Digirig Radio Interface - Baofeng Winlink & CHIRP programming

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

The DigiRig can be found here: www.gigaparts.com/nsearch/?lp=JOSH Download universal drivers here: www.silabs.com/developers/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers

[@programmingguy6081]

Thank you for adding the digirig to your list on gigaparts. I did eventually find it. Question, do they sell the cables so you don't have to buy the digirig multiple times and can just use the same one between radios? I think that's a GDP mini laptop if so which model please?

[@wild-radio7373]

@@programmingguy6081 yes! The didiRig company website sells them individually and as part of a starter kit♡

[@michaelhopwood1022]

What's the brand and model of the laptop you were using? I've been looking for something small to carry around for POTA.

[@JonGlauser]

I made my own version of this a long time ago with a cheap3-port USB hub, sound card, and serial adapter. Hacked them all together into a tiny package and it works great with a Pi on my G90. Nice to see a polished product now, but I built mine for 1/5th the price.

[@sockeatinggolden8316]

I was a very early Digirig user. It's worked flawlessly with my G90. It just works. Glad it's picking up some mainstream attention. I need to pick up the rev 1.8 and some cables for my 891 and baofeng.

[@originalgrantbob]

Got one from the DigiRig Store with the KX3 cables about 3 weeks ago. Had it up and running on the mac in 10 minutes (figuring out WSJT-X took another 10-20) Love that it's just one USB cable to connect. Note that if you are buying one without cables you may want to make sure you get one set for the right levels for your rig's serial control (though you can always get out the soldering iron and change it)

[@n5pa]

I just got my Digirig in and I am going to use it as my Digital Interface with my FT-891! Great little piece of Kit!

[@5150bhc]

I can't wait! I am going to my PO box today to pick my digirig up.

[@tulrich2]

I picked up a Digirig 1.6 with Yaesu 8xx cables a couple of months ago, and have loved using it for APRS and packet Winlink with my FT7800r and Linux computer. Getting Direwolf to play nice with the Digirig took a little doing, but now I fire up Pat or Xastir and everything just works. I’ve even used it to start playing with fldigi and MT63 a little.

[@doomgod314]

Yes!! Exactly the problem I was hoping he'd cover

[@briantalley8415]

Great content, as always. I agree having convergent devices and fewer cords is a big win. I'm playing with APRS cables and a very small sound dongle to get the same result, but it's kludgy; I may just go with the digirig.

[@EverydayAdmin]

Great video, I just got licensed and using this video just sent my first Winlink email over radio :) Thanks!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Congrats!!

[@RobertTKlaus]

So much better than the now overpriced Signalink's that I used to buy. The owner is a very nice and a responsive fellow Ham too. There are more purchase options on his site too...

[@Screamingtut]

Really good info Josh, I'm getting too old for all this Digital stuff. At 68 1/2 my mine gets messed up. I do not have the memory space in my brain to learn more stuff. I have always been an analog person at 42 yrs a ham. Just got to watch these videos over and over. I'm a visual learner myself on most things.

[@nards656]

Hey, now - "Baofeng, if you're so inclined...." My 'feng is a blessing, because otherwise I likely wouldn't have a radio yet. I'd love one of those nice ones that you have an unlimited supply of, but, alas... :)

[@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. The USB-A to USB-C cable is same design as those on the market right? Nothing devious like different proprietary internal wiring so you have to buy theirs I hope?

[@DonzLockz]

Great! would any HT that has the K1 connectors work with other brand HT radios with the Baofeng cables?

[@renroderick]

My Dig-Rig arrived about an hour ago...Now to fire up the FT817...

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Nice!

[@bradcarroll]

I am having an issue with a UV5R following this. If I turn off squelch VOX doesn't work and if I turn on squelch it misses the first of the packet. Very frustrating, any ideas?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Squelch off means the radio is in non-stop receive and the vox likely won’t come on. Set it to 1. Regarding missing packets. Add some wait time before transmitting.

[@jacobKC3MRA]

I can not for the life of me get this to work. It works great with varaFM but for some reason when using sound modem it will not transmit or it will transmit continuously. Anyone know of anywhere I can find the settings to make this work?

[@johnarcher9480]

Any tips for people having connection issues? Most replies I have gotten on winlink forums are pretty much along the lines of: “Those cheap radios take too long to go from TX to RX. Buy a good radio if you want it to work?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Connection issue to what?

[@brandongotzpowers]

This probably would be good to use it in my tactical ammo can radio for emergency use

[@WoodyPhillips]

Perfect. Thanks!

[@flashover52]

Just got my Digirig. Spent couple of hours with it the first night and a couple of hours the next morning. Watched your video a few times and still can't seem to connect it using Packet Winlink. Tried copying your settings in SoundModem and Winlink but no luck. I can get it to make 5 tone bursts while attempting nearly every station/channel close by and then it disconnects due to timeout. Even connected to an external antenna. Were there any critical settings on the HT like VOX or Squelch that you had to configure?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Is the gateway replying?

[@jonathonholladay8057]

I'm having the same issue. For me, the stations that I'm attempting to connect to respond when using a different radio with a built-in TNC. I've been scouring the internet and had no luck in getting the digirig to work with packet Winlink. I'm completely stumped.

[@dangermandave67]

Same here. My Baofeng/Digirig/Soundmodem combo works perfectly with APRS (using APRSISCE/32 as my client). But I cannot get it to connect to a Winlink node. I got a couple of responses from a RMS node but Winlink won't take 'yes' for an answer and keeps sending connection requests. Frustrating. Reception shouldn't be an issue; I'm sitting atop a hill overlooking the valley where the node is located.

[@generoll4027]

can you do a course on the digirig and the G90?

[@MicroOutdoors]

What's the sound modem link? And no matter what I'm trying, I can't see the waterfall nor is my baofeng showing its transmitting. Help!

[@TheThorns]

I have the same exact setup but for some odd reason the digirig mobile is not transmitting/going hot. this appears to be the case with both windows and android. Thinking I should probably return/exchange since I confimred it is not the cable going to the baofeng.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Contact DigiRig.

[@MarkParry-zt2pu]

@HamRadioCrashCourse - What is the mini laptop used in this video?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

GPD Pocket 2

[@DaveAW]

Which cable do I need for the QYT KT-7900D?

[@robganon]

Mine doesn't work. We need a video that shows the installs and settings we need to do for it to work. Considering returning the Digirig and cables back if I cannot get it to work with Winlink.

[@AI5HV]

Thank you for posting the video on the Digirig unit. I looked through the comments and couldn't find a reference to the soundmodem.exe. I searched for it on the web and the first link that came up was blocked by my AntiVirus software because it was a suspicious link.

[@adamb6646]

I get wanting to have fewer dongles and cables, but it seems like this just added an extra dongle. Instead of only having two cables, you now have two cables plus a dongle, the opposite of what you wanted to achieve, no?

[@derektrounce937]

Any idea if using the baofeng aprs-k1 cable In place of the digirig cable will work?

[@KE0RGP]

Would this possibly plug into an Iphone or Ipad with the right cable?

[@troylance1]

Am I missing somthing? Where is this sound modem link you speak of?

[@wild-radio7373]

Neat!♡

[@wild-radio7373]

I got the g90 set♡

[@toml.8210]

The ONLY tool you own that has only one purpose is called a FIRE EXTINGUISHER. And you keep that in the kitchen, or one on the garage.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I have one in the shack, the kitchen, next to my bed, in my car. Big fan!

[@toml.8210]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse I'd like to see the water-based foam fire extinguishers fixed, so the use non-toxic agents, because the powdered ones are corrosive and will ruin everything it touches, like your car or stove- or radios!

[@devondetroit2529]

Is it possible to setup a ham radio BBS service to connect computers without the internet ?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Ham bbs exists. It’s packet radio stations. But it’s all ham radio to ham radio for connection

[@devondetroit2529]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse damn that’s cool, see if you can set one up.. that would be an actually useful system in times of internet outage (societal collapse) being able to leave data messages on a bbs and being able for others to retrieve all over the airwaves. I wonder if there is bbs software for it tho? I’m an amateur at all this but I like the idea of that system, would it work with lora perhaps that would be better protocol ?

[@rod5807]

Will this device work with VARA-HF and 9600 baud Winlink? Rod J

[@fotografm]

I guess you had to enable VOX on the Baofeng right ?

[@boge2001]

Would like confirmation also!

[@TK-123]

I’ll wait for the next generation of all this as this won’t go mainstream until it is more simplified..

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Idk there will be a next generation. As long as radios have separate serial and audio lines you’ll need to split them up into an interface. Or get an ICOM 705. One wire or wireless.

[@TomR459]

Pretty cool

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Hey Tom!

[@chrisjohnson8741]

I don't understand why you would use a Digirig to program a Baofeng with Chirp. There are lots of USB to Kenwood cables that work fine.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

One cable. It can program the radio and work digital modes. It’s like a signal link and Ftdi cable.

[@okhouri]

You said you were going to put a link for SoundModem, but then you didn't!

[@fotografm]

Exactly !

[@N4EJM]

The website made it seem like if you wanted to use this for APRS or Packet WinLink you needed to change some solder connection on the board. Is this true is it plug & play for that and say Vara HF? How does this compare to the Mobilinkd TNC3?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

It depends on the radio you want to control. If you have questions. Message them on the DigiRig site.

[@shilothompson7672]

What model Icom and antenna @ 6:22 ??

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

ICOM R30.

[@itzgametimevip1111]

Where can I buy an antenna like you were using on the Icom HT ?

[@thirteensworld]

So I am not seeing the cable savings. IF I had the programming cable for my Yeasu and the audio interface cable for my Yeasu tha'ts 2 cables. It looks like with this, I will have 2 cables to connect to it, and a 3rd cable to connect to my computer. Am I missing something?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

One connection to computer for both CAT and audio. Which if you’re going with newer smaller devices may only have one port like usb-c

[@ludoka58leo]

I have attempted to connect with a ft 70d (with proper cables). I have absolutely failed. Help!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I’d reach out to the creator. I don’t have an ft70

[@IdahoFluke]

I have yet to get the discount code Josh to work :-/

[@m4rkm4rk13]

I neeeeeeeeeeed that small laptop you have, where did you get that please let me know

[@m4rkm4rk13]

Found it! I didnt hear you say the name lol

[@chumslice6170]

How might someone intercept your emails sent thru this? I know its not encrypted, but how unsecure is it really?

[@paulwolf8510]

Anyone with a radio and the inclination. Treat it like you would with phone. Nothing you would t be ok saying in public. There are other secure emails. I guess you get some security through obscurity but not enough for sensitive stuff

[@chumslice6170]

@@paulwolf8510 Could you send encrypted files (text documents) that the intended recipient could then decode?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Hypothetically yes, but not legal.

[@paulwolf8510]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse what Josh said

[@yungerallenelectricalcontr6415]

What's the difference Between this device and the Digilink Nano?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Looks to be similar devices.

[@FrankNOgre]

I got the Digirig Cable for my Yaesu HT and Denis from Digirig told me that I cannot use it for programming my Yaesu HT with chirp, which is a huge disappointment.

[@dangermandave67]

Do you need to set the HT to VOX instead of PTT for this to work? Also, I thought that you needed a Digirig specifically set up for the Baofeng (i.e. not one set up for a G90, for instance). I thought I saw a blog post to that effect. Correct me.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

You vox needed. With the Baofeng cable set it will ptt the radio. You shouldn’t need another Digirig to interface Yaesu, Kenwood or Xiegu radios. Just the unique cables.

[@rickroyston]

You do not. Mine that I got yesterday was a 1.8 version

[@pbac74]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse I am attempting to configure my FT3D with use with Winlink / Soundmodem / Digirig... I get the waterfall, need help with TX (VOX set to On/LOW). Thoughts ? Suggestions?

[@dangermandave67]

@@rickroyston You are right. This version does PTT on the Baofeng. Sweet! I just wish getting Winlink working with packet was as simple as it looks in this video. I'm struggling. Setup works great with APRS. Have not yet been able to connect to a Winlink RMS.

[@randymaggelet7290]

@@pbac74 high

[@prestontiegs5022]

Have you tried using it for APRS? Seems like it could be a cheaper overall solution than a Signalink

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Not yet. But it would work.

[@shilothompson7672]

My preference for APRS with a Baofeng is the BTECH APRS-K1 cable. For right around $20 it's a nice piece of kit that has served me well. I hope to test drive the Mobilinkd TNC3 in the near future for the added convenience of ditching the comm cable in favor of a more efficient package. 73

[@toml.8210]

There is a bluetooth programming interface for the BF, TidRadio, etc.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I’ve reviewed the Bt unit. Fine unit. Horrible app. It doesn’t do audio control though for working Winlink like the Digirig does.

[@toml.8210]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse Notarubikon thinks it's a great thing. I'm traditional, so I'm used to the old ways.

[@patriot9455]

I just "happen" to have a blank B(word) that I can dedicate to this. I also have as older small windows 7 computer I can dedicate for this. It will be my first move away from voice.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Nice!

[@KD2MIC]

What is the difference between this and the Mobi?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Mobilink is a kiss TNC and wireless over Bluetooth.

[@KD2MIC]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse and the digirig is just a means to connect radio to other hardware?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

It’s a serial and audio interface over one usb wire to the computer.

[@jameslee522]

work with digipi?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

It likely will, yes.

[@blueneko3658]

What type laptop is that ?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

GPD Pocket 2

[@FredrickLeicht]

Can you do this with a UV-9G?

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

If the cable is the same, yes.

[@FredrickLeicht]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse sweet thanks

[@rpestess]

Hey man you need to set your camera focus to manual to keep it from hunting. Lots of it going on at the start of this episode.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks. It was some odd setting from after Hamcation. Setting focus alone is kind of a pain, I’m sure you understand.

[@rpestess]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse no problem, I shoot video for a living so I know how tough it can be!

[@johnnymp4827]

please turn off autofocus. I love your videos.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks. Blame it on Hamcation. I had some odd configs there and messed something up. It’s all fixed now. 😬

[@johnnymp4827]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse wanted to say I got LoRa boards thanks to your vid on it. Im excited to set it up tomorrow!

[@anthonyrstrawbridge]

` . ♥️

[@Pyro1776]

Ugh… the auto focus… wtf…

[@battleborngrafix4640]

What is the laptop? 73 de KK7IWW