Posted: 6/19/2014 3:55:46 PM EDT
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I am trying out my FT-817 in digital modes and have it interfaced to the computer/HRD/DM780 via a Valley enterprises USB-mini DIN cable. It interfaces with HRD no problem but DM780 (and apparently the computer soundcard)is not seeing any audio. Do I need another cable or cables to interface the audio to the mic/headphone jacks or something?
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Quoted: Don't you need a Signalink or similar for digital modes? |
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You purchased a "CAT" Cable.
Short for Computer Automated Tuning and control. It only allows HRD to change tuning, bands, modes, etc., on the FT 817. You will need a "Sound Card Interface" such as a SignaLink USB for the audio portion that moves the digital modes between the FT817 and the PC as audio. Audio out plug from FT817 to SignalLink input, then SgnalLink USB cable to PC. DONE! Good luck. Edit: Better watch this instead: 
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Thanks I knew arfcom wouldnt disappoint. I looked at the pinout and saw no audio in/out so it was kind of self explanitory if I beleived the info in front of me. I also tried it with my go book vr-2 and it was working but only thru the built in Mic and speaker on the laptop, Too bad I was at universal radio yesterday and they probably had it on hand
 Might have to drag the IC7200 to the shoot this weekend (mason/dixon FAL-filers shoot ) there aint no where around here to get a cable on short notice...Or I can just do QRP ssb instead. |
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You will need an interface ( signalink, easy digi, rigblaster, or something homebrewed) that will connect to the data port or mic port.
I have an easy digi that is ~10$ from eBay that I just used jumpers to the radio (ft-857, ft-817, ts-430, etc) and extension cords to the built in sound card of my computer. You don't HAVE to use anything special. You can whip together an audio interface cable with a speaker extension cord cut in half and a rj-45 to to the mic connector or 8 pin mini din to the data port. The 817 will PTT over CAT and the cable you have will take care of that. |
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I guess I will try to cobble something together in the short term but go with the signalink or something like that that will provide a plug and play type installation. but at least now I know that its not the radio or the computer just that the signals (audio) have no path between the two. I guess the IC-7200 with its built in sound card and USB interface does kind of spoil you a little but but I think we will see new radios come out with more of the same as time goes by.... I see Yaesu brought out thier interface (SCU-17) but its pricey at almost $200 for now --get it down to $50-$90 bucks they might sell a few but for now there are many less expensive options out there --just glad I went through this now, not at the campsite
 that would have been fun.... |
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I use a RIGblaster Plug & Play for digital modes with my FT-817ND. Easy to use, and have had no problems with it. You can usually find used ones in the $60-$80 range. It's more expensive than other options, but it's a clean, compact unit. http://www.westmountainradio.com/product_info.php?products_id=pnp  |
 and eneded up re-using anold keyboard cable end w/two 1/8 audio plugs to get audio to-from the PC in tandem with the HRD USB control interface cable. Once I finally got everything set up right it worked like a charm --bagged Russia on 5watts -- Yea!! " />Oops! looks like you cant read that w/ the flash but it was anice little psk31 qso w/ RU3XB on 14.070 once I got all the bugs out
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well for those that want/need to know. Aside from the CAT cable for which I used the Valley Enterprises FTDI USB to 8pin mini DIN For rig control. I then fabricated an audio in/out cable from an salvaged connector from a PS2 keyboard. I had to salvage the connector since all that I found only have 4-5 pins connected the ground pin usually is not. So you either have to solder a lead to that pin or re work the whole thing. I had ordered a couple 6 pin mini DIN plugs but UPS's definition of expedited shipping and mine differ greatly... SO since I had already butchered the cable I cut the connector apart and re worked it soldering the audio to the PC to " data out 1200 baud" position with the shield to ground and the audio from the PC to 'data in" with that shield also to ground (the 6 pin DATA socket can also have additional PTT functions if you wish to go that way) and termiated both of those leads in 1/8 mono plugs. With the CAT cable hooked up to the USB port of the computer and the 8 pin "ACC" port --actually I have it hooked up to the parallel one on the tuner-- and the plugs into the mic and headphone jacks with the 6 pin DIN into the 'DATA' port with HRD running and DM780 up you should be GTG with the minor exception of to transmit you need to be in DIGITAL mode rather than LSB/USB as you would normally on say the IC-7200 otherwise the 718 wont see the audio data and no power or modulation will be transmitted. I am running those into a CF-29 toughbook running XP which has been upgraded with an SSD to make it run at normal speeds rather than stupid slow. That way I can take it outside and bang it around a bit without fear of breaking it. Next I gotta get the portable antenna setup and checked out and I should be ready to go do some field ops ! ETA --at least for my setup I had to make sure the CAT rate (menu 14) was set at 38400 and you have to let the FT 817 know what digital mode you want it to operate in (menu 26) where you can choose RTTY , PSK31 LSB, PSK31 USB, or two user defined upper or lower sideband if you want to set up something like Olivia. the cable I built (yes there was ALOT of coffee involved)  " />You can also find these on ebay for 20 bucks if you dont want to build one yourself but the 6pin mini DIN's are $1.39 the 1/8 plugs are .47 at Radio Shack (Yes Virginia I found something useful at RS and got out WITHOUT a new cell phone plan or 16 pack of crappy batteries but I was forced to give them Piccolos email address in order to check out ) The cable I had floating around as well as the heat shrink I will tell you --the posts inside the 6 pin are SMALL and soldering to them was a challenge. the ebay version: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PSK31-Cable-For-Yaesu-FT-100-817-857-897-450-950-and-FT-DX1200-/371004207641?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item566192f219 the CAT cable is a Valley Enterprises RPC-Y857-U at valley-ent.com , they make some really nice radio interface and programming cables --here in the US with FTDI chipsets without the hassles of the fake prolific chipset chineese cables --high quality but without the RT systems pricetag. they are nice and have the added feature of trans/rcv LEDs on the USB connector shell so you can see that data is moving back and forth.  " /> And everything all connected up --need to do some wire management etc but otherwise emcom/field ops ready !  " /> |