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Contour Shuttle Express - Media Controller for FlexRadio and Icom

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by EA7IXM, Feb 24, 2023.

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  1. EA7IXM

    EA7IXM XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    VK5FUSE likes this.
  2. CA3FJK

    CA3FJK Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I've been using shuttle express for years, in case anyone wants the profile I use for ICOM drop me an email and will sent it over. It is tricky when you start from scratch.
     
  3. VK2JI

    VK2JI Ham Member QRZ Page

    N4DJT and VK5FUSE like this.
  4. G8FXC

    G8FXC XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    I don't think the Griffin PowerMate is in production any more, is it? It was always nicely engineered, but over priced for the features - effectively a single knob and a press button compared with the knob, wheel and five buttons of the Contour Shuttle...

    Martin (G8FXC)
     
  5. EI4HWB

    EI4HWB XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Could you share the wisdom here?
     
  6. W6EL

    W6EL Ham Member QRZ Page

    wfview also supports this controller.

    Our full list of controllers, with approximate retail prices listed:
    1. Icom RC-28 ($150)
    2. XBox USB controllers, possibly inexpensive clones as well. ($20-50)
    3. Contour Shuttle Express ($69)
    4. Contour ShuttlePRO v2 ($120)
    5. sunSDR Pro Ecoder Plus (beta) ($300)
    6. Quick Keys wireless (beta) ($99)
    Our 1.61 release has support for items 1 through 4 in that list. Weekly beta builds and the master branch of our source code contains support for all of the above.

    More info here: https://wfview.org/wfview-user-manual/using-the-rc-28-shuttlexpress-and-shuttlepro-controllers/
     
  7. G8FXC

    G8FXC XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    The Contour Shuttle is greatly enhanced by the use of AutoHotkey (https://www.autohotkey.com). You program the Shuttle to generate keystrokes when you press buttons and turn wheels, but you can then program AutoHotkey to act upon those keystrokes, invoking command scripts of arbitrary complexity....

    Martin (G8FXC)
     
  8. W7MTB

    W7MTB XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    This is great news. I have had a Contour Shuttle Express for years that i used to use for Video editing but they seemed to stop publishing drivers for a while. I just installed the latest mac drivers and am really stoked to try this with SDR-Control on my iMac.
     
  9. W7MTB

    W7MTB XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    UPDATE: I was able to map the scroll wheel and buttons to Keystroke mapping available in SDR-Control. You first have to create the keyboard mappings in SDR-Control then you can assign buttons to keystokes in the Shuttle Configuration.
     
  10. G7DAZ

    G7DAZ Ham Member QRZ Page

    I used to use the Contour Shuttle Express years ago on my 5000A and also with an FT-897 (via Ham Radio Deluxe+remapped keys)...i got it to "speed up" (scan rate) the further i turned the dial to the extreme left/right, it was briiliant...then...i came across the Hercules DJ Control MP3 e2 midi controller...i now have far more control/functionality (compared to click/drag via the mouse) and it makes using the rig an absolute dream/pleasure. It became a rig without knobs/buttons to one with more knobs/buttons than one needs...bliss :cool:
     
  11. KX9RT

    KX9RT Ham Member QRZ Page

    I am in the market for some type of VFO knob for the Flex 1500 running on KE9NS version of PowerSDR. The Griffin Express looks interesting. Can anyone tell me if the knob tuning requires the program (PowerSDR) to be in focus? In other words if I have a logging programing currently in focus, will turning the knob tune the radio, or do I need to select PowerSDR in order for the knob to work? Thanks for any insight.
     
  12. G8FXC

    G8FXC XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Without some extra glue running in the background, I'm pretty sure that you'll have to have PowerSDR focused before it will respond to input from the Griffin. That is the way that the Shuttle works and it is really just a reflection of the way that Windows works. If you have some moderate programming skills and are prepared to read the manuals, then I would think that you can get the effect that you want using AutoHotkey. That is a Windows service that inserts itself into the Windows event chain and intercepts key strokes, executing scripts that you define in response to some of them. I've done this with the Shuttle Express, catching keystrokes that it has generated and routing them to applications that don't have focus. I would expect that the same could be done with the Griffin, but be prepared to have to do a bit of research!

    Martin (G8FXC)
     
  13. KX9RT

    KX9RT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Thanks Martin. I have done a bit of digging, but it is difficult to tell what options exist to be able tune a VFO knob without focus, or most solutions require focus. I wonder if the FlexControl knob solves all of this rather than trying to repurpose other hardware.

    I find it hard to believe this hasn't already been solved to be able to control the radio without focus. Otherwise this would be a show stopper for anyone that uses a logger for contesting, searching and pouncing, etc. But maybe the old Flex radios with PowerSDR was never capable of doing this? Contesters do use Flex radios, so I'm missing something or haven't used the correct search terms.
     

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