[CTSARA] Soundcard Bootcamp: March 30

[Jon Perelstein]

Stamford Amateur Radio Association announces a Soundcard Bootcamp

Saturday, March 30, 9am to noonish
Stamford Government Center, 6th floor Safety Training Room

The bootcamp will include

1.  A brief intro to what soundcard digital modes are - and what they aren't

2.  A brief radio-to-radio demonstration of a few of the major digital
modes such as PSK-31 and Olivia

3.  A hands-on opportunity to try your hand at sending and receiving

4.  Hands-on, let's do it for real, installation and configuration of
software* on YOUR computer** (yes, you have to bring your computer with you
if you want us to set up the software on your computer).  We'll set up your
computer for either a Signalink USB or a RIGblaster, depending on which one
you want to use.

*  FLDIGI, which is free software that does pretty much all of the digital
soundcard modes

**  We have experience on Windows machines.  The software and the
interfaces work on Windows (XP, Vista, 7), Mac OSX, and Linux machines, but
if you have a Mac or  Linux machine you're going to have to be able to help
us get the drivers and software installed.  Regardless of what operating
system you use, you will need a reasonably current computer (pretty much
any laptop sold in the last eight years should be sufficient).  If you're
going to use a RIGblaster, your computer must have a working soundcard.
 Your computer must have a USB port and if you're using a RIGblaster, it
also needs mic in/headphones out jacks (or line in/line out).  I don't know
if the software runs on tablets, it doesn't run on smart phones, and we
don't think that it runs on Chromebooks.  We don't yet have experience on
Win 8, and it's not even worth it on versions of Windows older than XP.

If you're not sure what your computer needs, or whether or not your rig
will connect up to a digital interface, contact me and we'll figure it out
together.

If you want to bring your rig, we'll have a power supply with Anderson
Power Poles.

More details to follow.

Please RSVP to me.

73s
Jon, WB2RYV