HF rig <-> computer, how do people handle PTT?
 

On my TS680/TS711 I found that you have to ground two pins on the 15 pin
ACC connector. One to mute the mic and the other to TX. The same
connector supplies fixed level audio out and direct in. To make my TS680
match the TS711 I increased the internal voltage divider values on the
inbound signal.

Depending on the software I use either a serial port RTS pin or parallel
port DATA0 for this task. I just use two transistors as switches with
suitable protection and "OR" gate etc diodes.

When I am playing wtth RDFT from a sound file player (Audacity) I use a
manual switch that ties in with the same transistors. I have dreams of
making a VOX like interface that looks at the data stream but havent got
around to it yet.It would obviously need a fast rise and fall action.

To avoid noise paths I should have used optical coupling but havent! The
VOX path should however solve this. (I have 2 audio transformers in place)

Cheers Bob VK2YQA


Ok, I want to hook up my TS-430S to my computer so I can transmit in
the digital modes. I've already received them by simply running the
headphone jack into my computer's microphone jack and that works fine,
but now that I'm KD5YRD/AE, I'm ready to try transmitting :)

I can certainly make a cable to hook up the speaker out to the
appropriate two pins on the microphone jack -- that's not hard at all
-- but what to do about the push to talk? What do most people do
about that?

I could enable VOX on the rig.

I could make a switch I push whenever I'm transmitting.

I could make something and hook it to the serial or parallel port that
allows the computer to do it for me, but I don't know if any of the
programs support that.

I could make a circuit that closes the PTT switch if any signifigant
signal comes from the computer.

I'm guessing that most people just enable VOX, but of course that
won't work well on any mode where it has to switch on and off rapidly.
Or will it?

Thoughts?

On my TS680/TS711 I found that you have to ground two pins on the 15 pin
ACC connector. One to mute the mic and the other to TX. The same
connector supplies fixed level audio out and direct in. To make my TS680
match the TS711 I increased the internal voltage divider values on the
inbound signal.

Depending on the software I use either a serial port RTS pin or parallel
port DATA0 for this task. I just use two transistors as switches with
suitable protection and "OR" gate etc diodes.

When I am playing wtth RDFT from a sound file player (Audacity) I use a
manual switch that ties in with the same transistors. I have dreams of
making a VOX like interface that looks at the data stream but havent got
around to it yet.It would obviously need a fast rise and fall action.

To avoid noise paths I should have used optical coupling but havent! The
VOX path should however solve this. (I have 2 audio transformers in place)

Cheers Bob VK2YQA


Ok, I want to hook up my TS-430S to my computer so I can transmit in
the digital modes. I've already received them by simply running the
headphone jack into my computer's microphone jack and that works fine,
but now that I'm KD5YRD/AE, I'm ready to try transmitting :)

I can certainly make a cable to hook up the speaker out to the
appropriate two pins on the microphone jack -- that's not hard at all
-- but what to do about the push to talk? What do most people do
about that?

I could enable VOX on the rig.

I could make a switch I push whenever I'm transmitting.

I could make something and hook it to the serial or parallel port that
allows the computer to do it for me, but I don't know if any of the
programs support that.

I could make a circuit that closes the PTT switch if any signifigant
signal comes from the computer.

I'm guessing that most people just enable VOX, but of course that
won't work well on any mode where it has to switch on and off rapidly.
Or will it?

Thoughts?

"CliftonOEM" wrote in message
et...

These interfaces make the process easy and safe

I always cringe when I see a licensed amateur make statements like that.

Connecting a computer to a rig is a trivially simple exercise. It is hard
to really get engaged in studying the schematic for commercial gear, so one
doesn't really know, at an intimate level, what is happening. In that case,
the connection and operation is decidedly less "safe". The manufacturers of
these things have been succesfully convincing the clueless that somehow you
are going to fry your rig or computer if you don't take advantage of their
magical expertise. BULL.

For me, I find that without that intimate understanding, there are always
little operational quirks that make the thing very much less "easy". Even
if my homebrew thing is kind of a kludge, I understand intimately it's
quirks, so they never really get in the way.

All that being said, interfaces like the Rigblaster are well packaged and
neat, and often offer a variety of connection and switching options that can
be quite convenient. Vitrtually all of them are cheap enough that for many
amateurs, it may well be worth the price for the pretty box.

Keeping the station well organized and neat is important, and even the
aesthetics have some value. Recognize that in buying a commercial
interface, you are actually loosing a certain amount of ease of use, but you
are gaining a pretty box and a couple of hours of time. The price of these
things isn't a lot different than the price of a decent metal case, so I'm
not arguing that they are too expensive.

But the safety thing is a crock.

...

"CliftonOEM" wrote in message
et...

These interfaces make the process easy and safe

I always cringe when I see a licensed amateur make statements like that.

Connecting a computer to a rig is a trivially simple exercise. It is hard
to really get engaged in studying the schematic for commercial gear, so one
doesn't really know, at an intimate level, what is happening. In that case,
the connection and operation is decidedly less "safe". The manufacturers of
these things have been succesfully convincing the clueless that somehow you
are going to fry your rig or computer if you don't take advantage of their
magical expertise. BULL.

For me, I find that without that intimate understanding, there are always
little operational quirks that make the thing very much less "easy". Even
if my homebrew thing is kind of a kludge, I understand intimately it's
quirks, so they never really get in the way.

All that being said, interfaces like the Rigblaster are well packaged and
neat, and often offer a variety of connection and switching options that can
be quite convenient. Vitrtually all of them are cheap enough that for many
amateurs, it may well be worth the price for the pretty box.

Keeping the station well organized and neat is important, and even the
aesthetics have some value. Recognize that in buying a commercial
interface, you are actually loosing a certain amount of ease of use, but you
are gaining a pretty box and a couple of hours of time. The price of these
things isn't a lot different than the price of a decent metal case, so I'm
not arguing that they are too expensive.

But the safety thing is a crock.

...