SLOT Control “Disable Option”

I spend a good deal of time using VarAC on two meter FM, in QSO’s with other local Hams in the area. We seldom have a need to QSY away from the Contact Frequency and if we do most will have to do it manually because most of our 2 meter, FM radios do not support CAT control.

However, we do use the CQ Call function often, and when doing so have to click through the Slot Control Screens before the CQ Call is executed. Not a big deal, but it becomes annoying to have to do this every time you want to call CQ. Especially on 2 meters FM where there are only a few local users and operating on the Contact Frequency isn’t the issue it is on HF where you have dozens if not hundreds of users on the same frequency at the same time.

There is already a Disable PTT check box on the display. Perhaps a second check box labeled “Slot” could be added to the right of it and when this checkbox is enabled, the program would skip over the Slot Control subroutine and immediately transmit the CQ Call on the current frequency. When the Slot checkbox is unchecked the Slot Routine would execute as normal and present the Slot control Windows for the operator to select a desired slot to listen on for a reply.

This is a minor inconvenience but I wanted to suggest it as a future enhancement to the application if it is easy to implement.

Keith

KN5G