[RTTY] Signalink FSK Success! And a very basic question....

[Michael Rapp]

Hi all,

A few weeks ago I asked for advice about how to help me achieve FSK with my
Signalink.  Before I had to switch between the Signalink and a W3YY
interface, with the audio out from my FT-950 going into a poorly made sound
card.  At the end of the day, I could decode RTTY with the Signalink but
only transmit with the W3YY interface, which wasn't exactly optimal.

I am happy -- no elated beyond measure -- to report that I now can FSK
through my Signalink!  After a ridiculous comedy of errors with wires,
ports, adapters, and trips to Fry's, I got it to work.  (About the only
thing I didn't do wrong was pick up the soldering iron from the hot end!)

I ended up doing a combination of K7SFN's mod (
http://www.k7sfn.com/projects/signalink.html) and the FSK circuit on Don's
page (http://www.aa5au.com/rttyinterface.html).

Here's what I did.  I picked up a 9 pin serial port shell and solder cup.
 I soldered some 22 awg wire to the TxD and ground pins.  I wired a 1 k ohm
resister to the TxD lead and wired that to the base of an NTE123
transistor.  I wired the ground from the serial port to the emitter of the
transistor.  I wired the collector to the FSK "pass through" on the
Signalink.

You must understand....I have no electronics background.  At all.  Prior to
starting in the ham radio hobby, the only thing I knew about a transistor
was how to spell it.  This is also the first time I've had to look at a
schematic (Don's) and really figure something out with it.  From my license
studies, I remembered what the various parts of the NPN symbol meant and
figured out what wires to connect to what pins.

And to my utter elation....it works!   It actually works!   I have
diddles!!  :D

I do have one very basic question.  What exactly is this transistor doing?
 Why do we need it?  Why can't I just plug the TxD lead directly into the
Signalink?

73,
-- 
/*/-=[Michael / KT5MR]-=/*/