Posted: 2/8/2009 3:35:39 PM EDT
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I got my ticket less than three months ago, today I got a PSK31 QSO in Japan on 20m - wow. Hit Kentucky, Illinois and Seattle. I am amazed, especially since my antenna is literally made of #12 wire laying on top of my sun shade in the back yard. I might be addicted.
Hoping to receive an antenna analyzer next week, moving to a RigExpert Plus for the digital stuff. Will be nice to have a decent an antenna that is dialed in. Regards, Sounds |
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I got a Signalink USB for Christmas, it's great. I think digital is my favorite thing about ham radio, as far as operating. I just wish people would use more modern modes than PSK. such as....? Name a time and a place in the QSO thread, and you'll get some hits. Me and Capt. Scofield met up for some Olivia not too long ago. I'd be interested in trying out some other modes. |
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Maybe "modern" was the wrong word. I was thinking of Olivia specifically. PSK is nice because it's easy to use, but I really dig FEC. I'll hit up the QSO thread later. Capt. Schofield bumped the settings on digital master, and was able to pick up far more signals by doign so. I'm in ND, he's in Indiana. I'd love to try to set up a regular ARFCOM digital net, but it seems there aren't many interested. I live in a noisy location, and digital is about all i can do. |
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Maybe "modern" was the wrong word. I was thinking of Olivia specifically. PSK is nice because it's easy to use, but I really dig FEC. I'll hit up the QSO thread later. Capt. Schofield bumped the settings on digital master, and was able to pick up far more signals by doign so. I'm in ND, he's in Indiana. I'd love to try to set up a regular ARFCOM digital net, but it seems there aren't many interested. I live in a noisy location, and digital is about all i can do. I'm studying for my license now. When I get it, I'll be up for some digital modes. |
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Maybe "modern" was the wrong word. I was thinking of Olivia specifically. PSK is nice because it's easy to use, but I really dig FEC. I'll hit up the QSO thread later. Capt. Schofield bumped the settings on digital master, and was able to pick up far more signals by doign so. I'm in ND, he's in Indiana. I'd love to try to set up a regular ARFCOM digital net, but it seems there aren't many interested. I live in a noisy location, and digital is about all i can do. I'm studying for my license now. When I get it, I'll be up for some digital modes. go straight for General. It's not hard at all. Around my place, there's little or no VHF/UHF traffic. If you want to talk, you better get on HF. |
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I am, I might even try for extra. My studying is going well so we'll see what happens.
There's a club here that has a couple repeaters but they're dead except for nets. I want uhf/vhf capability but hf is what I'm interested in. I asked my landlord the other day about putting up a wire antenna in the trees in the backyard. His response was "I can get a bucket truck, we'll put pulleys in those trees, that'll be a lot better" My landlord rules. |
 OLIVIA operator here.
I even suggested we use this mode for the ARFCOM SF bulletin. It's tacked but who reads those anyway. |
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Well....i got my hands on a Signalink USB. about an hour after posting a WTB on QTH, got an email. $81 w/cable. Wrong cable, but still not bad.
So, if there's anyone that needs a 5 pin DIN cable for a signalink, LMK. Also, if there's a tinkerer out there that wants to try digital modes, my old interface is probably going to be up for grabs. It's an older Rigexpert, and a troubleshooting nightmare. But once properly configured, it does work. |
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I'm bummed - my RigBlaster is dead - it will receive but nothing transmits - radio work fine without it. Next! Regards, Sounds driver problems? uninstall and reinstall? have to do this every time with my Rigexpert. If you want to give it a try, let me know. As soon as i get my signalink up and running, the rigexpert will be looking for a good home. |
I am totally sold on OLIVIA I have only been working with it for a few weeks but I have made many contacts on 40 watts. I recieved a contact from a guy in Texas on 20 meters he was using only 4 watts on a end fed wire.he was 848 miles away. I got 100 % copy, so i then turned down my power to 5 watts and we completed the QSO with no problem. It is truly a magic Mode!
I like it better than PSK 31 cause it works slightly slower and gives me more time to type and think about what i want to say.  I also type slow
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how does one QSO with PSK31? Is there a goofy noise you listen for? Or does your computer start translating when you pass though a freq that is transmitting it? When you're on the internet, do you listen to the modem to know when a page loads? Same idea. The computer is listening, and it does all the work, for the most part. You see a "matrix" like "waterfall". When you see a PSK pattern, you click on it, and it'll automatically decode it for you. Also, with DM780, it will automatically decode all PSK signals on whatever frequency you enter. When i first tried PSK, i was very overwhelmed. But it's really not that complicated. Maybe hop on echolink and have someone send and talk you through it. There's also a few videos on Youtube that are very informative. |
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Bought my signalink box from Tigertronics direct. I am not sure if they caught up, but i waited almost 5 months to get mine. -Braingarble Yeah they are caught up. I ordered mine the day before they took their christmas vacation (23rd I think), and I had it about 10 days later. So I'd expect even faster service now that they are on a normal business schedule. |
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I've got my eye on a Yaesu 897D so I won't need an interface. ??? AFAIK, an 897 still requires an interface. I know my 857 sure does. Doh, I should have said audio cable, I'm going to cheap out and reach over and tune the radio, and use vox on digital modes. Maybe I'll build a cable, but damn $30 for wire and a chip. |
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Guys, Im new to all this digital mode stuff. Since I haven't upgraded to general, Can I just recieve the signals you guys put out? you sure can. don't even need an interface per say. If you've got a computer, with a mic, and something that can receive hf frequencies, you're good to go. Ham Radio Deluxe is free, and will decode the PSK and other digital modes. simply tune to a frequencty (14.070, 7.070, 10.140, etc) and put the computer mic up to the speaker of the radio. Your computer will pick up the signals and decode them. That's how i got started....receiving first. |
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Ham RAdio Deluxe with Digital Master How does that compare to Digipan 2.0? You can decode all the streams simultaneously with Digipan 2.0 now. Can you do that with digital master? I never had much luck with digipan. I'll have to try again. with DM780, you can decode all streams of PSK simultaneously, but only one stream of any other mode (olivia, rtty, etc.) The thing i like about HRD is the built in radio controls, and the logging features. If it picks up a station sending PSK, it'll tell me if i've already qso's with them. |
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Ham RAdio Deluxe with Digital Master How does that compare to Digipan 2.0? You can decode all the streams simultaneously with Digipan 2.0 now. Can you do that with digital master? I never had much luck with digipan. I'll have to try again. with DM780, you can decode all streams of PSK simultaneously, but only one stream of any other mode (olivia, rtty, etc.) The thing i like about HRD is the built in radio controls, and the logging features. If it picks up a station sending PSK, it'll tell me if i've already qso's with them. I'll have to try it, I have only used digipan to listen, since that was what the gent used in the YouTube videos. I used my laptops built in mic, and set it near my radio, and was able to pick up some stuff. Pretty neat :) |
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I've got my eye on a Yaesu 897D so I won't need an interface. ??? AFAIK, an 897 still requires an interface. I know my 857 sure does. Doh, I should have said audio cable, I'm going to cheap out and reach over and tune the radio, and use vox on digital modes. Maybe I'll build a cable, but damn $30 for wire and a chip. Here is one that is actually better for $20 shipped http://g4zlp.ham-radio.ch/ |
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The annoying thing about CAT control for my rig ( Kenwood TS-440SAT) is finding the two crummy IC's that I need to add to the inside to make the CAT port work. All I need is a 4040 and a 8251A. It just sucks that they are maybe 3 bucks total, but everywhere has a 25 dollar min order or they jack handling charges on.
I also ordered a SignalLink USB. They said three weeks, which isn't too bad, and will give me some time to find the ic's so I can have CAT control too. Olivia is another sound card based digital format right? Mike |
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Heck if it's an interface you're lookign for, i'll give you my old one (MixW RigExpert). It'll take a little bit of tinkering (it's a pain to configure), but it works. I've got a Signalink USB arriving in the next few days. Pick me pick me 
IM sent |
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I have had a Buxcom setup for my Alinco dual bander. Trying to get it to work here and there for a LONG time. Finally started getting somewhere. Just doesn't seem like the greatest piece of equipment. That Signalink USB looks pretty good though.
Just trying to figure it all out. |