2023

Image exchange QSO experience

using Peanut

I think Peanut is Internet communication software for

amateur radio stations with a lot of functions. Image
communication enthusiasts have found that Peanut
can be used for not only voice communication but also
analog SSTV and digital SSTV signals, character
communication of weak signals such as FT8,
MSK144, Q65 mode, and character communication
such as msfk, bpsk, rtty, GMSK. Then those mode are
used for image exchange QSO by specified text. There
are softwires for Windows, Android cellphone, iPad,
iPhone and Linux. Here is a summary of the
experience report using Peanut on Windows 10.
JA3GQJ
 Table of contents
Software and modes used with Peanut.................................................................................. 2
Image controller Easy Simple is the key to image communication ........................................ 2
FTP server also required → Use a free rental server ....................................................... 3
Also use DigiSites → See Richard W3WVG's web page ................................................. 3
Rooms and operation modes ................................................................................................. 3
1.Software download and installation..................................................................................... 3
2. Peanut settings ................................................................................................................... 4
2-1 Peanut Registration ..................................................................................................4
2-2 Setting .......................................................................................................................5
User Info Frame ...............................................................................................................5
General Frame .................................................................................................................6
DVAP Frame.....................................................................................................................6
Sound Card Frame ...........................................................................................................6
GPS（DMS format）Frame .............................................................................................7
3. Sound card tuning .............................................................................................................. 7
4. Receiving audio .................................................................................................................. 8
5. Send audio ....................................................................................................................... 10
・Transmission using PPT ................................................................................................10
・Transmission using VOX ................................................................................................10
6. Receiving images .............................................................................................................. 11
Input/output processing of image signals by sound card ..................................................12
Receiving images in combination with "Image Controller Easy Simple" ...........................12
Receiving images with EZPix alone ..................................................................................13
7. TX images ........................................................................................................................ 13
7-1 TX images in combination with "Image Controller Easy Simple" ................................13
7-1-1 Combination with Vari image Front (Mode is GMSK or msfk-U) .............................13
7-1-2 TX images in combination with JTDX (Mode FT8) ..................................................13
7-1-3 TX images in combination with MMSSTV・YONIQ ................................................14
7-1-4 TX images with EZPix (Mode GMSK) alone ............................................................14
8. TX Image using the VOX function .................................................................................... 14
APPENDIX-1 ........................................................................................................................ 15
APPENDIX-2 ........................................................................................................................ 20

1
Software and modes used with Peanut
Peanut is an Internet conversation software such as CQ-100, and enthusiasts who have
experience operating MSSTV demonstrate their amateur spirit and they find that it can use
image exchange in the mode shown in Table 1.
Software Mode
Vari Image Front rtty-L, msfk-U, bpsk, GMSK
EZ Pix GMSK（FSK-W）
MMSSTV・YONIQ MMSSTV・YONIQ
JTDX／WSJTX FT8 ／ msfk-144, Q65
JS8CALL JS8CALL
Image controller Control Vari Image Front, MMSSTV/YONIQ, JTDX/WSJTX
Easy Simple and JS8CALL
Table１
Image controller Easy Simple is the key to image communication
Image controller Easy Simple is software developed by Kazu JQ1HDR , and as shown in
Table 1, it is important to carefully read the explanation on Kazu's homepage, as it is the
key to image communication that controls multiple image communication software.
http://jq1hdr.world.coocan.jp/Instruction3/index.html

Setting screen Received image display screen

2
EZ Pix and MMSSTV/YONIQ can be operated independently in combination with Client
Peanut.
FTP server also required → Use a free rental server

Also use DigiSites → See Richard W3WVG's web page

Rooms and operation modes

As of May 2023, Peanut has the 212 rooms, which corresponds to the channel frequency in
radio. There is history that Kazu JQ1HDR and other image communication enthusiasts
have asked the Peanut developer, David PA7LIM, to add three rooms as shown in Table 2.
These three rooms dedicated to image exchange, where conversation is also possible.
Table 2 summarizes each room and available modes. Peanut also has the appeal of being
able to have a conversation while sending image signals.
Room Available modes
IMG-QSO1 FT8, JS8CALL, msfk-144, Q65, Voice
IMG-QSO2 rtty-L, msfk-U, bpsk, GMSK（FSK-W）, Voice
IMG-QSO3 MMSSTV/MMSSTV・YUNIG 、Voice
Table 2

1. Software download and installation

Refer to APPENDIX 1 at the end of this report to complete the download and installation.

3
2. Peanut settings
Complete the installation referring to APPENDIX 1 → Then the icon in Fig. 1-1 will appear
on the desktop → Then click on it → ※1

Fig. 1-1

Fig.1-2
※1 → Then the screen in Fig.1-2 pops up → Then click "Setup" button → Then the setup
screen (Fig.1-3) pops up

Fig.1-3
2-1 Peanut Registration
Peanut will not work without a cord, so if you click "Peanut Registration" on the setting
screen (Fig.1-3), the Peanut user registration page(Fig.1-34) will open. Get the 5-digit code
as described on the page.

4
 Fig.1-4
2-2 Setting
Fig. 1-5 is my data entered in the blanks in Fig. 1-3.

Fig.1-5
User Info Frame
Callsign = Input own callsign
Message = The entered message will be displayed on the http://peanut.pa7lim.nl/ page.
DMRid ＝ Click “DMR registration” and follow the instructions on the page that opens to
receive a 7-digit number. However, image communication was not affected even if it is not

5
registered. If you have already registered, click the "Query" button and a 7-digit number will
be entered automatically.
USTRUST Not checked = Even without registration, image communication was not
affected. If registered, click the "Query" button to change "Not checked" to
"Found".
General Frame
Device = There are two types of devices, "SOUNDCARD" and "DVAP", but I don't use
"DVAP", so I chose "SOUNDCARD".
Master = Three groups of “Global”, “Japan”, and “USA” can be selected from the
pull-down menu. IMG-QSO1, IMG-QSO2 and IMG-QSO3 rooms are in “Global”.
Beep = I have put a check mark.
Always on top = If you put a check mark here, the operation screen will always be
displayed in front of the computer screen.
Space Bar PTT= If you put a check mark here, the space key will become a PTT switch.
RX/TX Colors = If you put a check mark, the window of the operation screen turns red color
when sending. I have put a check here.
Log Last heard = I have not put a check mark here.
DVAP Frame
I don't use DVAP so skip here.
Sound Card Frame
Speaker = Select the computer's sound device from the pull-down menu. For sound devices,
see APPENDIX-2 "Checking Windows 10 sound devices" at the end of the book.

6
Microphone = Select the computer's sound device from the pull-down menu. For sound
devices, see APPENDIX-2 "Checking Windows 10 sound devices" at the end
of the book.

GPS（DMS format）Frame
I don't use this function because I don't know how to use it.
Send GPS = Skip
Latitude = Skip
Longitude = Skip

DMR Registration = Click here and follow the instructions on the page that opens to obtain
a 7-digit number. However, even if you do not have number you can make
QSO for image exchange.
USTRUST Registration = Click here and follow the instructions on the page that appears
to register. However, even if you do not registration you can make
QSO for image exchange.
Click the "Save" button to complete the settings. Exit Peanut once.

3. Sound card tuning

Attach a PC microphone costing around 1,000 yen to the microphone terminal of the sound
device → Then click the peanut icon on the desktop. → Then Peanut's operation
screen pops up. → Select "ALL" from the "Category" pull-down menu. → Then select
"ECHOECHO" from the "Room" pull-down menu. → Then turn on PTT. → Then the
color of the operation screen window change from light blue to red (Fig. 2-1) . → Then
speak into the microphone → Then adjust mike gain. referring to APPENDIX 2, "Checking

7
the sound device of Windows 10" so that VU meter needle does not fall into the red zone
→ Then turned off PTT when stop talk. → Then sound(echo) is returned from Peanut.
→ Then screen color changes from red to green (Fig. 2-12). → Then I adjust the
volume of the speaker of the sound device appropriately by referring to APPENDIX 2,
"Checking the sound device of Windows 10" .

図 2-1

図 2-2
4. Receiving audio
Click http://peanut.pa7lim.nl/ → The Peanut Global dashboard opens. → There
is a list of "ACTIVEQSO" (Fig. 3-1) in the middle of the page. → Select the room
name in the list from the "Room" pull-down menu on the Peanut operation screen.
→ The color of the window on the Peanut operation screen changed from blue to
green (Fig.3-2) and the voice of the QRV station hear. → The call sign of the
transmitting station is displayed in the "LarstHeard" tag (Fig. 3 -3) → Click
"Online" tag (Fig. 3-4) on the right side of the VU meter. → A list of currently
connected (or QRV) stations is displayed.

8
 図 3-1

図 3-2

図 3-３ 図 3-４

9
Scan
The "Scan" tag scans 6 rooms in about 6 seconds. Select a room from the list in each pull-
down menu (Fig.3-5). If there is a QRV station in the selected room (Fig.3-6), it will
stop there. When the QSO ends, the scan will start again.

Fig.3-5 Fig.3-6
5. Send audio

・Transmission using PPT

decide on a room. → Use the mouse to turn on the PPT switch (below the VU
meter) in Figure 3-2 or press the space key to turn on the PPT switch→ Speak into
the microphone.
・Transmission using VOX
The VOX function was created at the request of image communication enthusiasts. To use
the VOX function, press the control key and function key F10 at the same time. → A
comment like the one shown in Figure 3-7 appears. → Click the "OK" button → A "VOX" tag
(Fig. 3-3) is created to the right of the "Scan" tag.

図 3-7

10
 図 3-8 図 3-9
I check SCAN switch OFF. → Turn on the VOX switch (Figure 3-9). → I adjust Hang Time
(seconds) and Sensitivity to find the optimum value. I don't really feel the need for VOX if
it's only for voice calls, but it's convenient for image communications if you can find the
optimum value through critical adjustments. During scanning (when the SCAN switch is
on), VOX does not operate (VOX switch is turned off).
6. Receiving images
Figure 4-1 is an Imagination diagram of his FT8 image (character) communication of
JTDX using ”Peanut”, ”image controller Easy Simple”, and ”DigiSites“. You can also try
replacing JTDX with Vari Image Front, MMSSTV/YONIQ, JS8CALL and EZ Pix. That's
why Peanut supports not only voice communication but also many of these image (text)
communication software.
Imagination diagram of image exchange

Peanut

図-4-1

11
EZ Pix, MMSSTV and YONIQ can be operated simply by combining with Peanut without
"Image Controller Easy Simple "but other software requires the combination operation of
"Image Controller Easy Simple" and Peanut
Input/output processing of image signals by sound card
Image exchange by Peanut is different from on-air by transceiver, and Client Peanut and
communication software operate by sharing the sound card of the personal computer.
Also, even if signals for image and signals for audio are sent at the same time, the image
exchange will not be affected I think. Fig.4-2 shows an image diagram of the image
(character) signal input/output processing circuit of the sound card. Depending on the
image (text) signal mode, you may be able to send and receive image by moving the
microphone closer to the speaker without using the hardware selector switch. However, for
stable transmission and reception of image (character) signals, it is better to electrically
connect the sound card's microphone input and speaker output directly.

Fig.4-2

Receiving images in combination with "Image Controller Easy Simple"

Determine the Peanut room corresponding to the software to be used → Then
activate the software → Waiting signals for images instead of audio signals →
Then displayed on the RX tag screen of ”Image Controller Easy Simple” when image is
received, also uploaded to DigiSites.

12
Receiving images with EZPix alone
Select Client Peanut's room IMG-QSO2 → Then activate EZPix → Wait for GMSK signal →
When received image it is displayed on the "Receive" tag screen and also uploaded to
DigiSites. EZPix is software for exchanging images using specified characters in GMSK
mode developed by Richard W3WVG.

7. TX images

7-1 TX images in combination with "Image Controller Easy Simple"

The following items 6-1-1 to 6-1-4 are all sent using PTT of Client Peanut. It is also
assumed that the adjustment of the transmission level has been completed on page 5, item
3, "Adjusting the sound card."

7-1-1 Combination with Vari image Front (Mode is GMSK or msfk-U)

In this mode, it is better to directly connect the microphone circuit and the speaker circuit.
I select a room corresponding to Vari image Front mode. → Then activate Image Controller
Easy Simple and Vari image Front. → Then Select Image Controller Easy Simple's
“TX“ tag. → Then click the "Load image" button. → Then double-click on the image to
be sent in the opened image storage folder. → Then the image will be pasted on the screen
of the "TX" tag. → Then use the macro to add text to the image. → Then click the
"Transfer image" button. → Then the sent image will be displayed enlarged Indicates, this
means that the image has been transferred to the server. → Then you push Peanut's
PTT on → Then click the function key corresponding to "Vari image Front" mode. → Then
transmission starts.→ After while transmission ends automatically. → Then a list of
receiving stations is displayed in Image Controller Easy Simple's "On Air & Rx List". →
Then you push Peanut’s PTT off. → Then standby for reception.
7-1-2 TX images in combination with JTDX (Mode FT8)
This mode does not require a direct connection between the microphone circuit and the
speaker circuit.
I select Peanut's room IMG-QSO1. → Then activate Image Controller Easy Simple
and JTDX. → Then select Controller Easy Simple「TX」tag. → Then click the
"Load image" button. → Then image storage folder is opened. → Then double-click
on the image you want to send. → Then the image will be pasted on the screen of
the "TX" tag.→ Then use the macro to add text to the image. → Then click the "Transfer
image" button.→ Then the sent image will be displayed enlarged Indicates this means that
the image has been transferred to the server. → Then you push Peanut's PTT on →
Then click the "Enable Tx" button on JTDX → Then start transmission. → End transmission

13
automatically after while. → Then the call sign of the receiving station is displayed in
"On Air & Rx List" of Controller Easy Simple. → Then you push Peanut's PTT off. →
Then stand by for reception.
7-1-3 TX images in combination with MMSSTV・YONIQ
In this mode, it is better to directly connect the microphone circuit and the speaker circuit.
I select Peanut's room IMG-QSO3. → Then activate Image Controller Easy Simple and
MMSSTV/TONIQ. → Then select Controller Easy Simple's "Yoniq Tx" tag. → Then
click the "Load image" button. → Then image storage folder is opened. → Then
double-click on the image you want to send. → Then the image will stick to the "Yoniq
Tx" tag screen. → Then use the macro to add text to the image. → Then click the
"Create image" button. → Then click the "to Yoniq" button. → Then the image will stick
to the TX tag screen of MMSSTV/YONIQ. → Then you push Peanut's PTT on. →
Then MMSSTV/YONIQ Click the "TX" button. → Then start transmission. → Then
end transmission at the time according to the mode. → Then you push Peanut's PTT
off. → Stand by for reception.
7-1-4 TX images with EZPix (Mode GMSK) alone
This mode does not require a direct connection between the microphone circuit and the
speaker circuit.
Select Peanut room IMG-QSO2. → Then activate EZPix → Then click EZP ix's "Load
image" button. → Then the image storage folder will open. → The double-click the image
you want to send. → Then the image will be attached to EZ Pix's "Send" tag .→ Then you
push Peanut's PTT on. → Then click the "Send" button on EZ Pix. → Then start sending.
→ Then finish sending in about 6 seconds. → Then you push Peanut's PTT off. A list of
receiving station callsigns is displayed in the "Rx OK" frame of EZPix.

8. TX Image using the VOX function

If you have completed adjusting the VOX of Peanut, you can send it by simply clicking the
send button of each software.

As of June 10, 2023

14
 APPENDIX-1
Install the Peanut software by opening https://software.pa7lim.nl/peanut/STABLE/.
Since the file is in zip format, I installed the decompression software "Lhasa.exe" in
advance. I search the Internet to download Lhasa.exe.
When the page (Fig. 1) opens, click "Peanut-v2-4-6.zip" → Then a small screen (Fig. 2) will
be displayed on the upper right. → ※１

Fig.2

Fig.１

※1 → Click the "Open" button → Then the progress bar is displayed momentarily →
Then the screen changes (Fig. 3) → ※2

Fig. 3

※2 → Then place the mouse pointer over the characters in Fig. 3 → Then a trash can
and "..." icon will be displayed to the right of the characters (Fig. 4) → ※3

Fig.4

15
※3 → Then click "..." → Then a new screen will appear below it (Fig.5) → Then click
"Keep" → ※4

Fig.5
※4 → Then the screen changes (Fig.6) → Then click "Show more" → ※5

Fig. 7
※5 → Then the screen changes (Fig.8) → Then click "Keep anyway" → ※6

Fig.8

16
※6 → Then the screen changes after progress bar is displayed momentary(Fig.9) →
※7

Fig.9

※7 → Then the folder containing the downloaded " Peanut-v2.4.6.exe" (Fig.10) is

open → ※8

Fig.10

※8 → Then execute "Peanut-v2.4.6.exe" → Then the screen in Fig.11 is displayed →

Then click "More info" → Then change to the screen in Fig.12 → Then click "Run anyway"
→ ※9

Fig.11 Fig.12

17
※9 → Then「Welcome to the Peanut Setup Wizard」Fig. 13. will be displayed → Then
click "Next" → Then「Select Installation Folder」Fig. 14. will be displayed → Then
click "Next" → ※10

Fig.13 Fig.14

※10 → Then「Confirm Installation」Fig.15 will be displayed → Then click "Next"

→ Then「User Account Control」Fig.16 will be displayed → ※11

Fig.15 Fig.16

※11 → Then click "Yes" → Then a progress bar is displayed momentarily → Then
“Installation Complete” Fig. 17 → Then icon appear desktop Fig.18.

18
Fig. 17

Fig. 18

19
 APPENDIX-2
Check the Windows 10 sound device
Right-click the speaker icon (Fig.S-1) in the lower right corner of the desktop → ※1

Fig.S-1

Fig. S-2
※1 → Click "Sound " on the pop-up screen (Fig. S-2) → Then the screen Fig. S-3 will
be displayed → Then select the "Playback" tag → Then microphone device will be
displayed (Fig. S-4) ( The microphone icon with a check mark is the device currently in use)
→ Then right-click on the icon → Then select "Properties" on the pop-up screen (Fig. S-5)
→ Then the microphone properties screen (Fig. S-6) is pop up→Then select the "Level" tag
on the speaker properties screen (Fig. S-7) → Then adjust the volume with the slide bar →
Then “OK" button to go back to → ※2

Fig. S-3 Fig. S-4

20
 1
0

Fig.S-5 Fig.S-6

Fig.S-7

21
※2 → Then select the "Play back" tag → Then the speaker device is displayed (Fig. S-
8)(The microphone icon with a check mark is the device currently in use) → Then right-click
the icon → Then "Properties" screen is popup ( Figure S-9) →Then select "Properties" on
the popup screen ( Figure S-10) → ※3

Fig.S-8 Fig.S-9
※3 → Then select the "Level" tag on the "Microphone properties" screen → Then "Fig.
S-11" opens → Then adjust the gain with the slide bar → Then click on the "OK" button to
return the screen in Fig. S-7 → Then click on the "OK" button to finish checking the sound
device

22
 Fig.S-10 Fig.S-11

In addition, if it is only the volume of the speaker, you can adjust it with the slide bar that
pops up by left-clicking the speaker icon at the bottom right of the desktop.

図 S-10 図 S-11

In addition, if it is only the volume of the speaker, you can adjust it with the slide bar that
pops up by left-clicking the speaker icon at the bottom right of the desktop.

23