[ICOM] Digital modes and VOX issue

[D C _Mac_ Macdonald]

Are you using stereo (TIP/RING/SLEEVE) plugs, John? 
 
Just guessing you might not be.
 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
* 73 - Mac, K2GKK/5 * 
* (Since 30 Nov 53) * 
* Oklahoma City, OK * 
* USAF, Ret'd 61-81 * 
** FAA, Ret'd 94-10 * 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
 
 

 
> From: af5cc2 at gmail.com
> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2016 20:32:07 -0600
> To: icom at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [ICOM] Digital modes and VOX issue
> 
> Today I made up a cheap digital modes cable for my Icom 756 original.
> Soldered 1 end to a Radio Shack 8 pin mic jack, and put 1/8" plugs on the
> other end for the soundcard.   My idea was to hook it up to the mic jack
> and run VOX so I wouldn't need any PTT switching coming from the computer.
> However, as soon as I plug it into the laptop, and turn on the VOX, the rig
> goes into transmit.  This is with no sound coming out of the laptop, and
> with the VOX gain set at 5% or so, with the anti-vox set at 65% or so.
> 
> Any ideas as to why this might be occurring?  I checked the wiring to make
> sure there were no shorts between wires.  I hooked both the MIC ground and
> AF out ground to the same pin on the mic jack.  Could that cause a
> problem?  Is the AF out ground really needed?  With the stereo plugs I had
> for the 1/8" plugs I hooked both the tip and center ring wires together to
> the same pin on the mic jack.
> 
> When both jacks are plugged into the soundcard, there is a short between
> the AF out and the MIC in pins on the mic jack.  Not sure if that is
> supposed to be that way or not.
> 
> Puzzled here. It works, but I need to manually switch it from transmit to
> receive, though.  Did work VY1MB on 15m PSK today to prove it does the
> audio in and out ok.
> 
> 73 John AF5CC
> ----
> 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/
> To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html