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Reviews For: Navigator by Timewave - previously by US Interface

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

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Review Summary For : Navigator by Timewave - previously by US Interface
Reviews: 67MSRP: 369
Description:
The Navigator is a high quality interface between the rig and the computer, for use in running the digital modes such as PSK31, Olivia, MFSK, Hellschreiber, MT-63, etc. It also works fine for SSTV using many popular software programs such as MMSSTV.

The Navigator interfaces to the rig using a USB port, thus it does not require a serial port on the computer. It provides CAT control to the rig via a serial connection from the Navigator to the rig. The Navigator is completely configured and defined in software, and future updates are expected to be flash-ROM updates that can be installed by the user.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.Navigator-Interface.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00674.9
N8PVW Rating: 2010-01-20
Great unit-great people Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought a Navigator from a friend when they first went on the market. Great unit. Worked perfectly. But this is about the people behind the product. I work for the federal government as a medical professional but have also volunteered to deploy on our agencies disaster team. I have a number of specialties besides medicine including communications. I volunteer as one of our agencies EMCOMM people. Primarily with SHARES but also as an amateur op. I volunteered to deploy to Haiti and was cleared and am currently in the que awating travel orders. I decided to take my FT 897D with me but no longer had my Navigator. I had given it to my older son. He is an officer in the U.S. military and took it to Iraq along with my first FT 897D when he was on his first deployment there. It and the radio are still floating about somewhere over in that part of the world as he donated them to some of his friends who are active duty and amateur ops. So I contacted Clint Hurd KK7UQ at US interface about buying a new unit and cable to take along to Haiti. Today Clint sent me an e-mail at work informing me that he and his wife are express shipping me the new Navigator and cable free of charge to take to Haiti. I have found that while such generosity may be rare in other areas, amateur radio is the exception. The hobby is loaded with people like Clint and his wife. My mission is primarily one of disaster relief not amateur radio. But if needed the unit will be put to good use. And will continue to serve on other missions. I have to not only give the product a 5. But Clint Hurd, his wife and the other folks at US Interface get a big 10. Thanks Clint.
G0DJA Rating: 2010-01-14
Excellent Unit Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned a Navigator for a while and it is one of a few items of Amateur Radio kit that I wouldn't part with.

It copes with all the digital modes that I throw at it, from HF through VHF to SHF and hasn't let me down yet. Computer control of my radios through it works without a problem.
K0XX Rating: 2009-09-06
Great Interface!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This interface is terrific. One cable to the computer and one to the Orion II. And, equally important, the support received from Clint is outstanding!!

N5KAV Rating: 2009-07-06
Best Buy For the money Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have had the Navigator now for over 6 months, it has work without one problem, the cables I ordered were spot on and hooked up without any problem. My hat is off to US Interface, I was able
to talk with Glenn before he pass away, wow what
a guy!!! I'm sure we all will miss him and his
knowledge.

I have a A/B box hook up and runner the Navigator
between my FT990 and FT920, I work CW, PSK, MT63
and RTTY all the time without any problems.

73es Chuck W5KAV Rochester WA
VE7TK Rating: 2009-07-01
Great product & support Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wow! This is a great interface. Very flexible and robust. I had some minor issues with the Com Port set-up but was quickly assisted by Clint, KK7UG, at US Interface.

Then it was on to testing the interface with my normal software. Again a couple of small glitches but quickly solved.

Finally I attempted to get Navigator and MMTTY working with my logging program, Logger32. At this point I was stymied. Once more Clint came to the rescue working with the Logger32 development team to resolve this problem! (See Logger32 version 3.19 and later.)

I am the 2nd owner of this interface yet the support provided by US Interface has been phenomenal! I would heartily recommend the Navigator Interface to anyone considering it!
G0KAD Rating: 2009-05-25
Brilliant Time Owned: more than 12 months.
What a great bit of kit. Does everything that I can think of. Fantastic for everyform of PC to radio interface. WSJT to DM780, contest CW to full station remote control.

The unit is so flexible but easy to use. Hard to see how it could be bettered. Unit was faulty when it arrived but Dave at EZE(UK) posted another before I'd even returned the original. Follow up was excellent.

Expensive but worth every penny or cent!
VE7AT Rating: 2009-04-13
WHY did I wait so long??? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Installation is a breeze if you follow the detailed instructions. The only challenge I had was Windows Vista and ghost devices, (comm ports Vista said were in use and were actually NOT being used because my laptop has no comm ports) once I had persueded device manager to give up the low numbered comm ports I wanted to use.. Bingo each function works as described. I have a usb and a vox interface for sale !!!
KD4S Rating: 2009-02-23
Everything I expected Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.

My setup is Icom-706mkIIg, Ham Radio Deluxe with DM 780 software version 4.1, build 2055, Navigator software version 4.2.11

I am still learning the HRD and DM780 interface. But everything is working the way I expected. I previously had a RigBlaster Plus interface but was dissatisfied with it in several ways despite making a few contacts with it.

I am very happy with the Navigator interface. I have enjoyed several RTTY and PSK QSOs recently. I like the front panel controls particularly having a CW speed control without having to manipulate the IC-706 menus. A minimum of cables are required between PC, transceiver and interface. It is much neater than the RigBlaster.

I want to thank Clint Hurd, KK7UQ, for his guidance. We traded about a dozen emails while debugging some issues. I would have never gotten it running without his help.

Details of debugging:
The Navigator interface was not new. I purchased it used and later learned the cable was Feb, 2007 build and US Interface stopped doing business with the cable supplier shortly after that time. So, recent cables should not have my problem. The Navigator interface box was originally purchased in 2007 but US Interface exchanged it in 2008 as part of an upgrade to the hardware.

Summary of corrections:
1) IC-706 must be in straight key mode to allow the WinKeyer in the Navigator interface to control the keying. See Icom-706 manual for details.
2) COM ports numbers can be any number when using Ham Radio Deluxe with its DM780 software. I didn’t change the numbers from original driver setup. Other software, such as N1MM Logger, may require specific COM port assignments between 1 and 8.
3) In DM780, you must select “CW (WinKeyer)” mode, not “CW”, to send CW from either the paddle or keyboard
4) The Navigator-to-Icom cable had wiring errors. The digital and audio grounds needed to be separated and the TX and RX audio lines were reversed. Again, recently built cables should not have this problem.
5) The Icom-706 initial setup item # 29 had to change from 9600 to 1200 baud. This fixed the problem of no transmit in PSK or RTTY modes (while CW and SSB modes transmitted OK). See Icom-706 manual for details.

VE3SYH Rating: 2009-01-17
Excellent interface Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a well built and reliable device. No problems setting up. It cleaned up many cables and resolved some noise issues I had with another interface. One USB cable to the PC, that's it ! Well worth the money for such a well built device. Pat Douek VE3SYH
NP2G Rating: 2009-01-10
Fantastic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
From NP2G, Ed Baker

I have always enjoyed digital modes. My favorite mode of operation is PSK-31.
Saying this, it is natural for me to look for any way to improve my station for this mode.

Over the past 4 years I have gone for the sound card systems in a box. The most lasting unit has been my Rig Expert. However one problem has surfaced as it’s only good with Mix W. Given the fact that there has been little improvements or “software releases “over these recent years, nothing is perfect, I felt it is time to rethink the situation.

One system that pops up on the brag tapes has been DM-780, Ham radio Deluxe and the Navigator interface. Checking this out was my first priority. Since I could not use my USB driven unit, the Rig Expert, with DM-780, free program, my only comparison was the internal sound card of my new computer with the Rig Expert. Being able to run both systems I now have a perfect opportunity to compare both the Rig expert running Mix W and the new sound card in my computer running DM-780. To my surprise the new sound card and DM-780 was the winner with a pretty big jump from the Rig expert, Mix W.

Not satisfied with stopping there my next move was to contact Navigator support to answer my numerous questions. Here I again ran into Glenn, W3GWW. The last time we had any conversation was about the Rig Expert and without his assistance I never would have budged from my old ways.
His truthful analysis of the Navigator Interface prompted me to have one shipped out.

I now have this unit and having the ability to play with all three of these systems I can honestly say that the Navigator just out performs everything that I have tried. Add icing to the cake and add the DM-780 program provided on the CD, I can only say WOW!

My results are, every time on every occasion, the Navigator has decoded PSK31 better than anything else. No exception. I now normally decode signals that don’t appear on any of the other screens. Consistently have Q-5 contacts throughout the entire ham radio world. My Transmitted signal is consistently cleaner and the IMD is where it should be. It just works better. The Navigator interface is the best system by far that I have ever used.

As a surprise bonus the Navigator offers a far better and complete rig control. Switching to DM-780 has improved all aspects of my PSK31 mode of operation. The combination is extremely hard to beat. Hence the rating of 5 out of 5 for the Navigator. Put The Navigator and DM-780 together it’s a 10.
I was reluctant to switch software, fearing the learning curve, I got over it quickly.
The vast improvement in hardware and software made me do it. Now if I can only talk the XYL into a new RIG.

Thank You
Ed Baker “NP2G”