[Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY

Barry barrylazar2 at gmail.com
Wed Mar 20 22:29:40 EDT 2019


Try one more thing. Go into menu and increase the VOX gain, but before 
you do that turn up the mic gain; this is actually line in level at this 
point. I'm suspecting that you might be operating with too low a level 
going in to the radio or VOX gain is too low. I sure hope this is the 
fix, 'cuz I've run out of ideas at the moment.

73,
Barry
K3NDM

------ Original Message ------
From: "Peter Dougherty" <lists at w2irt.net>
To: "Barry" <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Sent: 3/20/2019 10:18:37 PM
Subject: RE: Re[6]: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY

>VOX is engaged, the correct codec is selected, but nothing puts the 
>radio in PTT mode. It’s using the same codec as it does when sending 
>voice keying files, which transmit just fine. The radio is not 
>switching into transmit.
>
>What’s even more worrisome is how WinWarbler is not putting the K3s 
>into AFSK-A mode. It is forcing it into LSB, regardless of what’s set 
>up in the configurator.
>
>
>
>- pjd
>
>
>
>From: Barry <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 10:10 PM
>To: Peter Dougherty <lists at w2irt.net>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re[6]: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY
>
>
>
>Hmmmm. Interesting. The first thing that comes to mind is that your 
>tones are not getting to the radio. Check to see that you are directing 
>your tones to the radio's built in sound card. You should be going out 
>on USB CODEC SPEAKER. Next turn you VOX on. If you are sending tones, 
>the VOX will turn your radio to transmit.  So, if you were planning to 
>use the CAT function for PTT, this will allow you to transmit 
>regardless of a correct set up for the PTT, or not.
>
>
>
>73,
>
>Barry
>
>K3NDM
>
>
>
>------ Original Message ------
>
>From: "Peter Dougherty" <lists at w2irt.net>
>
>To: "Barry" <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
>Sent: 3/20/2019 7:08:53 PM
>
>Subject: RE: Re[4]: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY.
>
>
>
>>Well a very, very small bit of progress. Using Commander’s main page, 
>>mode selection box, if I press RTTY then the K3s goes into the correct 
>>mode (AFSK-A, with the filters applied). I am able to decode cleanly, 
>>so RX is working fine.
>>
>>Still unable to go into transmit via DX Labs, however. As a reminder, 
>>CW and SSB macros both send find and TX/RX switching is good. It’s 
>>just RTTY (so far) that’s the problem. Even PSK-31 seems to be fine 
>>(not that I will ever use that mode).
>>
>>I think this is a config problem within WinWarbler at this point. I 
>>went through Fred’s awesome K3s/P3 manual and everything seems to be 
>>set correctly.
>>
>>- pjd
>>
>>
>>
>>From: Barry <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>
>>Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 11:26 AM
>>To: Peter Dougherty <lists at w2irt.net>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>Subject: Re[4]: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY
>>
>>
>>
>>I don't know why setting up RTTY using AFSK and a K3s is yielding the 
>>level of problems it appears to be. It should be just another digital 
>>mode. The only difference should be is to set the radio to AFSK vice 
>>DATA A; Of course, you could just use DATA A, but you do want to 
>>narrow down the receive bandwidth.
>>
>>
>>
>>Layering the software as I do with N1MM + FLDIGI or WSJT-X with Ham 
>>Radio Deluxe does add additional complexity, So, I would suggest just 
>>using a simple one layer of software until  the familiarity for it is 
>>developed and a level of comfort is built.
>>
>>
>>
>>I do like RTTY for contesting. FT8 is OK for DX, but when I get 
>>serious, less often these days, I use CW. My station is modest 
>>compared to many, just a K3s and some wire in the backyard; no amp, 
>>tower, rhombics, etc. I do have DXCC mixed, phone, CW, and am short 23 
>>for digital and 21 on 80 for 5BDXCC.
>>
>>
>>
>>73,
>>
>>Barry
>>
>>K3NDM
>>
>>
>>
>>------ Original Message ------
>>
>>From: "Peter Dougherty" <lists at w2irt.net>
>>
>>To: "Barry" <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>
>>Sent: 3/20/2019 1:53:27 AM
>>
>>Subject: RE: Re[2]: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY
>>
>>
>>
>>>I’ve been using WinWarbler for RTTY for almost 10 years now, and it 
>>>definitely works pretty well with the rest of Dave’s suite of 
>>>software. Or at least it did with the original MK and later the 
>>>MK-II. I still had some doozy problems setting it up even then. I 
>>>documented everything back then so if I experienced a crash I could 
>>>rebuild pretty quickly. But this is a wholesale change in which 
>>>dozens of settings are now different. Again, once this is all settled 
>>>I’ll have screenshot of each setting page so this will (hopefully) be 
>>>a one-off…provided I keep the K3!
>>>
>>>RTTY is always the red-headed stepchild of radio setups for me, and 
>>>the sooner it fades into oblivion as a digital mode the happier I’ll 
>>>be. I have little love for FT8, but that’s where the DX is now!
>>>
>>>
>>>- pjd
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>From: Barry <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>
>>>Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 1:08 AM
>>>To: Peter Dougherty <lists at w2irt.net>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>Subject: Re[2]: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Peter,
>>>
>>>     For a simple uncomplicated set up, the software choice is 
>>>whatever you are familiar with, but the GENERAL set up should be the 
>>>same. I use FLDIGI for two reasons, I know it and it interfaces with 
>>>N1MM for contesting. I doubt it works better or worse than most of 
>>>the others. With software there are no interfaces needed if you are 
>>>using a K3s making set up easier. Like I said earlier, it's just a 
>>>matter of letting your software know what sound card you are using, 
>>>the USB CODEC, and the com port of the radio. The rest is pretty much 
>>>twisting the knobs on the radio to set levels. You should loose no 
>>>sleep over this; it's make you tired and mistake prone. Only one 
>>>thing I forgot to tell you and that is turn your VOX on so the tones 
>>>turn your transmitter on automatically and off when you're finished 
>>>sending.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>     I just looked up Winwarbler. It says it can be used for RTTY, but 
>>>you need either a multimode modem or some additional software and 
>>>then they must all play together. I really suggest not using 
>>>Winwarbler if I am correct; it will add an additional level of 
>>>complexity. Use FLDIGI. MixW, MultiPSK, or another complete S/W 
>>>application. The setup should be more straight forward.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>     If you want, I can talk you through it via LL phone. It really 
>>>shouldn't take more than about 30-45 minutes to make it all play. 
>>>Contact me directly and I'll give you my phone number. But, I don't 
>>>function before about noon EDT.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>73,
>>>
>>>Barry
>>>
>>>K3NDM
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>------ Original Message ------
>>>
>>>From: "Peter Dougherty" <lists at w2irt.net>
>>>
>>>To: "Barry" <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>
>>>Sent: 3/19/2019 9:56:10 PM
>>>
>>>Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Before I start messing with FLDigi, I would really rather prefer to 
>>>>get it working with the native DX Lab Suite first, and why I 
>>>>mentioned it in my initial post. Adding more software that I don’t 
>>>>(and will never) understand is the very last thing I want to do 
>>>>unless there is no way around it.
>>>>
>>>>When I used FSK with the MicroKeyer it was dead simple, RTTY 
>>>>filtering came up as a default in the radio (twin peak filtering) 
>>>>and it worked with almost no configuration. I would like to have 
>>>>something similar using AFSK and USB connectivity—specifically the 
>>>>twin-peak brick-wall filtering. Right now, just switching in to RTTY 
>>>>mode in WinWarbler just puts the radio into LSB mode and that’s it.
>>>>
>>>>Like I said, I really need to get this working with WW if it’s 
>>>>compatible. I’ve had maybe 3 hours of sleep per night for the last 3 
>>>>nights playing with this radio, N1MM, and DX Lab Suite, and I’m 
>>>>almost no further ahead than I was 3 nights ago. All I have is CW 
>>>>via WinWarbler and full manual control. CW sending and /RTTY tone 
>>>>just won’t work for me so far. Everybody was saying last year that 
>>>>it isn’t that hard to do….yet here we are!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>- pjd
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>From: Barry <barrylazar2 at gmail.com>
>>>>Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 9:24 PM
>>>>To: Peter Dougherty <lists at w2irt.net>; Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Peter,
>>>>
>>>>     I'm not that familiar with Winwarbler, but I do run AFSK when 
>>>>using RTTY. You could use DATA A on the K3s or AFSK. I prefer to use 
>>>>the AFSK mode as it appear to work better than just using DATA A. 
>>>>The set up should be about the same as you are using for FT8 using 
>>>>the radio's built in sound card for the software you use; I prefer 
>>>>FLDIGI just because.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     The K3s does do FSK, but I'm not sure there is a real advantage 
>>>>over running in the AFSK mode with some digital software. The data 
>>>>mode as you call it is DATA A on the radio. It means you can feed 
>>>>the output of some digital software into the radio and use any 
>>>>available bandwidth. It also turns off the equalizers and 
>>>>compressor. AFSK has a filter for each tone.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     I'm not sure why you have had some much difficulty as I would 
>>>>estimate it shouldn't take more than one day. ;-)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     As you have a K3s, the set up really shouldn't be a lot of 
>>>>trouble. Start by downloading FLDIGI and connecting the radio using 
>>>>the USB connector.  This allows both control of the radio and audio 
>>>>in and out. Set the sound card in FLDIGI to USB CODEC line in and 
>>>>speaker out. The radio will reflect a com port that will be used for 
>>>>control, use it at 38,400 8N2. Now you're set to go. Use the mic 
>>>>control on the front of the radio to set the level for the 
>>>>transmitter such that ALC will show 4 bars and a flickering 5th. The 
>>>>power level should be set with the knob that controls power. This 
>>>>should be how you set up for FT8 using WSJT-X. All you need to do is 
>>>>set op mode in FLDIGI and go. Have fun!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>73,
>>>>
>>>>Barry
>>>>
>>>>K3NDM
>>>>
>>>>.
>>>>
>>>>------ Original Message ------
>>>>
>>>>From: "Peter Dougherty" <lists at w2irt.net>
>>>>
>>>>To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>>
>>>>Sent: 3/19/2019 8:59:17 PM
>>>>
>>>>Subject: [Elecraft] Sending AFSK RTTY
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I haven't sent AFSK RTTY in almost 18 years so I'm not sure how I 
>>>>>should set
>>>>>
>>>>>my K3s up for it. I will be using it with DX Labs WinWarbler 
>>>>>exclusively (I
>>>>>
>>>>>don't do RTTY contesting, so no need to get it working with N1MM). 
>>>>>I have
>>>>>
>>>>>the radio setup for USB communication exclusively. Before this I 
>>>>>had a
>>>>>
>>>>>MicroKeyer-II and was sending FSK. Given the rise of FT8 I doubt 
>>>>>I'll be
>>>>>
>>>>>doing much RTTY anymore, but I still need to have it available just 
>>>>>in case.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Using WinWarbler, I don't see any option to use a data mode for 
>>>>>RTTY, just
>>>>>
>>>>>LSB (again, we're talking AFSK now). Isn't there a data mode built 
>>>>>into the
>>>>>
>>>>>K3s for RTTY? Or is that just for FSK? Or is it a case of only 
>>>>>using data
>>>>>
>>>>>mode for one (and only one) data format? At the moment, I have the 
>>>>>radio
>>>>>
>>>>>using Data mode for FT8.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Sorry for the confusion-it's been three days of trying to find the 
>>>>>right
>>>>>
>>>>>settings for everything, with only very limited success. Thanks as 
>>>>>always.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>----------------------------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Regards,
>>>>>
>>>>>Peter Dougherty
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>______________________________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>>Elecraft mailing list
>>>>>
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>>>>>
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