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| Reviews Summary for W3YY FSK/CW Optically Isolated PC Interface |
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Reviews: 8
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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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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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W8JXM
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 15, 2009 07:50
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Great Product/Super Guy
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Bob is one nice fellow. I bought the completed unit. The unit was well built and arrived safely. Bob packed it well. Plugged it into the rig and I was transmitting BUT no receive. Several e mails later Bob promptly advised on some tips to get it working. Presto, I am now receiving and transmitting. Am a novice at computers so of course I had the cable from computer to radio misaligned. You can not go wrong for the price, quality and cutomer service. BUY ONE !!!!! Let the fun begin...
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K1WVU
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 4, 2009 10:39
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Great Product,Great Value, Great guy to deal with
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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My TNC bit the dust, went to MMTTY wasn't thrilled about using the sound card for TX. Have FT-2000D and FT-1000D both generate FSK from the radio.
Saw the W3YY FSK/CW Optically Isolated Interface and it looked simple and efficent.
Wrote to Bob and had a reply in one hour. Ordered the assembled version. Got it in less the a week.
Plugged it in and worked a ZS on rtty five minutes later.
The Interface is professional, well built in a solid RF tight box, cables for the radio and sound card all there.
The kit is a great value, But between failing eye sight and arthritic hands, thought I better let Bob do it..
Great product, great value and Bob is great to deal with. Kept me updated every couple of days till it arrived on my door step.
Need a superb interface to work RTTY/CW and want FSK with a modern tranceiver this is it.
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W9IP
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 23, 2009 22:54
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Fantastic! Just the right FSK interface for my IC-703
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The W3YY FSK/CW interface is simple, yet highly capable under competive conditions. In moving beyond my RigBlaster PnP interface, I was looking for an optically isolated CW keing circuit that wouldn't falter past 35WPM in the heat of a contest. In addition, I've been searching for an FSK interface to take advantage of the "true" RTTY capabilities of the ICOM IC-703. In this circuit, I found the solution to both requirements.
Although available in pre-built form, the kit takes only an hour to organize and assemble. The challenging part is housing it and wiring the interface to your radio and computer. Bob makes available connection diagrams and documentation for many of the popular competition-grade transceivers, the IC-703 presented a slightly different challenge. The problem has been on the end of ICOM and their connecting documents for FSK RTTY mode. To be sure, I checked with other postings on the Yahoo! IC-703 Group and found other complaints of poor documentation.
Bob's assistance in this matter was phenominal! By sending him a copy of the IC-703 connection and pin-out diagram, he promptly responded with a set of great suggestions. After assembling the interface board, I wired the DB9 plug (finally found a use for my old serial cables) on one end, and the 13-pin ACC plug to the ICOM. Next I selected the correct COM port from the WriteLog program, then connect the 13-pin ACC plug to the IC-703. Next I generated a test message using RTTY (FSK) mode and, much to my delight, heard a clean FSK signal from an adjacent SW receiver. I also tested the CW interface feature and found I could transmit beyond 45WPM without any faltering or keying delays.
This kit is a great value! My next application is to bring out the FSK features on my old Yaesu FT-980 (circa 1983) with a second FSK/CW Optically Isolated PC Interface. Many thanks go to Bob, W3YY!
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