My day started slow. Read my email, checked some other things out in the other blogs I read and had my Oatmeal for breakfast. Then it was out to the radio and make a few PSK contacts. working the 30 meter digital group push weekend – not really a contest just a push to make more use of 30 meters since it is all digital, it was fun and I made several contacts.
A little after noon we headed out for a quick-lunch and to the OSU Wrestling match with NC state. This one was a little more competitive than the Friday night match as NC State has one wrestler that is ranked #1. He was the only winner for the match and no bonus points for him. It was a pretty easy match for OSU but they needed the building sessions as things will get a lot harder for the next 5 weeks or so. Anyway when that was over we made a quick stop at Walmart for some supplies then on home and I got back on the radio and made a lot of good contacts on 30 meters till it faded out then moved to 40 and have several more, which leads to the following:
Yesterday I got the radio moved back to the operating desk. Got the Signalink hooked up and working and made a couple of contacts…
I have read in many of the forums that hams have problems getting the Signalink to work, so many comments about “I can’t get it to transmit”. Well, let me refresh your memory here. Since I had not set it up in some time I forgot that I have to do several very important steps every time I move it.
First -In my case, I have to make sure the computer is talking to the radio. I have an Icom 706 with the CI-V link to the serial port on the desk top, I use a USB converter for the laptop and that is always a pain to swap back and forth to remember, find the port, make sure your linked, get it talking to the software controls. Once that is working you worry about the SignaLink. In my case I hooked it up just like before but it would talk? It had worked before and then had worked when I tested it on the laptop, now what is broke? Well, it was the same problem. Go find out what serial port it is linked to and make sure you have the software set to the right port at the right speed, etc… once that was done I found that I had somehwere changed it to port 4 for the laptop and forgot that it was port 5 on the desktop. Huh? Well when it finally came up HRD jumped into action…
Second – hook up the usb Signalink to the computer and make sure the computer knows it is there. Look for the “USB Audio Codec in the system devices (USB) – make sure it sees both TX and RX for that… then hook it to the radio. then hook it to the radio. You do have the right connection for that?
Third, – since I use HRD control and logging software you must make sure that you go in and set it to see the USB soundcard input and output… every time I hook it back up and sometimes when I turn it back on after being off for a while, it reverts to the default soundcard in the computer or something else. There are several points that you can find this setting and sometimes you have to check them all to make sure they are set to the Signalink and not something else. One real giveaway is at the bottom of the DM780 screen, below the waterfall (which will look real funny if you’re not set on the right input device). It will tell you if it is the “USB Audio CODEC” being used or something else.
Note just above here – the setting for waterfall: microphone (3-USB Audio CODEC) ? you need to find the USB sound card.
Above in the inset window that comes when you select Sound card at the top of the original DM780 window and in it you have to select both input and output devices and it must be the USB audio… I think that is the biggest problem of not getting to work right… the rest should work itself out if you follow the instructions. In my move, I had to do this twice then again this morning when I turned it all back on… sometimes the software doesn’t always remember who it should be talking to…
You have to make sure your computer sees it on what ever serial port you put it on, even if you put i on by USB you have to make sure the computer is talking to it. The you have to make sure it is talking to the Radio and you should have already made sure the radio is talking to the computer…
I know this catched me nearly ever time I have not used it in several months, I forget to double-check to make sure everyone is talking on the same ports at the same speeds…
Well, for a look at my 30 most recent contacts go here. I have it linked in my blog as well as on the web pages.. cool to have it track this stuff.
That ends this as I have to get back to making contacts while there is activity on 40 meters… – WD0AJG
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