I`m new at PSK. I use the HRD program for regular use and having DM 780 already in it I thought to give it a shot. I set up DM 780 by the instructions and seemed to go well but don`t hear anything nor see the waterfall on the screen. Do I need a external sound card like "Tigertronis" in order to receive sound? Any coments will be appreciated.
David/n4ndx
David, you say you use HRD for "regular use". So you apparently have the RIG CONTROL setup properly. That's the part that is WAY more difficult and you have it!! Changing frequency, modes, tweaking radio settings and having the rig key up for transmit is all working right?
If this is the case, the rest is SIMPLE. You can approach it very simply or you can get a ready made interface like rigblaster or tigertronics. Some have a soundcard in them. You do not have to have that option although there are some advantages, like freeing up your computers soundcard for your computer sounds and not having computer sounds go out on the air.
THE POINT is to get the audio out from the rig into the mic or line in of the computer soundcard.
THE SIMPLEST way is to put your computer mic near your rig speaker. THAT will actually work! This is one way, but obviously not the best but if you want to see signals on your waterfall and decode them IT WILL WORK.
OR, it can be from an ext speaker jack, headphone jack or from an accessory jack. Basically ANY audio out from the rig. The trick is then to use your mixer in the computer (the one for your computer mic or audio in) to adjust the incoming level appropriately. Occasionally going with this simple wire with appropriate connectors for the rig and soundcard might cause a ground loop and isolation via a 1:1 audio transformer or optical couplers are required. In fact, this is highly recommended and is always found in commercial interface.
The above paragraph is what is needed to get signals from your rigs receive audio onto the waterfall in your computer. Now, to TRANSMIT the sounds generated from your computer out into the air, i.e. to SEND psk, you need to interface the speaker out from the sound card into some audio INPUT on your rig. This COULD be into your microphone audio or into the audio in from an accessory jack on the back of your rig. The software will KEY your rig then generate the audio that needs to go into the audio transmit.
A REALLY SIMPLE WAY TO DO THIS IS TO PUT YOUR RIGS MIC NEAR THE COMPUTER SPEAKER. YES you CAN actually send digital out that way, but it will be more tricky to get the levels right and of course the mic will pick up other sounds from the room. BUT I'm telling you this so you can understand the process.
Better, is to use a cable from the speaker out of the sound card to the mic input or audio input on the correct pins of the accessory jack. EVEN BETTER is to so through isolation via 1:1 audio transformer or optical couplers.
THE EASIEST way is to purchase a commercial interface like the Donner interface (real simple and pretty cheap, google it) or a rigblaster pnp, MFJ, Tigertronics or whatever the latest offerings are from out there.
There are plenty of easy plans to build your own if you google "homebrew digital mode interface" or somesuch.
I hope this helps.
The software you choose to use AFTER this step is up to you, but if you already have HRD setup, I would HIGHLY recommend DM780 since it's made to go with it.
John KX5JT
