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Reviews For: SignaLink by Tigertronics

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

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Review Summary For : SignaLink by Tigertronics
Reviews: 112MSRP: 49.95
Description:
Tigertronics has developed the SignaLink™ Interface to help you take advantage of this cutting edge technology. SignaLink™ bridges the gap between your computer and your radio to provide the highest level of performance in all the new modes. In addition to delivering basic functions found in other units, the SignaLink™ provides advanced features and design innovations that set it apart from all the rest!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.tigertronics.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001124.7
KO1C Rating: 2011-12-03
Great Product, Where is the "6" Rating?? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Even though as of this writing I've owned this product for only a week, I feel qualified to write the following review. I've been using sound card interfaced digital modes since the mid to late 1990's with a variety of interfaces as mentioned.

I use a Mac with fldigi. My Mac also dual-boots to a Win7 partition where I use HRD and DM780.

Sometimes on my Mac I also use JT65-HF. There is no Mac version so I have to run it with a program called Wine which allows me to run SOME Windows programs.

To make it all work, I had two interfaces. A Ten-Tec 712 for the Windows side and a Buxcom Rascal for the Mac side.

Now I only need ONE interface - the SignaLink USB!

I really like the easy setup for my Ten-Tec Omni VII. I especially like the knobs up front.

When I used the old interfaces it always seemed the output power level, when adjusted with the volume control, was set in "notches", i.e., it was not smooth in it's setting. In other words I might be able to easily set my output power to 30 watts but the next "notch" would be maybe 42 watts.

The SignaLink USB's Tx knob makes this very smooth. I can literally set my output anywhere I want.

THANK YOU Tigertronics for a great product, I wish I had discovered it sooner!
WB4GUD Rating: 2011-11-10
Great product, worth the $ Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It lives up to its rep as a plug-n-play unit. Setup was a little involved, but the instructions were right on the money. This box was highly recommended by the Winlink folks for Winmor for a good reason-it makes it so much easier than trying to struggle with a computer soundcard of questionable quality. I placed my order via phone and the lady was knowledgeable and helpful in making sure I got the correct cable and option block.

73,
Howard
WB4GUD
K5DHE Rating: 2011-10-27
WHO KNOWS??? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
got my new signalink.. it came with everything i ordered from the factory...trying to call tech support. they are open only a couple of days per week..so far i cant get past step 2 in the manual...hopefully i will like my unit as much as everyone else. the manual is totally worthless. i have read it cover to cover several times. the best that i can tell its not even for my computer. my computer has something called windows 7 the manual seems to be for some other brand of computer. example some times it talks about USB meaning a cable.. some times USB means a mode of communications. the manual refers to something called the communications program but doesnt tell you what it is, where to find it, or what it does... my only hope is tech support. i bet that they can fix this mess. at this point i rate the packing, and sales service as a 5 manual as awful. when you get the manual throw it away and call tech support the first day they you have time to and plan to spend a couple of hours getting it all working...also i boxed all of it up plus my radio and took it to an extra class ham and computer expert and after three hours he sill cant get it to work.tech support is only open week days fri and mon during hours that most of us are making a living and cannot call them.. PLEASE WEIGH THIS PRELIM. EVAL. AGAINST 8 PAGES OF FIVES.
KG4RUL Rating: 2011-08-24
Fantastic! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own two of these little wonders - one configured for my TS2000(X) and the other for my FT-100D. We also have one at our EOC configured for an FT-857D.

In all cases, the units were easily configured and worked perfectly the first time. I also did not have any problems with the jumpers.

I have used them with HRD/DM780, MIXW, FLDIGI, Digipan and others with no problems at all.

Definitely a must have for your digital operations.
VE6AGE Rating: 2011-08-24
Fantastic Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Wow, I just love this little SignaLink USB. Superb in doing PSK-31. Very well built and I recommend it highly to all my ham friends.
W0NTS Rating: 2011-08-24
W0NTS, Worth the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm using the USB model. It is east to set up and adjust. I have used it with several transceivers and it just plain works as it should. Obtain the correct radio interface cable from Tigertronics and connections between radio and computer couldn't be simpler. I have used other interfaces in the past. This beats them all.
ZF2RN Rating: 2010-12-04
Simple, sweet and easy Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
From box to first contact.... 28 minutes. Including installing the jumpers. Running with Windows7 64-bit without a hitch. Working with my FT-950 and DM780 with no problems.
It was so simple and easy, my 12 year old could do it.
Thanks to TigerTronics for their excellent before purchase assistance and SUPER quick shipping. Great company to do business with.
Get one... You won't be disappointed.
M0JSS Rating: 2010-10-18
K3 drive problem. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got this unit so I would not have to tie up the computers built-in sound card. The SL USB is a well engineered unit for which I would give it a 5. I have built several other interfaces from BUXCOMM and used AEA PK-232, AEA PK-900 in the past and did all the cable wiring to the radio. For the SL USB I built my own radio cable. The $24 for the cable that connects the SL to Elecraft K3 radio seems a bit high. It is twice the price of all the other cables for other radios. Its a pretty simple cable as it just breaks out to one RCA and two mini-phono plugs. I needed the JP3 jumper to give the K3 proper drive to the line-in jack on the rear of the K3. Even with the jumper I had the SL TX knob over 50% and the internal K3 level at almost 40. If I had to do it again I might have just purchased an external USB sound card since the K3 already has PTT via the com port and isolated line in/out jacks. Once nice thing is that the SL USB eliminates any need for a serial port. I do plan to make a couple more cables for my other rigs(FT-817). I'll just make the cables so I don't need to change any of the jumpers inside the SL. Why not have cables with the correct wiring so the internal jumpers always stay the same? Since I built my own cable I have all six internal jumpers one to one. Well I guess I am old school. The price is good compared to some of the other interfaces around that include built-in sounds cards. If it gets more folks on the digital modes I am all for it.
73's
STAYVERTICAL Rating: 2010-05-18
All fun - no fuss Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.

I love digimodes. How hard can it be to get on them? just put a few cables between PC and radio and its done! Thats true - if you are prepared to deal with hum, rf feedback, constant volume adjusting, possible destructive ground loops and PC dings going over the air.
After building many interfaces, I finally ordered a tigertronics signalink USB interface, mainly to tame the rats nest of wires between radio and PC.
It arrived promptly, and after fitting the internal jumper block for my radio (ft817), I put it through its paces.
At first, I could not get it to activate P.T.T. so I read the instruction sheet.
Following the advice to adjust the volume sliders in the windows sound configuration panel, it worked fine.
Now the negatives - the front panel potentiometers are a bit flimsy for my liking.
I don't think they will fail, but being pcb mount types they need to be handled gently.
That finishes the negatives.

After that it is all positive. The unit gives trouble free digital operation, no RF feedback troubles, no constant volume monitoring, and no ground loops. This unit has an internal soundcard, which free's up the PC soundcard. Just remember to configure your PC soundcard as the default for sounds, as sometimes when you add the tigertronics, it becomes the default card (winXP).

I had a great time making all those digital interfaces, and I eventually obtained excellent results, but if you want something that just works and gets you on digimodes quickly, this unit seems to be the answer.

N9SOR Rating: 2010-04-22
NEW MODES Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have been useing this great interface with my Yaesu FT-102 & FT-901DM. Very easy to set up and use. It has open new modes to myself in this great hobby. Shipping was very fast. Their web pages are just full of information. Way to go Tigertronics. Charlie N9SOR