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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
KF4JZY Rating: 2007-11-19
Great Digital Interface!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This was my first experience with digital modes, and needless to say, the choices of interfaces are huge. I was originally looking at another one that has good reviews here on eHam, however, I did not order it because I saw that it was taking forever to ship, and I wanted to play now (I'm sure you know how I felt).

Prior to placing the order I emailed Donner's with a question and received a prompt reply which impressed me. I placed the order and received the interface for my IC-718 a couple days later. I hooked it up and it just worked--simple, easy, and painless. I have made contacts via PSK31 and SSTV so far, and I have also "listened in" on various other modes.

If you are considering a digital interface, I would highly recommend Donner's. I also ordered the USB to serial converter they sell on their website, and it worked extremely well and hassle-free on Windows XP. Furthermore, you cannot beat the price of this interface--it was only $40.00!! I would purchase again, and I will recommend this to others in our local clubs.

Brent, KF4JZY
KC9GUZ Rating: 2007-11-16
works ok Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I ordered one for my Icom 746 to our HP pavilion computer. The input from accessory port of the rig to the computer worked fine, but for the life of me i couldn't get the line out to the radio to work! Every time i hooked the line out to the computer i lost all sound. Come to find out the line out uses a 3 pin plug and the computer takes only a 2 pin to work. I ended up just using the Donner digital for the line in for the receive and to get sound to the sound card. iImade up a line out to radio interface by using one of the isolation transformers from the interface and using a 2 pin plug for the computer end and using a 8 pin mike connector for the radio. I now have audio going to the radio via the front mike plug and all is now well. I am using an older Toshiba laptop and my 746 for all digital modes and my combo Donners digital and homebrew interface works!
KZ5I Rating: 2007-11-01
Excellent ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am a newbie to digital radio. The Donner's interface sure makes it painless and fun !

Well made and fun to use. Customer service is outstanding.
W9PRA Rating: 2007-09-07
Excellent! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I ordered my Donner's Digital Interface last Saturday (Labor Day Weekend) and received it the Thursday after Labor Day. Had it hooked up to my Yaesu FT-897D and homebrew computer, and was copying PSK31 with DigiPan in less than an hour. The quality is tops and their included instructions made it easy.
Price is now $46 - but it does all I need for now. Thanks, Whitey and Carolyn!
KB9UUQ Rating: 2007-08-22
Donner's Interface is Excellent! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have used the interface for the past 8 months and it has been operating excellent. I have it between an older Compaq Presario 900 Laptop and an Alinco DX-70TH. I have used it with the following soundcard software: MMTTY 1.65D (for RTTY), IZ8BLY MT63 Terminal 2.0, UA9OV CwType V1.57, and CWLab 4.0. The interface works excellent with this equipment and software.
W6BP Rating: 2007-07-23
Great Service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After waiting 6 weeks for another vendor to send me an interface, I canceled the order and decided to build my own. But you know how those plans go: I got lazy, and decided instead to buy an interface from Donner.

I ordered on a Friday afternoon and received the interface on Monday. It took maybe half an hour to get everything working, including a USB-to-serial interface that I also bought from Donner. My compliments to Carolyn Donner for knowing how to run a business!
KD4ACG Rating: 2007-06-15
Great...once fixed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased this interface on the strong recommendation of several friends who also use the interface. It was shipped within two hours of my order, and was waiting for me at my front door when I got home from Dayton. I hooked it up to my new Yaesu FT-857, and discovered something wasn't right when the radio would transmit...and stay in TX mode until the unit was pulled from the rig. I E-Mailed Donner and got a quick response, but was just given some stock troubleshooting tips, along with an assurance that all units were tested prior to shipping.

Another friend, fellow Dayton attendee, and also new FT857 owner, discovered the same problem. After running some tests, he located two wires that had been reversed when the interfaces were built. We both made our own repairs (it took the soldering iron more time to heat up than it did to make the repair itself). The unit now works perfectly, and we were finally able to convince the builders that there was indeed a problem with the unit. Now that he confirmed the problem for himself, he has been very responsive in preventing any further problems.

As for the performance of the [properly wired] interface, it's a winner. Setup is easy, and the unit requires no external power. I've used it successfully with PSK, RTTY, and even SSTV so far, and I plan to try more modes with it. It's very compact and easy to add to a portable kit, and the amount of wiring on the interface is generous enough for almost any situation.

Many have recommended the use of a sound card with line-out and line-in connections. My sound card only has variable-level in and out jacks, but the interface still performs well with only minor adjustments to the input/output levels required.

So despite the rough start, I still give this unit a thumbs-up. It's a good and economical choice for anyone looking to explore modes beyond the traditional voice or CW.
KD5ZEF Rating: 2007-05-02
Very good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It works as advertised, comes with good documentation, and was very simple install for my Icom 746.
N0RQ Rating: 2007-03-29
neat little interface box Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Can you build it yourself cheaper? Probably. But if you're not interested in building something like this, the $40 is well spent. Quick shipping, good instructions, plug it in and it works.

I ordered the version for the Kenwood TS-480. Plugged in it, and quickly made a PSK31 QSO (after adjusting sound card settings to avoid overdriving). Decoded Olivia and MFSK16 easily. After a bit of twiddling in MMTTY, got RTTY working (AFSK only). Had 1 question, and a quick email response provided the answer.

Worth the $40. Thanks Donner's!
N8TNJ Rating: 2007-03-02
The BEST Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my 3rd interface from Donner's. Ordered it Monday afternoon and got it in the mail Thursday morning! Was up and running PSK31 on my IC-706 in 20min. Very nice people to work with, why buy anything else. These work and very well!!