Bob,
No doubt that other digital modes are highly reliable and in many cases are
better than RTTY; however, it depends on what your interests are within the
hobby. For a DXer (like myself), I see very few (if any) major DXPeditions
run anything but RTTY (and maybe some PSK31). I don't know as if it would
be pracitcal or even productive for them to operate all the various digital
modes. There was even an interesting article on the RTTY/digital modes in
one of the last QST's.
One could also consider CW to be slow and antiquated; but this mode seems to
alive and well on the bands (especially 160M), and I think RTTY is going to
be around for a long time too.
As far as running AM, personnally I can see no advantage in AM at all. 50%
of your power is used for the carrier, by switching to SSB, that power is
now in the "business end". But to each his own; and the vast majority of
modes, interests, and bands to operate is what makes amateur radio one of
the best hobbies one could get into.
Dick K8ZTT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob McGraw - K4TAX" <RMcGraw@Blomand.net>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 1:00 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Aux I/O connection
Yes, true, but what about the other 20 or so current digital modes that
are
available these days? These are efficient with highly reliable data
throughput modes as opposed to the slow antiquated RTTY mode. Remember
RTTY is the ONLY one that uses the FSK method of transmission. All of the
digital modes are available via current free software and no interface is
needed. My motto: more boxes + more cables + more connectors = more
problems.
Of course what do I know, I still run Class C high level modulated AM
using
a 1956 transmitter and not a 2000 technology transmitter. I got rid of my
Model 25 RTTY floor shaker at least 40 years ago. Haven't been back on
FSK
RTTY since. And oh by the way, my AM transmitter doesn't use any more
sideband bandwidth than current technology SSB rigs and in many cases it
uses less.
73
Bob, K4TAX
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dick Williams" <k8ztt@mho.com>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Aux I/O connection
Jack,
If you are going to operate RTTY, I would highly suggest you "connect"
the
red and black cables and forget about the soundcard for AFSK. The O2 is
much better suited for FSK RTTY; and in fact when you select FSK for the
mode it switches in the right filters for RTTY.
Additionally you don't have to worry about audio levels, overdrive, and a
whole "s--tload of other problems associated with trying to use AFSK.
There are several interfaces on the market that work very well for
interfacing the radio with the computer and save you the "headaches" of
connecting the radio directly to the computer (you really should use
isolation transformers - especially on the line sending audio from the
sound
card to your radio).
Ones that I have tried include the RigBlaster, Rig Expert Standard and in
the near future the Naviagtor; I believe MFJ also has one too. All
work
very well with FSK and as far as I know, with all digital modes).
Although
I learned many years ago NEVER say "all"; there always seems to be some
exception.
The advantages of the Rig Expert and Navigator are they both have built
in
sound cards, you only run one cable (USB) to your computer, both have
cables that are taylor made for your radio and plug directly into the Aux
din plug (plug and play - forget about the breakout cable that came with
the
O2), and you don't tie up your sound card with the radio. There are some
others too, but the aforementioned are the main ones.
If you like to homebrew, it is very easy to make a FSK keying circuit
(and
a PTT circuit) using a general purpose NPN transistor and a 1k resistor.
You hook the FSK line to the colector, the emmiter is grounded, and you
"FSK
key" the transistor base from pin3 of a serial port you assign for FSK
(for
PTT you use the same circuit and pin 7 on the DB-9 com port).
I think you will find that most really serious RTTY enthusists use FSK if
at
all possible.
My two cents worth.
Dick K8ZTT
PS A couple of excellent programs (both free) that I have tried for
digital
are MMTTY for RTTY and Hamscope for PSK31 and RTTY (uses the MMTTY
engine).
I doubt if you can find one guy that will "bad mouth" either; and that
is
not to say that other excellent programs don't exist, there most
certainly
are, but I have not tried them.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Cannon" <sugar_bears_home@yahoo.com>
To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 6:26 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Aux I/O connection
Jack,
Are the other two cables from the Orion II Aux I/O port plug (the red
and
black cables) supposed to be connected?
Stephen
-----Original Message-----
John, if you look at your manual and the I/O cable that comes with the
Orion, you will note that cable has red, white, black and yellow ends.
all are phono plugs.
get a 1/8" adapter for each to plug into the sound card on your
computer.
white from the Orion goes to BLUE on your sound card.
yellow from the Orion goes to PINK on your sound card.
use stereo plugs for the sound card.
jack ak7o
the white from your I/O (from the Orion) goes to the On Sat, 2009-04-18
at 20:48 -0400, John B. Egger wrote:
I'm hoping to get started on digital modes (other than CW, that is) but
face a problem right at the start. My computer has "Speaker out" (used
for its speakers), "Line In," and "Mic In" jacks (all 1/8" stereo). The
auxiliary cable's white phono plug is for "Line In", but I have no
"line
out" on my computer. Does it go (through a phono-to-stereo-plug
adapter)
to the computer's "Line In" jack?
Obviously I'm on the ground floor with this. Other connections, and
software (I have Fldigi, Xlog, and Twpsk) issues will come later.
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