With the aid of a Computer running the appropriate program, A Transceiver and an Interface to connect the Computer to the Transceiver, it is easy to get on the air with Data Modes.

If you already have a Computer and Transceiver, a cheap and easy interface can be built.

 

 

To get started and decode data, very simply :-

 

• Connect a lead from the Radio extension speaker socket to the LINE IN jack on the computer.
• Run whichever program you wish, for example MMSSTV.  ( Download MMSSTV HERE)
• Tune your radio to the correct frequency and sideband.
• Adjust the LINE IN level with the volume control on the computer sound mixer.
• Sit back and watch the pictures appear on screen.

 

To Transmit, the output from the LINE OUT socket of the computer is connected to the Mic socket of the radio via an ATTENUATOR. The Attenuator is a must as the line out level from the Computer sound card is way too high to feed directly into the Microphone socket of the Radio

 

The connections to and from the computer and Radio, together with the Attenuator may be built into a small enclosure. The interface, once built, can be used for most of the common Data programs,

for example :- PSK31, RTTY, SSTV, WSPR.

 

If required, a small stripboard circuit can be built to switch the Transceiver into Transmit using signals from the Serial port, this can also be incorporated into the interface enclosure. 

Another way to switch the Tx is to use the VOX function on the TX.

 

Click HEREfor simple Attenuator circuit - or

Click HERE to build a complete Data interface

 

If you do  not wish to 'homebrew', there are ready made Interfaces on the market -

Signalink, Rigblaster,  Buxcomm "Rascal" etc.

 

 

Some Software downloads for Data Modes  :-

 

PSK - Digipan, MultiPSK.   RTTY - MMTTY, TrueTTY.    SSTV - JVFAX, MMSSTV. 

 

An interesting site for checking propogation - Weak Signal Propogation Reporting - WSPR

 

If all else fails and you can't transmit for any reason, try this Program CQ100 from QsoNet

 

Note!

Check latest Band Plans when using Data Modes as the frequencies have been changed on some Bands