Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: RIGblaster M8, Plus and Pro

Category: Voice Keyers

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : RIGblaster M8, Plus and Pro
Reviews: 6MSRP: 110 to 300
Description:
Radio to sound card interfaces that will operate as contest voice keyers.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.westmountainradio.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0064
NZ6E Rating: 2010-11-22
PRO Not worth the $ Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Possibly it's just trying to do too much.

Mine is sitting in the box and it does not work for me. Rig is an Icom 765 and I'm using Heil Mics. I never could get enough volume to use this as a voice keyer. It uses 2 serial/USB connections to the computer and I couldn't get all the features I wanted (true FSK) without losing other features. Way too much time on the phone trying to get it sorted without definitave answers. The search for an interface continues. Yes I know about blocking caps for the mic. I tried many solutions. Yes I know about the computer settings for the mic.

By the time you have everything hooked up your shack looks like a spaghetti farm.
VK6HZ Rating: 2009-09-30
Best piece of kit in the shack! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned a Rigblaster Plus for 3 or so years now and it has never missed a beat. Its made digital modes and CW extremely simple. It is always connected to my main radio (currently FT-1000MP), but I have used the Plus with many different radios, including FT-2000, IC-756ProII, IC-737, IC-735, TS-480HX, IC-910H and it has worked flawlessly.

I loved it so much that I bought a NOMIC for portable use with my IC-7000.

Have never used it as a DVK but it will be set up and running for the CQWW SSB Contest this year.

West Mountain Radio, you have provided an easy to use and install interface at a great price! Thanks.
KB3MSU Rating: 2007-10-10
Great Product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've been using my Rigblaster Plus for 6 months now, and I have absolutely no complaints about it. Works great on all the digimodes and also makes a great voice keyer. Some previous post states about the cords being short...well, it's just a matter of buying new longer cables. I personally find the Rigblaster is worth every cent I paid for it.
K7SX Rating: 2007-09-27
good engineering/ bad support Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is one of those products that was a good idea,and then things went downhill. It always happens when computer oriented people try and produce and bring to market their product by themselves. The internet encourages them.(Damn) The hardware is very good. The cables are unrealistically short. It appears west mountain assumes that the radio will be directly over or next to the rigblaster, and that the computer will be right next to them both. If you have a real radio station you already have tuners amplifiers speakers, power supplies vhf radios and computer monitors next to the radio. If you have a desk top computer its probably to the side on the floor. sending a 3 foot connecting cable, or even a 6 foot cable is a sin against God, and should be punished.
The other problem computer guys have is documentation. The guys who design should never be allowed to write the documentation. They can't remember the difference between them and real people. They can't even remember the difference between them and the average ham. The manual sent with the product is at best, a terse reminder of how to hook it for a person who already knows how, and needs a reminder.
God forbid you should call and ask a question.. If you do you will be treated to the most condecending useless " how dare you call me "it's all in the manual" attitude you have ever experienced. Come on West Mountain, If the purchaser knew the nomenclature well enough to follow your instructions, they could build there own.. Like I said,computer guys should never be allowed to interface with the public.
If you want a good product, with short maddening cables, and the worst tech support you have ever experienced, this product is for you. David McPhie K7SX
K4FX Rating: 2007-06-09
Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I too was very pleased to find out how well the Rigblasters work as voice keyers,

There are several apps out there that do well, find the one you like best, and away you go.

I used to think the Rigblasters were a waste of money as compared to simply homebrewing one
That is till I got one for myself, really nice units highly recomennded.
G7PAF Rating: 2006-01-22
a bonus Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I use the rigblaster pro for all my data needs but then realised that as a voice keyer it worked pretty good

I recorded my voice into a .WAV file and played about with it using the windows voice recorder software that comes with windows.

I then set up a few macros in MIXW put it into SSB mode and viola it works really well
I can set up as many wav files as i like and have no constraints with timers

well it works for me

regards
G7PAF