How to key IC7300 internal voice keyer using N1MM+ CAT commands

Are you SSB Contesting with an IC7300? Using N1MM+? Still using the display or even the very expensive contest console to trigger the internal voice keyer?

Not anymore!

After hours of digging, I found a not really well documented CAT command for the IC7300, allowing to key the voice keyer via COM Port.

And how does that help? We can use this in N1MM+!

Step 1: Start N1MM+, then right click on any of the makro buttons below the entry fields.

The makro editor will open with its standard content.

Step 2: Think about what voice memory bank you wanna key up.

This is the base hex command: "FE FE 94 E0 28 00 xx FD"

Substitute the xx for the memory number you wanna trigger. Set 01 for number 1, 08 for number 8. You get it. Easy.

Also, if you changed the hex code of yøur radio from the standard of 94, you need to substitute that too. If you never changed that, disregard that step.

Step 3: Change the CQ Makro, which is the blue one starting with "F1".

The new makro should be (again, substitute the xx):

F1 CQ,{CAT1HEX FE FE 94 E0 28 00 xx FD}

Step 4: Save the makro file.

Step 5: Go ahead, press F1. Your IC7300 should now activate the voice keyer like you wanted!

Finished. Great, right? No longer fiddling with the display or the contest console!

But you may have another question: How do I repeat my CQ call if rates are slow?

Also no problem:

Click on Config and you'll see 2 settings: "CQ Repeat" and "Set CQ Repeat Time"

Use "Set CQ Repeat Time" first.

Important: Using this CAT method, N1MM does not know how long your CQ call is. It just "presses the button". Meaning, if your CQ is like 7 seconds long and you like to have 2 seconds of space, the repeat time should be 9 seconds.

If you have a CQ of 7 seconds and input 2 seconds here, N1MM will trigger the CQ, try to trigger it again after 2 seconds and fail because it still transmits, trigger it again after another 2 seconds and fail and then, 2 seconds later, trigger it again. This one works again and transmits, but effectively only leaves 1 second of space between CQs.

Then, click on "CQ Repeat" or use Alt + R for immediate access. If you did this and then click F1 again, N1MM will repeat your CQ call endlessly until you abort by pressing ESC.

Great right?

Of course, you can also change the other function keys to trigger other voice memories on your IC7300. A QRZ? Even the contest exchange? The world is your oyster.

And maybe you would like to have higher quality audio for those voice keyer memories than what you can do by just recording on the IC7300 with your mic. No worries, I GOT YOU.

Have fun contesting!

73 de Stefan, DB4SCW