Page last updated on: Friday, December 27, 2013
New CATfix software for the Kenwood TS-590S and TS-990S
Ian Wade, G3NRW, has just released the 'CATfix' software for the Kenwood TS-590S and TS-990S radios.
CATfix is a Windows program that "fixes" a significant operational shortcoming of the Kenwood TS-590S, and also helps set up the right digital environment for the TS-590S and TS-990S.
The TS-590S shortcoming relates to the operation of the front-panel
TF-SET button - namely, when you press and release this button, the two VFOs swap over, but the IF filters do not. DX chasers have long said they would like to swap the IF filters as well, so they can listen to the DX station with a narrow filter and around their own frequency with a wide filter.
CATfix provides an option that does this automatically - for example, when you are listening on VFO-A with IF Filter A, pressing TF-SET will switch to VFO-B and IF Filter B. When you release TF-SET, you return to VFO-A and IF Filter A.
For both the TS-590S and TS-990S, CATfix also addresses the special requirements for setting up a clean digital environment.
Specifically, CATfix has options that let you do the following: -
- Set the TX power to any (usually low) level
- Set both VFOs to upper sideband
- Turn off the audio processor
- Lock the front panel to prevent accidental change
- Turn off Auto Information to prevent application program overload
All of these options are individually selectable, and you can override them at any time.
Further, CATfix has a "raw" mode that lets you record all CAT traffic between the PC and the radio.
CATfix works with all versions of Windows from XP onwards, and is free.
It is obtainable from the "TS-590S Resources Page":
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wadei/ts-590s.htmScroll down towards the bottom of the page, then click on the "CATFIX" button.
73
Ian, G3NRW
