[RTTY] so2r controller choice

[Ed Muns]

Jeff, AC0C, asked:
> I wanted to find out what kind of so2r controllers you have 
> chosen.  I'm at the cross roads myself and this seemingly 
> simple choice has become more complicated than I guess it 
> probably should be.  It's an easier pick for CW/SSB - but for 
> RTTY, the needs are somewhat simpler as the pc is doing the 
> decoding so the need for automatic and isolated switching 
> features is of lesser importance.  
> 
> In a sense, a guy probably could get away without a box at 
> all.  Just feed rig 1 in to the left ear and rig 2 into the 
> right ear.  I've run SO2V for a while with out using 
> headphones - just left side speaker and a right side speaker 
> - and that worked fine.  
> 
> Of course, this provides no lockout or other cool and 
> comforting security features.  Or maybe I'm overlooking some 
> super critical feature in the mix?

That's right.  For RTTY, you really don't need a SO2R controller.  I often
just use mono-stereo cabling to put the receive audio from each radio into
the left or right ear of the headphones.  However, if you operate SO2R CW
and/or SSB, you will likely have a SO2R controller anyway and that can
provide the mono-stereo audio routing without having to re-configure the
station between modes.  My guess is that the MicroHAM line of SO2R
controllers are the most widely used today.

That said, I'm a minimalist and still use the Top Ten DX Doubler SO2R
controller.  However, I am migrating my home station to Windows 7 computers
without LPT ports, so I have the low-end MicroHAM u2R SO2R controller that
runs on USB.  Another alternative is to use the PIEXX USB-LPT adapter and
continue using the DX Doubler.  (See K0DQ's article in the latest issue of
the NCJ.)

Ed - W0YK