[1000mp] RTTY

[Jim Smith]

I've been contesting on RTTY for several years now without no stinkin 
Rig Blaster (I actually don't know anything about the RB - I just like 
using that "no stinkin" phrase).

I use AFSK.  From what I understand, you can't use your narrow MkV 
filters in the Rx if you use FSK. 

To use AFSK you wire the Line Out of your sound card into the Packet 
jack on the back of the MkV.  The manual will tell you which pins to 
connect it to.  You might need to put a 1:1 (typically 600 ohms) audio 
xfmr in the line to get rid of ground loop problems. 

You wire the AF Out of the MkV to the Line in of your sound card.  
Previous comment about 1:1 xfmr applies here as well.  The AF Out has 2 
AF channels, one for the A RX and one for the B.  You can use a typical 
stereo cable to make the connection if you don't need 1:1 isolation xfmrs.

The following is off the top of my head.  Others may wish to correct 
some items.

To use it you do the following:

Press the PKT button on the front panel (NOT the RTTY button).  Both the 
PKT and LSB buttons should light up.  If the FM button lights up instead 
of the LSB button, press PKT again.  Find an RTTY station to practice 
setting up your Rx software and tuning in RTTY.  Forget about the MkV 
tuning indicator.  Use whatever your software provides.

Once you're happy with the Rx side it's time to work on Tx.  You should 
do all this with a dummy load.  If you don't have one, you'll have to 
use the one that nature has been providing us with lately - 10 metres.

    * Don't feed any RTTY signal to the Tx yet
    * Set the Mic gain control to where you usually have it.
    * Turn the processor OFF
    * Leave the processor OFF
    * Turn the RF PWR all the way up.
    * In your sound card mixer applet turn the output level all the way down
    * Set the MkV meter switch to measure output power.
    * Now, tell your RTTY software to generate an AFSK signal.
    * If the Tx doesn't come on, push the MOX button
    * Now increase the output level from the sound card using the mixer
      applet until you're getting 100W out.
    * Switch the MkV meter to read ALC.  You shouldn't see even the
      slightest hint of a bar graph showing.
    * Release the MOX button if you had to use it.


For further output power level adjustments use the MIC Gain.  Sounds 
weird I know but remember, AFSK is just an audio signal like any other 
as far as the rig is concerned.  The ALC meter MUST NOT EVEN TWITCH.  
Well, that's what I've been told.  If it does, you're running the risk 
of generating additional mark-space tones around your operating 
frequency and no one will know which ones are on the frequency where 
you're listening.

NOTES:-
AFSK does its thing by sending audio tones to the MkV to be transmitted 
just like any other audio input would be.

The MARK frequency of 2125 Hz is transmitted at 2125 Hz below the 
carrier frequency (what the VFO dial reads)
The SPACE frequency of 2295 Hz is transmitted at 2295 Hz below the 
carrier frequency


If you transmit on USB instead of LSB everyone will tell you that you're 
"upside down".  This doesn't mean that you need to get a VK call.  It 
means that you have to get the MkV to transmit PKT on LSB which, I 
think, is a menu option somewhere.

You may also have to tell your software that FSK (or AFSK) is LSB.

Hope this helps.

73 de Jim Smith   VE7FO

Thomas Tow wrote:

>I have never done RTTY but some friends have me intrigued. On the MK 5,
>there is a RTTY plug on the back. I ordered a rigblaster plus but from
>looking over the MP manual (after he could not get it to work) I found
>information there that leads me to believe that I do not need the
>rigblaster..Any one doing RTTY with MK5 who could shed some light on
>this...Thanks, 73  Tommy WD4K
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