Looking for ideal CW/Digi/CAT interface device

[W2IRT]

I've posted this to a couple of other forums as well but I'm hoping to find a good answer to a very thorny problem.
For years I've used MicroHAM digital/CW interface devices. If you install them and forget about them they generally work great, but their cables are very fragile and have failed many times on me in the years I've been using them. Today was the last straw, when my USB-II interface stopped working and rendering my portable contest/DX station dead in the water in terms of automated interfaces.

I want to replace this with a higher-quality interface but I'm not sure if such a device exists or if so, who makes it. Essentially I'm looking for something "desert-island grade" or "BS7H-grade" in terms of reliability in rugged environmental conditions. This box needs to be able to send real CW, real FSK RTTY and allow me to sequence .WAV files via N1MM, as well as allow for CAT control by the logger. I don't need any soundcard modes; just reliable CW, RTTY and .WAV files. Price is irrelevant. Reliability is key. Having a K1EL Winkey chip integrated would make it perfect. USB only, no serial or failure-prone USB-Serial adapters. Like I said, imagine being on a rock in the South China Sea and needing a 100% reliable interface device. Any thoughts? With Dayton coming up in 2 weeks I'm ready to buy at that time.

[N3ZC]

I'll watch for the replies you get Pete..as I have a Signalink USB and don't have a clue as to what to use with it...

        73'..Tom N3ZC

[AJ4RW]

I've been doing digital for about a year and a half, both portable and at the home QTH.  I tried both the microham and rigblaster pro and was not happy with either.  They both have too many cables to hook up and I have enough cables on the back of my station table.  Also, since I don’t hook up the cables all the time, I was afraid I might forget how to hook the cables up correctly when I do portable work and use a different radio.  That's why I didn't go with either of those two.
After spending a little time researching other units, I chose the Signalink USB and I haven't had a single regret yet.  It handles RTTY and CW effortlessly.  I use CW in the Modulated CW mode cause I don't have to change a cable and it works all these major dxpeditions easily.  I have used it at 35 wpm sending without any problem but I couldn't tell you if it handles any faster speeds.  It only requires 2 wires to hook up, one from the unit to the computer and the other to the radio.  So easy you could feed a monkey bananas and he could hook it up.  It's compact, 1 ½ x 3 x 4.  I have 2 of them, one for portable and one for home QTH because the Signalink requires different jumpers for different radios. 
I don’t know how well it works with wav files or N1MM.  I just got started setting up N1MM.  I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t handle them since most of the work is done by the computer.  Signalink has its own soundcard so there is less demand on the computer.  My software is HRD with DM780.  This is my reasoning for my needs and I’m completely satisfied.  Hope this helps.
73 Randy AJ4RW

[W2IRT]

Thanks for the input Randy; I greatly appreciate it. Modulated CW and RTTY rule that device out for me, however, but it's good to know. I'm not looking for simple as much as I'm looking for ultra-high quality and reliability. I've yet to discover anything that beats the Microham gear in terms of build quality of the actual device, but honestly, their proprietary cables are the weak point and their repeated failures in my situation have brought me to the point of needing an alternative.

[EI2GLB]

I have a Rig Expert standard

http://www.rigexpert.com/index?s=standard

It was easy to set up, getting FSK running too a few goes but that was because I never used it before,

Does everything you asked but not sure about playing .wav files as I have never done that.

Array soultions are the agents for them not sure how much stock the would have in Dayton might be worth a call,

Lots of the big expeditions over the last few years have used them,

[AJ4RW]

Peter, good luck on your search.  Keep me posted on what you finally end up with.  I'm always looking for a better way to do digital although I'm satisfied with signalink at this point.
73 Randy

[W2IRT]

Ahh! I'd forgotten about the RigExpert line. I'll check them out at Dayton this year assuming they have a booth. I seem to remember them having a presence in either the east hall or the Ballarena. I'm actually surprised that MicroHAM won't have an official presence at Hamvention this year. I bought my two MK interfaces from Joe there in years' past and met Jozef at Friedrichshafen last year.

If I could find better-made cables I think that would probably solve the problem, to be honest.

[K9IUQ]

Ahh! I'd forgotten about the RigExpert line.

I started out with a Rigblaster, went to a Signalink (Big Mistake) to a Microham, which I had trouble with and got fixed once and then got rid of it.

At 2008 Dayton Hamfest I bought a US Interface Navigator. This one has been bullet proof, built like a Tank and does everything. Does FSK, has the K1EL Win Cw keyer built in. I use this with N1MM logger on CW contests. Works Flawless with no stuttering. The Navigator has much more including a built-in (much better than the PC sound card) Sound card. I have used the Navigator with just about every ham software and all works perfectly. Note that not all software supports FSK.

Check it out for yourself -  http://www.navigator-interface.com/

Stan K9IUQ