[HCARC] Connecting Yaesu FT-450AT For RTTY/PSK31

[Virgil Bierschwale]

Found out yesterday I can get my general license because of the work I did
in the navy and when I took my tech test.

And I'm looking at a icom 718 and the latest pk-232sc.

Perhaps it is time that we start some net's up or something along those
lines to change this part?

I say this because I hope to have a shack up and running within the next 6
months

---
By the way, I haven't been on PSK-31in several years primarily because the
contacts are almost always "canned" messages and no real communications
between operators takes place.  As far as I'm concerned it is not ham radio!
---

Virgil
N5IVV


-----Original Message-----
From: hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2013 7:11 PM
To: Gary and Arlene Johnson; hcarc at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [HCARC] Connecting Yaesu FT-450AT For RTTY/PSK31

Gary,

When I have played with PSK-31 I used a cable from the receiver output of my
transceiver to the "line input" on my computer.  I used a second cable from
the "line output" on my computer to the microphone input on my transceiver. 
That is all that is required.  I used the transceiver VOX to go to XMIT when
the the computer was ready to send a PSK signal.  All computers don't have
"line in " and "line out" so you may have to use "microphone" and "speaker" 
jacks on the computer.  The biggest problem is matching the levels between
the transceiver and the computer sound card.  I found it was easier when I
used the "line in" and "line out" jacks on the computer and my transceiver
had  "pnone patch in" and "phone patch out" jacks which had comparable
levels.  I made up my own cables from RG-174/U cable and Radio Shack RCA
phono plugs and miniature phone plugs, but I suspect you could find them
ready made to match the connections on your transceiver and computer.


Some people will tell you that you shouldn't use VOX because computers
generate tones for various things at odd times which would key the
transceiver when you don't want to.  I never ever had that problem.  My
transceiver never went to XMIT except when it was supposed to.  They say you
should use a separate RS-232 output from your computer to key the PTT line
on your transceiver.  Most if not all new computers don't have an RS-232
serial output anymore.

So, you can do it the easy way with a couple of audio cables or you can drop
big bucks on an interface box like RigBlaster.  As long as you have a good
antenna setup and don't have a problem with RF in nthe shack, I don't
believe you would be able to tell the difference between the two approaches.

It will work with PSK-31, RTTY and several of the other computer based
digital modes that use a sound card to provide the interface between the
transceiver and the computer.

Like so many things in ham radio, there are people who will always find a
complex solution to a simple problem and there will always be manufacturers
who will take advantage!

By the way, I haven't been on PSK-31in several years primarily because the
contacts are almost always "canned" messages and no real communications
between operators takes place.  As far as I'm concerned it is not ham radio!

(Personal opinion!)

Kerry 


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