MeteoCom6
Thank you very much for choosing this BONITO product. This new
generation of software will give many attractive features in the
world of Weather. Though user friendly, this technology is
sophisticated and some features may be new to you. This quick
install guide will give you the information to setup your
hardware and software.
It
is important to follow the instructions step by step, so
everything will work satisfactorily.
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1.1)
Have the radio and the Computer
manual ready. Make sure,
whether your PC has an audio input and where it is located. Check
also, whether your PC has a line-in connection and a microphone or
only a microphone input. This will be important later on when
installing the program. Furthermore, you should check where the
COM-Port (serial port, 9-pin plug) respectively where the USB
connection is.
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1.2) COM-Port Plug the Bonito Switchbox
onto the COM-Port (serial port). If your
PC doesn’t have a COM-Port (serial bus), you first have to install a
‘USB to Serial’ adapter. Such an adapter is connected to a USB-port
and provides you with a COM-Port. Such an adapter is available at
our company (article number
P00254). This adapter needs no driver with Vista / 7). Follow
the manufacturer’s instruction very carefully. Check if the
installation was successful. If any problems occur contact the
manufacturer or consult our small ‘How to...’
in the appendix.
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1.3) deactivate Bluetooth Some PCs have a Bluetooth interface which most users don’t use.
Basically, the Bluetooth interface causes no problems, but it
carries COM-Ports in the system manager. Because RadioCom checks the
interfaces to find the switchbox, it can take some time when
Bluetooth is activated. That’s why we recommend to deactivate
Bluetooth before installing MeteoCom.
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1.4) Finding the connection
Try and find the audio connections of your radio. ‘Line out’
or ‘Rec out’ are the most suitable ones because these are
unregulated and you still can hear the audio from the speakers. But
you can also use the speaker jack. Make sure that the volume isn’t
turned up too high when you use the external speaker jack. On your
PC you need a ‘Line out’ (O)
and a ‘Line in’ jack (O)
or a microphone jack (O).
Further information you’ll find in the
‘How
to...’section.
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1.5)
Configuring the soundcard (Windows 7 / Vista) This Step is very important.
With Windows 7 and Vista you have to choose from the various sound
devices, configuration them and deactivate the digital devices. In the
‘How to...’section you’ll find all
the details and a short video.
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1.6) Installation of a
SSB-device (radio) with a USB port When using a SSB device
with a USB port, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and install
it as required. When using Windows 7 or Vista (32 or 64 bit) check
if your device is suitable and if you use the correct and latest
driver. When unsure, contact the manufacturer. Only when a complete
function is ensured, MeteoCom can work properly. As a rule, the use
of the manufacturer’s software with MeteoCom is not possible,
because only one type of software can access the device. MeteoCom
has built-in controls for the devices.
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1.7) Checking the radio
adjustments MeteoCom supports about 120 different types o
receivers and transceivers from manufacturers such as ICOM, Kenwood,
Yaesu. These radios have standard settings of the Baudrate and of
the CIV address. All of these can be adjusted by the user.
Basically, MeteoCom is adjusted to the default settings. With the
help of the manual, please check, if your personal settings
correspond to the default values. If not, change them to the default
settings to ensure proper function of MeteoCom. Later on, you can
readjust the Baudrate in the MeteoCom setup.
- 1.8) Internet connection:
To
register the software, connect your PC to the internet or prepare
everything to be able to establish an internet connection, if
necessary.
- 1.9) Unpacking
MeteoCom:
Check the
content of the Bonito Box. You’ll find: 1 CD, 1 Bonito Switchbox, 1 audio cable and a short instruction
sheet.
- 1.10) System requirements
Windows
7/XP/Vista and 2000. An IBM-compatible PC with Intel Pentium CPU of
at least 1GHz, a screen solution of 1280x1024, a 16-bit soundcard
with a line-in or mic-in jack. Additional minimum requirements are
specified by the system.
Part of the software package is a small plug-in module called
Bonito switchbox. This switchbox is not only a "dongle", but it
also contains electronic switches to control compatible radios
such as ICOM, Kenwood, YAESU, AOR etc. via a control cable.
You can find various connecting diagrams
here. You can buy all these cable-sets in our Hamradio
online shop. There are two kinds available:
Rx and
TRX.
The Bonito switchbox must always be connected to a
free COM-Port of your PC, while running the
Software. If the switchbox is not plugged in, you will receive
the following message: ‘Radio Initial Error’ in the RadioCom
Splash and the program will not start.
If your radio is not remote-controlled or you use one with USB,
you still have to insert the Switchbox into a free Com-Port. In
this case it functions as a copy protection device.
There are three types of switchboxes:
ProMeteo: exclusively for ICOM PCR 100/1000, Ten-Tec radios
Nauticom: for all other radios.
There is more information about the Bonito switchbox in the
Annex |
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3.1)
Connecting the audio and control cable: SSB receiver without USB jack
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Plug the Bonito Switchbox onto
the COM-Port
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IF your SSB radio is
remote-controlled and has a control cable, connect this with the
switchbox and the correct interface of the SSB radio (often called
‘Remote’). You will find various connection schemes
here. These cables are also available at our shop:
RX-Cable Set
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The audio cable is connected as
follows: You insert the red stereo jack (two rings) of the audio
cable into the ‘Line-IN’
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/Microphone jack of your PC. You plug the
black mono plug (one ring) into the ‘Speaker-/Line-OUT/REC-out/ jack
of your SSB radio / receiver.
3.2) Connecting radios with USB connectors
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For USB SDR radios and ICOM PCR/R1500/2500
we have step-by-step instructions:
WiNRADiO G3 Model
or ICOM PCR/R 1500 bzw. 2500
3.2)
Reception / Antenna
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Everything depends on the quality of
reception and the antenna is the most crucial part of the
receiving system. It is not difficult to make a good antenna.
Simply take a piece of wire six meters in length (20 ft) and
connect it to the inner conductor of a coax cable. Then you take
another piece of wire of the same length and connect it to the
outer conductor of the coax cable. Now you string up the wires
horizontally, with the coax hanging down in the center. Twelve
meters (40 ft) or 18 meters (60 ft) are even better. A different
wire length is not advisable for the reception of weather
frequencies. A simple wire antenna is still a reference antenna
for all other types of antennas.
The conclusion is clear: „We have never been offered a better
antenna!“
It is also common to use the backstay as an antenna. There are
various other compromises in case you are not able to string a
wire on your boat. Active antennas (amplified antennas) on boats
should be considered with caution. These antennas often amplify
interferences, not usable signals. We are offering a special
antenna, but would never claim that it is better than a
perfectly strung wire. Our antennas are simply better than all
other compromises, in cases where no decent wire antenna can be
erected. Most importantly, our antenna has been tested.
You can buy an Antenna from us:
LINK to our Shop |
Click
here
for more Information's about the antenna.
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Before you start the set up
program, connect all the devices as described above and turn them on. If
that does not work properly, follow the instructions in
Chapter3.
We have made a video
presentation which shows the standard installation:
Click to Start to see the Video.
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Important: With Windows 7/Vista
you have to execute the Setup.exe as administrator. |
4.1) Insert the CD/start the set up
Insert the CD into your CD drive. You will
see the set up program with an entry showing a program key ‘CD-key’
which was burnt on the CD. If the CD does not start by itself, access
the root directory of the CD via ‘My Computer’ or the Window Explorer
and start the installation procedure by double-clicking ‘Setup.exe.
4.2) Selecting the channels
First click on ‘Radio Channel 1’. Select your radio in the drop-down
menu from the ‘radio selection list’. Since the correct switchbox is
already in the COM-port, RadioCom should find it automatically and there
should be no error message. If your radio cannot be controlled remotely
or does not show up in the list, choose ‘no remote’.
You can connect two radios, but only
one transceiver. A transceiver should always be installed on Radio
Channel 1
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4.3)
Extra Canal (Navtex)
With MeteoCom 6 you have the opportunity to connect an
optional Navtex receiver such as the SNX 15 or WEATHERiNFOBOX from Mörer.
That way you are able to receive Navtex continuously without the need
for a timer. This Navtex receiver supplies data in serial format and
needs to be connected to an additional COM-port. With this it is
possible to receive weather data from three sources simultaneously.
It is also possible to use equipment of other manufacturers such as
SILVA, NASA or Trapp.
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4.4) GPS-Channel 4
You can install your GPS receiver for the Navigation part.
Plug it in before you start the
MeteoCom Setup or you can do it in the software.
NMEA-Connection
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If the port was not found
and there was an error message, you can select the correct
Comport by clicking on ‘Find Serial Port’. With ‘Finding
COM-Port’ the switchbox will be searched for. With ‘Test Serial
Port’ you can check the connectivity of the port. With ‘Select
Serial Port’ you can assign a specific Com-Port to your radio.
Important notice for ICOM
1500/2500 users: You have to select your comport of your radio
instead of the comport of the switchbox.
With the button
‘Baudrate’ you can change the Baud rate of the radio control.
Important: The rate has to correspond to the one of your radio.
Never change the
Baud rate in the device manager.
The Com-Port values always have to be standard. |
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Normally, the soundcard of the PC is recognized by
MeteoCom
automatically. But not all outputs/inputs are accessibility physically at
every PC. With ‘Radio Control Input/output you can select the correct
input. If there is only one microphone input, then select the microphone
with ‘Input Select. You can change this later in the Audio Control with
‘Driver’.
With the PCR 1500/2500 you can also use the integrated USB-soundcard of
the PCR. Under ‘Input Select’ choose ‘PCR/USB Radio. In this case you do
not have to connect any other cables. With the PCR 2500 you can assign
the second channel with the Radio IC-2500 Sub Receiver. If everything has
been prepared, push the button ‘Install’ and RadioCom will install
itself.
4.7) 2-channel operation
If you want to operate two radios simultaneously, then the input signals
are processed separately by the stereo-jack of the soundcard. Basically,
you have to connect the second radio just like the first one. You will
have to use a special audio cable or a splitter for the right and left
stereo-channel. Insert the splitter into the line-in jack or the
microphone jack and put a mono jack into the appropriate outputs. Later
on, you should check, if the correct channel is connected to the
respective radio. The easiest way to check this, is to receive FAX with
radio 1 and RTTY with radio 2. If you find out, it is the other way
around, just switch the audio cables.
4.8) Additional
functions of Setup
MeteoCom Setup
If you want to make changes later on, e.g. changing your radio,
re-installation or updating MeteoCom via the internet, you do
not have to use the CD, but rather you can start the Setup.
You will find the Setup under: [Start] [(all) programs] [Bonito
Meteo60] [Setup MeteoCom 6].
Keeping the settings:
This is important in case of over-installation. Check
beforehand, if the audio input or the Fax were correct.
Otherwise, these settings will be deleted.
Deleting data:
Here you can choose, whether data , which have been received,
will be deleted when over-installing or if you do not want
DEMO-pictures to be installed.
Selecting the language:
Here you can select the language
Changing radios:
Simply select a different radio under ‘Radio Selection’ and
close MeteoCom Setup. You do not have to re-install
Reinstalling:
Select "hold Preferences", whether audio or Fax Slant were in
order and simply press "Install ".
Update:
You can update MeteoCom via the internet by pressing the button
‘Update Service’ MeteoCom automatically downloads the updates
and installs them.
Registry:
Here you can register or
re-activate the program
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5.1)
Registration
Before using, MeteoCom must be registered via the internet. After the
installation, the dialogue opens automatically. Should you ignore this,
the dialogue will be repeated over and over again instead of starting
the program.
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In the MeteoCom Setup
press the ‘Registry’ button on the left.
A window ‘Internet registration will appear.
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Fill in each field to
‘e-mail’.
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Press the button
‘Check e-mail address and send Controlcode. The server
generates an e-mail with a code and sends it to the e-mail
address provided
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Pick up the e-mail,
copy the code, and enter it in the field ‘E-mail ControlCode’
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Press the button "OK,
register me". If the registration is successful the message
"registration ok " appears which you acknowledge with "OK"
The computer stores the access codes. You
can retrieve them any time and copy them; please, keep them
in a safe place for later re-activation. Additionally, you
will receive the access codes automatically via e-mail.
NOTE: The registration is only possible once.
When re-installing the software has to be reactivated with the codes you
were sent. How to do this, we explain
here in chapter 5.2.
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Important!
Print out the access codes and keep them in a safe place. This is your
license!
Should you lose the codes, we can send you the current ones for
a fee of 5€.Now go on with "starting
MeteoCom"
You can only register the Bonito software
once. If, at any you want to re-install the software on another PC,
you have to reactivate the Service on the other PC. To do this, you
need the ‘Registration Access Codes’ which you were sent via e-mail
after your registration or which you can find in the setup under
‘Registry’ on the other PC.
Have the ‘Registration Access Codes’ handy, which
you were sent via e-mail. In case you are unable to find them,
please, contact us. We can send you your current codes for a fee of
5 €.
Open the Set-up
Close the Bonito software completely and start the set-up with:
[Windows Start] [(all) Programs]
[Bonito MeteoCom6] [Setup MeteoCom 6]
Setup/Install-Screen
The Setup/Install-screen pops up. On this screen, click
the ‘Registry’button on the left. |
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Internet Registration
Now the Internet Registration-screen appears. Don’t fill in anything,
but click on the button "Manual Activation of a Registered Program" |
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Manual Registration-Reactivation
On this screen, you enter the Access Codes, which you were
sent via e-mail when you first registered.
Program ID, Prefix,
Suffix, Data ID, Prefix, Suffix.
Now click the button ‘Reactivate internet service’ ,
which will be activated after entering the codes.
Should this button not become active, you did not enter
the codes correctly. Check the accuracy and completeness of
the codes. |
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Reactivation OK
If all codes have been entered correctly and completely,
another button ‘Reactivation OK’ appears. Click on it. Now
you can update MeteoCom or close the setup and restart the
software.
Now go on with "starting
MeteoCom"
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MeteoCom is using some
Recourse (for example Frequency lists, Timer lists and Program
updates), that you can download without extra costs via the
internet. There you simply have to click “Update” and the
following window appears.
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