[TenTec] Using Omni VI+ woth MMTTY on FSK - final report

[Mark Erbaugh]

Duffy,

Interesting comment. Could very well be the reason for the switch to FET.  I
have several Rascal's with Optos and they work fine.

Mark

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J. D. Beischel" <duffyb01 at fuse.net>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Using Omni VI+ woth MMTTY on FSK - final report


> I may have mentioned this before, but Donner Digital Interfaces  (
> http://home.att.net/~n8st/ ) still uses an opto interface to key the
radio.
> They make a quality product for about any radio for only $40 - built.  I
> have three of them now, and have used them with the Omni 6+, Jupiter,
> Argonaut V, TS-2000, Kenwood TS-690S, Patcomm PC-500 and have used their
> hard keying interface on all QRP rigs that I have including the Argo.  I
> have had absolutely no problems with these interfaces with any of the
radios
> mentioned.
>
> Buck may have swapped out the Opto for an FET because some of the postal
> scanning systems implemented after the terrorist attack were destroying
the
> Opto.  This happened to Donner and I think they now ship via UPS to
prevent
> the problem.  Buck may have switched components to prevent the situation
> from happening - I don't know.
>
> If you are looking for a good interface, good support, and need an
interface
>  then consider ordering from Donner.
>
> I am not affliated with Donner - just a customer.
>
> Duffy
> www.wb8nut.com
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: tentec at contesting.com
> Date: Thursday, September 25, 2003 08:01:42 AM
> To: tentec at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Using Omni VI+ woth MMTTY on FSK - final report
>
> Jim,
>
> Buck changed the interface in the Rascal from an opto isolator to the
> current FET. I have a couple of Rascals with the opto interface. I have
had
> no problem driving my Omni VI (opt 3) in FSK mode with them. I don't think
> I've used MMTTY, but I did use WriteLog to participate in one of last
> winter's RTTY contests. I wasn't getting reports of being upside down, so
I
> think it was working okay.
>
> I don't know why Buck changed to the FET from the opto, but on a friend's
> setup, that created ground loop hum in his TX audio.
>
> I wasn't using Buck's cable. I had a cable with a 5-pin DIN and 4 phono
> plugs that works just fine.
>
> 73,
> Mark
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim" <jlboockh at earthlink.net>
> To: <TenTec at contesting.com>; <w1mag at bellatlantic.net>;
> <bill.w7tvf at air-internet.com>
> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 12:17 AM
> Subject: [TenTec] Using Omni VI+ woth MMTTY on FSK - final report
>
>
> > Thanks to help I received on the Ten Tec reflector and on the Yahoo
> > MMTTY Group, I now have my Omni VI+ working properly on FSK using MMTTY.
> >
> > It seems that the interface circuits suggested by AA5AU, K4ABT, and
> > others, work on RTTY with the Omni V/VI but reverse the signal. I
> > bypassed the transistors in the interface circuits with a 10K resistor.
> > This feeds the DB-9 pin 3 FSK signal from MMTTY directly into the
> > Mark/Space jack on the Omni VI. (On the Omni V this jack is labeled RTTY
> > KEY.) It works like a champ.
> >
> > Another option is to add a second transistor, resulting in a two-stage
> > interface. One very helpful peron reported using this successfully with
> > a Rigblaster.
> >
> > The Rascal interface sold by Buck K4ABT does not work as he sells it. I
> > had to modify his Omni VI cable by adding an FSK line. I also had to
> > bypass the FET in the Rascal's FSK interface with a 10K resistor. Now,
> > unlike the AA5AU circuit, it provides not only an FSK signal but an
> > audio signal for PSK31. Buck's email responses to me sounded like he is
> > not familiar with the Omni V/VI. (His interface and cables worked fine
> > on AFSK.)
> >
> > Thanks for all the help. Listen for me this weekend on the CQWW RTTY
> > contest.
> >
> > Jim N4AL
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
>
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