Digirig :: a tidy digital modes interface for ham radio

Digirig :: a tidy digital modes interface for ham radio
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[@Liberty4Ever]

I'm still using the two cable solution - a cheap Amazon sound card USB dongle to get audio in and out between the computer and radio, and a simple USB CAT cable. It's inexpensive and reliable but does need two USB ports. The Digirig looks pretty nifty.

[@TheTechPrepper]

I have been running the same setup as you on my FT-818 and 857 for a couple years, but moved to a tablet that only has one USB interface, so this looks like it would offer both CAT and a sound card with one cable. I'm using the DigiLink Nano on my radios (FTM-6000) that don't have CAT control port.

[@chillychurchil5972]

can u share the guide?

[@Liberty4Ever]

@@chillychurchil5972 - There isn't a guide. Maybe go to Amazon and find a USB sound card dongle that works with your operating system with the cable to get the audio into your radio, and a USB CAT control dongle specific to your radio and make sure it has the CAT cable to plug into your radio.

[@chillychurchil5972]

@@Liberty4Ever i have usb sound card but mt ci-v cable not working...will look around again

[@TomV422]

Look forward to your project with the digirig. I have been using mine with build a pi and a G90 for about a year without issue.

[@RookieLock]

Oh, interesting !! Looking forward to seeing what you have planed for it !

[@BalzOnYer4Head]

Have this for my FT-897 and it was literally plug and play. Was on FT8 10m in 2 minutes, five minutes later my first contact was in France, 4500 miles away from QTH. Not that the Digirig helps with distance, but all I had to worry about was my antenna. Highly recommend this if you want to get on HF as a Technician.

[@tahoma6889]

I had an 897 and didn't use any interface, just two cables. I'm curious why this is needed and what benefit it provides?

[@thuff3207]

The best part for me on the Digirig is the cat control. This makes it easy to do digital modes with my KX2. You get a very small solution to work digital. Now if you could operate digital modes from a tablet instead of a computer you would be much smaller.

[@johnratcliffe6438]

You can. Use a MS Surface Pro.

[@steveradloff3499]

I've been using the 1.5 version of the digirig + cables on my Xiegu G90. Works perfectly!!!!

[@thomaspritzel2959]

Nice video Jason. I use the digirig with my Ailunce HD1 using the Baofeng cable. also use it with my X5105, G90 and FT-857D with a dual boot pc stick win11/linux. It is a great little device. Yes the HD1 also triggers the ptt on and off when you pull out the audio cable from the digirig. The digirig also work's with FT8CN. 73 tom n2tcp

[@markg6jvy135]

Nice bit of kit Jason 👍👏👏

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

I have one for an Icom 706 using it for FT-8 and it works great. Check the cables for rig support. I didn't know about its programming capabilities till now.

[@gfdemt917]

Been looking for this review been thinking about getting one

[@timothystockman7533]

I am using a Pi Zero with my digirig. No problems when I reboot; I can leave it connected.

[@czmg22]

Cool, I was just about to buy the SignaLink. This might fit the bill instead and at half the price! Thanks for the review!

[@dennisjoiner3717]

I got one of these little units week before last. I have to build my own cables though. I want to do 2 meter packet using one of my Radio Shack HTX-202's and the Pi3. I have the wiring figured out, just need to get it done.

[@kennethblackwell1137]

I'm using it with the FT-891 and the FT-818 coupled with the digirig cables made for them. My purpose is a sound card for WSJT-X, FT8 operation. The DigiRig works flawlessly.

[@QSasquatch]

Do I need to order the cables?

[@douglofreddo7886]

Hey Kenneth, could we connect regarding how you set this up? I'm having a little bit of trouble getting started.

[@QSasquatch]

@Doug Lofreddo with the ft-891 I found it more useful to use the USB data cable for cat control and the one did you rig cable for a sound card sound control to the radio. So I did not use both a Digi rig cables

[@douglofreddo7886]

@@QSasquatch Understood. I was using just the audio cable and manually tuning the radio. I can decode just fine but I seem to be having an issue with transmit. It seems audio is passing as I have power output on the radio but I'm not 100% sure I have the bandwidth settings correct on the radio.. and I can only seem to decode in SSB and not DATA mode even though I've set the DATA bandwidth settings in the deep menu.

[@QSasquatch]

@@douglofreddo7886 I like cat control. No issues

[@joel6221]

This looks very interesting

[@Capitaine.Albator]

Thanks for the vidéo 👍🏻✌🏻🇨🇦

[@DonzLockz]

I'm gonna need to pick one up and a few cables.👍🤓

[@Buzzygirl63]

Thanks for this overview Jason. I have a Baofeng, a Raspberry Pi 4, and absolutely zero experience with digital modes. If I got one of these devices it sounds like I'd have everything I need to get started - although I'm still not quite sure what I could do with it! 73!

[@KM4ACK]

Adding one of these would get you in the game. Stay tuned! I have a video coming soon that I think you will enjoy :-)

[@IndependentNewsMedia]

Nice video, looking forward to next video with a QSO, perhaps FT8 ?

[@brentjohnson6654]

Another very good video, Jason. I am working on getting ready for portable and this information is interesting to me. If I go with the FT-891, I had been thinking of a USB CAT control cable to the rig and a USB sound card with the mic & earphone ports. For home, I can use the USB CAT cable for both as the Kenwood has an internal sound card. It is interesting to me that HAM Digital modes still use audio modulation (brings me back to my engineering days when 300 baud was the fastest we were ever going to dial up a BBS or Internet haha). I hope you are doing well. In Texas we have confusing weather with one day at 68 and next day at 28. Makes for interesting wardrobe selection. All the best, 73 de KI5HXM

[@tahoma6889]

This shouldn't be needed with the 891. All you need is two cables. Serial, audio. No special interface is necessary.

[@ahendrix9787]

@@tahoma6889 According to the website, the FT-891 uses only audio/PTT cable because it doesn't expose the "serial interface lines and instead implements serial CAT internally via its own USB connection." By the way, this is model 1.9. 73 de KO4UMY

[@chrissewell1608]

I would like to see the Digirig used to hook up an Echolink or Allstar Node. I am wondering if their, in-line, USB Isolator would also be needed, to prevent any ground loops?

[@QSasquatch]

For my 857d or my 891 do I need two serial cables to make this work?

[@va7dgp]

My new Digirig 1.9 should be here shortly. I have a early version and I put the V 1.5 in save keeping spot. I'm waiting for Pi zero 2 w (I hope I can get 2). For now my Pi 3 a+ and Pi 4 will have to do.

[@CE4JDM]

Hi Jason, I have a new Digirig! Do you know if will work with the TYT TH-8600? If so, can you or anyone tell me how to connect it to that rig? Thanks!!

[@bulldogbrower6732]

I hope in a future posting you demonstrate what you can do with the device.

[@KM4ACK]

Will do. Stay tuned.

[@AliReza-zx8km]

Nice................

[@kh6qmchristophercolquhoun695]

Using it for bit

[@chrissewell1608]

Maybe it has a ground fault, that is causing the radio to jump into transmit mode?

[@brichard9485]

The digirig sounds interesting, but I'm a bit confused poking around their website. Are the jumpers inside the actual unit different for different radios where if you use it on an FT-857D, IC7100, and Baefeng HT...not only do you need 3 sets of rig to digirig cables at $30+ a set, but completely different digirigs themselves. Requiring 3 separate $50 units, dedicated to each rig. They also neglect to mention how long the "short" cables are...only mention how long the "standard" ones are. Rather significant oversight.

[@stinger1900]

This could be good for setting up a cheap/small aprs gateway/digipeater

[@KM4ACK]

That's exactly what I had in mind :-)

[@chrissewell1608]

See his latest video today, on building APRS, using the digirig.

[@davef5595]

Sorry for my ignorant question, but I'm a newbie and couldn't find the answer on the Digirig website. Could I use this for making a APRS digipeater, or for Winlink? If so, other than the obvious hardware like a radio, cables, computer, etc, would I need any other hardware for the digipeater or Winlink?

[@KM4ACK]

Yes. This can be used for both an APRS digi and a Winink Gateway. Pi, software, digirig, cables, radio should get you up and running.

[@davef5595]

@@KM4ACK Great! I'll definitely look into this more. I can't wait to see what your future projects are with this device.

[@LavaKimo]

Is the PTT controlled by DigiRig or do you have to use VOX. If it controls the PTT, does it use the GPIO pin on the sound chip or RTS/DTS?

[@KM4ACK]

The digirig will handle the PTT using RTS.

[@mozartheart2958]

Hi great description. What Yaesu mobile radios that does not require a digital interface?

[@KM4ACK]

The 991A comes to mind. It has the sound card built into the radio.

[@davidridley721]

One of the new modes is VARA for winlink and chat. Signalink with the black transformers allows wide FM data modes using 9600bps data ports up to 25Kbps throughput. Will this Digirig allow 9600bps data port connection for wide FM VARA Winlink?

[@digirig]

Digirig's bandwidth is nearly 10 times wider than that of ham radio so it's not going to be a bottleneck.

[@rayh592]

Look at the DRA-50. work great for VARA at $100 built and tested, less as a kit. Throughput at 9600, effective rates near 25k.

[@martirjd]

So what I understand is that with the didirig ...the computer can comminicate with the baofeng, ex. program the baofeng with chirp. Why should I just not buy a baofeng programming cable which is just about $23?

[@KM4ACK]

You can program the Baofeng with the digirig PLUS it is is a sound card that allows you to use the Baofeng with digital modes. The programming cable alone doesn't give you this feature.

[@MyrMerek]

Why not connect directly baofeng output to computer input and computer output to baofeng input? I dont understand why there has to be this box in the middle.

[@KM4ACK]

Connecting direct means you will rely on VOX for PTT. Never a good idea with digital modes. The hang time on the Baofeng is so long, that you will miss almost all replies.

[@donaldsmith3048]

Just a wild guess, it may be trying to get power from the PTT because it doesn't have power from the Pi.

[@thomasrogen3739]

I have a question can I hook this to my laptop and my baofeng and set it up for winlink and send and rec. emails without internet. I know there is a mobilink device but will this interface do the same thing. Thank you and good video.

[@KM4ACK]

Yes sir. This device will allow you to do Winlink.

[@thomasrogen3739]

Thank you friend

[@thomasrogen3739]

@@KM4ACK thank you friend

[@J0HN3]

Anyone got this working on an FT-891? Not sure what interface cable it needs.

[@KM4ACK]

To my knowledge, they don't make a cable for the 891. Audio shouldn't be that big of an issue and you could use the 857 cable. CAT however is another matter. The 891 uses a regular USB cable for CAT. That cable isn't available for the 891.

[@ahendrix9787]

@J, According to the website, the FT-891 uses only the audio/PTT cable because it doesn't expose the "serial interface lines and instead implements serial CAT internally via its own USB connection." By the way, this is model 1.9 and there is also a coiled USB-A to USB-C cable at $9.97 USD. 73 de KO4UMY!

[@yungerallenelectricalcontr6415]

I've been having issues with my FT-891. Holding TX

[@KM4ACK]

If it happens only when you are using ARDOP, see this post groups.io/g/KM4ACK-Pi/message/7673 If it happens all the time, reach out to the seller of the Digirig. He is more than willing to offer tech support.

[@TheTechPrepper]

Great overview, Jason. Outside of the sound card, I like that the creator added support for programming the Baofeng. I looked at the DigiRig, but don't need CAT control for my current project, so I went with something slightly different. I'm evaluating the DigiLink Nano which is an audio-only interface. It's about the size a quarter with the case. It's the next video in the pipeline. Not trying to steal your mojo, but it's another small sound card option for the community. 73 de KT1RUN

[@KM4ACK]

I love seeing the new options hitting the market. Choices are always a good thing :-)

[@tahoma6889]

Radio already does audio, as does a laptop or tablet. All that's need is a proper cable. No interface is needed. Just wire it up. Use vox.

[@phillipmoulder1343]

For What is the digirig used. Have no ideaIand I am new to ham radio.

[@KM4ACK]

It’s a sound card interface that allows you to connect the radio to a computer for digital modes.

[@danielji2742]

Does this device do packet radio?

[@KM4ACK]

It can transmit packet with the appropriate software installed.

[@rayh592]

Where are you getting signalink for 120 and digirig for 50? They were 160+ and 60 last year! My experience with the digirig has not been good, they are finicky and the build quality is not consistent. For serious work, Ilook to the DRA series, The DRA-50 is $100 built and tested and handles speeds greater than amateur radio is permitted

[@kd5you1]

The first two Signalink USB devices I bought were $119.99 at the Tigertronics web site, and the third was at the current $139.99 price.

[@glock35ipsc]

The Digirig V1.5 is $39.97, and the V1.6 is $49.97 on Digirig's website. I have 2 of the V1.5 and beta tested the V1.6, and they have all been extremely reliable for me. And I believe I paid $135 for my Signalink from HRO.

[@chrissewell1608]

Don't be Hater! Just cause you got something else.

[@QSasquatch]

Cables come with?

[@KM4ACK]

cables are purchased separately.

[@QSasquatch]

@@KM4ACK yup ordered them yesterday

[@robertchambers5821]

Unfortunately there're sold out.

[@KM4ACK]

I as able to add one to the cart just now but didn't try to checkout.

[@digirig]

Digirig is in stock at the website. There are complete transceiver kits available on Gigaparts too.

[@sockeatinggolden8316]

I've been a Digirig user since rev 1.2 I've used it with a xiegu G90 and a laptop, though currently with a build a pi.

[@dreupen]

Wow, I am disappointed Jason. Digirig + cable is $80. That's not far from SignaLink. The Signalink at TX/RX control pots which can be a big help for someone starting out and it comes with the cable. Also, SignaLink uses an isolation transformers which are not on the Digirig. The Digirig is not any better than a cheap USB dongle sound card and it costs 10 times more. Ebay is a good source for audio to rig cables, but it is also not difficult to DIY interface cables.

[@KM4ACK]

Maybe I could have done a better job explaining that the digirig is capable of full rig control (not just ptt) with radios like the Yaesu 857. It can also be used to program the Chinese HTs. These features set it apart from both the signalink and basic USB sound cards. With that said, there are still use cases for other options. I have two Signalinks in service at the moment and use one of the basic USB sound cards with my 891 setup.

[@va7dgp]

I see Signalink 135.00 USD. I use a USB isolator which can be purchase to isolate soundcard from radio and computer/Pi etc

[@j7v7a2]

I guess I will have to watch this video again, I'm not clear on what the point of this device is or why it's worth $50. That's more than the price of the radio !!

[@KM4ACK]

It's a sound card interface that will allow you to use the radio with digital applications like direwolf/APRS

[@clems6989]

Told us everything except what it does..lol

[@KM4ACK]

My bad. I assumed the title would give that away. It's a digital mode interface (ie sound card) for ham radio. One would use it with applications like Winlink or WSJTX to interface the computer to the radio.

[@clems6989]

@@KM4ACK Yeah its good, just being my smaryeliky self..lol. "73"...

[@clems6989]

@@KM4ACK Thus reply shiws his character. He didn't immediately get all defensive and angry. Very professional and polite. This guy has character !! My respect !

[@tahoma6889]

Great insight. But I'm not sure I'd be using an illegal radio as an example in a ham radio related video.

[@KM4ACK]

illegal radio??

[@danielji2742]

@@KM4ACK baofeng i think.

[@chrissewell1608]

Oh please!

[@africantwin173]

It's nothing more than a cheap CM108 sound card and cp2102 Serial Converter for the RTS.

[@KM4ACK]

Not being a hardway guy, I am going to assume you are right. Do you have a website where you sell a similar product? I'd be happy to review it, especially if it is as well put together as this product is.

[@africantwin173]

@@KM4ACK Both usb modules are on AliExpress for 2 a 3 bucks each. But I understand you sir. Hams nowadays don't want to build and share anymore. If you have a good paycheck then I don't blame anyone. Its a nice product for those. The only problem I have with hams nowadays is that the all want big bucks for everything hams design. KM6LYW has a open source DigiPi image for those that become a patreon every month. scripts like direwolf and such thats in that image is grabbed from github freely. The ham spirits are gone these days. Its not fun anymore. In the old days hams shared there knowledge and schematics. Now hams are on the business tour. I hope you like the interface, and wish you all the best.

[@KM4ACK]

@@africantwin173 I agree with sharing every chance we get. That's why Build a Pi github.com/km4ack/pi-build has always been open source. I do appreciate the donations & Patrons but don't want to restrict access to someone who might might not be able to support the project at the moment. Software I understand and love to contribute to the community any way I can. Hardware on the other hand is not my thing. I once spent a week messing with an easy digi kit from ebay before I got it working by pure dumb luck. I like seeing new products hit the market that I can simply plug and play. The price point of the Digirig is still far below (1/3) that of the signalink making the barrier of entry much lower for hardware challenged guys like myself.

[@chillychurchil5972]

@@africantwin173 agree with ur statement...ham radio should be cheaply ready available...isnt it the concept of ham radio?not for commercial...and again i cant afford to buy any of Digirig or other devices

[@tonyd6884]

Thank you for sharing now we know of other options

[@malanalan1]

Dude, show your connections. We know how Baofeng looks like., Useless video! You shouldn't be reviewing anything.

[@KM4ACK]

The end of the cable with double plugs goes in the Baofeng. The end with one plug goes in the Digirig.

[@malanalan1]

@@KM4ACK ty

[@ahendrix9787]

...thank you for this, Jason! easier to run digital on my BTECH UV-5x3 and a small laptop just because I can! BTW, did you need the ground loop USB insulator dongle for the BaoFeng? 73 de KO4UMY!

[@KM4ACK]

For the limited testing I did, I didn't use a ground loop

[@ahendrix9787]

@@KM4ACK just wondering because i'm ordering it now, and didn't know if the insulator was needed...but if so, i'll get it later. i will let you know how this turns out, too! the video is greatly appreciated!! 73!