The program now runs on Python3 thanks to Joe, LA6GRA.
You can now enter a serial port name or number (0 to 9) on the command line. For example, "python PyPCR1000.pyw COM4".
A PCR-1000 is a radio receiver made by Icom. It is a metal box the size of a paperback book. You connect it to your PC's serial port with a DB-9 cable, and control it from your PC by running a control program. The receiver tunes 100 kilohertz to 1.3 gigahertz. It has a tiny internal speaker, but you will want to use an external amp and speaker. The included antenna is nearly useless, and you will need a serious outdoor antenna just as you would with any receiver.
The control program runs on the PC connected to the PCR-1000.
Most are designed to look like a radio receiver with a frequency
display, volume knob, buttons etc. The PC sends bytes to the
PCR-1000 to set the frequency, mode and filter. The radio sends
bytes to the PC giving the signal strength, squelch status and band
scope data.
The PCR-1000 comes with two control programs, so you don't need another control program unless you don't like the ones it came with. There are many other control programs available. Search for resources on the net, or try here.
Mostly for fun. Radio is a hobby, right? Also I didn't like
the other programs available. I thought there may be interest in
a program that came with source code so a radio owner could change the
program to make it do what she wanted. So I am making the
software available for free in the hopes that people will improve on it
and have fun.
You can see a screen shot here. The
program was designed to work
on Windows and Linux, since both are important platforms in software
radio. It is written in Python and uses Tkinter as a portable
GUI, so it will run on many other platforms too. Other design
goals were convenience for both channelized (FM repeater, UHF business)
and amateur CW/SSB communications, simplicity, small screen space, and
user programmability.
First, the software is licensed unser the GNU General Public License
(GPL), and there is NO WARRANTY AT ALL, SO USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Create a directory on your PC and then download and extract this zip file into it. On Windows, the directory
could be a subdirectory of "Program Files" or of "Documents". On Linux, try a
subdirectory of your home directory or of /usr/local.
Run the program with this command "python PyPCR1000.pyw PORT" where PORT is the name of the serial port.
You must have a recent version of Python installed on your PC. Any recent version should work.
For Windows, download the Python Windows installer from www.python.org/download and
install Python. After you do this (I mean AFTER), download the
corresponding (same version as Python) version of pywin32 from sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32
and install that. Then download and install pyserial from sourceforge.net/projects/pyserial.
All installers are easy to use Windows installers.
For Linux, first check to see if Python is already installed. In a terminal, enter "python" and see if you get a response. If not,
use your package manager to install Python3. Then use pip to install the package pyserial.
