[WriteLog] SO2R Controllers

Sat Jan 25 15:52:51 EST 2003

Right Steve.

When you talk about SO2R 'controllers', you are really talking about several
unrelated things.

1) PTT switching.  All of the solutions take a PTT (usually foot switch for
phone) in, and route it to the currently active radio.

2) CW switching.  Again, all of the solutions take a key or keyer in, and
route it.

3) Mic switching.  I think that all of the solutions except the W5XD one
take a mono mic input, and route it per the above.  W5XD assumes that you
are using WL's built in mic switching where the mics for both radios are on
the stereo output of the sound card, so his keyer doesn't include mic
switching.

As far as I know, all of the available controller solutions do the 3 things
above by watching pin 14 of an LPT port.  All of the available loggers that
I know signal which radio is active by using that pin.

4) Headphone switching.  Here, there are several different modes that
operators prefer.  One radio in each ear.  One radio in each ear with some
blending.  Both radios in both ears (essentially #2, with full blending).
Active radio in both ears.  Active radio in both ears unless it is
transmitting a recorded message, during which time the inactive radio is in
both ears.  And on and on.  Here, there are lots of choices.

WL provides several of the above options under software control.  The W5XD
keyer supports that software control, and switches the audio around as the
software requests.  Other controllers provide manual controls to accomplish
similar things.

When it comes to isolation, etc. - the best reference IMHO is on the
Writelog web site at http://www.writelog.com/support/ssb_setup.htm .  I have
found both an isolation transformer and a voltage divider necessary for the
mic lines.

I don't know anyone who isolates the headphone lines - but many people use
isolation on the microphone lines and audio back to the computer for
recording lines.  My station hums like a son-of-a-bitch without isolation on
the mic lines.

All my best,

            ***dan, K6IF

----- Original Message -----
From: "GW4BLE" <GW4BLE at btinternet.com>
To: "Dan Levin" <djl at andlev.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 10:57 AM
Subject: Re: [WriteLog] SO2R Controllers

> Dan,
>
> Thanks for taking the time to explain the nitty griity on all this.
>
> So, just for confirmation, it would appear that as I use WL software audio
> control the W5XD unit is the *only* real option I have.   Prior to WL I
used
> CT for many years with the DVP, but of course that wont work under
Writelog.
>
> Just one other query, are you using DX4WIN by any chance?  I use it for
> logging here and I just hope there wont be any issues over using that with
> the W5XD ?
>
> Oh, and what audio isolation circuitry have you used.  It *might* work
> without any (trial-and-error I guess).    Thoughts on that?   Do you know
of
> any web sites that might cover this?
>
> Guess that's more than one question, HI!    But if you have time ..... ?
>
> 73
>
> Steve
> GW4BLE
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Levin" <djl at andlev.com>
> To: "GW4BLE" <gw4ble at btinternet.com>
> Sent: 25 January 2003 18:25
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] SO2R Controllers
>
>
> > Glad to help.
> >
> > The various SO2R boxes out there have a mono mic input.  They then steer
> > that mono mic input to the correct radio the same way that they steer
PTT
> > and CW.  They assume that you will use a mono digital voice keyer of
some
> > sort upstream of the SO2R controller.
> >
> > WL doesn't work that way.  WL assumes that you will plug your mono mic
> into
> > the mic input of your sound card (as it sounds like you have done).  The
> mic
> > runs through the sound card, and comes out the stereo line or speaker
> output
> > of the sound card.  On that stereo output from the sound card, Tip is
> radio
> > R, Ring is radio L.  You need to build a cable (at the least) that
> separates
> > out the R and L channels, and routes them to the correct radio.  Most of
> us
> > have buit a box that includes audio isolation transformers (and
sometimes
> a
> > voltage divider too), rather than using plain cables to split the stereo
> > into two mono's (one for each radio).
> >
> > Since WL works this way, the W5XD keyer doesn't have mic input and
output
> > the way other SO2R boxes do.
> >
> > Is that more clear?  If not, feel free to drill down more...
> >
> >             ***dan, K6IF
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "GW4BLE" <GW4BLE at btinternet.com>
> > To: "Dan Levin" <djl at andlev.com>
> > Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 9:05 AM
> > Subject: Re: [WriteLog] SO2R Controllers
> >
> >
> > > Dan,
> > >
> > > Thanks for posting this on the reflector, very much appreciated....
> > >
> > > I didn't quite follow this though -
> > >
> > > > 2) WL's fairly whacky stereo out splits to two mono mic outs from
the
> > > sound
> > > > card DVP output isn't supported by (any?) other keyers.  Of course,
it
> > > isn't
> > > > supported by the W5XD keyer either (you need to build a separate
box).
> > > The
> > > > point here is that you can't use any of the other solution's mic
> > switching
> > > > with WL.
> > >
> > >
> > > Currently I plug my mic straight into the "mic in" on my soundcard.
> > > Presumably then, this is the same with the W5XD card?  That is, mic
into
> > > soundcard and then line-out to feed radios "Right" and "Left" via the
> W5XD
> > > controller?
> > >
> > > I do have a RIGBLaster plus here, which I guess may complicate the
issue
> > > somewhat.   Presumably if I get a W5XD keyer it will become redundant,
> or
> > is
> > > there some way I can interface it with the W5XD ?
> > >
> > > What exactly do you mean by "you need to build a separate box" ?
> > >
> > > Maybe I have missed the point somewhere, *any* guidance would be
> > > appreciated.  Thanks.
> > >
> > > 73
> > >
> > > Steve
> > > GW4BLE
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Dan Levin" <djl at andlev.com>
> > > To: <writelog at contesting.com>
> > > Sent: 25 January 2003 16:12
> > > Subject: [WriteLog] SO2R Controllers
> > >
> > >
> > > > NB: I use the W5XD keyer, and have (in two versions) for years...
> > > >
> > > > I have done a fair bit of research into this point, and can share
the
> > > > following:
> > > >
> > > > 1) If you want to use WL's built in audio switching, you have to use
> the
> > > > W5XD keyer.  It is the only one that I know of that supports this
> > feature
> > > > (which I use, and like).
> > > >
> > > > 2) WL's fairly whacky stereo out splits to two mono mic outs from
the
> > > sound
> > > > card DVP output isn't supported by (any?) other keyers.  Of course,
it
> > > isn't
> > > > supported by the W5XD keyer either (you need to build a separate
box).
> > > The
> > > > point here is that you can't use any of the other solution's mic
> > switching
> > > > with WL.
> > > >
> > > > 3) The only way to get reliable CW out of WL from any and all
> computers
> > is
> > > > to the use W5XD keyer.
> > > >
> > > > 4) The W5XD keyer doesn't really provide any manual control over the
> > SO2R
> > > > feature, the way the SO2R Master does, for example.  If manual
control
> > is
> > > > important to you...
> > > >
> > > > 5) The W5XD keyer works well.
> > > >
> > > > For my money, given that I use the software audio switching feature,
> the
> > > > W5XD keyer is the only option.  I think if all you want is CW and
PTT
> > > > switching, you can use any of them.  They all support the A/B switch
> > that
> > > > the software puts out.  If you don't use the WL software audio
> control,
> > > and
> > > > want audio control (esp. with a manual control capability), then the
> > W5XD
> > > > keyer isn't for you.
> > > >
> > > > Hope this helps...
> > > >
> > > >             ***dan, K6IF
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > WriteLog mailing list
> > > > WriteLog at contesting.com
> > > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/writelog
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>