Instructions for sending and receiving data without computer availability
You can only use CW or phonetic alphabet modes, if you do not have a computer with you, since these are the only human oriented modes. Schematix sends schematic symbols by encoding them into words and each word is separated from the others by space. As an example, consider the two words "egne eh2n2222".
The first letter in both words is "e", and it represents the line where the symbols must be placed in the schematic table. The second letter in the first word is "g" and it represents the column where this symbol must be placed in the schematic table. The second letter in the second word is "h", so this symbol must be placed at the next column of the first symbol, at its right hand side.
If we look the rest of the letters in both words, we can deduce which of them is a component, that needs to be placed at the position denoted by the first two letters in each word, and which of them is a label (component value). The rules for this decision, are shown below:
1. A word of four letters (no numbers),
denotes a component.
2. A word of more than four characters (letters or numbers), denotes a
label.
3. A word of four characters, which has at least one number in the last
two characters, denotes a label.
However, in some cases we might also receive an error, so we need to know when
erroneous data has been received. This can be summarized below:
4. A word more than 8 characters, denotes an error.
5. A word less than 4 characters, denotes an error.
6. A word with special characters (non-alphanumeric), denotes an error.
7. A word with at least one number in the first two letters, denotes an
error.
You must always follow these 7 underlined rules when manually encoding or decoding Schematix data, or else your schematics won't be compatible with Schematix. These rules are automatically taken care of in the program, but in the case you manually encode a schematic and you do not follow them, then an operator that receives this schematic with his computer, won't be able to decode it correctly. After this brief summarization of the Schematix rules, let's continue with the process of manually drawing, encoding and decoding schematics.
Drawing a schematic
You draw your schematic into the encoding/decoding table, using only the components from the encoding chart, nothing else. For example, do not use a line to connect two components, if this type of line does not exist in the encoding chart. In a cell of the table, a component or a label can be placed, not both. Note that a wire or a corner section, is an actual component in Schematix. Try to draw your schematic components, as accurate in shape as possible and in the correct alignment, having in mind that most components leads, end at the middle of the sides of each cell in the table. For the components labels, make sure you follow the 7 rules of Schematix, underlined in the previous paragraphs.
Labels must be:
a. Greater than 2 and up to 6 characters.
b. Or if they are 2 characters, at least one of them must be a digit.
c. Single character labels or empty labels, are not allowed.
d. Special characters (like +) are not allowed, only letters and numbers without
spaces between them.
e. Label 4.7k is written as 4k7, 5.6pF is written as 5pF6 etc.
Encoding a schematic
After you have successfully drawn your schematic into the encoding/decoding table, it is time to encode it into text, so that you can send it to other radio amateurs through morse code or phonetic alphabet. You have to use the rules specified in previous paragraphs to successfully encode your schematic.
Remember, Schematix sends schematic symbols (components or labels) by encoding them into words and each word is separated from the others by space. The first two letters in a word, represent the line and the column letter respectively, where the component or the label exists in the table. The remaining letters or numbers in the word, represent a component (if they are just two letters) or a label.
In that sense, you would be able to encode your schematic into a series of words, by looking at the encoding chart and finding the combination pair of characters that represent each component placed in a cell. For example, the data "egne eh2n2222" represents a right flipped NPN transistor placed at the cell eg (line e, column g) and a label at the right hand side cell of it, 2n2222. Use the "OPERATOR NOTES" area, provided below the table, to write down the encoded text that represents your schematic.
Decoding a schematic
The Schematix encoded text that has been sent to you by other operators, can be decoded without the use of a computer, following the next procedure.
Like mentioned before, Schematix sends schematic symbols (components or labels) by encoding them into words and each word is separated from the others by space. The first two letters in a word, represent the line and the column letter respectively, where the component or the label exists in the table. The remaining letters or numbers in the word, represent a component (if they are just two letters) or a label.
First, write down the encoded text you have received through morse code or phonetic alphabet, into the "OPERATOR NOTES" area, provided below the table. Then, having a printout of the decoding chart in front of you, decode each word of the encoded text, by locating where the symbol (component or label) represented in this word, must be placed in the table. You do this, by looking at the first two letters of the word, which represent the line (first letter) and the column (second letter) in the table where this symbol must be placed.
Once you have found the location of the component or label in the table, you have to decide if this word is an actual component or a label. You do this, by looking at the remaining characters in the word. For this decision, make sure you strictly follow the 7 rules of Schematix, underlined in the previous paragraphs. This will allow you to see if this word represents a component or a label to be placed in the cell, or if an error has been received.
If the word represents a component, look at the decoding chart, to find out which component refers to the combination pair of letters in the word. Then draw the component in the cell, as accurate in shape as possible and in the correct alignment, having in mind that most components leads, end at the middle of the sides of each cell in the table. If the word represents a label instead, just write down this label in the table cell.