Introduction
    AGWPE Overview
    More about AGWPE
1. Interface
    Getting Started
    Kits and Pre-assembled
    Receive Audio Cable
    Transmit Audio Cable
    PTT (TX Control) Cable
    2 Radio Modification
2. AGWPE Set Up
    Download and Install
    Basic AGWPE Setup
    2 Radio Setup
    2 Card Setup
3. Sound Card Setup
    Basic Settings
    Additional Settings
    Tuning Aid
4. Windows™ Setup
    TCP/IP Settings
    Update Windows
5. Problems?
    Program Behavior
    Receiving
    Transmitting
    Connections
6. Using AGWPE
    AGWPE on a Network
    Baud Rates & Modes
    Remote Control
    TCP/IP Over Radio
    Tips and Tricks
    Traffic Parameters
7. Compatible Programs:
    Setup Help
    UI-View
    WinAPRS
    Winpack
    Others
  
   

Basic AGWPE Program Setup

One Radio to One Sound Card

Navigating in AGWPE
Configuring the Radio Port Properties
Configuring the Sound Card

AGWPE uses the concept of Radio Ports to define how it will interface with a radio. An AGWPE radio port is created for each TNC, radio modem or sound card channel that AGWPE will manage. This page will show you how to setup an AGWPE sound card radio port in just a few minutes. Note that to complete your configuration, you will need to decide which RS-232 port (COM or LPT) you plan to use for PTT control, in other words, where your PTT cable will connect to the computer. Usually this is an unused COM port. See PTT Cable for more information.

Before starting AGWPE, always close:

• any programs that might be using  the serial or parallel port you plan to use for PTT control
• any programs that might be accessing the sound card

a. Navigating in AGWPE

When you start the AGW Packet Engine.exe program for the first time, you will be greeted with a Packet Engine banner all in gold and a Software License Agreement which you must accept. The banner will disappear in a few seconds or you can click on it once to speed things up.  At this point, you will discover that AGWPE does not put an open Window on your desktop, nor will there be a button on the bottom Task Bar of your screen.  Instead, all you will find is the AGWPE tower icon on your Windows System Tray at the bottom right of your screen.  This icon is your only access to AGWPE when it is running!  To help you find it, a yellow pop-up 'balloon' message points to the icon when AGWPE starts.

To change any of AGWPE's configurations, left or right click on the AGWPE icon to bring up AGWPE's  pop-up menu:

Note: The Sound Card Tuning Aid option on the menu
will be grayed out until you create and configure a "radio port"
as described below.

b.  Create and Configure an AGWPE Radio Port

The first step in working with AGWPE is to create and configure a radio port for a sound card channel and its associated radio. From the AGWPE menu, select Properties.  A blank RadioPort Selection window will open. Press the New Port button on the right.  A message window will appear: A New TncPort File Has Been Created.  Click OK to close the message and move on.

The Properties for Port`1 window  should now appear. Remember that AGWPE also can manage TNCs and radio modems, so some of the fields on this screen will not pertain to sound cards. The field outlined in red will be the key fields for a sound card radio port. Follow the step below in filling out the fields:

1. Make the following selections first on this screen (i.e. TNC Setup tab):

* Notes about Port selections (COM & LPT):

• To select a parallel port scroll to the bottom of the port list 
• If you are setting up a receive-only installation or using a SignaLink interface or other audio-controlled PTT interface and don't want to tie up a real port for a PTT line you won't be using, the AGW software will accept non-existent parallel port assignments, but not non-existent serial ports.

2. You can leave all other selections at their defaults, including Serial Port/ Modem Baud Rate, which is not used for sound cards.

3. Now go to the TNC Type field in the top middle of the screen and use the pull down list to select "Sound Card".
 

c. Settings on the Sound Card Setup screen:

When you select "Sound Card" for your TNC Type (or if press the Options button in the middle of the TNC setup window, underneath TNC subtype), the program will bring up the SoundCard Modem/TNC Setup window which looks like this:

1. Baud Rates: Note that your sound card is capable of supporting two radio ports using its left and right audio channels. If you are only using one radio, it will be Port 1 on the left channel.  Set the left channel baud rate for the rate you plan to use, i.e. 300 baud for HF SSB  work; or 1200, 2400, 4800, or 9600 for VHF/UHF work.

Assuming that you will not be using the right channel for a second radio connection, set the right channel rate for a baud rate different from the one you have chose for the left channel. This may prevent the possibility of future problems. (If you will be connecting to 2 radios, see Configuring AGWPE for 2 Radios. )

2. Sound Card Selection: Use the pull down menu to select the sound card device you will be using with AGWPE. You may see other choices, such as a telephone modem (don't use) or another another card if you have two.

3. For now leave the other fields at their defaults:

• Full Duplex Driver: The Full Duplex Driver box should be checked. Most recent sound cards are full-duplex capable. If you later encounter transmitting problems, you may need to un-check the Full Duplex Driver box. This is likely to apply only to older sound cards; see Problems with Connections  for more about this.
• Sound Card Clock: This setting is used if you have problems receiving distant stations; see the Problems with Receiving page for more information, but for now leave the setting at 4, the default.

Now press the OK button to return to the Properties for Port1 window but do not close it yet.

4. Note that, by default, AGWPE has created two sound card radio ports. To avoid future operating problems, change the setting from Dual Port to SinglePort  in the TNC Control Commands section of the Properties for Port1 window. (Doesn't apply if you really will be connecting to 2 Radio).

For a simple, first time installation, all other selections can remain "as is" (use the default selections), including those in the Tnc Commands tab window in the Properties for Port1 window and any other selections on the AGWPE menu.
 

5. Now press the OK button at the bottom of the Properties for Port1 window. You should get a popup message telling you to restart the program, so click on the Packet Engine icon once again and select 'Exit'.  Now restart AGWPE. The Packet Engine icon should once again appear, but in addition you should now see a TNC icon next to it. This new icon represents your new sound card Radio Port. 
 

d. Editing a Port's Properties

If you want to change a setting in the Radio Port's configuration, click on the AGWPE icon to call up the menu, select Properties, and then click on the radio port you want to change. Then click OK and edit the fields in the Properties for Portx window. 

e. Problems?

• Any time you have trouble starting or configuring AGWPE, it is often best to close AGWPE and delete all port*.ini files and the agwpe.ini file in your AGWPE directory/folder. Then restart and re-configure AGWPE from the very beginning.
   
• If you don't see this TNC icon , you probably have a conflict with another program or device:
  • Make sure that the COM or LPT port you have select in AGWPE is not already dedicated to another device, for example, an internal modem or printer) or has been "captured" by another program (for example, your Palm Pilot's "Hot Sync Manager". You'll have to resolve any conflicts by either closing the other program, disabling the device, or selecting another port for AGWPE's PTT control.
    
  • Make sure that no other program is running and using the the sound card. 

For further help in resolving port conflicts, go to the Problems with Program Behavior page on this site.

Configure AGWPE for one sound card and 2 radios
Configure AGWPE for  2 Sound Cards