, and i hope, that crossbanding is now working. I cannot test this feature on my rig this time, because my FT-847 is sent back to YAESU. The 70cm finals are blown the 2nd time for a reason, i don't know why. The 1st time it took 3 months to get my rig back, and this time it seems, that it will take the same time to get my trcvr back. Btw., for those who are interested to make some *LEGAL* extra money while surfing the internet, i added some links.(I tried it, and it works !!!)

September/11/99: FT847 SuperControl installation package update. I determined what went wrong with the installing routine. The reason: The VisualBasic6.0 package and deployment wizard which generates the installation package, don't like the german date and time format though i own the german version !!! I changed it to the american standard date format...aaaaaaand: voila... the installation is now running. Thanks to Microsoft for this bug in their software. It's great that they use the customers to determine their bugs. So now i can go back to my own software problems. I'm sorry for the problems when trying the installation. I also installed a FORUM like the FT-847 Bulletin Board to this homepage. You can find it in the guestbook/chat drawer. I think its better to use a forum instead of a guestbook to discuss software problems.

September/04/99:   Sorry no update today. I put the latest screenshot of FT847 SuperControl into the download drawer, so you can take a look at the program before downloading it.

August/17/99:   Version 0.65 beta. VFO-tuning added (still some bugs in sat-mode). MEM-layout added. Did some cosmetics and did some internal changes. I got still no feedback ?!? Is anybody outta there who's using this programm ??? Now you can use my guestbook on this site to write some feedback !

August/11/99:   Version 0.61 beta. Com1 problem fixed. Now you can choose the Com-port you wish to use. The choice of an non available com port results in an error (error-detection l8er). There is still one big problem with the installation package. The createt installing routine is not working and at this time i don't know why. Hope to fix that soon. Maybe some VB-fellas can help me with this problem ?

August/08/99:   Version 0.6 beta. Bandswitching up/down added. VFO-switching added. After 4 days of trying to fix the crossband-problem, i decided to fix that later. The Problem: If the crossband-function recognize a signal and goes to TX, the program have to ask the rig, how long should it transmit. So the software must send an opcode to gain the s-meter status from the rig. As soon as the opcode is sent while tx, the modulation is lost and a blanc carrier is transmitted. I know it is possible if i take a look to the supercat from K5DRM. C'mon David, or some other programmers, give me a hint, hi)

August/05/99:   Version 0.5 beta. BusyPic-visibility bug fixed. TCK-nor/TCKrev detection added. Some old men e-mailed me, that some files are missing to run the program. I updated the web-site with the full installation package. You can find it in the download section.

August/04/99:   Version 0.4 beta shareware. Initial release of FT847 SuperControl.  Remember: BETA-state !!!