[CTSARA] Digital Bootcamp Session 1

[Jon Perelstein]

For our first lesson, we're just going to listen to transmitted digital mode 
signals.  

To just listen, you do not need an interface (such as a RIGBlaster or SignaLink) 
or a "data" cable or anything like that.  You can use a simple audio cable from 
the headset jack of your rig to the microphone in jack of your computer.  Either 
a stereo cable or a mono cable, it just has to have plugs that will fit your 
rig's headset jack and your computer's mic in jack.

If you don't have such a cable, they're pretty inexpensive at Radio Shack.

In fact, no joke, if you have a laptop, you don't even need the cable.  You can 
simply position the microphone of the laptop close to the rig's speaker and pick 
up the sounds that way.  It does work.  Of course, it's best to minimize other 
noises in the room, but it sure does work.  Both Tony and I have tried it at 
various times and we've gotten good results.


If you use the audio cable, you do not want to turn your rig's AF gain up very 
high, and you might want to lower the gain on the computer's mic jack.  You'll 
just have to play with it the first time so that you're not overloading the 
computer's microphone.


The Western Pennsylvania NBEMS folks have some great documentiation on 
downloading and installing FLDIGI.  Their web site is 

http://www.wpanbems.org/

On the left, you'll see links for downloading the software, help on 
installation, help on configuration, screen shots from "Getting Start = your 1st 
contact", etc.

FLDIGI itself has a good Beginner's Guide (loaded on your computer with the 
software) and good on-line documentation at

http://www.w1hkj.com/FldigiHelp-3.20/index.html

The www.w1hkj.com site has a lot of good material on it.  His descriptions of 
the various modes, including both sample screen shots and sample audio files 
(i.e., what you would hear through your speaker) are a very very useful resource 
for people just starting in digital modes.  The samples are at

http://www.w1hkj.com/FldigiHelp-3.20/Modes/index.htm

Please read through some of this excellent material so that you have a basic 
understanding of how to use the software for Sunday night.

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For Sunday night, we are going to be using FM.  That means that you will set 
your rig to FM and tune to the frequency given as if you were listening to any 
other FM signal.  

IF your rig has a "Data" jack, you can certainly use it, but it isn't necessary. 
 The data jack simply re-routes the FM input (i.e., what would normally be 
coming in from the rig's microphone) and FM output (i.e., what would normally be 
going out from the rig to the speaker) to that jack.  Using a data jack has two 
advantages:  (a) You don't have to plug into your headset jack, which means that 
you can hear the signals as well as see them on the waterfall, and (b) You don't 
have to unplug your microphone and instead plug in the interface from the 
computer.

If you use the "Data" jack, your rig probably has a setting called "Packet" or 
"FM Data" or just "Data" or something like that.  You want to be using that 
setitng rather than just FM.  It will work if you use the plain old FM setting 
(at least it will on most rigs), but it will leave your mic hot, which means 
that it will pick up and broadcast whatever noises are in the shack with you 
(like you saying nasty things about the person with whom you're having the QSO).

Also, do NOT confuse the "Data" jack with the "CAT" jack.  "CAT" jacks are used 
for computerized rig control -- which is where you set your frequency, power, 
etc., etc. using the computer rather than the controls on the rig.  Check your 
rig's user manual so that you know which plugs to get for which jack.

Remember that some rigs do not have data jacks (mostly older rigs, but 
surprisingly K2s do not have them).  In that case, you are going to wind up 
using the rig's microphone and headset jacks.  We'll discuss that in another 
bootcamp session.

Remember, for just listening for the first session, you don't need to worry 
about "Data" jacks or interface devices unless you want to.

**********

Our first session is this Sunday night (9/5/2010) at 9pm on the New Canaan 
repeater.