Meriden ARC Web Site | Castle Craig Chapter 10-10


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Digi Modes
#1
Anyone have experience using RTTY, BPSK, JT65 (Steve?) and other digital modes for HF?
Any comments/advice you can give on selecting MIXW, DigiPan, FLdigi, & others would be appreciated, especially if you use the Signalink USB.

Recently purchased a Signalink USB for use with my TS-450. Made my first QSO with BPSK last night but I'm unsure if the TX is tuned proper.

The Tutorials that I saw were incomplete and the guides are.... just guides. Tried tuning with FLdigi and could not get the ALC to back off using the TX Audio control. Processor was off.

I guess I could contact Tigertronics as a last resort.

Thanks for reading.
K1RCT - Rob
W1NRG Station Activities Manager
Home Email

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#2
I use most of them except the JT modes. They require too much processing and also are very limited in the amount of data you can send in one transmission, (I believe limited to 80 characters), and one complete transmission takes about 5 minutes, by the time you've made the transmission you could have gone made a cup of coffee and been back for the "over".

I use the Rigblaster Advantage for my 1000 MP and a Rigblaster Plug and Play for the Yaesu 857-D.

Jeff N7YG http://www.n7yg.com/ has some articles on PSK on his web page. He also gave a nice power point presentation on digital as a whole at the 10-10 convention a couple of years ago. The presentation used to be on the 10-10 web page but when they put in the new page that link was gone. I think if you email Jeff he still may have it and can send it to you. I thought that I had it but can't find it. It may be on the archive drive and if I locate it will send it to you.

-73-

(09-18-2014, 02:54 PM)KC1ACN Wrote: Anyone have experience using RTTY, BPSK, JT65 (Steve?) and other digital modes for HF?
Any comments/advice you can give on selecting MIXW, DigiPan, FLdigi, & others would be appreciated, especially if you use the Signalink USB.

Recently purchased a Signalink USB for use with my TS-450. Made my first QSO with BPSK last night but I'm unsure if the TX is tuned proper.

The Tutorials that I saw were incomplete and the guides are.... just guides. Tried tuning with FLdigi and could not get the ALC to back off using the TX Audio control. Processor was off.

I guess I could contact Tigertronics as a last resort.

Thanks for reading.

Al - N1API
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#3
How many watts were you transmitting? Some digital modes like JT-65 will be in transmit for a whole minute (100% duty cycle) so make sure to check the duty cycle your radio is rated for....you don't want to blow up your finals.

Here are some things to consider:
1)I've heard its best to keep it under 35 watts. Start with 5 watts and see if the ALC comes down....then ease it up.
2)Adjust your mic gain.
3)For transmit levels first use the controls on my Signalink USB, then only the software based controls for fine tuning if needed.
4)Looks like you've got the processor off...that's good. It can cause high ALC.
5)Make sure your antenna is tuned properly for the transmit frequency. This might not help with ALC, but it will keep reflected power out of your radio during those long transmit times.

There seems to be a debate about how much ALC is ok....some people say none at all, others say some is ok.

Just some things to trySmile

73,
Joe KC1BAQ
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#4
Thanks Al & Joe.

After much re-reading and experimenting, I 're-found' the Car control and Pwr control interact. Backing off Power and then adjusting the Carrier to keep the ALC level within spec. worked. Then I can final-tweak the power to 35W which is where I want to be. Made over a dozen QSO's last night from IL to New Zealand (100% Copy).

Again, thanks! And Al, I am interested if you ever find that .ppt file.
K1RCT - Rob
W1NRG Station Activities Manager
Home Email

Reply
#5
(09-23-2014, 04:22 PM)KC1ACN Wrote: Thanks Al & Joe.

After much re-reading and experimenting, I 're-found' the Car control and Pwr control interact. Backing off Power and then adjusting the Carrier to keep the ALC level within spec. worked. Then I can final-tweak the power to 35W which is where I want to be. Made over a dozen QSO's last night from IL to New Zealand (100% Copy).

Again, thanks! And Al, I am interested if you ever find that .ppt file.

No I didn't, let me ask Jeff if he has it and can send it to me. Glad you got the PSK working correctly. Not sure what program you are using but if you want to try different modes and speeds sometime let me know. I'll be happy to play around with you. I was working some digital today on county hunters following a mobile around in AR. He was using CW, PSK62, RTTY 75N. MFSK32, DominoEX 22, and Hell 80.
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#6
(09-18-2014, 02:54 PM)KC1ACN Wrote: Anyone have experience using RTTY, BPSK, JT65 (Steve?) and other digital modes for HF?
Any comments/advice you can give on selecting MIXW, DigiPan, FLdigi, & others would be appreciated, especially if you use the Signalink USB.

Recently purchased a Signalink USB for use with my TS-450. Made my first QSO with BPSK last night but I'm unsure if the TX is tuned proper.

The Tutorials that I saw were incomplete and the guides are.... just guides. Tried tuning with FLdigi and could not get the ALC to back off using the TX Audio control. Processor was off.

I guess I could contact Tigertronics as a last resort.

Thanks for reading.
I've used JT65/JT9 modes quite a bit and found them pretty useful in making long distance contacts. The JT modes are great and you can really get out there with 20W or less. Generally what I've seen is 5 to 10w is normal and 20W is concidered "high power". I use the wsjtx1.3 software that decodes both JT65 and JT9 mode. I made my own interface using a board from easydigi and works pretty good. Couple that with an external USB sound "card" and you've got a disposable interface that only sets you back about $30. My first attempt at JT mode was using my mike as the input that was set near my computer speaker... it worked!

SSTV I've played with well. I don't seem to hear a lot of traffic on that mode. No contacts to date, but have decoded a few CQ's.

Good luck.

KC1AXJ
73, Steve - KC1SA
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#7
(09-23-2014, 04:22 PM)KC1ACN Wrote: Thanks Al & Joe.

After much re-reading and experimenting, I 're-found' the Car control and Pwr control interact. Backing off Power and then adjusting the Carrier to keep the ALC level within spec. worked. Then I can final-tweak the power to 35W which is where I want to be. Made over a dozen QSO's last night from IL to New Zealand (100% Copy).

Again, thanks! And Al, I am interested if you ever find that .ppt file.
Rob,

You can download it from http://www.n7yg.com/files/DigitalModesPresentation.zip

It is too large for email even in zipped form. Anyone interested can download it from the link above.

-73- Al
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#8
(09-18-2014, 02:54 PM)KC1ACN Wrote: Anyone have experience using RTTY, BPSK, JT65 (Steve?) and other digital modes for HF?
Any comments/advice you can give on selecting MIXW, DigiPan, FLdigi, & others would be appreciated, especially if you use the Signalink USB.

Recently purchased a Signalink USB for use with my TS-450. Made my first QSO with BPSK last night but I'm unsure if the TX is tuned proper.

The Tutorials that I saw were incomplete and the guides are.... just guides. Tried tuning with FLdigi and could not get the ALC to back off using the TX Audio control. Processor was off.

I guess I could contact Tigertronics as a last resort.

Thanks for reading.
I've been using a Signalink for about 6 weeks now. Been running RTTY and BPSK31 using MMTTY and Digipan. If you want to shout at me on the repeater or send me an email (bleasdale@mac.com) I'll try to give you a hand. However the BPSK is new to me, heh, was off the air for 10 yrs til recently.
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