[WriteLog] Sound card

[Jim Brown]

On Sat,4/11/2015 7:10 AM, Randy Thompson K5ZD wrote:
> I decided to try an external USB sound card for the mic input.  I purchase a
> SYBA SD-DAC63094 for $30 from NewEgg.

For several years, I've been recommending Tascam and Numark USB sound 
cards designed for musicians and DJs for digital modes. Both are now 
discontinued, replaced by newer models, but the newer Tascams are fine. 
Both old and new are widely available on EBay at greatly reduced prices.

Poking around N8LP's website a few weeks ago, I saw that he is now 
recommending an ASUS sound card for bringing quadrature IF outputs into 
a computer for his NaP3 software. B&H in NYC is currently selling them 
for $70. 192 kHz, all the ins and outs we need for both SSB and digital 
modes.

There is GREAT virtue in using a sound card of this quality for digital 
modes. I experienced modest, but noticeable improvement in weak signal 
decoding RTTY when I switched from the sound card internal to my 
Thinkpads, but the improvements with K1JT's WSJT family of modes is 
dramatic -- the USB units decode twice as many signals per pass and 
regularly 10-12 dB deeper into the noise.

I wrote up my test methods in a report that also includes a tutorial on 
setting levels. http://k9yc.com/USB_Interfaces.pdf

Here's the Asus unit Larry recommends. My neighbor, N6NUL, bought one 
and loaned it to me the check out. So far I've only looked at WSJT 
decoding, which is quite good.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1086995&gclid=CKTt-q6u8sQCFRSIfgod3LQAVg&Q=&is=REG&A=details

73, Jim K9YC