[TenTec] Aux I/O connection

Sun Apr 19 15:42:18 PDT 2009

Bob,

No doubt that other digital modes are highly reliable and in many cases are 
better than RTTY; however, it depends on what your interests are within the 
hobby.  For a DXer (like myself), I see very few (if any)  major DXPeditions 
run anything but RTTY (and maybe some PSK31).   I don't know as if it would 
be pracitcal or even productive for them to operate all the various digital 
modes.  There was even an interesting article on the RTTY/digital modes in 
one of the last QST's.

One could also consider CW to be slow and antiquated; but this mode seems to 
alive and well on the bands (especially 160M), and I think RTTY is going to 
be around for a long time too.

As far as running AM,  personnally I can see no advantage in AM at all.  50% 
of your power is used for the carrier, by switching to SSB, that power is 
now in the "business end".   But to each his own; and the vast majority of 
modes, interests, and bands to operate is what makes amateur radio one of 
the best hobbies one could get into.

Dick K8ZTT

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob McGraw - K4TAX" <RMcGraw at Blomand.net>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 1:00 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Aux I/O connection

> Yes, true, but what about the other 20 or so current digital modes that 
> are
> available these days?  These are efficient with highly reliable data
> throughput modes as opposed to the slow antiquated RTTY mode.   Remember
> RTTY is the ONLY one that uses the FSK method of transmission.  All of the
> digital modes are available via current free software and no interface is
> needed.  My motto:  more boxes + more cables + more connectors = more
> problems.
>
> Of course what do I know, I still run Class C high level modulated AM 
> using
> a 1956 transmitter and not a 2000 technology transmitter.  I got rid of my
> Model 25 RTTY floor shaker at least 40 years ago.  Haven't been back on 
> FSK
> RTTY since.  And oh by the way, my AM transmitter doesn't use any more
> sideband bandwidth than current technology SSB rigs and in many cases it
> uses less.
>
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dick Williams" <k8ztt at mho.com>
> To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec at contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 9:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Aux I/O connection
>
>
>> Jack,
>>
>> If you are going to operate RTTY, I would highly suggest you "connect" 
>> the
>> red and black cables and forget about the soundcard for AFSK.   The O2 is
>> much better suited for FSK RTTY; and in fact when you select FSK for the
>> mode it switches in the right filters for RTTY.
>>
>> Additionally you don't have to worry about audio levels, overdrive, and a
>> whole "s--tload of other problems associated with trying to use AFSK.
>>
>> There are several interfaces on the market that work very well for
>> interfacing the radio with the computer and save you the "headaches" of
>> connecting the radio directly to the computer (you really should use
>> isolation transformers - especially on the line sending audio from the
>> sound
>> card to your radio).
>>
>> Ones that I have tried include the RigBlaster, Rig Expert Standard and in
>> the near future the Naviagtor;  I believe MFJ also has one too.   All 
>> work
>> very well with FSK and as far as I know, with all digital modes).
>> Although
>> I learned many years ago NEVER say "all"; there always seems to be some
>> exception.
>>
>> The advantages of the Rig Expert and Navigator are they both have built 
>> in
>> sound cards,  you only run one cable (USB) to your computer,  both have
>> cables that are taylor made for your radio and plug directly into the Aux
>> din plug (plug and play - forget about the breakout cable that came with
>> the
>> O2), and you don't tie up your sound card with the radio.  There are some
>> others too, but the aforementioned are the main ones.
>>
>> If you like to homebrew,  it is very easy to make a FSK keying circuit
>> (and
>> a PTT circuit) using a general purpose NPN transistor and a 1k resistor.
>> You hook the FSK line to the colector, the emmiter is grounded, and you
>> "FSK
>> key" the transistor base from pin3 of a serial port you assign for FSK
>> (for
>> PTT you use the same circuit and pin 7 on the DB-9 com port).
>>
>> I think you will find that most really serious RTTY enthusists use FSK if
>> at
>> all possible.
>>
>> My two cents worth.
>>
>> Dick K8ZTT
>>
>> PS A couple of excellent programs (both free) that I have tried for
>> digital
>> are MMTTY for RTTY and Hamscope for PSK31 and RTTY (uses the MMTTY
>> engine).
>> I doubt if you can find one guy that will "bad mouth" either;  and that 
>> is
>> not to say that other excellent programs don't exist, there most 
>> certainly
>> are, but I have not tried them.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Stephen Cannon" <sugar_bears_home at yahoo.com>
>> To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 6:26 AM
>> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Aux I/O connection
>>
>>
>>> Jack,
>>> Are the other two cables from the Orion II Aux I/O port plug (the red 
>>> and
>>> black cables) supposed to be connected?
>>>
>>>
>>> Stephen
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>
>>> John, if you look at your manual and the I/O cable that comes with the
>>> Orion, you will note that cable has red, white, black and yellow ends.
>>> all are phono plugs.
>>> get a 1/8" adapter for each to plug into the sound card on your
>>> computer.
>>> white from the Orion goes to BLUE on your sound card.
>>> yellow from the Orion goes to PINK on your sound card.
>>>
>>> use stereo plugs for the sound card.
>>>
>>> jack ak7o
>>>
>>>
>>> the white from your I/O (from the Orion) goes to the On Sat, 2009-04-18
>>> at 20:48 -0400, John B. Egger wrote:
>>>> I'm hoping to get started on digital modes (other than CW, that is) but
>>>> face a problem right at the start. My computer has "Speaker out" (used
>>>> for its speakers), "Line In," and "Mic In" jacks (all 1/8" stereo). The
>>>> auxiliary cable's white phono plug is for "Line In", but I have no 
>>>> "line
>>>> out" on my computer. Does it go (through a phono-to-stereo-plug 
>>>> adapter)
>>>> to the computer's "Line In" jack?
>>>>
>>>> Obviously I'm on the ground floor with this. Other connections, and
>>>> software (I have Fldigi, Xlog, and Twpsk) issues will come later.
>>>>
>>>
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