[Kenwood] Rigblaster?

[J. Moen]

The Rigblaster is excellent, but you don't need an interface of that design. 
The TS-2000 has a great feature that allows you to switch quickly between 
digital modes and normal SSB etc.  It's the ACC2 connector.  The easiest way 
to make use of that is to purchase an interface with a cable for the 
TS-2000's ACC2 connector.  That way you can keep your mike and speakers 
connected normally all the time.

Here are a couple of options, though there several other good ones out 
there.  What you don't need to do is spend the money on an interface that is 
made for radios that don't have the equivalent of the ACC2 and are required 
to bring in transmit audio via the mike.

On the PC side, it is much easier to have a sound card or sound device that 
is dedicated for ham digital activities, leaving the PC's main sound card 
for PC audio to play CDs, DVDs or web sites that have sound.  No switching 
cables, no resetting volume controls, etc.  One of the following interfaces 
has a built-in sound device.  The other (Rascal) works best if you install a 
2nd soundcard in your PC or use a USB sound device.

1. Tigertronics Signalink USB - with cable for the TS-2000.  This has a 
built-in sound device. You simply plug the USB cable into your PC and the 
other cable into your TS-2000.  It has a built-in Vox to "key" or PTT the 
TS-2000 when the PC is generating TX output.  Order SLUSB13K.  You can order 
direct from Tigertronics at
http://www.tigertronics.com/slusbmain.htm for US $104.95, or from DX 
Engineering at
http://www.dxengineering.com/Parts.asp?ID=2334&PLID=277&SecID=135&DeptID=41&PartNo=TIG-SL-USB 
for $86.95 + $12.95 = $99.90.

2. Buxcomm 2009 Rascal. This one does not have its own sound device.  The 
cable for the TS-2000 has connectors to go to your (hopefully 2nd) 
soundcard, and a USB cable to get the PTT line from the PC.  The operating 
advantage of this approach is your PC program (e.g. MixW, Ham Radio Deluxe 
DM780, DX Labs WinWarbler etc.) is keying your TS-2000 directly, not via an 
outboard VOX circuit.  This may or may not matter to you.  The Rascal is 
cheaper than the Signalink because it doesn't have its own sound device. 
You can order it at
http://www.buxcomm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=2106 
for US $79.95.  Order model RKW13RY.

Choice of RigBlaster or one of the above is up to you.  Good luck.

  Jim - K6XZ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ImNJax" <imnjax at gmail.com>
To: <kenwood at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 9:24 AM
Subject: [Kenwood] Rigblaster?


>I have a TS2000 connected to my laptop computer by a serial cable and I am
> using MixW software. I am using an audio cable to connect the speaker 
> output
> of my laptop to the mic input on the front of my TS2000. (The serial cable
> recieves the incoming signals and displays them on the waterfall. It also
> switches the ts2000 to transmit. If it can send the audio to my radio, I
> don't know how to do that). In order for me to use phone I have to switch
> out the audio cable for the mic. Other than constantly switching the audio
> cable and the mic, how would something like a Rigblaster benefit me?
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