Interesting product. I did a quick read of the MFJ description and I
can't figure out what it's supposed to do. It does very little that is
really useful and leaves many things unsolved. It simply injects
itself between the rig and the computer sound card. It does have a
nice mic interface. Some audio switching features may be useful as
well, or maybe not.
Evidently, you will need two serial ports for this to work. One goes
to the MFJ from which you can extract CW and PTT(?). You then have to
run audio through the MFJ to/from the computer sound card and to/from
the rig. You also need a second serial port to get Writelog to talk to
the radio for rig control. So, I don't see what MFJ is bringing to
the table here.
Setup the CW in Writelog for whichever COM port you connect to the MFJ
and select "PC generates".
Setup Writelog rig control on the other COM port for your radio. You
might be able to jumper the RS232 TX and RX data (and GND) from the
MFJ box to the rig and use one COM port for both. I don't know for
sure.
For DVK, select "Windows sound board"
I suggest running the Writelog utility called SBrdChk.exe and see what
score you get. Fewer and fewer modern computers get a high score these
days.
The MFJ has no internal sound card of it's own and it has no CW keyer
like the K1EL so you may still get occasional CW burps.
A far better box (IMHO) would be the microHAM microKEYER box that uses
a single USB to add a full featured sound card, K1EL CW keyer, and
radio control. Fewer cables, and you no longer need to worry about CW
burps or less than full featured sound card functions.
73, Alan AD6E
> Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 21:55:25 -0500
> From: "Jacob Tennant" <k8jwt@comcast.net>
> Subject: [WriteLog] New user question
> To: <writelog@contesting.com>
> Message-ID: <A5952BFF64324854842F444A04B697BC@K8JWTDesktop>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> I have read over the manual but I am still trying to figure this out. . .
>
> I am running the newest version of Writelog (just bought it tonight) and for
> voice keying I have a MFJ Deluxe Sound Card interface on serioal port COM1
> and cant seem to figure out how to get it setup for use as it does my
> RTTY,PSK31,voice keyer duties.
>
> I keep seeing references to LPT1 which I know is a printer port but my
> computer has no printer port, just one serial and 5 USB ports.
>
> To further my question for Christmas I am getting a new laptop and I already
> know it has ZERO LPT or COM ports, all USB ports.
>
> I am trying to get this all setup for the ARRL 10meter contest this weekend
> if possible.
>
> Thanks for any help or advice,
> Jacob Tennant - K8JWT
>
>
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