• Select 'Always use DATA mode' if your radio must be set to DATA mode (USB-D, LSB-D, etc.) in order to select the correct interface port for audio from the computer and or to select the correct channel filter, AND can remain in this mode at all times (even when you use the microphone for voice).
• Use 'Always use VOICE mode' if your radio must be set to VOICE mode (USB, LSB, etc.) in order to select the correct interface port for audio from the computer and or to select the correct channel filter, AND can remain in this mode to enable use of the microphone.
• Use 'Voice mode after linkup' if your radio requires DATA mode (USB-D, LSB-D, etc) to select the correct interface port for audio from the computer and or to select the correct channel filters, BUT must be switched to VOICE mode (USB, LSB, etc.) after linkup to enable the use of the microphone.

• New UI option to have button bar on the left (Settings->Other->UI Options). Can also be set to original bottom position.

• computer or radio audio IO selection
• new volume slider vs. old push buttons
• volume mute control (press and hold to fully disable the mute)
• PTT button on Radio Controls view (active when using computer audio)
• Quick Channel access button
• click to access heirarchical network and channel selection to quick tune to a given channel rather than having to step through channels
  • note, only enabled when not scanning
• New propagation check button: open propagation history for specified station
• New quick call button
• Larger call and hangup/scan control buttons for easier use on touch screens

The software now warns if you configure networks with ambiguous channel assignments (this is to deal with cases where the ALE controller cannot distinguish between incoming call networks if self address isn't unique and channel frequency isn't unique). You will be warned only when saving a network change that may create a conflict, and when enabling a network to be scanned which also shares channels with another network that will be scanned.

Background: In an inbound call is destined for a self address that is not unique to a single network, such as ALLCALL, ANYCALL, wildcard, or a self address that is assigned to multiple networks, AND the channel frequency belongs to more than one network, the ALE controller will associate the call with the first network configuration it finds that matches. This could be a problem if for example the network parameters did not agree (TX enabled, vs not enabled, timing parameters (response timeouts, time slots, etc.). Also the network call information logged to the database could be wrong, which could create confusion.

Automatic poll-for-best channel and link

Now when a call is placed, the operator is presented with an additional option called "Poll For Best" which performs an LQA polling call of all channels in the selected network and collects LQA data for each (BER, SINAD), then after the poll completes the controller will launch the final linkup on the best channel found.

Single channel LQA polling update

Each time you open the Manual Channel Select dialog the LQA data for the channels in the network is historical (based on a weighted average over a period of days). This update improves the LQA data relevancy by showing the latest LQA result for a channel after the test completes rather than averaged with historical data. The display now clarifies which data results are historical and which are current. As shown here, each channel you test will be updated with current LQA data. Note that every time you re-open the dialog, historical data is shown until you execute a channel test for a particular channel.

Updated code to resolve channel and called address to self address and matching network configuration among the list of networks. So it will now look through the entire channel list rather than first in the list as before.

NOTES: If you have multiple networks configured which have one or more channels in common, the software can only determine the network an inbound call is for by matching the self address to the network. If the same self address (secondary for example) is used in two networks that also share a common channel, the software has no way to determine which network an inbound call on the common channel to the common self address is for – so it will simply pick the first match it finds. Generally this will not have any negative affects, so long as there are no configuration errors (like one of the networks sharing common channel and self address is disabled for transmit – this will likely cause linking failures, and is a configuration error).

Another configuration issue is where you have more than one network with a common channel, and one of them disagrees on something like transmit enable. This is another ambiguous configuration that the software cannot reconcile.

It is important to also note that multiple networks sharing a common channel cannot be resolved when receiving an ALLCALL or ANYCALL on the common channel. The software will simply choose the first matching network it finds.

Single channel LQA polling

When you want to place a call to a station that you don't have link quality data for (because they are not sounding), you can use Manual Channel Select calling mode and test each channel for a good path before placing a call.

Start by clicking the station address you want to call.

Then click Manual Channel Select.

Next click "Channel Test Options" in the top right.

Then click on the "Listen" button for the channel you want to test. This will tune the radio to that channel and allow you to listen before starting the call.

Then click "Test" to start the channel test call.

ION2G will now begin calling the station on this frequency and exchange link quality data.

When the test completes the Link quality result will be displayed. Note that this link quality result is not a raw value, but rather a weighted average over a number of days, and accounts for historical results as well. You can perform the same test on each channel in the list and then pick the channel with the highest LQA value. To place the call on the best channel just click on the channel name.

• after assets re-aquired, restore radio volume
• also restore radio volume on startup