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Reviews For: Donner's Digital Interfaces

Category: Interfaces, Radio to computer, amp, rotor, coax switch, internet

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Review Summary For : Donner's Digital Interfaces
Reviews: 103MSRP: 40
Description:
Very reasonably priced, quality manufactured radio to computer interfaces for PSK31, Hellschreiber, SSTV, MFSK, and all other sound card modes. Fast service too!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.donnerstore.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001034.8
WZ3O Rating: 2010-04-02
Update after using for a while &... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Used a NoMic the other day with my "new" FT-897D, MUCH prefer the cost, simplicity & flexibility of the Donner...

PS: buy a 6 Pin DIN model & the buy the West Mountain adapter cables for the Plug & Play version if you need a 13/12 etc pin-out ..works well ....did it for my Kenwood TS-2000 now my Donner will work 6 Pin DIN & Kenwood 13 pin ACC2 port...

Still the only criticism is the serial interface, with most modern computers using USB adapter s/b included if not standard...I'll give a "FIVE" nonetheless....
W5DPK Rating: 2010-02-26
Works great and a excellant value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have 3 Donner interfaces for PSK. They work out of the box. Fast service. Low price. SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE. They work and work well. Try one and you will enjoy using it.

Dennis n5dpk
WA5MS Rating: 2009-12-31
Excellent Product, Excellent Service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This interface is so simple that even I can use. Plug 'n play. Got mine yesterday and had my first PSK QSO a short while after plugging in. Spent some time figuring out Vista sound card settings. Interfcae works perfectly. Using FT 450 and 30 watts. Would highly recommend. This is an excellent value.
WB8NUT Rating: 2009-09-21
Own four, work great, never fail Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I was an early customer of Donner. Bought two interfaces for a couple of rigs. About two years ago I bought a competing product. It was "attractive" because I could swap cables between different radios, but have only one interface. Well it stopped working after 18 months. Went back to Donner interfaces. Have four now and they have never failed, and always work. Fast shipping with each order. Why take a chance when you can get something proven. Donner Interfaces are the best, most reasonably priced interfaces available.
KI4WCQ Rating: 2009-07-07
More FB Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I, like other reviewers, s have this interface and an IC 706 MKIIG. Not sure how anyone has a problem getting this interface to work. Really puzzled by a previous reviewer stating that the mic on the 706 had to be shorted before it would work. I also have a rigblaster pro. but this is the one i prefer to use on psk or rtty.

Several friends also have them in use with 706s and other rigs and are very pleased with them.
NT9M Rating: 2009-06-03
Mine work FB Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My experience with the 706 MKIIG has been different than the previous reviewer.

I currently use a Donner's interface into the packet interface jack on my 706. Different set up than the previous reviewer. It works wonderfully. So well that I've made my 706 my "digital mode" station in place of my TS2000 with an MFJ-1275.

When I purchased two of Whitey's interfaces for my father and brother's 706's I bought the ones that plug into the accessory jack on the rig. Tested one of them on my rig and it worked fine.

In all, I have purchased four sound card interfaces and a rig control interface from Donner and have never been disappointed.

Your results, like the previous reviewer, may vary.
KE3Y Rating: 2009-06-03
Not designed for the Icom IC706mkII Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Donner Digital Interface cannot and does not work with the Icom IC-706mkII transceiver without shorting the microphone.

There is so much wrong with the design that I devoted a Web page to it. Http://intelec.us/ham/icom.htm tells what's wrong and how it should be designed. Back in February 2008 when I sent these very remarks to the designer, "Whitey" Donner, K8BE, I was dismissed in this way: "We are in, at last count, 30 countries, and have sold several thousand interfaces, with very minimal mentions of shortcomings." ... Allow me to mention one: The thing can't possibly work with the Icom.

The most serious problem is with the path from sound card line out to transmit audio in. It is essential to remove his transformer and use a 600:10 K-ohm one. The original 600 ohm secondary nearly shorted out the audio from the mike while I observed my SSB signal on a good oscilloscope.

From radio out to sound card in, it is essential to add padding.

The PTT interface is good. Test results with various USB serial adapters are at the bottom of the named Web page.
K8YZK Rating: 2009-03-09
Outstanding Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered my 6th Donner interface for my FT950/FT450 and it arrived today. It is a true Plug-n-Play interface. I spent more time working out the sound card settings then hooking up the interface.

Outstanding...
KE4NU Rating: 2009-02-04
Great!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently purchased an interface for my 746Pro. I got it in 3 days. I was hooked up and one the air in about 10 m. They answered my email questions when I was shopping for one. All in all, I'm well pleased with Donner. The only thing I could think of would be: have interchangable cables so I could operate a different rig with same interface.
WB5NMZ Rating: 2008-12-11
Top Notch! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have two of these in my shack and another in our club station. They work flawlessly with both Kenwood and Alinco equipment. When we needed a custom job, Donner quickly built our interface to spec and delivered in days. If you need a simple, cheap, reliable interface, this is the one to buy!