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.
 

Chapter 1

It is important to follow the instructions step by step, so everything will work satisfactorily.

  • 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.
     

  • 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.
     

  • 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.
     

  • 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.
     

  • 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.
     

  • 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.
     

  • 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.

 

Chapter 2

The Bonito Switchbox

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


Chapter 3

Connecting the Radio

3.1) Connecting the audio and control cable: SSB receiver without USB jack
 

  1. Plug the Bonito Switchbox onto the COM-Port
     

  2. 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
     

  3. The audio cable is connected as follows: You insert the red stereo jack (two rings) of the audio cable into the ‘Line-IN’

  4. /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
 

  1. 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

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.

Chapter 4

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.     --->>>

 

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
 

 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.

 

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

 


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.


4.6) selection of the audio output/input

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
 


Capter 5

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.

  1. In the MeteoCom Setup press the ‘Registry’ button on the left.
    A window ‘Internet registration will appear.
     

  2. Fill in each field to ‘e-mail’.
     

  3. 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
     

  4. Pick up the e-mail, copy the code, and enter it in the field ‘E-mail ControlCode’
     

  5. 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.

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"


5.2 Manuelle Reaktivierung

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.

Internet Registration 
Now the Internet Registration-screen appears. Don’t fill in anything, but click on the button "Manual Activation of a Registered Program"



 

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.

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"

 


Chapter 7

Updates

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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