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| Reviews Summary for W3YY FSK/CW Optically Isolated PC Interface |
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Reviews: 13
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $25.00
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Description: FSK/CW Optically Isolated PC Interface Kit for Keying Ham Transmitters and Transceivers
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://www.w3yy.com/fsk.htm
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write your own review of the W3YY FSK/CW Optically Isolated PC Interface.
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AJ4CG
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 15, 2012 10:50
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Great product and service
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I had previously built a homebrew interface that grew with my interest in digital modes to become a hodgepodge of transistors, an iso-isolator, and two serial ports. I decided that it was time for a single port well isolated replacement. I bought the kit version of Bob's interface, put it a metal box with two isolation transformers for the audio, and an attenuator for the PC audio. I have it working CW, FSK, PSK31 and USB (via N1MM). Bob is a great guy to work with and it genuinely interested in your project and its success. The kit was very well done with a quality pc board and components. Ferite beads were also included.
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KD9MS
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 22, 2012 16:19
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Works like a charm!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I didn't like AFSK because I have an FT2000 with the RTTY port that just seemed to be wasted. I bought the kit just wanting to do RTTY with it and MixW but initially I couldn't get it to work. Wrong settings! Once I got it right I can do both RTTY and CW on the same port without changing the settings. I love this interface and will probably build another for my second radio for SO2R. The kit is easy to build and since I have numerous old serial cables, why not! I recommend it. It works great with MMTTY too!
Craig KD9MS
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N6WIN
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 16, 2011 08:34
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Excellent
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I built the kit into a metal project box using my FT2000's supplied DIN plug and an old DB9 for the computer side. I am only using it for FSK as my CW is done by another excellent product (Winkeyer USB).
I really enjoy not adjusting the FT2000 for AFSK as I had to use both VFO's... very slow when S&P in RTTY contests. Now I just tune with the main dial and everything is fast.
Extremely easy kit to build even for a novice kit builder like myself.
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W9CPI
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 15, 2011 16:35
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Works great with my K3
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I bought the assembled version with the pre-assembled cabling for the K3. It worked first time just as described. What a pleasure to use in both RTTY and CW contests with N1MM logger. Thanks for a fine product!
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W8JWN
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 17, 2011 13:24
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Performs as Advertised
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Finally, I have a FSK interface for the FT-1000MP. AFSK adjustments slowed me down in the RTTY contests. Now, both radios are FSK ready. Bob has done a wonderful job.
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K9OM
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 25, 2010 16:28
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Outstanding CW/FSK Interface!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I wanted a reliable and easy to use CW/FSK Interface for my Yaesu FT-1000-MP. Bob's W3YY Interface is the perfect match.
I purchased the pre-assembled unit which is professionally assembled in a shielded metal case. The unit is complete with cables and matching connectors pre-assembled.
Though an active ham for 40+ years this was my first time on RTTY. I had many RTTY questions and Bob was very helpful and extremely patient. Bob even made a sked with me to confirm my radio was working and W3YY was my first RTTY qso!
Thanks Bob for an oustanding CW/FSK Interface and wonderful 1st Class service!
73,
Dick- K9OM
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K6RJP
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 31, 2010 19:01
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Plug-n-Play !
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I emailed Bob and asked him if he could build me a serial interface to FSK key my IC-746Pro. I just wanted the FSK and CW, He emailed Back "No Problem", quoted me a price and we made the deal. When the unit came I saw it was a first class build.
I did a few tweaks on MMTTY and CWDecoderXP to drive the unit and have never looked back! I hope HRD writes a serial port FSK driver for the DM870 soon because Bob's unit is killer for true, real FSK. If you want to use all the built in RTTY goodies your radio has, get one of these!
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N6HE
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 1, 2010 07:26
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I love it!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This is truly a plug-and-play interface! I've messed with other interfaces (brand names you'd recognize), but "there was always something..." - and to be fair, a lot of it was my lack of understanding of the serial port part of things. And don't even get me started on USB-Serial port adapters!
The W3YY unit looked good on paper, so I give it one more chance and buy the assembled unit. It's a professionally made unit and Bob even custom-made the unit to match the connectors on my Omni VII.
I get it hooked up per the rig-specific diagram provided (even with the USB-Serial adapter provided - it all installed perfectly - for once!) and all worked 100% on CW, but the RTTY portion still gave me fits (I still didn't understand the ins-and-outs of the serial port pinouts and pin functions) - Bob replies instantly and holds my hand through the process of making it work both with MMTTY and Writelog. So now as well as having my home station all set up, I can connect my laptop to the Omni VII through the W3YY interface and can go portable with RTTY. And I now finally understand all the DTR-RTS-TxD alphabet soup). Most of his help was beyond the scope of his obligation, but he did it for me anyway.
Bob, W3YY, was right there for me, and even enlisted another Omni VII user of the W3YY unit to assist me by email, too! The whole operation was like talking to Elmers rather than "a customer service department."
A+ for the W3YY CW/RTTY Interface!
Ray N6HE
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N5EP
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 23, 2010 13:54
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Great product, great service!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Don Hill’s “Getting Started on RTTY” web pages were a great help to me when I decided to get into RTTY. So when I decided that I wanted FSK instead of AFSK, I turned again to Don for advice and found his “Simple Interfaces for FSK, PTT & CW KEYING” (http://www.aa5au.com/rttyinterface.html), which provides simple transistor circuits that will do the job. Don also mentions a circuit from W3YY (Bob Peterson) that uses opto-isolators, or optically isolated couplers, instead of transistors, thus providing complete electrical isolation between the computer and the transceiver, so I checked it out at http://w3yy.com/fsk.htm, and it looked like just what the doctor ordered. According to Bob, the optical isolators used have an NPN-type output and act as a common collector switch.
Bob’s interface is available in three forms: As a kit, as an assembled and tested board, or as a complete interface unit with case and cables. Although I began with the idea of building the kit, or at least providing the case and cables myself, eventually lack of time and energy pushed me to give in to convenience, and I ordered the completed unit with cables.
At the time, Bob’s website provided links to “Installation Guides” containing recommended interconnection diagrams and notes for a number of major rigs, but not the Ten-Tec Omni VII. I had a few questions about how his unit would connect to my Omni VII, and Bob was very responsive with full information. After a few back and forth email exchanges, we decided that his output cable for FSK and PTT simply had to terminate in male RCA phono plugs that would mate with the accessory cable that Ten-Tec supplies with the Omni VII. (The resulting “Installation Guide” for the Omni VII has since been added to the web site.)
The unit arrived about a week after finalizing the details. Installation was trivial (plug the DB-9 plug into a COM port on computer, plug the male phono plugs into the correct female phono plugs on the Ten-Tec accessory cable, plug the 1/4 inch phone plug into the rig’s key jack), and all I had to do was reconfigure my software (MMTTY and DXLab Suite) to send PTT, FSK, and CW keying signals through a COM port to the interface. I am now on the air with FSK. The interface works great.
Although I’ve mostly used it for RTTY, I did check the CW keying output to make sure it will key my rig. I set up Winwarbler to send CW, and the interface worked just fine.
For those with newer computers that lack the older RS-232 serial interface with its DB-9 jack, Bob does have offer a USB-to-Serial Port converter. I didn’t need this, but it’s nice to know that it’s available.
I recommend Bob’s interface highly, and Bob is a pleasure to work with.
Steve Westfall, N5EP
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W9THD
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 15, 2009 17:52
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Just what was needed
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I attempted to homebrew an FSK interface once, but ran into problems. So when I saw the W3YY kit I got one.
W3YY answered some preliminary questions by email promptly, and sent another email when he received my payment and shipped the kit.
All parts were accounted for and the kit went together easily. I built it into a project enclosure from radio shack using phono jacks on the panel. I did this because I wanted the interface to be flexible enough to switch from a TS-2000 to a 706MKIIG with minimal fuss. This was accomplished with the help of LDG's RCA-14 break out box.
Had to wait to pick up the break out box, but today was the big day. All connection were patched and the interface is keying the rig in FSK perfectly using MMTTY.
After six years I can finally use the narrowest FSK filters on the radio's DSP instead of leaving the barn door wide open on AFSK. Can't wait for the next RTTY contest.
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