DIGITAL HAPPENINGS #25 How To Set Up & Operate A New
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1. Lk Le 0 0 53 SS Sit 39 6 S4 W7IN_ larry EI II i Sa 0 0 56 W8RCW Rich M F 388 2422 55 3 3207 20 8 8 14 2024 57 W9JR Rich F a 0 E s8 w9suQ Larry F n 328 5S9IWAAEEZ Leslie F DOIWAAUNS Doug F 61 WAGOCV Susan__ M F 3077 62 WAZETH Ed 1925 15 5 7 24 2014 f63 WAZHQ Sterling F Uc 0 0 1150 C o E EE L 64 WBOM _ Jeff F 0 0 65 WB2ABD Paul_ F 0 0 66 WD4OIN Jack_ F 3077 1161 608 336 8252 53 6 2014 F 167 WQ7A _ Ter F 7360 47 8 2014 2 10 3 2013 31 2 10 31 201 S l N N N N CN N GA S S 3077 299 5 63 40 9 6 2 2014 0 0 3865 25 1 3 28 2013 0 0 2385 0 0 0 5 A 1 1 4 1 9 0 0 0 1 oo LO 3 A A A 816 or NT2A Gene F S S gt 3 S 0 0 0 UNUAC Paul F S z z z 0 0 0 2INW6S __ Jim E 784 3077 3077 805 114 9 7152 46 5 6 2014 162 5 4 5 0 85 00 O i N NIN How To Get Your 5 Mode Statistics Updated Several past Digital Happenings articles have given detailed instructions on a new and easy way to update your digital statistics for Table 3 by using a small program called Digital Report Utility This new program will create a report for you showing your progress for both the USA Digital and the 5 Mode Awards and email it to WONAC Instead of repeating these instructions every month have included them in a Microsoft Word document that you can download by c2. Digital Software For your digital software strongly recommend that you use Eldo Fast Light DIGItal modem application Most of the digital software programs out there were compared in Digital Happenings 14 However even though this article was written almost a year ago still recommend Fldigi software for both mobile and fixed station use for the following reasons a It covers more digital modes and sub modes than any other single program b Even though free it has excellent support and is updated frequently c It has a plethora of features but operates beautifully with easy to set up default settings d For the most part it is very reliable software and any bugs that do crop up are fixed in a timely manner e It has a clean easy to use interface f It has versions that will run on almost any PC running Windows Linux OS X Macs or Puppy Pet a compact version of Linux You can obtain the latest setup exe for Fldigi from the following site http Awww w1hkj com download html The Windows setup file can be downloaded by clicking on the first link in the Windows Setup column with the name fidigi 3 21 83 setup The Fldigi User s Manual 3 21 PDF can be downloaded from the same site by clicking on the fldigi Help PDF link under the Help column Other useful downloads can be found at the following a Beginners Guide to Fidigi W1HKJ Software www w1hkj com beginners html b Windows 7 8
3. If you find that you are not already there browse to the C Users lt Your Name gt fldigi files Macros folder While in this folder select and open the file CountyHunter Mobile Team 2 mdf Your main Eldo opening screen should now look very similar to the following ol of 2319 tn s99 out 599 Macros C Users MATT fldigi files macros CountyHunter Mobile Team 02 mdf ading 1302 bytes from logbook adi ad 8 records in 0 00 seconds 1000 gt gt gt Wil ann e rsa You will still need to make a few configuration changes like call sign and rig control but in general these new settings should work well for you Also if you wish to go back to your previous settings at any time all you need do is re name the file fldigi_def old xml back to its original file name fldigi_def xml When you have arrived at this point in the process you are pretty well ready to go digital county hunting The only other thing you need to do is learn how to use all your new toys under real life conditions Hopefully these last two examples will help How A Typical Fixed Station Would Work A Digital Mobile For this example we will assume that you are the fixed station and that the mobile s call sign is N6PDB M 1 Have your Logger spots up and running or be monitoring 14 075 MH very closely so that yo
4. for both your fixed station radio and your mobile rig recommend that you buy two units with each configured for its own radio If this is too expensive it is possible to use a single interface for both radios However if the 2 radios are different you will probably need to reconfigure the SignaLink box take it apart and also change cables each time you move the interface This is doable but very inconvenient If both radios are identical you can use the same SignaLink configuration and cable for both locations but still have the inconvenience of physically moving the hardware back and forth You also lose the ability of operating both stations at the same time 4 Computer For base station use almost any computer will work fine even if it is old However if you also need to use this computer for other tasks in addition to digital operations you may want a more up to date computer with lots of storage and a faster CPU In any event recommend that you use a computer with Windows 7 or Windows 8 1 installed Microsoft recently terminated all support for Windows XP and prior versions Even though a Windows XP computer may work OK for now Microsoft no longer provides any security updates This means that you may become more vulnerable to security threats malware as time moves on Also hardware drivers and other 3 party software may suffer increasing compatibility and availability issues If you want to put out counties using digital
5. modes while mobile heaven knows we need a lot more digital mobiles having a computer in your car is mandatory have no specific brand or model recommendation but when available space is considered you will probably end up with a small notebook or netbook computer You will want the largest and brightest screen you can safely fit into your vehicle Other things you need to check out before buying are a Does the computer have at least 2 more is better USB ports b Is the screen readable in bright sunlight c Do the function keys act as function keys by default highly desired or do you have to press a second key in combination very awkward when using Flidigi macros d Do either of the computer s AC to DC or DC to DC power supplies generate any spurious harmonics within the ham bands you will be using Many do If so you may have to choose a different model or run the AC power supply from a DC to AC inverter Incidentally many DC to AC inverters especially those with non sinusoidal output are also noisy If you go this route recommend that you do a Google search using the key words RF quiet inverters for more complete help in choosing one with true sinusoidal output e Can you see the keyboard at night An indirectly lighted keyboard can solve this problem 5 Wiring mounting could write a book on this topic alone But instead of re inventing the wheel refer you to an outstanding web site by KOBG Yo
6. necessary until you see hear someone calling you with their call sign 9 When you see a calling station s call sign properly decoded and not imbedded in garbage double click on it and Fldigi will place their call sign into the lt Call gt buffer If you can t see a call clearly on the screen but you know who it is you can click in the Call box near top left of the Eldo main screen and type their call KC3X in manually 10 Check that the call sign you wish to work shows in the Call box and then send their report by pressing function key F 2 This macro will then send the following message KC3X KC3X UR RST IS 599 599 BTU 11 KC3X will then acknowledge his report by returning a message similar to this KJ5PQ KG5UZ M DE KC3X UR BOTH ALSO 599 599 TU 12 You will then acknowledge your report by using function key F 3 to send the following KC3X TU FOR OUR 599 BK OTHER CALLS PSE KN This contact with KC3X is now complete so the logger can log it 13 Immediately start looking and listening for other calls When you can pick out a new call sign repeat steps 9 13 until no more calls are seen 14 At this point you might put out one last CQ to make sure you have given everyone a chance to work you on this mode 15 When you see no one else calling manually use function key F 12 announce your next mode something like this NADA HEARD NOWRTTY 75N RTTY 75N BK Then change Fldigi
7. similar to WONAC UR RST IS 599 BTU 9 You will then press function key F 10 which will automatically reply with the message N6PDB M DE WONAC UR ALSO 599 IN Douglas CO TU 10 They will acknowledge their report something like this WONAC TU FOR MY 599 BK OTHER CALLS PSE KN 11 At this point the contact is valid so log it 12 Each time the mobile changes to the next mode just use the Fldigi macro buttons to change your own mode to match and repeat steps 7 11 above Changing modes in Fldigi is very easy All you need do is either click on the macro button for the new mode or hold down the lt Shift gt key before you press the corresponding macro function key For example to change to the mode RTTY 7S5N either click on the 6 macro button from the left top row labeled RTTY 75N or hold the lt SHIFT gt key down as you press function key F 6 If you forget all this just hover your mouse cursor over any macro key and the actions you need to execute or edit that key will pop up Also if you need to send a message that is not contained in any macro press function key F 12 to toggle your transmitter ON then manually type your message ending with function key F 12 again to toggle your transmitter back OFF If you are a slow typist you can also compose it first using the keyboard and it will be sent at full speed the next time the transmitter is activated by a macro key You
8. to the new mode and go back to step 4 and repeat 16 If this was your last mode announce your next county similar to this and then go back to step 4 and repeat NADA HEARD NEXT WILL BE Pueblo El Paso CO IN 45 MINUTES KJ5PQ KG5UZ M CLEAR 17 If you are finished for the day manually announce that fact with a message similar to this and QRT THAT WILL BE ALL FOR TODAY CU TOMORROW AT 1400Z 73 S KJ5PQ KG5UZ M CLEAR The updated Table 3 is given below Table 3 Active Digital County Hunters Award Status USA DIGITAL FIVE MODE STATUS COUNTIES COUNTIES 5 Mode LAST CALL NAME M F I of3077 1 MODE 2 MODES 3 MODES 4 MODES TOTAL Completed UPDATED I AASR Randy F 1344 3077 3077 1461 576 8394 54 6 5 24 2014 2 jaco cliff F 205 z 3 z 3 AD1C_ Jim F 2 z z el 188 187 0 0 12 10 2012 0 0 0 0 4 KODEQ Bill Eo o oo o F T 188 3077 3013 2 Rob F Lou F Jim F 2982 107 7 F a 11 K5WAF i H R 13 K8QWY el 0 0 41 0 0 0 0 0 3453 22 4 2476 16 1 0 0 3044 19 8 5 2 2013 0 0 0 0 0 0 6303 0 0 4 14 2014 N 23 2014 26 2013 AAA NOS SES xls saagan 0 0 47 3 7 23 2014 2 E 28 351 2 3 9 12 2013 396 351 7351 47 8 8 20 2014 59 5006 32 5 5 7 2013 0 5 EE 0 0 i SS ae Ses ee Se 221KF7PKL_ Davis 379 879 211 48 15 123 KG5SR Greg F 730 3050 2138 672 280 24jkMm1C_ Bi SES eS
9. DIGITAL HAPPENINGS 25 August 2014 By WONAC Matt I ve heard comments from at least two county hunters that some of my technical topics have gone way over their heads After thinking about this a bit feel that their comments are valid So this month I m going to do my best to avoid theory and just try to explain in the simplest way possible how you can acquire set up and get on the air with a simple fixed and or mobile digital rig My goal is to motivate any of you that have thought about going digital but are feeling a little overwhelmed by the technical challenges involved to move out and join the fun Naturally the other usual topics will also appear If succeed in motivating any of you to get off the fence would really like to hear from you by phone email text or any other way of communication How To Set Up amp Operate A New Digital Rig Comments Assumptions Following are lists of steps you would need to take when you are setting up a brand new digital rig for mobile operations in a vehicle that has never had any ham gear installed before However have also attempted to make this useable for simpler situations like modifying an existing fixed or mobile station for digital ops by just ignoring unneeded steps or modifying them have included only the bare minimum of essential information because many of these topics have been covered in more detail in previous articles a complete set of Digital Ha
10. SSS SS SSS 25 KU4YM 112 2856 109 54 14 26 KM6HB 714 3077 2936 694 87 0 7 5 S 0 0 7 5 40 6 0 1154 6248 9 30 2012 10 9 2013 8 28 2014 108 S S 27 KW1DX 68 3077 991 65 5 NOKV 3077 3034 2361 389 INOLXJ Sharon el 3037 19 7 7 26 2014 6795 44 2 2 3 2013 4207 27 3 4 26 2014 o 8960 58 2 20 2014 307 N S S 307 7519 48 9 30 2014 30 N1API 882 3077 2592 842 596 474 7581 49 3 8 24 2014 1INQT i 911 3077 3067 919 417 296 77716 50 5 5 18 2014 2 NSMLP 391 3077 409 54 3 3586 23 3 5 19 2013 wu N6PDB IM F 1093 3077 2990 1293 974 9145 59 4 51 4 8 26 2014 8 24 2014 OAI ek ww juw Gy 07 NSHAM Ui 3077 0 0 0 3077 20 0 4 2 2013 NOWNN 2180 0 0 0 2180 14 2 2 24 2013 NASA 3064 980 481 266 135 4926 32 0 6 4 2014 3077 3077 1091 283 7655 49 8 4 18 2014 39 NN9K__ Pete E ae 307 859 26 1 3 23 2012 Ww CO 4015 4 NX4W _ Lloyd 1228 3077 1365 554 396 162 5554 36 1 26 2014 44 WONAC Matt 1862 3077 2856 2034 1180 9689 63 0 31 2014 45 W3DLM_ Don F 359 3077 2390 298 101 5921 38 5 46 W3ZUH _ Dick 3077 2048 11 2 Ess 5138 33 4 12 4 2013 47 W4IHI__ Ga F 0 0 0 48 WASIG Kerry JE E 414 3 2 N8CIJ i 3077 3049 887 515 7915 7 5 F EE 0 0 49f Ww4YDY Dave 1115 3077 3077 1258 624 414 8450 54 9 8 27 2014 Ss SOIWSOE Rick mE a 3077 2846 746 404 7407 48 1 8 20 2014 51 W6RK_ Risto Te 0 0 0
11. Setup Instructions and General Information http www tigertronics com windows 7 htm Note recommend that you initially set up your mobile computer at a fixed location with a fast internet connection You will need to be connected to the internet for any of the links in this article to work further recommend that you download ALL of the files listed above for later use when you install Fidigi You should also PRINT out all the manuals for use when you have no internet connection How To Connect Your Hardware Here is a simple diagram for the new mobile installation am using for an example Vehicle Main Battery IC 7000 G To IC 7000 Remote Head Main Body E EA WE Sech es ES dt SS m 14 073 es H wi SR Computer Tray Laptop Not Shown Car Radio DC gt DC e Converter Lighted Power Switch Coax Common Mode N Pe H Choke Trunk Lip Hamstick Antenna 20M After you have ALL the hardware you need and have physically mounted attached the major items to your vehicle follow the steps below to connect everything If you already have an existing fixed or mobile station and just need to modify your setup skip or modify any steps that don t apply 1 Install the Comet Antenna Mount on the left side of the trunk lid making sure that the pointed set screws make firm contact with bare metal Now is also a good time to use short battery cables to electrically bypass both trunk lid hinges to the
12. ach one you add plus a single Breedlove Quick Disconnect Cap Model 031 All the Breedlove parts can be ordered online from https breedlovemounts com All the other parts are available online from Ham Radio Outlet at Http www hamradio com Using these parts for a single band 20M antenna will cost about 125 Adding Hamsticks and parts for two additional bands would bring your total cost up to a total near 200 The recommended antenna setup above is only one solution from hundreds offered by ham suppliers and certainly not the most efficient For example many county hunters use Hustler parts to assemble a short 8 feet or so vertical antenna with multiple resonators at the top end Many different mountings are also used For excellent detailed information on antennas and antenna mounts refer you to the KOBG site which can be reached at this link http www k bg com The articles on this site are packed with sage advice and a wealth of other topics covered in detail Ultimately the decision on what to use is up to you Just remember almost any antenna will work for digital operations It s just a matter of how well they work for the price and convenience when changing bands frequencies 3 Interface Again possible choices here are many Although it is a bit dated now covered most interface choices in detail in Digital Happenings 11 If you don t already have an interface on hand that you wish to use still re
13. at they do and which function key activates them 4 Re configure Fidigi to reflect your new QTH county line 5 Have your rig all tuned up and ready to go on 20M digital 6 Set your radio dial to the next even KHz below the nominal frequency on which you will operate For example if you are setting up to run on the normal county hunter frequency of 14075 0 KHz then set your radio dial to 14 0740 MHz and your waterfall offset to 1000 Hz Check that this frequency is clear and move the offset up or down as necessary to avoid interfering with others Limit your offset changes to 500 Hz on the low side and 1500 Hz on the high side This will keep you in the sweet spot for your sound card If you need to move more than 500 Hz change your radio dial setting up or down by 001 MHz Note True frequencies above 14 0755 MHz will probably encroach on JT 65 operations so move down from 14 0750 MHz if you must move 7 After you are set on a clear frequency Lock it by clicking on the Lk button on the lower right portion of your Fidigi main screen This will allow you to fine tune your receive frequency without changing your transmit frequency Remember you will need to re lock your transmit frequency after each mode change 8 Press function key F 1 to send out your first CQ If you are using my macros it will look like this CQ CQ COUNTYHUNTERS DE KJ5PQ KG5UZ M IN Custer Fremont CO WHO NEEDS PSE KN Repeat CQ calls as
14. boot up your computer to a normal desktop am assuming that you have configured your computer exactly the way you want it earlier and that all Microsoft updates are current 2 Turn all controls on your SignaLink fully CCW Then turn its power switch ON and verify by checking the green LED ON You should see Windows automatically install the SignaLink hardware driver Go to Device Manager and verify that the Sound video and game controllers item lists a USB Audio CODEC device and that it is working properly Return to your desktop 4 Install Fidigi by executing the setup exe file downloaded earlier you do NOT need to install flarq when asked After installation a Wizard will guide you through the initial default setup Either fill in the requested information like call sign etc or accept the suggested default settings Again read the Fldigi install instructions before doing the install 5 After finishing the Fldigi install menu down to Configure Sound Card Audio Devices screen and check that your Fldigi configuration screen matches the one below exactly and Save it Operator UI Waterfall Modems Rig Audio ID Misc Web Autostart Devices Settings Right channel Wav Capture Microphone USB Audio CODEC PortAudio Playback Speakers USB Audio CODEC File I O only Restore defaults 6 Run through the complete Wind
15. commend that you buy a SignaLink USB interface manufactured by Tigertronics My reasons for recommending the SignaLink USB box were covered in detail in Digital Happenings 11 if you wish to review them but everyone know who have used the SignaLink have been pleased It is simple small good for mobile use inexpensive requires no special power source powered through USB connection and is very easy to setup and connect recommend that you order your unit direct from Tigertronics by phone 1 800 822 9722 or 541 474 6700 In addition to the unit itself you will also need the correct cable to connect to your model transceiver Also for a small additional cost recommend that you order the Plug amp Play Jumper Module for your radio This module will save loads of time and avoid errors when doing manual jumper connections When using some radios there are as many as 3 different connection ports you can use For example most ICOM radios have both a13 pin and an 8 pin Accessory jack on the rear panel as well as an 8 pin round microphone jack on the front Any of these can be used but each has their own advantages disadvantages The Tigertronics sales people are very familiar with the in s and out s for connecting to your model radio and can advise you on which choice is right for your situation However if you have a choice recommend that you opt to use the data connection If you wish to use this interface
16. ction is showing back the TX control down a bit until the ALC indication just disappears 11 Click again on the Eldo Tune button to toggle the radio back to Receive Mode Your rig will now be set for the maximum undistorted digital signal you can expect out of a 100W PEP transceiver From this point on use only the SignaLink TX control to adjust RF power output Re configure Fidigi amp Load Macros For County Hunting Ops Almost all county hunter digital operations require the use of macros Also even though the default settings for Fldigi usually work just fine you will probably need to customize them to suite your personal situation Once again your Flidigi manual is the final authority on both macros and Fldigi configuration but offer two short cuts that you may wish to consider using The first short cut will install a base set of Fldigi macros in your computer that are nearly identical to what Sharon and use for both mobile and fixed operations both as a team and just a single operator Naturally you will need to modify or even ignore some of these macros to fit your own circumstances The second shortcut will quickly set your Eldo software configuration to match what we use Both of these short cuts may save you a lot of time and effort compared to starting from scratch Eldo stores macros with an mdf file extension in the following default folder C users lt Your Name gt fldigi files macros When you first install F
17. l probably need to mount and connect a small speaker to the speaker jack on your transceiver 10 Lastly run a short heavy ground strap from the IC 7000 ground point on right end of rear panel to a nearby grounding point on the vehicle body sometimes seat rail hold down bolts can be used effectively How To Configure Your Hardware amp Software Before you initiate a Smoke Test make sure that all equipment power switches are in the OFF position Then insert both 50A fuses in the in line fuse holders near the main battery lead first If nothing smokes verify that 12VDC battery voltage with correct polarity is present at the power junction point Power Pole strip Then perform the following steps 1 Disconnect the Antenna feed line at the radio and connect the feed line to an antenna analyzer of some kind MFJ 259 etc Mount your 20M Hamstick and adjust its stinger for resonance minimum SWR at 14 075 MHz Note We are optimizing the antenna for digital and CW use If you also wish to use your rig on 20M SSB net frequency 14 336 MZ you may need to compromise by tuning it to 14 200 MHz and accept higher SWR at both desired frequencies Or you could buy two 20M Hamsticks and optimize each for one of the two desired frequencies and switch antennas as needed After tuning your antenna re connect the feed line to the IC 7000 and check for proper RF power output Turn the computer power supply ON and
18. ldigi there will only be one macro file in this folder macros mdf As you edit and add new macro files they are saved in this same macros folder with different file names but all will have an mdf file extension How to create and use macros was previously covered in Digital Happenings 4 so won t go into more detail here As you modify Fldigi settings your entire new configuration is saved in the file fldigi_def xml This file is located in the C users lt Your Name gt fldigi files folder Please follow the steps below if you wish to take advantage of these short cuts 1 Insure that the Fldigi program is NOT running 2 Download the file WWONAC Macro Set zip using this link https dl dropboxusercontent com u 26171574 Fldigi 20Macros WONAC 20Macro 20Set zip and move and unzip it in the C users lt Your Name gt fidigi files macros folder After doing this you will find 7 new macros for you to modify and play with their names pretty much describe what each macro would be used for 2 Browse to the folder C users lt Your Name gt fldigi files and rename the file dot det ml to fldigi_def old xml Download the new file fldigi_def xml into the C users lt Your Name gt fldigi files folder using the link https d dropboxusercontent com u 26171574 Flidigix20Config 20Files fldigi det vm 2 Start the Fldigi program and select File Macros Open from the main menu
19. licking on the following link https dl dropboxusercontent com u 26171574 Happenings 5 20Mode 20Update doc Other possible topics for future months include in no particular order More Lesser Well Known Features of Fldigi How to Log Your Digital Contacts in Logger Macros Revisited New Digital Awards Digital Software Installation Revisited If anyone has a story or tip that you wish to contribute will certainly try to include it Short stories describing your experiences joys frustrations in getting started in digital ops would be especially welcome Summaries of any digital trips you make or have made in the past would also be good look forward to hearing from you Don t be shy Please email me with your comments suggestions at wOnac comcast net and don t forget to send your updated status for the USA Digital and 5 Mode Awards so can update the Active Digital County Hunters Award Status list again next month 73 s and we hope to see you on our waterfall again real soon Matt WONAC
20. ows 7 8 Setup Instructions This file is one that you downloaded and printed out earlier but is also available on this link https d l dropboxusercontent com u 26171574 Fldigi20Manuals 20 26 20Files Windows 2 07 20Setup 20Instructions htm 7 With everything ON Tune your radio to 14 070 MHz USB Mode on the dial Set the Fldigi OpMode to BPSK 31 and check that the Squelch is OFF or set very low Then slowly turn up the RX control on the SignaLink box You should see noise begin to appear on the waterfall in addition to signals from casual PSK 31 contacts Tune to a signal by clicking on top of its trace on the waterfall and you should see their conversation start to decode in the receive window 8 Setting digital signal output level is next First adjust the RF Power Output level control to 100 Full up and leave it there Tune your radio dial to about 14 074 MHz and tune to a clear spot on the waterfall If available set your radio to show both Power Out and ALC action 9 lt x Click on the Fldigi Tune button upper right on Fldigi screen and check that both the red SignaLink PTT light comes on and that the transmit light on your transceiver is ON 10 Slowly turn up the TX control on the SignaLink box and watch your transceiver for an increase in RF power out Keep increasing the TX control until you just start showing a little ALC action or 40 W power output is reached whichever comes first If any ALC a
21. ppenings 1 through 24 can be downloaded by clicking on the following link https dl dropboxusercontent com u 26171574 Happenings DIGITAL 20HAPPENINGS 20 231 24 zip Then of course there are always the various manuals which real hams never read that you can consult if you get stuck In writing this How To article trust that you will have all the relevant manuals at hand maybe printed out Further into this article will provide a list of the manuals use with links that you can use to download them Almost inevitably you will need to adapt or just ignore many of these steps to fit your own particular situation This will be especially true if you need to use existing hardware transceiver or interface that is different from what recommend here If you ever reach a point where you are truly stuck just contact me and will be happy to help you out My email address is wOnac comcast net and my home phone number is 303 799 3658 How To Obtain Needed Hardware 1 Basic Transceiver Even though this article assumes use of the ICOM IC 7000 transceiver in a new mobile installation almost any brand of transceiver can be adapted for digital use so your existing fixed or mobile rig station transceiver will very likely work just fine All you need to do is have the correct cable s and a properly configured interface s on hand If you currently have both a fixed rig and a mobile setup it will be easier if both t
22. r manual text will be sent first Then any text associated with the macro will be sent next For example if you use function key F 12 only your manually typed text will be sent How A Typical Mobile Team Digital Would Put Out A County Line For this example we will assume that the mobile team s call signs are KJSPQ KG5UZ M Except for only using a single call sign putting out counties as a single operator is very similar Also many of the details in the previous example remain the same so these won t be repeated 1 Getting spotted is crucial for success If you have wide area internet data coverage try to spot yourselves on your favorite spotting site or ask for spotting help off frequency after completing a SSB run on the net You can also monitor Logger spots for your own needs If you have no internet data capability at all you will have to rely on other fixed stations monitoring 14 075 MHz to spot you but a published trip plan can also help a lot 2 For maximum efficiency plan on running county lines when possible Although two operators may be able to put out counties on the fly using digital modes it is very difficult to do safely For a single operator driver consider it impossible Even though it reduces the total miles you can cover in a reasonable day recommend that all your digital runs be made while parked 3 Especially for your first run review in your mind which macros you may use during the run wh
23. ransceivers are the same model but even if they are different this situation can be handled For a mobile rig transceiver size and weight become important considerations The following models immediately come to mind ICOM IC 706 MKII ICOM IC 7000 and YAESU 857 All of these radios are small and have remoteable control heads This How To assumes use of the IC 7000 but any of the other two will work just fine If funds are limited you might even consider moving a single radio and its digital interface back and forth between your mobile and fixed stations Doing this would require a lot of ingenuity and be inconvenient but it would certainly save a lot of money 2 Antenna For digital operations any antenna that works well on the lower portion of the 20M band 14 000 14 150 MHz will cover 90 of your needs Having 17M 30M and 40M capability will probably cover 99 of the rest Also if you wish to operate SSB and CW in addition to digital most do this will also affect your choices and costs For mobile digital use you will probably end up with a electrically shortened 1 4 A vertical mono pole of some kind If you are starting from scratch recommend that you consider using a 20M Hamstick MFJ 1620T mounted with a Breedlove Quick Disconnect Model 032 on a Comet Model HD5 3 8 24 Trunk Lip Mount If you wish to add Hamsticks for other bands you will need additional Breedlove Antenna Packs Model 032 for e
24. t the power supply to your computer Then attach the appropriate connector to the 12 VDC power leads and connect to your power distribution strip Note You will need to wire a lighted power switch into this cable to turn the power supply off when not in use because the junction point it connects to will be hot at all times Mount this switch where it is easily see by the driver use the front edge of the computer tray If not yet done remove the SignaLink from its case and install the jumper module or configure the internal jumpers Carefully double check everything before closing the case Reading the Signalink instructions is crucial for successfully completing this step Connect the SignaLink provided USB cable to the SignaLink box and to a USB port on your computer 8 Plug the SignaLink provided transceiver cable into the rear of the SignaLink box and the other end into the appropriate connector socket on your transceiver Note For some transceivers you may need to connect two cables if the transceiver has a separate Push To Talk connector Again read your SignaLink instructions carefully and cross check against your transceiver manual Using a Stereo male to Mono female adapter on one end of a shielded Mono audio cable plug the adapter into your Vehicle AUX input jack Plug the other end into the Speaker jack on the rear of the IC 7000 Note If your vehicle doesn t have an AUX connector for the audio system you wil
25. u can find excellent instructions on Wiring amp Grounding by clicking on the following link http www k bg com wiring html The only thing can add is that radio installation shops like Car Toys are a convenient source for heavy duty flexible wire large in line fuse holders and such If you talk nice they may also do custom wiring of mobile equipment to your specifications This custom work is expensive but their expertise is often worth the cost especially when you need to penetrate the vehicle firewall with heavy power cables and avoid airbags etc One caution however Auto sound installers will almost always try to have you let them use the vehicle body for the negative power return Don t let them Insist on using a cable Same size as the positive power lead for the negative power return Also fuse both cables near where they connect to the main vehicle battery It is best if you can avoid using any of the vehicle wiring for powering any Ham equipment This includes not using the 12V accessory sockets For convenience and safety recommend that when mobile you mount your laptop netbook computer as opposed to just setting it loose on the passenger side seat or passenger s lap Hams have shown their ingenuity through the years by designing many custom computer mounts but if you are fresh out of good ideas check out the following web sites for possible solutions a http Awww rammount com Products LaptopMounts tabid 1510 Defa
26. u know when a mobile is out there 2 Have your rig all tuned up and ready to go on 20M digital 3 Set your Fidigi mode to match theirs mobiles usually start their runs on PSK 64 4 Set your radio dial to the next even KHz below the mobiles frequency that will require an offset of 500 Hz or more For example if the mobile is spotted on a true frequency of 14074 8 KHz set your radio dial to 14 0740 MHz and look for the mobile s signal trace near 800 Hz offset on your waterfall If they are spotted on a true frequency of 14074 1 KHz set your radio dial to 14 0730 MHz and look for the mobile s signal near 1100 Hz offset on your waterfall 5 Fine tune on the waterfall trace until the mobiles transmissions are decoding as cleanly as possible 6 When you see the mobiles call sign properly decoded and not imbedded in garbage double click on it and Fidigi will place their call sign into the lt Call gt buffer If you can t see their call clearly on the screen but you know who it is you can click in the Call box near top left of the Fidigi main screen and type their call N6PDB M in manually 7 After the mobile has sent out a CQ County Hunters call or when they have completed their current contact press function key F 9 to send your call sign This macro will automatically turn on your transmitter send your call sign 3 times then switch your transmitter back OFF 8 If the mobile decodes your call they will send back something
27. ult aspx b http Awww bracketron com universal vehicle laptop mount c http www mobiledesk com There are many other sites available if you Google mobile laptop computer mounts 6 Miscellaneous Parts Among the extra parts you will need are various RF chokes also called split beads to suppress common mode RF from radiating from wires cables and coax in your vehicle Again the KOBG web site http Awww k0bg com will provide you with essentially all the information you need on these devices and where to get them Note as a general rule place RF chokes at both ends of all cables and wires winding 3 4 turns through the window The one exception to this rule is that both ends of the heavy leads connecting to the main vehicle battery need not be suppressed Also there is a Radio Shack Snap Together Toroid Choke Core Catalog 273 104 that have used with good results in the past for RF suppression You can get it at your local Radio Shack store or order it online at http www radioshack com Here is what it looks like The reasons that recommend using this part are that it has proved to be very effective at HF frequencies and that the large snap together window allows you to wrap multiple turns of large wire audio cables and even RG 8X size coax for maximum RF suppression Its design also allows you to wrap multiple turns while the wire cable is still connected at both ends Pretty neat How To Obtain Needed
28. vehicle body In most cases you can place the cable lugs under the existing hinge bolts but if not use your ingenuity Route the coax to your transceiver antenna connector but try to form a 3 or 4 turn coil about 4 to 6 inches in diameter near the antenna mount using excess coax Clamp 2 or 3 Radio Shack RF chokes with all turns of the coax passing through the choke windows Space the chokes evenly around the coil and use cable ties to get everything out of the way Route and connect the Remote Head cable to the Remote Head and the transceiver main body Route heavy 8 minimum Red amp Black cables through the engine firewall Many times you can use existing firewall grommets but avoid all sharp metal edges that could cause a short circuit if they cut into the cables Connect one end of both cables directly to the main battery with in line fuses 50 A in both leads located near the battery leave the fuses out for now Route the power leads inside the vehicle to a junction point near your transceiver body where you can attach the radio and computer power supply cables If you really want to do things right use a Power Pole junction strip get a strip with extra connections so you can power new devices in the future and connect everything up using Power Pole connectors Connect the fused transceiver power leads to the power junction shortening them as much as practical With your computer and its DC DC power supply mounted connec
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