Getting Started with Digital Modes on HF David W2LNX, Robert K3RRR, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Getting Started with Digital Modes on HF David W2LNX, Robert K3RRR, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Education Committee Montgomery Amateur Radio Club Rockville, Maryland Getting Started with Digital Modes on HF David W2LNX, Robert K3RRR, Bruce WA3SWJ October 21, 2015 printed: Oct 22, 2015 07:03:18 AM Montgomery Amateur Radio Club 1 of 40

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Education Committee Montgomery Amateur Radio Club Rockville, Maryland

Getting Started with Digital Modes on HF

David W2LNX, Robert K3RRR, Bruce WA3SWJ

October 21, 2015

printed: Oct 22, 2015 07:03:18 AM

Montgomery Amateur Radio Club 1 of 40 October 21, 2015

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introduction The goal of this presentation is to help get you started with digital modes on HF.

  • station equipment
  • transceiver
  • computer to radio sound interface
  • rig control cable
  • setting up a transceiver
  • setting up a sound interface
  • setting up a rig control cable
  • setting up a digital modes program
  • operating digital modes program

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station equipment

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station equipment

  • transceivers
  • Yaesu FT-857D
  • Icom IC-706MKIIG
  • SWR meter – MFJ-860
  • automatic antenna tuner
  • LDG Z-100Plus 100 W tuner – generic
  • LDG tuning cables for Tune button
  • Y-ACC – for FT-857D
  • IC-2 – for 706MKIIG
  • line isolator – Radio Works T-4-500
  • dummy load – MFJ-260C
  • antenna

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station equipment

  • sound interface – Tigertronics SignaLinkTM USB
  • has built-in VOX
  • 6 pin mini-DIN data cable – SLCAB6PM
  • matching jumper module – SLMOD6PM
  • rig control cable – Valley Enterprises
  • USB CT-62 FTDI – for FT-857D
  • USB CT-17 FTDI – for IC-706MKIIG

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software

  • operating systems:
  • Windows 7
  • Ubuntu Linux 14.04 LTS – W2LNX
  • digital modes programs:
  • fldigi – W2LNX
  • JT65-HF – K3RRR
  • Ham Radio Deluxe – WA3SWJ

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set up transceiver

  • FT-857D
  • set menu items:
  • 019 CAT RATE: 9600 bps
  • 020 CAT/LIN/TUN: CAT
  • 038 DIG MODE: PSK31-U
  • 075 RF POWER SET: 100 or 10 for QRP
  • 085 TUNER/ATAS: OFF
  • set transceiver MODE: DIG, not USB
  • select display: MFi
  • set button B: MTR ALC DISP

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set up transceiver

  • IC-706MKIIG
  • Initial set mode:
  • 29 9600 MODE: 1200
  • 35 CI-V BAUD: 19200
  • Quick set mode:
  • Q1 RF POWER: H or 1 for QRP
  • set transceiver mode: USB

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Windows: Control Panel

  • Device Manager: look for USB Audio Device

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Windows: setting audio input

  • right click on speaker icon – select Recording devices

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Windows: setting audio input

  • select Microphone USB Audio Device – click Properties

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Windows: setting audio input

  • click Levels tab

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Windows: setting audio input

  • select appropriate microphone gain

too high better

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Windows: setting audio input

  • click Advanced tab – select mono 48000 Hz

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Windows: setting audio output

  • right click on speaker icon – select Playback devices

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Windows: setting audio output

  • select Speakers USB Audio Device – click Properties

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Windows: setting audio output

  • click Advanced tab

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Windows: setting audio output

  • select mono 48000 Hz

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fldigi: setting sound input/output

  • in Configure menu – select Sound Card

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fldigi: setting sound output level

  • set audio output to appropriate level

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transceiver: set audio drive

  • transmit PSK31 test message – click on CQ macro
  • use dummy load
  • set TX on SignaLink to just before ALC indication
  • SWR power meter should
  • be about half RF power setting
  • wiggle slightly for PSK31

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fldigi: setting macros

  • right click on CQ button
  • right click on ANS button

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fldigi: setting macros

  • right click on QSO button
  • right click on KN button

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fldigi: setting macros

  • right click on SK button
  • macros correspond to keyboard function keys

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Windows: setting rig control

  • open Control Panel – open Device Manager – look for

USB Serial Port – note COM port

  • rig control – a convenience but not necessary

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Windows: setting rig control

  • right click Properties – note Manufacturer: FTDI

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fldigi: setting rig control

  • Configure menu – select Rig control – for FT-857
  • click Initialize – red and green LEDs on CT-62 cable

should be rapidly blinking

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fldigi: setting rig control

  • Configure menu – select Rig control – for IC-706MKIIG
  • click Initialize – red and green LEDs on CT-17 cable

should be rapidly blinking

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fldigi: rig control

  • turning tuning knob on radio should change displayed

frequency

  • changing frequency with mouse should change

frequency display on radio

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fldigi: rig control

  • can change bands and transceiver operating modes
  • FT-857D quirk – reset transceiver MODE: DIG

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fldigi: setting user interface

  • in Configure menu – select Operator – fill in details

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fldigi: setting user interface

  • in Configure menu – select Waterfall – Display tab –

click Monitor transmitted signal

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fldigi: setting user interface

  • in Configure menu – select Waterfall – FFT Processing

tab – set waterfall height in pixel

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fldigi: using program

  • in Op Mode menu – select PSK31

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fldigi: using program

  • demonstration – PSK31 QSO

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conclusions

  • this presentation should help get you started with

digital modes on HF

  • configuration for two popular transceivers
  • SignaLink USB makes it easy to get on digital modes
  • PSK31 is a popular low RF power digital mode
  • combines the spectrum efficiency of CW with the

convenience of using a computer

  • fldigi is a well supported digital modes program
  • digital modes on HF are fun!

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thank you

  • Chris Sylvain, KB3CS for helping me get started with

fldigi and sound interfaces

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Questions

?

education@marcclub.org

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presentation resources

fldigi: http://www.w1hkj.com http://sourceforge.net/projects/fldigi/files/fldigi https://launchpad.net/~kamalmostafa/+archive/ubuntu/fldigi SignaLink: http://www.tigertronics.com/slusbmain.htm http://shop.tigertronics.com/Extra-Radio-Cable-p-n-SLCAB6PM-SLCAB6PM.htm http://shop.tigertronics.com/Plug-Play-Jumper-Module-p-n-SLMOD6PM-SLMOD6PM.htm rig control cables: http://www.valley-ent.com/catalog/valley-enterprises/rpc-y857/yaesu-usb-ftdi-ct-62- cat-cable-ft-100-ft-817-ft-857-ft-897-p-225.html#.VhQT25egwg4 http://www.valley-ent.com/catalog/valley-enterprises/rpc-i17/icom-ct-17-usb-ftdi- chipset-ci-cat-control-programming-cable-feet-p-177.html#.VhL6kZegwg4 http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm antenna tuners: http://www.ldgelectronics.com/c/252/products/17/49/1

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presentation resources

SWR/wattmeter: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-860 line isolator: http://www.radioworks.com/ct-4.html dummy load antenna: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-260C

printed: Oct 22, 2015 07:03:18 AM

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