[WriteLog] Laptop Soundboards - Another Solution

[Richard Thorne]

I've been in the market for a new laptop for my station.  I ended up 
buying a Dell 9400.  It has a 17" screen, supports a second monitor and 
all of the required connections, power cord, extra monitor DB15 
connection and 4 usb ports are all on the back.  I wanted all the extra 
cables to exit the back of the laptop to keep cabling neat.

I purchased the laptop knowing that the built in soundcard did not fully 
support Writelog, ie it will not pass mic audio to the speaker output. 
But I thought I had this resolved since I had tested the SoundBlaster 
pcmcia card in my other Dell laptop.  Well I get the new one home and 
attempt to insert the pcmcia card, surprisingly it doesn't fit.  Come to 
find out I purchased a laptop with an express card slot, bummer.

So off to the electronics store I go.  I ended up purchasing a USB 
SoundBlaster exernal board.  Installation was smooth and I was glad to 
find out that it supports Writelog.  It only scores a 6B via soundboard 
check, but it still supports Writelog.  I'll do some more testing and it 
will get a full work out this weekend during CQWW.  One nice unplanned 
feature is that the soundcard (which is in a nice small case)  can be 
set on top of the rig, I can plug my Heil headset into the phone plug of 
my Mark V and the mic to the soundboard without extensions.

Rich - N5ZC