Soundcards and the SignaLink USB (

Here's a look at soundcard history in ham radio and also a deeper dive into the SignaLink USB from Tigertronics. See tigertronics.com/.
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[@mikeoswald8053]

A great teacher is a story teller. You sir, are an ausome story teller! The where from, why to, and how to, all flows into the lucky viewers ears and sight. Thank you so much. So much. '73

[@Blake-jl8lh]

What I love about your videos compared to a lot of other ones is your tendency to really explain why while also explaining what

[@tinkerbob6739]

Dave, thank you so much for your clean, concise, and in-depth videos.

[@jimsmith1166]

Thanks Dave for this interesting history and explanation of the Signalink. I've ordered one and am looking forward to trying digital. I hope to put it together with a Pi 4b for portable and ARES communications. I enjoy all your videos. Keep up the good work!!

[@rollandmason5596]

Great video Dave. The Signalink solved all my digital mode problems back in the day. Still use it with my older radios. Just buy the cable kits needed per model. And my 7300 has all included...what wonderful developments are in these new rigs...hi hi.

[@bobblum5973]

Nice info! I grew up through that time period and knew electronics, but was never a ham. So it was good to see the details about how the ham gear evolved along the way, too. Thanks!

[@thelongislandguy]

Great video, Dave. I wish you had taken a moment to explain the knobs on the front panel though.

[@earlrichardet2102]

Thanks Dave, even though I've been using the signalink product for many years, I still learned a couple of things. Thanks for providing this detailed video. 73 VE7QJ

[@mlstanley1956]

Another excellent presentation Mr. Dave! Thank you! ~Matt (KK7MLS)

[@danshankle]

ALWAYS Great material, Dave! Its a Miracle when something is presented in such a manner that I can understand. Have learned so much from you! Thank you for your work!

[@lylemichael5113]

instablaster...

[@glenmartin2437]

Thank you, David. That helped me sort out SignaLink and sound cards. N0QFT

[@stratablaster1967]

Great video. You packed in a lot of information. I use my signal link USB with a 2 m radio. We do digital nets in my area usually once a week. I use a 2 m radio shack mobile which fits perfectly into the optical drive slot of a computer tower. I have a 12 volt power supply in the computer case and a speaker with a tweeter that I got from a boombox. Placed a switch on it to kill the speaker when I want to and I can use the setup with any laptop or Windows computer I want to. I even put a SWR meter on the front of it and a voltage meter to make sure my voltage was good. It's an awesome setup that is great to take out for portable uses. All you need is any sort of decent vertical antenna. I have a picture available of the unit if you like.

[@ki5cdfmatthew924]

Thank you Dave.

[@stridermt2k]

Thanks for this video, Dave. It's a great explanation. I built my own digi-comms adapter to use with my Xiegu G90. All I did was plug a USB sound device and the G90'S USB cat control cable into a USB hub to combine them into one USB cable. When it worked I de-cased and de-connectored the devices, wiring them directly to the USB hub and the G90's DIN cable for the audio connections. This setup has worked so well that I recently added a USB GPS dongle as well. 73 de N2NLQ

[@BruceNitroxpro]

Michael Thompson , A complete and interesting comment!

[@pedrocatalan9814]

Hello Dave. Thanks for the video. One of the reasons that I did not buy a signalink, is that it does not provide computer control of the radio. That's why I ended up with a Rigblaster Advantage. It does everything that the signalink does, plus it provides CI-V or CAT control of the radio, and CW keying. I used this extensively with my IC-7000 and IC-706. Those are long gone, and both my IC-7300 and Kenwood SG-590Mk2 have internal sound cards and CAT control with the USB. The IC-7300 even allows keying CW via USB, without the need for an external keyer. My rigblaster is still working, but now does duty on VHF/UHF for soundcard packet with Winlink attached to my IC-5100. BTW, your signalink will do the same on VHF/UHF FM!

[@reidtillery2856]

Thanks, Dave.

[@Subgunman]

I bought some jumper headers with caps for use with the jumper settings. I have one for my SGC2020 and one for my 857. Each plugin header is clearly marked for which radio I choose. Its now basically plug and play for switching between rigs.

[@schizzultz]

Thank you sir. Much appreciated info

[@paulsherman7031]

Great introduction!

[@barnard-baca]

Very informative, as usual

[@gerrypaquette3308]

Great presentation Dave, thanks a bunch 73 de VE2AW

[@ReedAB8AS]

Nice Video. Good Info. ThanksDave.

[@kd5you1]

This is very informative video. I have used my Signalink USB on Winlink VARA and ARDOP as well as VARA on FM. One thing I would like to add is that the Speaker jack on the back is connected via a cable to the radio's speaker jack in case there is no speaker audio on the microphone jack. If you have a radio with the 6 pin mini DIN plug then the Speaker jack on the Signalink USB isn't used. On a side note, I have a Soundblaster sound card that is USB as well, and I use it on my Echolink node. 73 KD5YOU

[@Hungry_Hunter]

Ass Dave I love it! Great stuff 👌

[@lyfandeth]

Simplest way to make an RJ45 cable if you have no crimper: Buy a 6-10' long ethernet cable, cut it in half. Now you just have to solder on the radio cable, and you can make up cables for radios.

[@FjHenderson]

Had to get a new potentiometer for the one knob on my older signalink, a wire going into the board broke on it. I myself prefer the older signalink to the newer versions. The newer ones have controls to work easier with the new computers software.

[@mikehosken4328]

Apple did have an open interface system long before the IBM came out. Invented by WA6BND. I still run my tnc on one.

[@denniscornell2747]

Thanks Dave. What about doing one on the mfj-1234?

[@saltire546]

Great video Dave , my issue is that my laptop wont work with fldigi ect ect just says no soundcard but it obviously has because i listen to music on it . But my 7300 apperently has an inbuilt soundcard so i will try and see if fldigi ect will work when i plug in the radio and i have downloaded the drivers from Icom .

[@CharlieTrevaskis]

Very informative video! Thanks! I have an ft-891. The signalink can’t do a “true” fsk, only afsk. Do you think that’s a problem with modern radios? It seems like you can key fsk via one of the usb interfaces through cat control, but can’t decode that way. I got my general license recently and am just trying to get into digital mode and trying to decide how to get started.

[@cmritchie04]

@22:00 What would happen if someone made a carrier light circuit, where you put the led you add a relay as the push to talk... would it work?

[@kevinj8258]

Had a signalink years ago original version. There was a factory flaw in the internal sound chip that is known on the original signalink. Something about input levels being too large and overdriving it being too easy. That was ten years ago.

[@bobblum5973]

A minor correction: the IBM architecture was open in 1981, before the Apple Macintosh in 1984 had closed instead. But my Apple ][+ from 1979 has open architecture, before either of those; so open that the schematic is in the book that came with it. I'm mentioning it just to be thorough, no complaints about the rest of the info provided! 🙂👍

[@DominicMazoch]

On the IC746Pro, if you attach the SL to the back of rig port, make sure you puch the SSB or FM button so the letter D schoew up. If not, the 746 will not "see" the input.

[@therealwolfspidertoo]

I used a Kam ➕. I still have it. Good old packet radio...

[@georgealbertacanadaeh1038]

Another great video! You are an amazing teacher! Watching the video about the signa link am wondering I were to purchase an older radio such as the FT-757GX would the signa link work with this type radio to communicate in digital modes such as FT8? George Alberta Canada -35c 01/01/22 Happy New Year! And thank you so much for all your work.

[@davecasler]

Yes, that's its specialty.

[@TEN-TIMES-HARDER]

dude, holy sound blast kings quest flux cap lmao, all the # 10x, the comodor cid chip from the 80's was last and only anlaog sound chip, and sonud cards ars still a thing in high end computers,

[@sincerelyyours7538]

Very interesting, Dave. I've been looking for a way to try digital modes but my radio, a Kenwood TS-830s, is too old to have a digital input. Will the SignaLink device work on my radio through its 4-pin microphone jack? What about the Remote jack, which is normally used with a linear amplifier? (The radio is new to me so I'm not very familiar with it yet). Thanks for your time in answering these newbie questions!

[@mikewilliams-dj7pd]

I use it on my 830 thru the mic jack works great , psk31 rtty and ft8

[@batica81]

When choosing a soundcard for radio purposes it is very important that it has good driver support, meaning that is user friendly! Most studio quality soundcards have very strange driver software that is hard to understand and use. Also, tinkering with virtual audio cables and such is no fun at all. So having a dedicated device like this one may be a good idea.

[@XE1GXG]

Does it come pre-wired (jumpers) for the model of radio one specifies?

[@jkbish1]

I have a signalink and after using it for several months something odd happened. Both red and green lights stay on. Obviously, it no longer works in that situation. Is there anything I can do to fix it or is the device just toast?

[@edwardsiclari9235]

Hi Dave, I have an old vacuum tube Drake TR-4C transceiver. It's been maintained well and works well. No problems for a vintage 1970's era radio. My question is, can the Signalink USB be made to interface with my Drake TR-4C? Thanks, Ed KA2AHE.

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Dave, Very informative video. Tigertronics also makes available plug and play jumper modules that plug into that dip socket if you don't want to manually wire the internal jumpers. How is your mouth healing? Are you on solid foods now? Stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@chrissewell1608]

Those are the pre-made (to individual radio models / brands) jumper chips. They work very well. I have 2 sets, both for Yaesu radios. One is for an older and one newer radio. Plus the wiring harnesses to connect to the different radios.

[@gfmucci]

Is there any benefit to using the Signalink with a radio like the IC-7100 that already has a built in soundcard to use with Winlink?

[@johng7rwf419]

A very interesting potted history... Thank you.

[@easydogeasydog3225]

Dave, I have a Yaesu FT-847 radio, and I am trying to run fldigi cw mode. What is the best and easiest way to connect an audio port to the computer so the software will reconize the radio. there is a six pin packet plug on the back of the radio, would I connect this socket to computer via a usb cable and usb connector? I have not been able to configure fldgi sound card on computer due to the fact I keep getting a port audio device not available error. I am guessing this is the cause, but to be honest, not really sure. there is also an external spearker plug on the back of the radio, don't know if I could use that, but I tought that might mute the radio. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. your channel is very informative, thanks in advance for any assistance you may offer. all the best Regards Derek

[@donaldsmith3048]

I use my with my 5 watt hand held 2M FM to do Winlink FM.

[@forgetyourlife]

Why is an FTDX-3000 up there ready to fall off the shelf?

[@seabound1350]

Thank you for a great vid! One question I have is if I have a soundcard in the radio (ic7300), is it still advantageous to use signalink? Better transmission quality maybe?

[@pedrocatalan9814]

No. There is no advantage. I use the USB on my 7300 with great success, and I stopped using my Rigblaster Advantage entirely, except for packet on VHF/UHF with my 5100.

[@seabound1350]

@@pedrocatalan9814 Thank you!

[@BruceNitroxpro]

Seabound , JUST the question I had... ROFL the key word is "advantageous!" de KQ2E

[@douglaswilliams6834]

No need to remove the back plate of the SignaLink. Once you remove the front plate, the entire unit slides out. 73 de WB4DW

[@Gday2016]

I'd like to know ow to setup sound level.

[@solarnewbee7868]

CAN A FT8900R RADIO BE USED FOR DIGITAL MODE ON ECHOLINK

[@georgealbertacanadaeh1038]

What about a virtual sound cable link?

[@chrissewell1608]

I have read or seen, where someone has hooked their inexpensive Baofeng, Handi Talkie, to one of those USB Sound card, dongles, then connected it to their lap top PC. (I think for use with APRS?) I want to try the same rig, for use with EchoLink software. So I can run an Echolink station, anywhere. And be able to use it over the air, via another H.T. I am just not sure about the PTT, yet. If anyone has done this, let me know!

[@BruceNitroxpro]

Tell the truth, I didn't know ALL about this interesting subject! LOL That's what is interesting about this channel! de KQ2E

[@michaelk5mskaustintexasusa334]

There's not much to these new "sound card" devices. Looking at the data sheets and schematics, they are all very similar. Even the SignaLink schematic looks very much like the data sheet application notes for the TI PCM2904 chip. The "extra" circuitry, which makes it somewhat unique, appears to mostly be for the push-to-talk function and based on the PIC 16F676.

[@rfmonkey4942]

got 7 rigs with 7 sound-card usb on a pc works well

[@frankbaron1608]

in this day and age you'de think they'd replace the need to use jumpers with software configurarion

[@hamradioattitude9712]

much tnks for very good info. 73 wb3dsj

[@pixeluser8243]

Aha, that's where ''hum radio operator' comes from.

[@pedromorillas6535]

You are supposed to be flying..l

[@herrwabbaloo937]

Dang, Dave, is there anything you DON’T know? :-)

[@reddkite1]

excellent Dave. I wonder if you could help me with some information, can the signalink work with icom IC-746 pro to work wsjtx or ham radio deluxe (ft8) this is mick 2e0dvu. thanks.

[@vk4foo]

Good tute teach, GB Mate. sTePhEn - FOO WAS HERE