[LCC] Finally, I'm on RTTY!

[Don Hill AA5AU]

I can't answer your question about breaking out FSK from a parallel port because I've never done it. But I'll get back to that.

 

I run WriteLog and have never set up N1MM to run SO2R, but yes you can run SO2R on one PC (with WL you can run SO4R on one PC). You
will need 2 COM ports for FSK, one for each radio, unless you can figure out how to do it from the parallel port and use switching
from the DX Doubler but that all seems too complicated. I run SO3R RTTY now, SO2R on one PC (desktop) and SO1R on a separate
networked PC (laptop). You can add USB-to-serial port adapters to the PC (I use a Siig 4-port USB adapter on the laptop) or if it's
a desktop with spare PCI or PCI Express slots, add a multiple serial port card (this is what I have in my desktop PC). I have six
COM ports on the desktop PC.

 

For receive, you can use left/right channel of a single stereo soundcard for decoding left/right radio receive, however I don't like
doing it this way. Instead, I added an inexpensive USB sound card to my desktop and use it for the second radio (I use an Encore
ENMAP-8CM found on newegg.com - actually have two of them). If you choose to use left/right channels of a single stereo sound card,
tip is left channel, ring is right channel and sleeve is common.

 

Yes, you run two separate instances of MMTTY. Install MMTTY in two separate directories on your hard drive.

 

73, Don AA5AU

 

From: lcc-bounces at louisianacontestclub.org [mailto:lcc-bounces at louisianacontestclub.org] On Behalf Of Mark, K5ER
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 1:40 PM
To: lcc at louisianacontestclub.org
Subject: [LCC] Finally, I'm on RTTY!

 

Dallas, Charlie and Don,
        Thanks! I've been running N1MM, and I d/l the MMTTY "plug-in". If I type "RTTY in the call field, or simply open a rtty
contest in N1MM, MMTTY automatically opens. Now that's easy.

        To get started, I used AFSK, and made an easy Qso the other night. As suggested, I looked at RTTY mode on the Icom and agree
that it gives FAR superior filtering, so I need to look at going to FSK. That brings me to a question, or two regarding hardware,
which I didn't see covered on the web site.

        Like many, I like simple. My normal setup is:
Heil headset runs to mic input of sound card. Speaker output of sound card runs to mic input on DX Doubler (SO2R box). With one
keystroke, I can swap which radio I send mic (or recorded wav files) to. Normally listen to audio of both radios, but can switch to
one at a touch, if necessary.

        Back in 2002, I, along with several others built a project from the March 2002 QST, a soundcard interface specifically for
Icom radios. It plugs into the accy port and allows PSK (or rtty, or cw decoding), to work with one radio. So, the other day, I
simply plugged the audio line from the interface to the "line in" of the sound card and now I can RX rtty from the left rig, and
send either AFSK or voice to either rig, ie. my previous SO2R setup was unchanged.

        If you guys are running SO2R RTTY, do I assume you have TWO instances of MMTTY running? Virtually all sound cards have
stereo input on their 1/8 jacks. Hardware wise, do you run left radio audio into left soundcard input (maybe tip and barrel) and
right radio audio into soundcard right input (maybe ring and barrel), OR do you run two separate sound cards? I think Charlie even
once mentioned separate computers, which means no right/left switching. Guess having them networked would eliminate having to
continuously sync time and merge logs when done. For my setup, I really don't want to have to use two computers. At least I don't
think I do. Since I've been successful with one computer SO2R for both ssb and cw, I'd like to do the same for rtty, if possible.
Guess basically, if I'm going to set up for FSK, I may as well get it set up for both rigs, since all those  in the know say its the
easiest SO2R mode. 

        With the DX Doubler, it gets its commands from the Parallel port cable. By design, it allows toggling one pin to send cw to
the selected radio. Can I break out the signals needed for FSK from that parallel port cable and not have to use one (or two) extra
serial ports?

73,
Mark, K5ER

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