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Reviews For: West Mountain Radio Rigblaster Advantage

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

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Review Summary For : West Mountain Radio Rigblaster Advantage
Reviews: 25MSRP: 200
Description:
The RIGblaster Advantage features a simplified PC interface and expanded rig control radio compatibility, accomplished without compromising the functionality and flexibility that the RIGblaster products are known for. This new addition to the RIGblaster product line incorporates several user requested enhancements:

- Internal sound card

- Single plug and play USB cable connection to PC for audio, rig control and power

- Rig control interface for CAT/CI-V as well as RS232 through a DB9 port

- Front panel mounted transmit power level, receive audio level and VOX delay adjustment knobs
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.westmountainradio.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00254.8
VE1YY Rating: 2022-03-24
Works Great10 years later Time Owned: more than 12 months.
10 years later, the Advantage still is going strong. My earlier comments (below) still apply.
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I am operating with a newer version of RigBlaster Advantage. Unlike the early 2011 version that I had, this one is measuring up to all expectations.

The audio in and out is impeccable, perhaps cleaner than the audio coming from the shack's computers.

The front panel controls for transmit level and receive level are much better solutions than hunting for the computer's sound card sliders.

The supplied cables and "Instant Set up Connectors (ISC)" allow me to use the unit on any of my rigs. It's a matter of moving one cable and plugging in a different ISC.

Using the Advantage's CI-V or CAT feature allows control of the rig from the local computer or network. The feature is a boon to operating.

An undocumented feature, that ought to be in the manual, allows full break-in (QSK) CW from the keyboard as effectively as from the paddles.

Speaking of the manual, it has been updated, emphasizing straight-forward set up. The older manual is on the CD should you want detailed information. For example, Icom users will want to check the proper wiring of the CI-V cable. The CD also sports a wide range of useful software.

The superbly constructed unit has silky controls and a small footprint.

Testing this new version gave me the opportunity to talk with the factory CS personnel whom I found intelligent and engaging.

In summary, this later version of the Advantage is working extremely well for me.
K7TXO Rating: 2021-01-12
EXCELLENT Digital Interface Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I typically operate with two or more ham radio software programs on my Windows 10 computer that I need to be running at the same time. These programs need a digital path to the radio as well as an analog for Audio sound IN and OUT. Plus I operate FSK instead of AFSK so I need PTT control and RTTY diddle. Mix it all together and we have analog sound requirements and some control line signals. I also have an ICOM IC-7300 I use only as a bandscope display for the actual tranciever I use, a KENWOOD TS-590SG via DXLab Commander. To do all these things, some at the same time and FSK, my faithful Signalink USB hardware certainly wasn't up to all of this. The RB Advantage along with a Virtual Serial Port Emulator program appeared to be the answer. It certainly is. I had everything working easily. Except how to get two or more software programs to play nice together at the same time.
I admit I was a bit stumped re how to setup two or more rig command instructions-interactive ham programs, to sit on one virtual COM port number (plus another Port for PTT/CW control) and two-way communicate with the TS-590SG on yet another COM port number. Turns out this was simple as pie for Sholto in WMR Support to instruct me what I needed to do. Since I had the Advantage already cabled up per the WMR diagram at the rear of their online PDF'd manual, in minutes he has me up and running as I desired with his changes I implement. My TS-590SG, RB Advantage and all of my ham apps on the PC are working together perfectly not just indivually, but together at the same time where of course it is a valid case to do so. My N3FJP Amateur Log and MMTTY for FSK TTY operation for example. Or the same Log program & WSJT-X for other digital modes instead of MMTTY. Sound control and simple FSK cabling between the RB Advantage and my KNWD TS-590SG. WMR RB Advantage DOES provide an advantage over other solutions, and Sholto's assistance rocks! Thank you WMR and Sholto! Gene, K7TXO"
KQ4Y Rating: 2020-07-04
Nice Upgrade from my Old Rigblaster Pro Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
While my old Rigblaster Pro was getting the job done, I wanted to eliminate some wires and free up my PC sound card. The Advantage accomplished those goals with the further advantages of being smaller, having an onboard VOX, and being powered through the USB cable!
NY0K Rating: 2019-04-23
Issues with port splitting Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I wanted to give this a higher rating but I've had nothing but problems with my Rigblaster Advantage.

The sound card section of the unit seems to work just fine, although having to use VOX sometimes leaves my Icom IC-7000 in transmit mode. I've been able to communicate with RTTY and FT8 with no severe problems.

The reason I dropped the rating from a four to a three was the port splitting application they include with the device. It either crashed out (requiring a reboot) or it just stopped communicating with my Icom.

I got so tired of this that I went and purchased a separate control CI/V USB cable to control my rig, removing the responsibility from the Rigblaster Advantage. Ever since I switched it has never crashed or lost communications with the transceiver.

If the Rigblaster Advantage only functions halfway, it deserves a reduction in rating. I purchased it new from HRO in March 2019.
KK9H Rating: 2018-08-06
Outstanding sound card performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When we go on our summer vacation I like to take my K3 along to use as a portable station. A few years ago I bought a Rigblaster Advantage to be able to operate PSK31 and FSQ. This year I wanted to try FT8 and getting that going was quite easy. I used the Advantage's internal VOX mode to key the K3's transmitter which worked just fine. The one thing that I really thought was incredible was the Advantage's internal sound card performance. Supposedly, FT8 is capable of working with signals down to about -20 dB and I had several 6M FT8 contacts where the displayed signal levels were actually down to -24 dB which I thought was simply outstanding. Also, having the transmit and receive level controls right in front of you on the Advantage makes it extremely convenient for making minor audio adjustments on the fly. The Rigblaster advantage works beautifully with the K3 and I highly recommend it.
AG4F Rating: 2018-02-09
Fantastic device, WMR has improved significantly over the years Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I tried WMR products years ago when USB was fairly new, and the RB USB products were very new. They simply didn't work due to shielding issues, major USB driver issues, etc. Very recently, I needed to be able to interface my rig with my PC specifically through the mic port. The RB Advantage was the only product I could find that handled that (others used the ACC port). So, I thought I'd give WMR another shot. Boy, am I pleasantly surprised! Installation took 5 minutes. Configuration was dead easy. It just works. The USB drivers appear to be very solid. The RB Advantage construction is great. Their jumper block system makes setting it up for your particular installation a breeze. The only issue I have is on 80 meters where the RB Advantage is going haywire (motorboating audio) if transmitting more than 100 watts. I know I have high RF in the shack due to antenna proximity to the shack, which I cannot avoid at my current QTH. I've tried relocating the RB Advantage and adding Mix31 beads to all connections into the RB Advantage, all to no avail. So, still working on this issue, but I don't consider this a RB specific problem.
NE6AA Rating: 2016-10-05
Operates as advertised Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My new Rigblaster Advantage arrived last Friday; I was set up/configured on Monday with superb technical support from Sholto at WMR. Sholto's breadth of technical skills and wealth of radio knowledge involving WMR products and related apps was obvious. He carefully and patiently led me through each WMR and FLDIGI setup and configuration option and setting, including the necessary internal menu settings for my ICOM-775DSP. So very much appreciated! Thank you! 73, Ken, NE6AA
N7MPY Rating: 2016-03-23
Great interface, easy to set up and works well Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I owned an older Rigblaster (Pro Plus) that required a lot of cables to interface to my computer sound card. The old unit required constant adjustment of the sound card settings. The sound card ran "hot" and was difficult to lower the gain enough. The new Advantage requires very little configuration and once set up works without additional adjustment for JT65, PSK-31, and transparently for SSB use.
AC6BW Rating: 2015-12-13
Great- Easy to setup and use Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The WMR Rigblaster Advantage is very easy to setup and use. Connection to the PC is via a single USB cable. Connection to my FT-450D is via a special cable (pre-ordered along with the unit) that connects from the Rigblaster to the rig mic input RJ-45 connector. Then, the rig mic connects to the WMR Rigblaster. The Rigblaster appears as a virtual COM port in your PC device manager, so it easy to configure your PC SW. I've been using the Rigblaster for JT65, JT9, AFSK RTTY, PSK31, PSK64 and contest CW generation. I drive it using Ham Radio Deluxe on all of the above modes, except JT65, where I use the HB9HQX edition of JT-65 HF. The Rigblaster works very well, and is easy to adjust the sound levels, not having to worry about the PC sound card settings, or about PC sound getting into the rig.
KB1HMJ Rating: 2015-11-14
Fewer cables and easy to operate Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was looking for a replacement to the RG Plug & Play that used only USB port on the PC: this is it. No sound card needed in the PC. No serial port (RS232) needed either... all it needs is the one USB, and that is nice. Using HRD and DM780, I am able to operate all digi modes including CW and RTTY on the rig (IC 7700). CW is true keyed CW using a separate virtual com port made by using the com port splitter app from West Mountain Radio. Since this device has a built in sound card, the PC sound card is free to do whatever it want/needs to do while the rig operates separately from the PC. No more worrying about PC generates sounds getting to the rig. The Advantage's built in audio level controls (knobs) are also quite handy. This version of RigBlaster also supplies nicely constructed modules for jumper seelction for your brand of radio and mic. No need to read jumper connector diagrams any more. Highly recommended.