[RTTY] YK1BA on RTTY?

Thu Apr 7 05:18:17 EDT 2005

Greetings Saad (N5FF),
I personally think it is easier to just use the computer and
not have to worry about taking an extra piece of equipment (TNC).

All that is required is a sound-card interface to hook from the
computer (notebook?) to your rig.  The sound-card interface is
VERY simple and typically consists of one transistor to allow a
computer serial port to key the radio and an isolation transformer
to isolate the audio from the computer to rig.  There are several
commercial versions available, the most popular being the 
rig-blasters from www.westmountainradio.com, perhaps they are 
available from your neighbors at Texas Towers in Plano?

You have two options on how you hook the interface to the rig.
MMTTY will allow either one of these options:

1) AFSK - where the computer sends the audio tones
using 'Line Out' from the computer to the sound-card interface
to audio-in on the rig (this connector varies by rig) , in this
mode the rig is in LSB mode.

2) FSK - a serial port on the computer is used to send serial
data in BAUDOT (5 bit) format to the TTY input of the rig. In
this setup the rig is in RTTY mode.

In either of these setups, the comptuer (via 'Line In') is the 
one doing the decode of the audio tones (not a TNC).  
You will find that in almost all cases the computer is a superior 
RTTY decoder than a TNC.

Will you be using a club station in YK or bringing your own rig?
You will need a custom cable from the sound card interface to
the rig.  This is really no different because you would need a
custom cable from a TNC to the rig.

Saad if you have any more questions, please feel free to call me
on my cellphone at any time (256-653-9959).  

**************************************************************
If you need any help learning MMTTY before heading to YK, 
I'm sure we can find someone in the Dallas area to help you out 
before you head out.
**************************************************************

73 Tim-KU4J

-----Original Message-----
From: Saad Mahaini [mailto:n5ff at comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 12:29 AM
To: ku4j at hiwaay.net; rtty at contesting.com
Subject: RE: [RTTY] YK1BA on RTTY?

Hello Tim,

Yes, I will be active on TTY this year for sure.  I have been doing
about half CW and half SSB on almost all bands, whichever is open.  Last
year, by large demand, I put more emphasis on CW and most contacts were
made on 40 and 80.  This year, also by popular demands, I plan to work
30-50% of the QSO on TTY.

It's good you raised this question on the reflector, so I can get some
advise here.

I'm still debating if I should buy an old TNC (PK232, etc) to take with
me for TTY, or bring myself up to the 21st century and learn how to do
it with strictly software.

I operate TTY here (N5FF) using DX4WIN with TNCs (Hal and PK232), so I
know how to do that.  I usually run YK1BA using DX4WIN on my laptop.  I
understand there is a way to interface MMTTY (which I have never used)
to DX4WIN, and just run TTY strictly on the computer with no TNC.  I
have not investigated the mechanics of doing it this way yet.  

What is the recommendation here?  And what will it take to get setup and
operational with the MMTTY /DX4WIN combination.

Due to work issues, I will not be able to do my YK trip this year on my
usual time early spring (like around now), and the earliest YK1BA will
be QRV again is mid to late May.  I will send out a note to the DX
bulletins when the date is firm.                

73 Saad N5FF

-----Original Message-----
From: rtty-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:rtty-bounces at contesting.com]
On Behalf Of Tim Pearson
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 11:15 AM
To: rtty at contesting.com
Subject: [RTTY] YK1BA on RTTY?

Saad (N5FF),
Any possibility of YK1BA activity on RTTY in the future?  I have been
chasing
YK on RTTY for 3 years and no luck.

73 Tim-KU4J

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-----Original Message-----
From: Saad Mahaini [mailto:n5ff at comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 12:29 AM
To: ku4j at hiwaay.net; rtty at contesting.com
Subject: RE: [RTTY] YK1BA on RTTY?