KA3YGL

One of the great things about Amateur Radio is that you can do many things with it.  Recently I have built an interface for FLDigi, FT8, JT65, keyboard CW, and SSTV.  They work great. QSL net has the info needed to build your interface.

 

 

Read ALL of the instructions first before atempemting to adjust the transciever or transmitter, then go back read again and adjust!

When you have a working interface, a good way to get everything adjusted is as follows.

Using the watt meter in the radio or an external watt meter and a dummy load make a transmission using ssb voice with a microphone.  Set it up for full power no ALC deflection.  When the ssb is adjusted properly hook up the interface and using your favorite digital mode and software adjust the volume out on the computer (the control is available by clicking the speaker icon) to match what you saw on the voice. Start low and bring it up to match the voice level. Keep the tranmission short as not to damage the radio or get the dummy load too hot.   

 

After this is set.  Using the mic gain or the power setting in the software or the radio, cut back the mic gain until it is about 20% of the power of the radio.  100 Watt to 20 Watt,  50 watt to 10 watt etc.  Never run higher than 20% or you will be risking damaging the radio.   These are low power modes and should be run 20watts or less.  More than this will give you excessive bandwidth and the low power signals from other can not be heard.  

 

Note: Some told me there is no mike gain on the rig.  If this is true cut the cpu volumn out to 20% of the output power.

 

Again use 20watts or less and enjoy the digital world.  I like FT8 myself.  I worked around the word with about 20 watts.

KA3YGL

Bruce