[SECC] re: RTTY Contest

[Matt Lee, K4AQ]

Jeff,

I cannot read your email in detail right now...I am at work...but here
are some useful REFERENCES that I found helpful:

   1. http://www.k9jy.com/ 
      (Click on "Sound Cards" under "Reference" in "K9JY Contents")

   2. http://www.rttycontesting.com/tutorials/tutorials.htm

   3. http://www.k6xx.com/ft817/817afsk.gif
      K6XX FT-817 AFSK Cable (non-transformer)

      http://www.k6xx.com/ft817/817accy.html
      Photos of K6XX's cables, etc

I use the Tigertronics SignaLink SL-1 sound card radio interface. That
was the best solution for me considering my limited time to building
interfaces properly. It has built-in vox to key the PTT. It does not
require a serial port (even though my current laptop has one).
http://www.Tigertronics.com/ 

Here's the procedure I use to set my RTTY/PSK power level (on my
FT-817/897):

   1. Adjust rig for power level output via the MENU

   2. Key rig with a RTTY test message (in the Msg Buffer)

      a. RYRYRYRYRY's should be fine
      b. I use "RIG ADJUST DE K4AQ @" (where "@" = AR in WriteLog)

   3. Beginning from minimum setting, increase audio (and/or DIG GAIN
Menu adjustment in the FT-897) to peak the Field Strength Meter reading,

      ...or, Power Output indicator.

   4. Back off adjustment slightly until output just begins to decrease.

If you use the ALC indicator (per Yaesu's manual), adjust for one or two
bars. I have, however, found conflicting info between the fT-817 and
FT-897 instructions and believe that my procedure is conservative enough
to minimize splattering on RTTY/PSK.

Gotta run...and I do plan to focus on the CQWW RTTY contest this
weekend, QRP, of course. ;)

--
Matt Lee, K4AQ
Atlanta, GA USA
<K4AQ at arrl.net>




> -----Original Message-----
> From: secc-bounces at contesting.com 
> [mailto:secc-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of ku8e at bellsouth.net
> Sent: Wednesday, 22 September, 2004 13:15
> To: secc at contesting.com
> Subject: [SECC] re: RTTY Contest
> 
> 
> 
>  Hi All...
> 
>   If you look at http://www.writelog.com/support/SoundBoardSetup.htm
> 
>   I have the parts -  2 of the Radio Shack 273-1374 isolation 
> transformers.
> 
>   I am building one for the sound card recieve audio with 
> would come from the
>   headphone jack of the radio and to the LINE IN on the soundcard.
> 
>   The other one would go from the LINE OUT of the soundcard 
> to the MIC of the radio.
> 
>   From what I understand I will be running AFSK so I need to 
> have the radio on LSB and have the VOX ON.
> 
> 
>   On the wiring diagrams they just have a box for the radio 
> and one for the soundcard. They have black/white on one side 
> and yellow/red on the other.
> Which of these combinations go to the center connection on 
> each side of the diagram ???
> 
>   I can't run FSK because my computer has only 1 serial port 
> and I am using that for radio control.
> 
> 
>  I have used the MMTTY program to listen before but have 
> never transmitted. I also have the N1MM program and I guess 
> that will interface to the MMTTY program. I will have to read 
> up on that.
> 
> 
> Hopefully I will get this hooked up and working and can hand 
> out some RTTY contacts to you guys....
> 
>                       73, Jeff