fldigi - tmra - toledo mobile radio associationwhy fldigi (fast light digital)? 1. free 2. works...

Fldigi Fast Light Digital

Workshop

February 14, 2015

Maumee, Ohio

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What we will cover Session 1 (Today)

1. Hardware needed

2. Software needed

3. Hardware installation

4. Software installation

5. Software configuration

6. Transmitting and receiving digitally

Session 2 - Date TBD

1. NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software)

2. Flwrap

3. Flmsg

4. Modes – when to use

5. Logging with fldigi

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What do you need?

• Transceiver for the band desired

• Laptop/Desktop with sound card

Sound card may be part of the interface hardware

• Hardware interface between computer and radio

Not required if acoustically coupled

• Software – Readily available & most are free

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What do you need to receive? You do not need an interface

Typically 1/8” stereo audio cable or computer mic

RadioShackModel: 42-2387 $14.99

Software - fldigi

Computer & Receiver/Transceiver/Scanner

1/8” stereo phone plug audio cable

Mic In Spkr Out

Acoustic Coupling

or

Mic In

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Computer

Built in

Microphone Speaker Out

No Interface Radio

Built in

Speakers Microphone

Simple – Acoustic Coupling – Transmit and Receive

Simplest, but least reliable

Receive

Transmit

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Simple – Acoustic Coupling – Transmit and Receive

Manual Control

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1. Four or Five cables

2. Soundcard is not designed around

communications

3. Other programs can change sound card settings

4. May need to change sound card settings to run

other programs

Using the computer soundcard

Most Computers: Desktop = Line in/Line Out

Laptops = Mic in/Headphone

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Computer

Mic/Line In

USB Port

Spkr Out

Interface Transceiver

Headphone/

Line Out

Audio In

Serial In

Mic Out Mic/Data In

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Interface without a built-in soundcard

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$160

Interface without a built-in soundcard

Rigblaster Plus

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Cable – Mic or data USB Cable

Interface with a built-in soundcard

http://www.tigertronics.com/

Tigertronics SignalLinkUSB $110

Additional Mono Cable –

Used with radios that do not have Receive Audio on the Mic jack.

If you connect to your radio's Data or Accessory Port, not needed

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Signalink to Radio Cables

SignaLink USB Part Numbers (please specify when ordering):

SLUSB4R - For 4-Pin Round Mic Connector

SLUSB8R - For 8-Pin Round Mic Connector

SLUSBRJ1 - For RJ-11 Mic Connector

SLUSBRJ4 - For RJ-45 Mic Connector

SLUSB5PD - For 5-pin DIN Data / Accessory Port Connector

SLUSB8PD - For 8-pin DIN Data / Accessory Port Connector

SLUSB13I - For ICOM 13-pin DIN Accessory Port Connector

SLUSB13K - For Kenwood 13-pin DIN Accessory Port Connector

SLUSB6PM - For 6-pin mini DIN Data / Accessory Port Connector

SLUSBK3 - For the Elecraft K3's rear panel Audio In/Out & PTT jacks

SLUSBKX3 - For the Elecraft KX3's Mic and Phones jacks

SLUSBHTW - For various Baofeng, Wouxun and Kenwood HTs including the UV-5R,

KG-UV6D, TH-F6A and TH-F7E (click here for a complete list of supported radios)

SLUSBHTY - For various Yaesu HTs including the FT-60R and VX-8GR (click here for

a complete list of supported radios)

SLUSBNC - Un-terminated cable (bare wires on radio end) for building your own cable

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How does one interface work with many radios?

1. Radio specific cable (specify radio when purchasing)

2. User installed jumpers (or jumper module)

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The Software

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Why fldigi (fast light digital)?

1. Free

2. Works with all modes (PSK, MT63, Olivia, etc.)

3. Easily configured (macro, looks, etc)

4. Constantly upgraded to match emcomm

requirements

5. Designed to handle most/all message forms

6. It’s what the rest of us use

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Where to find it

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www.w1hkj.com/download.html

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Installing The Software

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1. Right click on each of the 3 programs and save

to the desktop

2. From the desktop, run each setup program

Takes 5 minutes total

Break for software installation

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The fldigi screen

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Receive Text Area

Waterfall

Transmit Text Area Macros

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Setting up the software

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Configure>Operator

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Configure>Operator

18 Save then Close KC8TVW 2015

Configure>UI>Macros

19 Save then Close KC8TVW 2015

The fldigi screen

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Waterfall

RxID will change modes if sending

station has TxID turned on

Tune will send a “homing” signal until

turned off

TxID will transmit mode being used

Receive Audio Level

Black>Green>Yellow>Red

Good>----------------->Too High

Adjusting RF Gain may help

AFC – Leave off

SQL – Squelch

If on, adjust vertical slider

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Setting up the software

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Op Mode

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Modes

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Digital Modes

Olivia 8-500

MT63-1000

BPSK31

RTTY

Contesia 4-250

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2 Meter Band FM: 145.55

2 Meter Band SSB: 144.144

6 Meter Band: 50.125

10 Meter Band: 28.110 - 28.125 Mhz

12 Meter Band: 24.920 - 24.930 Mhz

15 Meter Band: 21.060 - 21.080 Mhz

17 Meter Band: 18.100 - 18.110 Mhz

20 Meter Band: 14.060 - 14.080 Mhz

30 Meter Band: 10.130 - 10.145 Mhz

40 Meter Band: 7.035, 7.070 Mhz

80 Meter Band: 3.620 - 3.640 Mhz

Where to find PSK31

USB

Note: Some radios have digital specific modes. ie D-USB

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7.000 to 7.300 MHz - 40 Meters www.qsl.net/sp9hzx/bandplan.html

7.000-7.020 CW DX Window simplex or split

7.030 IOTA CW Calling Frequency

7.030-7.040 Hellschreiber (USB)

7.035-7.040 BPSK31 (ITU Regions 1 & 3)

7.035-7.045 RTTY (ITU Regions 1 & 3)

7.039 JT65A (USB)

7.039 Hellschreiber (USB)

7.040 RTTY DX

7.040 QRP Calling Frequency (Region 2)

7.070-7.075 BPSK31 (Region 2)

7.076 JT65A (USB)

7.080 RTTY (Region 2)

7.084 Hellschreiber (USB Region 1)

7.075-7.100 SSB Calling Simplex or split

7.100-7.200 SSB (Region 1)

7.125-7.300 SSB (Region 2)

7.171 SSTV

7.285 QRP Calling Frequency

7.290 AM Calling Frequency

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Understanding Macro Keys

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Waterfall Anything between <> will run the function

Anything not between <> will simply print/transmit

Left click will run the macro

Right click will allow editing of the macro

Understanding Macro Keys

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Waterfall

To move a function from the right box to the macro

Click on the function

Click on the green arrow

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Understanding Macro Keys

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Waterfall

Create the following macro in the row 1 of macros, number 12 (last one)

Create the following macro in the row 1 of macros, number 11

Note Blank

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Understanding Macro Keys

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Waterfall

Create the following macro in the row 1 of macros, number 10

<TX>

Test <MYCALL>

<ZDT>

<MYCALL> SK

<RX>

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QSO Screen Capture

Screen From Actual QSO - BPSK31 30 KC8TVW 2015

• How much power do I need?

– 10-20% of normal (25 watts is a lot)

• Are there nets available?

– wpanbems

– SATERN

– Local

• 2 Meter Simplex

– 146.40-146.58

– 147.42-147.57

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Etcetera

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No. HF Net Name Day Time-ET HF Frequency Waterfall Mode-1 Mode-2 PL Echolink Contact

1 paNBEMS 80m Net Sunday 10:00am 3.5835mhz 1 khz Olivia 8/500 MT63-1K kb3fxi@yahoo.com

2 paNBEMS 40m Net Sunday 11:00am 7.073mhz 1 khz Olivia 8/500 MT63-1K

3 Satern Net ( Alberta Canada) Mon-Sat 12 pm,6 pm 14.065.00 mhz 1 khz Olivia 16/500

4 Virginia Digital Net (VDN) Nightly 7:15pm Eastern 3.578.5 mhz 1.3 khz Olivia 4/500

5 Ohio ARES / OES HF Digital Net Tuesday 8:00pm 3.580.00 mhz 1 khz Olivia 8/500 MT63-1k nj8bb@ohden.org

6 paNBEMS 80m Net Tuesday 7:30pm 3.5835MHz or 3.5920MHz 1 khz Olivia 8/500 MT63-1K kb3fxi@yahoo.com

7 Maine NBEMS 80m Net Wednesday 6:30pm 3.590 mhz 1 khz Olivia 8/500 MT63-1K kb1tce@belljar.net

8 Ohio Communications NBEMS Net (OCN) Thursday 7:00pm 3.612.5 mhz 1 khz Olivia 8/500 MT63-1k w8ter@bex.net

9 MI Digital Traffic Net Tue,Thu,Sat 8:00pm 3.5830 mhz 1 khz Olivia 8/500

10 Minnisota ARES Digital Net (MN ARES) Thursday 9:00pm 3.583.5 mhz 1 khz Olivia 16/500 wfosler@gmail.com

11 Tri State NBEMS net (PA) Saturday 9:30am 3.9530 mhz 1 khz

12 Chautauqua County ARES Digital Net (NY) Saturday 2:00pm 3.5830 mhz 1 khz Olivia 8/500 MT63-1k k3uk@winlink.org

No. VHF/UHF Net Name Day Time-ET VHF/UHF Frequency Waterfall Mode-1 Mode-2 PL Echolink Contact

13 Midcoast NBEMS VHF Net (ME) Sunday 7:00pm 147.060 mhz 1.5 khz FM Phone MT63-2k 91.5 kb1tce@belljar.net

14 wpaNBEMS UHF Net Sunday 8:00pm 443.450 mhz 1.5 khz FM Phone MT63-2k 100 443450 kb3fxi@yahoo.com

15 CVARC Digital Net (PA) 3rd Sunday 9:30pm 147.120 mhz 1.5 khz FM Phone MT63-2k n/a kb3mun@mcglothin.us

16 Berks County NBEMS Net (PA) Monday 7:00pm 147.180 mhz 1.5 khz FM Phone MT63-2k 110.9 wa3wsj@arrl.net

17 Scott County Training Net (MN) Monday 7:00pm 146.535 mhz 1 khz Olivia 16/500 MT63-2k wb0kon@q.com

18 Toledo Mobile Radio NBEMS Net (OH) Sunday 7:00pm 147.270 mhz linked 442.850 mhz 1.5 khz FM Phone MT63-2k 103.5 w8ter@bex.net

19 SPA NBEMS Net (PA) Tuesday 8-9pm 146.970 mhz 1kz PSK-250 MT63-2k 123 wa3usg@verizon.net

20 NW PA NBEMS Net ( Union City, PA) Wednesday 6:30pm 146.700 mhz Link 147.030 1.5kz MT63-2k MT63-1k 186.2 207-642 frank_henry_erie@msn.com

21 Columbiana County Digital Net (OH) Wednesday 8:30pm 145.510 mhz simplex 1 khz BPSK-125 n/a nn8b.oh@gmail.com

22 Sussex County RACES Digital Net (DE) 1st & 3rd Thu ~8pm 146.425 mhz 1.5 khz MT63-2k n/a kb3pml@yahoo.com

23 Chautauqua Cnty ARES Digital Net-NY Wednesday 8:30pm 146.880 & 146.940 mhz 1 khz FM Phone MT63-2k k3uk@winlink.org

24 Chester County UHF NBEMS Net (PA) Thursday ~8pm 446.175 mhz 1.5 khz FM Phone MT63-2k 100 wb3gck@arrl.net

25 Lebanon Valley Digit. Rndup Net-PA Friday 8-10 pm 146.610 mhz 1 khz BPSK-125 MT63-2k 131.8

REVISED JANUARY 13, 2013

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Questions?

Let’s Have Some Fun

Test our installations

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