Need TCP data info

[Dany]

Hello,

My name is Daniel (LU4EG), and I am developing a satellite tracking program called EGSatTracker (https://eglogger.com.ar/Rotores2/home.php).
I recently installed CatBkt 1.17.1 and configured it to control my Kenwood TS-790A. It works perfectly.
I would like EGSatTracker to communicate directly with CatBkt through the LAN Protocol on port 52002, so that users can use CatBkt as the CAT interface for their radios.
I have successfully connected to CatBkt from a Visual Basic 6 test program and I can read the current frequency.

For example, I send:
[command:10](command:10)CmdGetFreq[parameters:0](parameters:0)

and CatBkt responds:
[CmdFreq:11](CmdFreq:11)145,000.000

However, I cannot find the correct command or format to SET the frequency.
I tried sending:

[command:10](command:10)CmdSetFreq[parameters:23](parameters:23)[xcvrfreq:10](xcvrfreq:10)145.800000

but the frequency of the TS-790A does not change.

Could you please tell me the exact LAN protocol commands and format that CatBkt 1.17.1 expects for:

1. Set RX frequency
2. Set TX frequency / Split frequency
3. Set operating mode (USB, LSB, FM)
4. Enable/disable Split

If there is any documentation or example code describing the CatBkt LAN Protocol, I would be very grateful if you could point me to it.
My goal is to make EGSatTracker communicate directly with CatBkt (or maybe you suggest to use DDE?).
Thank you very much for your work and for your help.

Best regards,
Daniel
LU4EG
EGSatTracker

[iz2bkt]

Hi Daniel,

the LAN protocol used by CatBkt is not a proprietary one — it follows the DXLab Commander TCP/IP protocol exactly.
You can find the full specification here:

https://www.dxlabsuite.com/commander/Com...ssages.pdf

CatBkt implements the same message set defined by DXLab, so the commands for reading and setting frequency, mode, split, and other CAT functions are those described in the Commander protocol documentation.

If you need full radio control and your application is 32‑bit, you can alternatively use the CATBkt extension DLL, which is already included with CatBkt.
A small Visual Basic example project is available here:

https://www.maniaradio.it/dll/TestDLL_CAT_VB.zip

Using the DLL gives you direct access to all CAT functions supported by CatBkt, without going through the TCP/IP protocol.

[Dany]

OK Mauro, thank you for your valuable response. It is very useful for me!

The only thing I can't find is the file "BKTExtension.dll", which I need in order to begin my preliminary tests.

Is this file included in my CatBkt installation folder, or is it available separately?

73,
Daniel
LU4EG

Hi Daniel,

the LAN protocol used by CatBkt is not a proprietary one — it follows the DXLab Commander TCP/IP protocol exactly.
You can find the full specification here:

https://www.dxlabsuite.com/commander/Com...ssages.pdf

CatBkt implements the same message set defined by DXLab, so the commands for reading and setting frequency, mode, split, and other CAT functions are those described in the Commander protocol documentation.

If you need full radio control and your application is 32‑bit, you can alternatively use the CATBkt extension DLL, which is already included with CatBkt.
A small Visual Basic example project is available here:

https://www.maniaradio.it/dll/TestDLL_CAT_VB.zip

Using the DLL gives you direct access to all CAT functions supported by CatBkt, without going through the TCP/IP protocol.

[iz2bkt]

Yes — it is already included in the CatBkt installation.

BKTExtension.dll is part of the standard CatBkt package, so you don’t need to download anything separately. It is installed automatically together with CatBkt and placed inside the system32 folder.