[RTTY] A Problem That Wasn't

[Larry L Lindblom]

I'll post this in the hope that someone else will learn a small lesson
from my experience.  If nothing else it ranks up there with KS0M's recent
slightly embarrassing situation


Today for the first time in several weeks I decided to listen on  FSK. 
WriteLog and the MMTTY plug in loaded just fine but there was virtually
no audio for MMTTY to decode.  After checking a bunch of MMTTY and
WriteLog settings and banging my head on the table I looked behind the
logging computer and discovered the Rascal interface audio line in
connector was not plugged into the sound card.  Yes a cable was plugged
in but not the rascal cable.  Duh, MMTTY now has plenty of audio and
decodes FB.  

OK, problem resolved I thought.  I find a clear frequency and hit my CQ
Function key and nothing happens.  I try it again and look at the Rascal
interface and the red light that should come on during transmit doesn't. 
I check comport settings, etc.  Still no joy so I try a different com
port and get the same outcome.  I have a Rascal GLX interface somewhere
in the shack and after 10 minutes of looking find it. Yes, my system is
disorganized chaos, but that is another story and after 59 years of
functioning that way it probably will not change.

I trade out the two Rascal interfaces, but still no keying and no red
light on the interface.  Then it hits me that it is not only a lack of
keying but no CQ message appears on the screen.  Hum, could it be, Yes it
is!!  The keyboard connector to the logging computer is only part way
plugged in.  Probably in disconnecting the DB9 cable to try another
serial port I managed to move the keyboard cable connector just enough so
that it was not connected.  I plug it in reboot and everything works!

Next time something like this occurs I will check the keyboard, computer,
rig  connections first and only once all of those have been ruled out as
the culprit will I start looking for a software or equipment problem. 

73 Larry L
W0ETC

I