Lloyd, what you say is true, and I've noticed that about the noise blanker. 
However, the pan adapter will let you scan a band while you're off reading 
your email or something.  I was originally just curious to see how fast I 
could scan with the radio and software, and it worked out pretty well.  It 
also gives you an idea of the relative signal strengths over the band, and 
you can see it at a glance.
--
Jim, KE5AL

-----Original Message----- 
From: Lloyd Rasmussen
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 8:31 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Braille Pan Adapter

I like the concept.  But you can find pileups or any band activity just as
fast by setting a faster tuning rate on your transceiver.  On the FT950 I
have a choice (in the menus) of 1, 5 or 10 KHz per knob revolution, and the
Fast
button sets it to 100 KHz per revolution on AM, CW or SSB.
Another kind of signal detector for dead bands is the noise blanker.  The
bandwidth at the 950's noise blanker is about 15 KHz at the widest roofing
filter setting.  If there is pulse noise on the band and you engage the
blanker, the noise level will be reduced by the blanker except within 7 KHz
of signals that are strong enough.  This is mostly an undesirable
characteristic, but I make use of it on 10, 15 or 6 meters when the activity
on the band is minimal.
73,

Lloyd Rasmussen, W3IUU, Kensington, MD
http://lras.home.sprynet.com
-----Original Message----- 
From: Michael Thurman
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 6:31 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Braille Pan Adapter

the field day aspects would be nice for a demo  which is what I am =
hoping to use it for,  otherwise it wold just be nice t find stations =
and their pileups, surfing for w1aw for example :)  definitely just one =
more tool to play with. let me know  what I can do to help if anything. =
and i will try to get that display here as soon as I can

Michael Thurman
[log in to unmask]



On May 2, 2014, at 6:29 AM, Jim Shaffer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Let me address a couple of things.
>=20
> Ron, I thought about using dot 3 or 6 for the noise floor.  The reason =
I=20
> like starting at the top of the cell is that the routing keys for most=20=

> braille displays are above the cell, and this makes it a little easier =
to=20
> line up the cell with the routing key.  Not a big deal though.
>=20
> Michael, yes, it should work for the TS-2000 also.  I have used this =
program=20
> with the TS-2000.  In fact, it will give you access to the 2000's =
menus.  I=20
> do need some other testers of the software though, as I am just one =
person,=20
> and don't have a lot of computers around here to test it with.
>=20
> Also, I don't think it would be of a lot of use for something like =
field=20
> day, because there are so many stations on then it would just be a =
process=20
> that gets in the way.
> --
> Jim, KE5AL
> -----Original Message-----=20
> From: Michael Thurman
> Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 4:35 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Braille Pan Adapter
>=20
> wow that is awesome! I have a ts2000, would it work for that rig? I =
will =3D
> be getting my hands on a braille display. not rue how many cells =
yet,but =3D
> it is from a palmate a friend of one has and no longer uses. this is =3D=

> exciting and just n time for field day
> Michael Thurman
> [log in to unmask]
>=20
>=20
>=20
> On May 1, 2014, at 1:05 PM, Jim Shaffer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>=20
>> Let's try this message format.  Honestly I'm getting pretty disgusted =
=3D
> with=3D20
>> the way this list can't manage to handle our messages without =
throwing =3D
> a lot=3D20
>> of garbage in them.
>> --------------------------------
>> Well my pan adapter project has born fruit.  It is working pretty =3D
> well.  I=3D20
>> specify a frequency range and pan increment, usually 1 KHZ, and it =3D
> creates a=3D20
>> braille graph of the band activity.  The braille graph is on my 40 =3D
> cell=3D20
>> Pacmate display.
>> =3D20
>> I use the characters =3D93a b l p q =3D3D=3D94 to show the relative =
signal =3D
> strengths.=3D20
>> Those characters are dot 1, dots 1 and 2, dots 1, 2, and 3, etc.  A =3D=

> single=3D20
>> dot 1 is the noise floor.
>> =3D20
>> I put up a new pan graph every 3 band scans, in other words, I scan =3D=

> the band=3D20
>> 3 times, and then generate the braille, scan another 3 times and =3D
> generate,=3D20
>> etc.  I generate the graph using the maximum value I got from those 3 =
=3D
> scans.=3D20
>> This hopefully minimizes missing a CW op whose key just wasn=3D92t =
down =3D
> when I=3D20
>> scanned the last time.
>> =3D20
>> Here is a sample display.  Note that if you=3D92re not using a =
braille =3D
> display,=3D20
>> this won=3D92t make much sense.
>> =3D20
>> aaaabbbaaalqap=3D3Dbaaaaabbbblbaaaalllaaqaaa
>> =3D20
>> The =3D93q=3D94 and =3D93=3D3D=3D94 show strong signals, the =3D93p=3D9=
4 less =3D
> strong, etc.
>> =3D20
>> With the TS-590 at 115200 baud, I can scan around 40 points per =3D
> second, or=3D20
>> 40 khz per second scanning 1 khz at a time.  That seems to be fast =3D
> enough,=3D20
>> well for me at least.
>> =3D20
>> Oh, and perhaps the most important feature of this is that when I see =
=3D
> on the=3D20
>> graph a spot I want to go to, I just click the routing key, the =3D
> program=3D20
>> stops panning, and sends the rig to the corresponding frequency.  =
This=3D20=3D
>=20
>> frequency is approximate, depending upon how many KHZs are =
represented =3D
> by a=3D20
>> cell, but it=3D92s in the ball park of the signal I=3D92ve spotted.
>> --
>> Jim, KE5AL
>> From: Jim Shaffer
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 11:12 PM
>> To: For blind ham radio operators
>> Subject: re: Braille Pan Adapter
>> =3D20
>> Well, I=3D92ve done a proof of concept, and it works!  I don=3D92t =
have it =3D
> in any=3D20
>> shape to really be very useable yet, but I can make my TS-590 scan =
and=3D20=3D
>=20
>> return s-meter readings fast enough to do a reasonable job of showing =
=3D
> a band=3D20
>> or band segment.
>> =3D20
>> Stay tuned.
>> --
>> Jim Shaffer, KE5AL
>> Pflugerville, TX
>> www.jjshaffer.net
>> www.pgramblers.com=3D20=20