
Thank you for evaluating KaWin. This readme file contains
information you may need on the following topics:
          
          New Features in KaWin 6
          System Requirements
          Operator Requirements
          Installing KaWin
          Configuring Your TNC
          Nag Screens (Please read this)
          Evaluation Strategy
New Features in KaWin 6
     
     KaWin startup and TNC open/close in host or terminal mode
     preserves connects and HF mode.
     
     Binary file upload and download using "Gold" protocol.
     
     Swap watch command instantly swap the watch window context
     with the current context.
     
     All extended characters are now sent and received, and
     displayed as accented characters or ascii graphics - your
     choice.
     
     ANSI viewer to capture, save and send ANSI pictures.
     
     Multi-threaded CQ robot drives multiple radios.
     
     Enable/disable unproto send in monitor contexts.
     
     On screen clock displays UTC or system time.
     
     BBS message pop-ups.
     
     All file operations are now multi-threaded for simultaneous
     upload and download in separate contexts.
     
     Right-click on context tab pops-up custom menu.
     
     Select all and print selection for instant printing.
     
     All control characters are now displayed, and most can be
     sent.
     
     New Clear current context command.
     
     Help system is fully implemented.

System Requirements

KaWin's goal is to enhance your on-the-air performance by
performing  many small tasks, much more quickly than you can.
KaWin's ability to perform these tasks well is determined by the
speed and capacity of your computer system.

TNC.

One to four Kantronics TNCs. KAMs must have version 7.0 firmware
or later. All other Kantronics TNCs must have version 5.0
firmware or later.

Minimum Computer System.

A Windows capable computer system, with a 386DX-25 or better CPU,
4MB or more memory, hard disk drive, VGA display, one serial port
and MS Windows 3.11 or Windows for Workgroups 3.11, running in
"386 enhanced mode".

Recommended Computer System

A computer system that runs Windows well, a 486DX-33 or better
CPU, 8MB or more memory, accelerated super-VGA display, and as
many serial ports (with 16550 UARTs and unique IRQs) as you have
TNCs and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 or Windows95.

Throughout development KaWin was tested on both a 16MB 486DX2-66
with Diamond Stealth-32PCI display and 16550 UARTs, and on an 8MB
386SX-16 with standard VGA and 8250 UARTs. Performance is blazing
on the 486DX2-66 system, but, while data integrity is never
compromised, performance on the 386SX system is painfully slow.
The beta test team uses a variety of systems, including Windows95
and OS/2 Warp operating systems, all of which met or exceeded the
minimum requirements and all of which provide good results.

Operator Requirements.

The KaWin user interface and the KaWin documentation, including
this help file,  assume a level of technical competence in
digital, audio and RF technology that is consistent with
attainment of the US Technician Class, or better, amateur radio
license. In addition, while KaWin conforms to the design
guidelines for user interface to Windows applications, it is not
intended to be an introductory course in Windows. KaWin, the
KaWin documentation, and the author's commitment to provide
technical support, assume a working user-level knowledge of
Windows.

Installing KaWin

KaWin is distributed as a single compressed file, KAWINxx.ZIP.
The file KAWINxx.ZIP may be decompressed with any tool that is
compatible with PKZIP 2.04g. Decompress all files to a single
directory (e.g. c:\kawin) which we'll call the KaWin home
directory. Name it anything you like and locate it on any drive
that is read/write accessible to your Windows system. The KaWin
home directory does not need to be in your search path.

Installation of KaWin places NO files in any directory other than
the KaWin home directory and modifies NO system files. If your
AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI files currently
provide good Windows performance, they should be fine for KaWin.
All of KaWin's executable and run-time files, configuration files
and this help file should all reside in the KaWin home directory.
As you further configure KaWin, you may wish to create separate
directories for some of the other files KaWin will use.

In addition to the files included in the distribution zip file,
the file VBRUN300.DLL must be present in your WINDOWS/SYSTEM
directory. If you do not already have this file, look for it
where you found KaWin, the KaWin home page, or the KaWin FTP
site, the Microsoft Download Service, or almost any bbs (usually
as VBRUN300.ZIP). Including VBRUN's 400kb in the KaWin
distribution file would unnecessarily burden the download for the
vast majority of users who already have this file.

KaWin will communicate with TNCs on any comm port that your
Windows installation supports. Windows 3.11 users should use
Control Panel/Ports  to set the characteristics of the port(s)
you will be using, including IRQ. Windows95 users will find these
settings in Control Panel/System/DeviceManager/Ports. Use the
highest Baud Rate that your TNC is capable of (9600 for most
Kantronics TNCs) and select Hardware Flow Control. The serial
communications drivers that are a part of Windows for Workgroups
3.11 and Windows95 are superb and KaWin never misses a beat with
these drivers. If you do not already have these or later drivers
installed, look for them on the Microsoft Download Service.
     
     Note that the Windows Control Panel default IRQ setting for
     ports COM3 and COM4 conflict with those for COM1 and COM2.
     You cannot communicate successfully without a unique IRQ for
     each port that is in simultaneous use. KaWin will not help
     you resolve any such conflicts. In addition to IRQs 4 and 3,
     IRQs 5 and 7 and sometimes IRQ 2 are available. Most serial
     port hardware can be configured to at least some of these.
     IRQs 5 and 7 are usually documented as being used by the
     parallel ports. Current versions of MSDOS and Windows do not
     use these IRQs to communicate with the parallel ports and
     they can usually be used successfully on COM3 and COM4. In
     any case, your hardware settings for COMx, Base I/O Port
     Address, and IRQ must all agree with the software settings
     in the Ports applet in the Windows Control Panel application
     in order for KaWin to communicate successfully with your
     TNC(s).

KaWin is now installed. If you use the Windows 3.11 Program
Manager as your shell and would like to have a KaWin icon to
click to start up KaWin, add it to any program group you like
with the following steps:

*    Open the selected program group by double-clicking on its
     icon.

*     Select File/New   then click Program Item and OK.

*    Type "KaWin" as the Description (without the "quotes").

*    Tab to Command Line and click on Browse.

*    Find the KaWin home directory that you created above and
     double-click on KAWIN.EXE.

*    Click on OK (no Working Directory is necessary).

Windows95 users may want to create a shortcut to KaWin in their
Start menu by dragging KaWin.exe, with the right mouse button, to
an appropriate directory under Windows/StartMenu/Programs and
then clicking on "Create Shortcut Here".

Now, you may start KaWin by any of the following methods:

*    Click on the KaWin icon in Program Manager,

*    Double-click the KaWin.exe file in File Manager,

*    Click File/Run and enter "c:\kawin\kawin.exe<Enter>"
     (without the "quotes") in either Program Manager or File
     Manager, or

*    Launch KaWin from your favorite program launcher.

*    Windows95: Click the "Start" button and navigate through
     "Programs" to click on the KaWin icon.

Configuring Your TNC

KaWin applies a light touch to controlling your TNC, and wherever
possible, avoids taking command of a TNCs operating parameters
from you. KaWin controls only those parameters that are
absolutely required (e.g. INTERFACE HOST). KaWin provides dialogs
that streamline control of a few other parameters that need
frequent changes (e.g. HF Mode dialog), but leaves the setting of
most TNC parameters up to you. Every parameter change issued to a
TNC, whether set by you or KaWin, is recorded in the cmds context
for that TNC. You can see exactly what KaWin is doing, and enter
your own commands there also. This also means that KaWin does not
interfere with your setting of new parameters as Kantronics adds
new features to the firmware of your TNC. KaWin is obsolescence
resistant!

KaWin starts most quickly if your TNC(s) are already in Host
mode. If you are already using your TNC with other software, and
if that software offers the option of exiting in host mode, do
it. While you're at it, make note of the TNC/computer port data
rate that your TNC is set to - the ABaud command will provide the
answer. KaWin performs best at 9600 bps or faster. KaWin will
negotiate the 9600 bps setting with a TNC that is fresh out of
the box, or has just been restarted through a hardware reset or
the RESTORE DEFAULTS command.

With your TNCs connected to the corresponding serial ports of
your computer, and the Windows comm ports configured to match,
start KaWin. Select Option/Configure/TNC and select the first
available TNC. Supply a name for this TNC and for its attached
Radio(s). Change other settings only as necessary to fit your
configuration - the defaults were chosen with considerable care.

Then, click on Open TNC. The Configure dialog will close and the
cmds context for this TNC will be selected. If the Windows port
settings and your serial port hardware agree, and your computer
to TNC cabling is correct, you should see some action right away.
If your TNC was not in Host mode before, KaWin will complain
about the first host mode open attempt failing and bob and weave
a bit as it finds the TNC/computer port data rate. If KaWin gives
up on this, try cycling the power ON/OFF on your TNC and then
repeat the attempt to open the TNC. Once communication between
KaWin and the TNC has been established, the TNC/computer port
data rate can be changed at any time.

Any TNC parameters that need changing can be handled now, by
clicking on the cmds context selection tab labeled with the name
you just assigned to this TNC (should already be the selected
context if you're following this in sequence). You will not see
the "cmd:" prompt, nor do you need to type a <ctrl-c> to get the
TNC's attention. This context is always in command mode and
always ready to take your commands, enter them just as they are
documented in your Kantronics Reference Manual.

TNC parameter recommendations:
     
     MYCALL    This MUST be set to your call sign! An optional
     SSID may be appended.
     
     MYPBBS    This MUST be set to your call sign! An optional
     SSID (-3 is customary) should be appended. There are more
     identification parameters (all starting with MYxxx) in the
     TNC user manual.
     
     AUTOCR 0  KaWin handles word wrap - don't fight it.
     
     MAXUSERS  Something reasonable, but probably less than the
     maximum of 26, or even the default of 10. KaWin handles high
     values of this parameter better than any other program, but
     it still chews up TNC memory if you don't connect to 26
     stations at one time. MAXUSERS command causes the TNC to
     perform an immediate reset, and will not be accepted if
     there are any outstanding connects.
     
     USERS     Set to the same value as MAXUSERS.
     
     CD SOFTWARE    This is not required by KaWin, but packet
     operation with Kantronics TNCs is so much easier with this
     setting.
     
     PERSIST, SLOTTIME and RESPTIME are the three most abused
     parameters in packet radio. Be reasonable, and work with
     other packet users in your area to develop a workable
     consensus value for these three.
     
     HEADERLN OFF   saves space in the receive windows for
     monitor contexts.
     
     MSTAMP ON this is what you saved the space for.
     
     PBBS 10   allocates 10 Kbytes for PBBS messages and leaves
     most of the TNC memory to buffer connected packets when the
     computer is turned off.
     
     CODE AMTOR APLINK   for KAMs only, not required.
     
     CODE RTTY LCRTTY   for KAMs only, and again, not required.

Except for the MAXUSERS parameter, all of these settings are
included in the sample TNC command file, KAWIN.TNC, included in
the KaWin distribution files. The MAXUSERS command causes the TNC
to perform an immediate reset, and, if  included in a TNC command
file, all further commands will be lost during the reset. A PERM
command is included in the KAWIN.TNC file. This command is not
recognized and not needed by Kams, but it does no harm either.

Many parameters that are critical to terminal mode programs, such
as PACLEN and those that control TNC/computer handshaking are not
applicable to Host mode - so don't worry about them. If you
started from factory defaults with a TNC other than a KAM, this
is a good time to PERM. That will save the settings you just made
as well as saving the TNC/computer port data rate for quicker
startup next time.

Nag Screens

By this time you will have encountered KaWin's first nag screen.
Relax, it gets worse! Unregistered KaWin trials are severely
limited in duration by a nag meter that is sensitive to both run
time and data transfer. I apologize to you for this gross
inconvenience, but please hear me out.

The potential user base for KaWin is very small: 1)Kantronics TNC
users who 2)use their TNC enough to appreciate the benefits of
host mode and 3)prefer a native windows application. There aren't
very many of us! Without these awful nag screens, you and about
25% of the other users of KaWin would register. To recover my
investment in Kawin with only 25% registration compliance, the
registration fee would have to be four times higher! I don't want
to do that to you.

Those awful nag screens provide you the opportunity to test the
full KaWin program in your own shack before making any financial
commitment, and help to insure that you don't bear the financial
burden of the freeloaders.

Evaluation Strategy

So, how do you Evaluate KaWin without losing your temper to those
nag screens? Try this:
     
     Fist session - concentrate on getting your first TNC
     configured and open. Once it is open, immediately return to
     Configure/TNCs and "check" the boxes:"auto-open at start-
     up", and "close in host mode". Then exit KaWin to reset the
     nag meter. Oh! And don't try the Register menu item until
     you have a registration code.
     
     Second session - your TNC will be up and ready in seconds.
     Connect to any familiar BBS or DX cluster and get the feel
     of the program. Switch to the "mon" context tab, then
     WatchWindow/CurrentContext to split the screen, then switch
     back to your BBS again.
     
     Next - disconnect from any current connections and turn off
     your transceiver. This cuts off the data flow that is
     driving the nag meter. Now you have much more test time to
     peruse KaWin features, like: copy text from any of the
     receive windows and paste it into your favorite editor, or
     browse through the myriad of configurable options. With a
     KAM you can exercise most of the HF mode features using the
     "non-connected" modes (CW, Rtty, Ascii, and all FEC modes).
     HF receive with a live radio really runs up the nag meter
     quickly.
     
     Then restart KaWin, turn your radios back on, and try out
     what you learned. The KaWin Help file can be opened at any
     time with no limits by clicking on the file, kawin.hlp, in
     the file manager. And remember, those nag screens go away
     permanently with your personalized registration code. A
     registration application and instructions are waiting in the
     help file (see Contents, Registration, you can't miss it!)

73, Igottago... Stan ..

Stan Huntting, KF0IA
email: stan@mutadv.com
fax: 303 444 2314
