Digital Modes on a Mac

[ToddDubya]

So I'm an idiot and I bought a MacBook for the purpose of playing with digital modes. Well, the two pieces of software I intended to run don't run on a Mac. I double and triple checked and somehow got it wrong. Well, one claims to run on a Mac as long as you have Windows loaded (thanks, that's helpful).

I'd like to run RMS Express and the WSPR software. I guess there is a way to get WSPR to run on Mac OS, but almost everything I see about RMS Express (and all the other major HF email clients) require Windows. I'm not entirely opposed to running a dual boot, but if there's a better way I'd like to hear it. I'd rather not dirty up my pretty Mac with MicroSoft filth .

I've also looked a little at some of the emulators (WINE) so I may give those a shot, but that seems kind of hackish and questionable. I'd rather have something cleaner than that so I'm not stuck monkeying with stuff just to get it to work.

Anybody have any thoughts or ideas?

 

[drgrant]

You're better off just getting a cheap PC laptop than messing around with that stuff.

-Mike

 

[richc]

I'm a fan of Parallels. No need to dual boot. You can run Mac and Windows apps at the same time, either with full Windows interface visible, or Coherence view mode allows it run Windows applications on a Mac, just like if they were native Mac applications.

There's no need to reboot. I don't need to run Windows apps very often but this just works well when I need it, and the Windows apps run surprisingly fast.

 

[BenDover]

Been using parallels for years and its great. A free option is called VirtualBox here: https://www.virtualbox.org/

 

[ToddDubya]

You're better off just getting a cheap PC laptop than messing around with that stuff.

-Mike

I was originally looking at cheap laptops but I didn't want to invest the time and energy into learning about the myriad hardware combinations. I've also bought enough POS laptops/netbooks/tablets over the years instead of paying for Apple that I decided enough was enough. Their stuff just works. Except for this.

 

[ToddDubya]

I'm a fan of Parallels. No need to dual boot. You can run Mac and Windows apps at the same time, either with full Windows interface visible, or Coherence view mode allows it run Windows applications on a Mac, just like if they were native Mac applications.

There's no need to reboot. I don't need to run Windows apps very often but this just works well when I need it, and the Windows apps run surprisingly fast.

Been using parallels for years and its great. A free option is called VirtualBox here: https://www.virtualbox.org/

I'll take a look at those. Someone else mentioned virtualbox to me as well. I'd still need to buy a copy of Windows, though and the catch here is the MacBook Air doesn't come with a DVD drive, so I'd have to get my hands on a USB DVD drive just to load Windows.

How well do these VMs work with the real machine's hardware. For now I'd need to interface with a Signalink USB, which as its name implies is via USB. Can you control things like audio settings and so on?

 

[BenDover]

Parallels you will have zero issue with USB hardware. Can't speak to VB have not used it for that.

The mac can mount an ISO file like a disk drive:
http://osxdaily.com/2008/04/22/easily-mount-an-iso-in-mac-os-x/

I'll take a look at those. Someone else mentioned virtualbox to me as well. I'd still need to buy a copy of Windows, though and the catch here is the MacBook Air doesn't come with a DVD drive, so I'd have to get my hands on a USB DVD drive just to load Windows.

How well do these VMs work with the real machine's hardware. For now I'd need to interface with a Signalink USB, which as its name implies is via USB. Can you control things like audio settings and so on?

 

[ToddDubya]

Parallels you will have zero issue with USB hardware. Can't speak to VB have not used it for that.

The mac can mount an ISO file like a disk drive:
http://osxdaily.com/2008/04/22/easily-mount-an-iso-in-mac-os-x/

Good to know. I have an iMac that I could use to make an ISO if I can't just download a copy of Windows.

 

[semzi]

I prefer virtualbox over parallels. Haven't messed with it lately but the earlier versions of parallels were eating up a majority of ram and I was running 16gb.

 

[Evtide]

There are some options for the OS X operating system.

http://www.machamradio.com/

 

[drgrant]

Parallels you will have zero issue with USB hardware.

Lol, apparently my IronKey didn't get that memo. I think I have to eject and reinsert it like 5 times to get it to show up in the VM. Never has any trouble with a normal PC or Mac. USB support under a VM is certainly not bulletproof.

-Mike

 

[Chet0729]

Return the MAC, buy a Windows laptop and have enough left to buy a new gun.

 

[BenDover]

I have used dozens of different USB devices on versions 6-10 without any serious issues. I have seen instances where the host OS and virtual cannot decide who "owns" the port. Generally once the virtual has the port there is no trouble.

Lol, apparently my IronKey didn't get that memo. I think I have to eject and reinsert it like 5 times to get it to show up in the VM. Never has any trouble with a normal PC or Mac. USB support under a VM is certainly not bulletproof.

-Mike

 

[BenDover]

When the crappy ass laptop is worth so little you cant give it away (in 12 months), you at least have something for the target stand at the range.

Return the MAC, buy a Windows laptop and have enough left to buy a new gun.

 

[ToddDubya]

Is WinLink the only radio-email game in town?

 

[drgrant]

When the crappy ass laptop is worth so little you cant give it away (in 12 months), you at least have something for the target stand at the range.

You mean like the First generation MacBook air (with the broken hinges that apple wants $400 to fix) that's in my filing cabinet at work?

Apple pinches out some loaves once in awhile here and there, anyone who doesn't admit this is blind.

-Mike

 

[BenDover]

Yea no one is perfect....I've had a couple systems go back for issues too.

You mean like the First generation MacBook air (with the broken hinges that apple wants $400 to fix) that's in my filing cabinet at work?

Apple pinches out some loaves once in awhile here and there, anyone who doesn't admit this is blind.

-Mike

 

[VetteGirlMA]

I've also looked a little at some of the emulators (WINE) so I may give those a shot, but that seems kind of hackish and questionable. I'd rather have something cleaner than that so I'm not stuck monkeying with stuff just to get it to work.

Anybody have any thoughts or ideas?

I have a Mac Book Pro Retina and I use WINE. It's a great way to run windows based programs on the cheap. There is a site you can check how it works. Since my MacBook has a silicon drive (not a physical hard drive) it runs the emulation very fast. I even installed Windows 10 on the laptop and it runs 100% no problems, but I prefer Mac OS X instead.

Here is the link to the wine compatibility db. If you have a newer macbook then don't waste money on another PC. A newer Mac is much faster.

https://appdb.winehq.org

 

[ToddDubya]

I downloaded a trial version of CrossOver and was able to install it using that. I haven't had any luck with WINE but I have to admit I have no idea how to use it. Does it have to be in the database first or can I install any old program? I can try again and if it works I won't bother buying CrossOver.

Now I have 14 days to get my antenna up (tee hee). The snow is finally gone here so I'll be working on that very soon.

 

[fshalor]

You can run n some Linux apps near native... They were pretty good in 2007-08.

 

[VetteGirlMA]

I downloaded a trial version of CrossOver and was able to install it using that. I haven't had any luck with WINE but I have to admit I have no idea how to use it. Does it have to be in the database first or can I install any old program? I can try again and if it works I won't bother buying CrossOver.

Now I have 14 days to get my antenna up (tee hee). The snow is finally gone here so I'll be working on that very soon.

Once it's installed you run the installer just like if you had a windows pc. It's pretty easy to run almost any windows app on a mac. It will install into a protected windows kernel (called a wine bottle). Every windows program will look like it's the only thing installed in windows. A wine bottle consists of a windows kernel, folder structure, and the app.

As long as your app is not doing some kind of low level direct hardware stuff (in other words a really really old windows app), you should be just fine.

 

[ToddDubya]

Once it's installed you run the installer just like if you had a windows pc. It's pretty easy to run almost any windows app on a mac. It will install into a protected windows kernel (called a wine bottle). Every windows program will look like it's the only thing installed in windows. A wine bottle consists of a windows kernel, folder structure, and the app.

As long as your app is not doing some kind of low level direct hardware stuff (in other words a really really old windows app), you should be just fine.

Thanks, I'll try this tonight.

 

[Chet0729]

When the crappy ass laptop is worth so little you cant give it away (in 12 months), you at least have something for the target stand at the range.

Apple fanbois are all the same. "My MAC is the best and I run Windows on it all the time". That is the norm and it is because the MAC OS sucks and doesn't support anything useful. What use is a laptop of any brand without an optical device.
My 5 year old Windows laptop still works just fine by the way

 

[ToddDubya]

Apple fanbois are all the same. "My MAC is the best and I run Windows on it all the time". That is the norm and it is because the MAC OS sucks and doesn't support anything useful. What use is a laptop of any brand without an optical device.
My 5 year old Windows laptop still works just fine by the way

It's not that Mac doesn't support anything, it's that a lot of hams don't develop software for it. I've been using an iMac for 8 years and have never found any software I couldn't run on it. Aside from the one time I installed a new OS on a DVD (which cost $20 by the way), I have only ever used the DVD drive to rip CDs. Every album I buy now I just download from Amazon and it turns out I can use the drive on my iMac and beam it to the MacBook. They leave the DVD drives off their newer machines for the same reason they leave off ZIP and floppy drives. The only moving parts on my MacBook Air are the keys and the hinges. No spinning drives, no fans, no DVD trays.

Microsoft fanbois are all the same .

I don't know why I didn't expect this to turn into Mac vs. PC.

 

[BenDover]

And your 5 year old laptop might be worth $50 if you can find a buyer. The macbook of the same era is selling for between $425 and $700 on Amazon right now.

Nothing useful?
Its capable of running two operating systems at the same time allowing me to do everything your laptop does AND running OSX. And BTW Apple GIVES AWAY FOR FREE upgrades to their operating system every year. Apple also GIVES you an office suite that is outstanding in every way FOR FREE! When your Apple laptop arrives NOTHING except the OS and apps are installed. No crapware no spyware etc etc....unlike every windows machine. Ask the Lenovo people about the spyware that came installed on their machines.

Optical Drive?
Hello 2010 called and wanted me to let you know that there is a magic box that plugs into a USB port. Its called a portable DVD drive. Its AMAZING and REVOLUTIONARY a device that you can plug in when you need it...and when you don't need it you can leave it at home! I own one of these magic boxes and have used it exactly 4 times in the past 2 years. One of those times was to watch a DVD.

You Apple haters need to stop buying shitty computers that lose their value in a year. Even if you wipe OSX and just run Windoze on the thing you would still come out ahead.

Apple fanbois are all the same. "My MAC is the best and I run Windows on it all the time". That is the norm and it is because the MAC OS sucks and doesn't support anything useful. What use is a laptop of any brand without an optical device.
My 5 year old Windows laptop still works just fine by the way

 

[Chet0729]

And your 5 year old laptop might be worth $50 if you can find a buyer. The macbook of the same era is selling for between $425 and $700 on Amazon right now.

Nothing useful?
Its capable of running two operating systems at the same time allowing me to do everything your laptop does AND running OSX. And BTW Apple GIVES AWAY FOR FREE upgrades to their operating system every year. Apple also GIVES you an office suite that is outstanding in every way FOR FREE! When your Apple laptop arrives NOTHING except the OS and apps are installed. No crapware no spyware etc etc....unlike every windows machine. Ask the Lenovo people about the spyware that came installed on their machines.

Optical Drive?
Hello 2010 called and wanted me to let you know that there is a magic box that plugs into a USB port. Its called a portable DVD drive. Its AMAZING and REVOLUTIONARY a device that you can plug in when you need it...and when you don't need it you can leave it at home! I own one of these magic boxes and have used it exactly 4 times in the past 2 years. One of those times was to watch a DVD.

You Apple haters need to stop buying shitty computers that lose their value in a year. Even if you wipe OSX and just run Windoze on the thing you would still come out ahead.

So you buy your over priced toy and then you need to buy an external optical drive to go with it.
no one buys 5 year old macs except MAC Fanbois. There is a reason they only have ~5% of the market.
I burn DVD's all the time to backup my files but I am sure you use "cloud backup"

 

[BenDover]

There is another new fangled invention called the USB memory stick. For less than $5 you can get an 8GB unit that holds 2X the data of a DVD and is faster (if USB3 a LOT faster). Guess what? They even make them in larger sizes like 64 and 128 GB.

With encryption there is nothing wrong with cloud backups. You should always have an off-site backup and cloud services does that.

BTW, Apple makes as much profit on PC's as all the others COMBINED! That means they don't need to sell your personal data or install crapware. They have moeny to honor their warranty and provide tech support. They also offer FREE CLASSES on how to use your mac.

Apple haters generally are not looking at all the facts before hating. I understand the need to hate the most successful company in the industry, but maybe they are successful for a reason?

So you buy your over priced toy and then you need to buy an external optical drive to go with it.
no one buys 5 year old macs except MAC Fanbois. There is a reason they only have ~5% of the market.
I burn DVD's all the time to backup my files but I am sure you use "cloud backup"

 

[VetteGirlMA]

For backups I invested in a 2TB NAS drive. I keep anything really important that I don't want to have to do over on the NAS. Plus I have ripped all of my DVD movies and put them on the NAS and the NAS drive has a built in iTunes server so I can stream movies to my TV and don't even handle DVD's anymore. These days I almost never touch physical media it's just not needed. My macbook has an SD card slot and I have several cards I can pop in and keep data off the mac and it's super easy to save. A stack of 32/64GB cards still fits easily in the palm of my hand. The NAS drive even supports time machine, the mac backup software, which backs up the laptop every 15 minutes.

 

[Chet0729]

There is another new fangled invention called the USB memory stick. For less than $5 you can get an 8GB unit that holds 2X the data of a DVD and is faster (if USB3 a LOT faster). Guess what? They even make them in larger sizes like 64 and 128 GB.

With encryption there is nothing wrong with cloud backups. You should always have an off-site backup and cloud services does that.

BTW, Apple makes as much profit on PC's as all the others COMBINED! That means they don't need to sell your personal data or install crapware. They have moeny to honor their warranty and provide tech support. They also offer FREE CLASSES on how to use your mac.

Apple haters generally are not looking at all the facts before hating. I understand the need to hate the most successful company in the industry, but maybe they are successful for a reason?

That chart is the stats for the home market which does not include computers used in business.
I agree there profit is very high, it is because the product is way over priced. As far as thumb drive backups, I buy DVDs for .10 a piece and can backup daily for .10 cents and have an unlimited number of backups to go back to. Your thumb drive could possible hold a similar amount of data if organized but if you loose it or it dies they are all gone.

Oh and those stats also dont include servers but thats ok because Apple doesnt make a server.

Full disclosure, I own Apple stock and think they are the greatest marketing company ever.

 

[ToddDubya]

I tried and failed again with the WINE emulator. I'm going to stick with the CrossOver emulator (assuming it actually works once I'm all set up). While I'm a smart guy I have to draw the line at monkeying with software.

Thanks for all the help everyone. Hopefully I can get up and running this weekend. I also want to fool around with the WSPR program to see how my antenna performs.

I used to make fun of my friend who has antennas all over his van, but man there are some cool things you can do with amateur radio.

For the next person who stumbles upon this thread looking for help, here's the step by step instructions I followed to get the software installed:

http://n4awl.com/how-to-setup-rms-express-on-os-x-apple/