Introduction to the digital modes

1. Introduction to the digital modes OR HOW TO HAVE FUN WITH YOUR PC ON HF DIGITAL MODES

2. OVERVIEW • Presentation focuses on PSK31 • RTTY approach is very much the same: just different frequencies • There are dozens of other digital modes • In your hand outs are links to web sites that will show you what these modes look like on the waterfall • Lets get some terms straight first!

3. Terms of the art • Waterfall Display • Macros • Overdrive • IMD (Intermodulation Distortion) • Passband (Usually a 3000 hz range) • RSQ (Readability, Strength, Quality) • Varicode

4. EQUIPMENT NEEDED • HF RADIO • Soundcard (internal or external) • Macintosh or Windows PC • Connecting Cables • Software

5. Radios I’ve Used for PSK • Yaesu 897D • Yaesu 857D (Current mobile) • Kenwood TS-590S (selling) • ICOM IC-7100

6. Available software • DX Labs Suite (free) • FLDigi (free) • $$ Ham Radio Deluxe $$

7. Configuration one Radio PC To Antenna Signalink

8. Signalink setup • Connect the Signalink to the CAT receptacle on the radio. • Connect the USB to the Computer • Signalink identifies itself to your PC as USB Audio Codec

9. CONFIGURING SIGNALINK Radio CAT USB PORT ON PC

10. KENWOOD & ICOM RADIOS WITH BUILT IN DEMODULATORS PC OR MAC WITH USB PORT USB PORT ICOM 7100

11. SOFTWARE • FLDIGI • FREE SOFTWARE • WORKS ON BOTH PC AND MAC BASED COMPUTERS • FREQUENTLY UPDATED, OPEN SOURCE CODE • ONE OF THE FEW PROGRAMS THAT WILL WORK IN THE MAC ENVIRONMENT • WORKS WELL WITH SIGNALINK USB

12. DX LABS SOFTWARE • DX LAB SUITE • ALSO FREEWARE • ALSO FREQUENTLY UPDATED • ONLY WORKS ON A PC • GOOD SUPPORT FOR SOFTWARE ON YAHOO FORUM • FAVORABLY REVIEWED IN QST IN DECEMBER • LIKE HAM RADIO DELUXE IT IS A MODULAR DESIGN

13. HAM RADIO DELUXE • HRD SOFTWARE COSTS $99 FOR FULL LICENSE • ONE YEAR OF FREE UPDATES WITH LICENSE PURCHASE • ONLY WORKS ON PCs • GOOD SUPPORT FOR LOTW, eQSL.cc, QRZ, etc. • DIGITAL MODES USES DIGITAL MASTER 780

14. FLDIGI Set up • Choose the right rig CAT controls • Personalize your copy with your name and callsign • Personalize your Macros

15. Check sound connection

16. Configure op mode

17. Pick a frequency

18. Macros

19. Customized macro

20. Useful macros • CQ Macro (cqcqcq de ad0dq ad0dq ad0dq pse k) • Answer macro (<Call> de ad0dq ad0dq ad0dq psekn) • G2KU Macro: Name, age, location, locator, • QSO macro: (station, software, antenna, S/N, IMD, QSL request) • SK macro (thanks, have a nice life, you’re the 945th person …) • BTW macro (<call> de AD0DQ….)

21. Common macro features • Most turn on the transmitter when selected • Most transmit consistently to the end • Most shut off at the end of the macro • The closing or SK macro usually makes a log entry.

22. Ham radio deluxe • $99 product • Easy to configure • Offers remote configuration if you get stuck • Useful for more than just PSK/RTTY

23. Configure radio

24. Helpful features • RSID System (Reid-Solomon) • Helps you see and react to new calls

25. Hover over track

26. Identifies previously worked stations

27. Pull information for macros from received text

28. Full range of macros

29. Automated log entries

30. Full waterfall display

31. Important tip • Courtesy of W4RK • Most of the photos here showed bandwidth set very wide

32. Improve signal to noise • Purpose of wide passband is to permit you to identify many signals. • Sometimes, particularly with weak signals, that is counterproductive. • To improve the S/N ratio on a weak signal, restrict your passband. • While 2000 might show you a lot of band, it also brings in a lot of noise • If you narrow your bandwidth to 250 or 200, you get a much cleaner signal

33. Making contacts

34. Find the right frequency and sideband May or may not want Preamp on USB is standard

35. Set your power right

36. Check your alc setting Adjust this back by turning down the volume on the Signalink device, or otherwise directly adjusting ALC on your radio

37. Turn off speech processing

38. Adjust your preamp Preamp Off Preamp On

39. Find a signal on the waterfall PSK 31 signals Find someone calling CQ

40. Tune to center • As noted, tuning the receiver to put the signal in the middle of your passband, and then reducing the passband down to 250 – 150 will improve signal to noise ratio.

41. Watch a few first

42. Note what info is exchanged

43. Avoid the noid • If you use Ham Radio Deluxe, macros can give you fits. • The macros supplied with the software are dated around 2007. • There are dozens of helpful macros that you can modify. • But if you modify the standard macros, any modifications are not saved. • You have to create your own set of macros, which can be handy • When I did PSK at Frankenstein, I had my own Special Event macros • When I make contacts from Missouri, my macros are different than when I am in Alabama or Florida • There are up to 10 different sets of Macros in HRD

44. Fire up your macros! • Get experience by answering CQ calls first. • Then try some CQ calls. • Some people want only reports-and-off • Others want to rag chew • Whatever you like, you can find it. • Good DX’ing folks!