[ICOM] Computer Control Interface

Wed Dec 28 02:22:26 EST 2005

Have used virtually every Rig interface on the market when I was testing
digital interfaces for EMCOMM use.

I did not test CW only "digital modes"

Homebrew, Rascal, Buxcomm, MFJ  & RigBlaster... Serial COMM Port.. Internal
Computer Sound Card

MicroHam Keyer... USB Port ... Internal Computer Sound Card

RigExpert... USB Port.. External Sound Card in RigExpert

For Modern Computers... buy a USB device.. MicroHam or RigExpert...

For DX ... buy an External Sound Card Device... RigExpert..

In parallel testing RigExpert always was able to decode digital signals
about 6  - 10db better than the devices that used the internal computer
sound card.. as it did not live in the high noise environment inside the
computer..

Most times I would still get 100% copy on the RigExpert when the other
devices on a parallel computer attached to the same radio failed to copy at
all...

www.rigexpert.com

I do not have any financial other other interests in any ham product
company...

__________________________________________________________
Howard S. White Ph.D. P. Eng., VE3GFW/K6  ex-AE6SM  KY6LA
"No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"
Website: www.ky6la.com
Member SCAMP Alpha Test Team
Member  ARES® National Task Force Digital Network Management Team
Secretary: Coronado Emergency Radio Operators Inc
Secretary: San Diego Amateur Radio Emergency Services Group
"Ham Antennas Save Lives - Katrina, 2003 San Diego Fires, 911"

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "AD5VJ Bob" <rtnmi at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'ICOM Reflector'" <icom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 7:58 AM
Subject: RE: [ICOM] Computer Control Interface

Ok I give up on this little project, it is quickly
becoming not worth my time.

Is someone using an interface with an Icom PRO or II or
III that does all the soundcard modes and FSK modes along
with keying CW from A SINGLE COMM PORT that actually
works?

I would like to know what your using so I can look into
getting one.

What is recommended by you guys with the experience?

  73 fer nw,
Bob AD5VJ

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of AD5VJ
Bob
> Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 1:05 PM
> To: 'ICOM Reflector'
> Subject: RE: [ICOM] Computer Control Interface
>
>
> Adam:
>
> The question I have for you is somehow I expected the
> USB-D to hold it's own filtering setup separate from the
> USB filtering, but after changing the USB-D filtering to
a
> 500 hz and then switching back to USB it stays at 500 hz

> filtering instead of changing to the 3.0 khz filter for
SSB.
>
> Is this normal or am I missing a procedure in the manual

> somewhere to make the USB-D default to it's own more
narrow
> filtering while leaving the USB filtering alone?
>
> I guess I could save it in memory and recall it when I
> wanted to do DIGIMODES and it would hold it but is that
necessary?
>
>
>
>   73 fer nw,
> Bob AD5VJ
>
> 10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
> http://www.n5iet.com/
> Code may be taking a back seat for now,
> but the pioneering spirit that put the code
> there in the first place is out front of it all.
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> > [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
AD5VJ
> Bob
> > Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 12:23 PM
> > To: 'ICOM Reflector'
> > Subject: RE: [ICOM] Computer Control Interface
> >
> >
> > Hello All,
> >
> > Well I tried everything that made sense and I could
not
> > get the MFJ-1279 to do FSK although it will do
> everything
> > else.
> >
> > I could see, after taking the top cover off of the
MFJ,
> > that the MFJ  was in fact sending data over the TXD
line
> > from the computer with RTS and DTR both keyed down
solid
> > for PTT.
> >
> > So I put in the jumper that should send the data to
the
> > "CW Output" of the MFJ-1279 and made a cable for the
ACC
> 1
> > jack on the back of the rig (connecting the center pin
> to
> > pin 1 (RTTY keying) and the outer shell to pin 5
> (ground).
> >
> > But did not get FSK data to come out of the rig when
in
> > the RTTY mode, instead all I got was a steady keydown
> > state no matter what I did with the jumper
> configuration.
> >
> > So then I changed over to a BUXCOMM RASCAL MV5RY which
> > also does everything (including FSK) just fine  -
> except
> > that BUXCOMM, in their infinite wisdom, did not
include
> in
> > the design a way to connect to the "Key" jack on the
> back
> > of the rig in order to key cw.
> >
> > After using various configurations of the two, I have
> > found a temporary way to do it all by using both
units,
> > but that takes up two ports (waste of resources).
> >
> > The MFJ-1279 on port 1 for keying the CW jack and the
> > BUXCOMM RASCAL MV5RY on port 2 for doing all the rest
of
> > the sound modes as well as FSK. It works fine when the
> rig
> > is in USB-D or RTTY. No problem. It just wont key the
CW "Key" jack
> > because there is not provision for it in the design.
> >
> > Now what I am trying to do is (modify the BUXCOMM
> design)
> > to figure a way to make a "Key" connection for the
> Buxcomm
> > and connect it to the "Key" jack at the back of the
rig.
> >
> > Then I think I can take the MFJ-1279 completely off of
> the
> > bench and the Buxcomm will then do it all.
> >
> > At least that is the plan.
> >
> > Has anyone ever made a BUXCOMM RASCAL MV5RY key the
"CW
> > Key" jack on the back of the rig?
> >
> > Is it just a simple matter of soldering in a line to
the
> serial 9 pin
> > connector going to the Buxcomm or do I have the make a

> driver circuit
> > for it.
> >
> > Also not sure which line to use for CW keying on the
> "Key"
> > jack on the back of the rig (RTS, DTR, TXD)
> >
> > The Buxcomm serial cable has only three lines
connected
> to
> > the buxcomm circuit board from the computer:
> > clear insulation (goes to pin 5 "Ground")
> > brown insulation (goes to pin 3 "TXD")
> > green insulation (goes to pin 7 "RTS").
> >
> > I have found some simple circuits (common transistors)
> > that I think will work for driving the keying circuit
> (if
> > that is necessary)
> >
> > If not, then it's just a matter of connecting the
> correct
> > pin to the "Key" jack. But which one?
> >
> > Again:
> > Has anyone ever made a BUXCOMM RASCAL MV5RY key the
"CW
> > Key" jack on the back of the rig?
> >
> >   73 fer nw,
> > Bob AD5VJ
> >
> > 10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
> > http://www.n5iet.com/
> > Code may be taking a back seat for now,
> > but the pioneering spirit that put the code
> > there in the first place is out front of it all.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> > > [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> Adam
> > Farson
> > > Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2005 8:26 PM
> > > To: 'ICOM Reflector'
> > > Subject: RE: [ICOM] Computer Control Interface
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Bob,
> > >
> > > The USB-D mode mutes the MIC socket. Baseband has to
> be
> > fed
> > > to the radio via ACC(1). It also disables
compression,
> > and
> > > allows the selection of filters with 500 Hz or
> narrower
> > BW,
> > > and a shape factor appropriate to narrow-band data
> modes
> > (BPF
> > > Indicator on.)
> > >
> > >
http://www.qsl.net/ab4oj/icom/ic756pro_notes.html#BPF
> > >
> > > Cheers for now, 73,
> > > Adam VA7OJ/AB4OJ
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> > > [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> AD5VJ
> > Bob
> > > Sent: 25 December 2005 17:49
> > > To: 'ICOM Reflector'
> > > Subject: RE: [ICOM] Computer Control Interface
> > >
> > > OK I tried it and it didn't work.
> > >
> > > What is the USB-D mode? Can it only be used through
> the
> > ACC 1 port?
> > >
> > > Not happy the decision to give up on FSK and work
only
> soundcard, I
> > > have now tried my BUXCOMM RASCAL which
> > works
> > > great with the FSK, it is just fine.
> > >
> > > However I cant seem to get it to work correctly with
> the
> >
> > > soundcard modes such as PSK.
> > >
> > > What is the USB-D mode? The manual says virtually
> > nothing
> > > about it except that it exists, how to get to it and
> > that
> > > when in USB-D mode it mutes the microphone.
> > >
> > > So can I assume since it mutes the mic that I need
to
> > use the
> > > ACC 1 instead of the mic input that I use with the
> > MFJ-1279?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >   73 fer nw,
> > > Bob AD5VJ
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Scanned for viruses by Blue Coat
> > > http://www.WinProxy.com/
> > > ----
> > > Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC,
> icom-owner at mailman.qth.net Icom
> > > Users Net: Sundays,
> > 1700Z,
> > > 14.316 MHz Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
> > >
> >
> >
> > ----
> > Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC,
> > icom-owner at mailman.qth.net Icom Users Net: Sundays,
> 1700Z,
> > 14.316 MHz Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
> >
>
>
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC,
> icom-owner at mailman.qth.net Icom Users Net: Sundays,
1700Z,
> 14.316 MHz Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
>

----
Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
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