FLdigi Training using 2M radios & Go Boxes

[@WelshWidgetMan2O1O]

Love that TM-V71a dual band radio. Best dual band rig Kenwood has ever made :)

[@TheTechPrepper]

Fantastic video. Thank you for the primer. This is exactly what I needed to get started with fldigi. I am planning to use the fldigi suite under the hood for my EmComm Tools software project to facilitate messaging passing and file transfers for public service events with a much simpler user interface.

[@kln8128]

Another great video Nick...Thank You...

[@richardnday]

I always take a black magic marker and mark where the arrow is. It helps a great deal when you have to work in low light conditions. I liked your detailed explanations. Thanks for a great video

[@raymondl.3014]

Also, if you have 'old man eyes' like mine, perhaps choose to use easier to see color...I raided XYL's finger-nail polish stash. If you're box is set up so that you cannot get direct line-of-sight to sockets you're trying to plug into and having to look over the back of radio that is mounted and you cannot move it for better view, put a matching dot of same color over top of the one each cable is supposed to go to. Then your cables and sockets are 'color-coded', and the dot of color on the cable tells you orientation (up/down) -- in training it's all easy, calm...in real-life when things go south and stress/nerves etc. kick in, fingers get to fumbling -- little things like this can make a difference in having things go a little smoother in set-up. Just my humble opinion. Raymond - WF7BSR

[@MoreheadFire]

Excellent review, thank you.

[@robertchambers5821]

Great Video. Thanks for sharing!

[@vetham100]

VERY in depth and well done! I have learned a great deal from you. Thanks!

[@lonshelton5129]

Nick is there a way to configure FLdigi to tx/rx Packet.

[@Sugarsail1]

I'm interested in your 12V DC supply in that Pelican case, that looks cool.

[@TwstedTV]

Can you please make a video on how you put your orange box together. and the parts equipment used ?? I would like to create the same thing here in NYC, and use it when I sign up for RACES/ARES as part of my EmCOM Go-Box setup for emergency use.

[@treagiasoturi9907]

KD8RLF here, with SCARES😊. Apologies for the late reply... our website, www.shelbycountyohares.com, under resources, has the diagram for the assembly of our GoBox. I hope you find it useful. 73s

[@52Warlock]

I would be very interested in seeing the innards of the Go Box - very nice build. Thanks. Found the other video - answered more of my questions, but not all.

[@treagiasoturi9907]

Our website, www.shelbycountyohares.com, has the diagram for our GoBox under the ‘resources’ tab...best of luck! 73. KD8RLF

[@centralfloridagmrs]

I got this for my Wouxon 1000g plus. It sends the signal from the radio but when I transmit from Zello to the radio it transmits but no audio. I'm not using any other software besides Zello to the Radio.

[@johngeiser3323]

You can do that with out a SignaLink. Kenwood has a set of cables that connect that radio directly to a PC. One cable is for audio in and out and the other handles PTT. Kenwood PG-5H is the part number. You can also build these cables pretty easy.

[@corradoQC]

To your knowledge what software provide the CAT control for this radio ? I've head some people have made custom XML to make it work with FLDIGI. Reading around I'm not sure there's many software with built-in CAT control for this radio.

[@jimlanigan7298]

Can anyone explain what I need to do if I have two Signalink’s on one computer? Am I able to change the name in device manager to avoid conflicts or confusion? I already have a Signalink for my HF rig and plan on installing another for the VHF/UHF rig. Thanks

[@jimlanigan7298]

Tigertronics replied that a second Signalink will not conflict with the first and would be given a unique name by Windows 10 to distinguish from the first one

[@hgjobe]

Did you fabricate the cable between the Signalink and your radio or were you able to purchase it. If so where. Thanks,

[@therfdj6787]

Tigertronics sells cables for a ton of different radios, both mobile and handheld. I bought the one for my Yaesu FT-7900R from them through Amazon.

[@KF5GXZ]

What are the settings in the menu of the Kenwood TmV71a for doing digital?

[@jkbish1]

hope someone helps with information on this. I was told "doing digital is the key" I cannot find the key !

[@Aussat]

Thank you very much, new to this so very helpful. 73 ZL1MY

[@Atomshamradio]

Great rig I have one myself also have a regular 60 watt 2 meter rig to bilt like a tank

[@jdawgaz]

Nick, I use fldigi to do 20m PSK31. I have been wondering if 2m or 70cm could be used. Is there a lot of usage in the USA of 2m on fldigi?

[@jkbish1]

I have a tm-71a. Looks like the one you are using. RIght? Can you work with winlink(rms)?

[@philipchandler330]

Excellent will review again will greatly assist me in hooking up my signa link and getting started. Your go box is super I hope you have a video on how you put it together would like to copy!!!

[@daveb5041]

So all of this is limited to the 20-20k hz band width your sound card would put out? Do they make devices where you can send out "more" signal from the computer to the radio or is there no point as you can't get that much fidelity out of a radio signal from a commercial radio or the radio itself/the method your signal is being encoded with won't use more bandwidth then that?

[@mountain177]

I think youd go for a TNC at that point

[@daveb5041]

@@mountain177 whats a TNC?

[@mountain177]

@@daveb5041 a Terminal Node Controller. Aka a radio modem of sorts. It can handle the PTT of the radio as well as the audio.

[@MasterMerck]

If anyone wants to test a setup they have, please let me know and I will jump on the radio. One of the things I didn't mention in the video is that you can also download it without a radio connected. The sound will play through your normal speakers and you can get used to it without any investment. Obviously you won't be able to transmit over the air, but for training and following along with the video it can be very useful for kinesthetic learning. N4QAD

[@samuelrobinson1150]

How can you use this with Echolink?

[@raykiii]

What are you using for a TNC? Is baud rate and packet size handled by the program, FLDIGI? New ham, KE0OAP. 73

[@joeddejohn]

Ray Konold I have the same question.

[@raykiii]

Perfect! Thank you. I'm trying RMS. It has ben frustrating.

[@joeddejohn]

Surplus Firearm just learning that the software replaced TNC. Confused since my vx-6r radio manual refers to a TNC.

[@jkbish1]

@@raykiii So I want to use RMS. Is it worth the money to buy the signal link? If RMS is my need?

[@raykiii]

@@jkbish1 Yes. RMS with a signal link IS worth the money. I am using Winlink which needs a Windows PC to run.

[@robertmurray5654]

I am using TM- V71A with a Singalink with Direwolf how do you PTT want port do you use

[@MattPostiff]

I'm just starting out with a similar setup, but using MMTTY software for RTTY. Plan to expand into other modes later. The 6-pin DIN cable that came with the SignaLink plugs into the DATA port on the back of the radio. Go into the menu, and access around item number 518 to set one of the channels to be your data channel. I am still trying to figure out what the Data Terminal Speed setting should be. I am guessing 1200 bps for RTTY. I tried 9600 bps and (not sure if this is correlated or not) the audio coming out on the other end was very attenuated. The Signalink should figure out the PTT for you. See manual.kenwood.com/files/B62-1926-40.pdf, pages 83-84.

[@62heliman]

so you have a link to the signalink usb?

[@jasonguto]

Why did you go to 1500 on the waterfall? I am not understanding what the '1500' relates to when you are on 145.550. Thank you

[@mikewalker9989]

The 1500 is the band width of the waterfall. 1500 kHz on each side of center.

[@CurtRowlett]

Nice tutorial, thanks for posting this. 73 W9SPY

[@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee]

I’m just as lost as I was when my curiosity peaked . Video after video ,, been shown how to set it up ,, no one has actually said 1.what it does 2..What’s the benefit 3. When would you need it 4. Why would you need it 5. Show it in use ? 6. What am I missing out on I’ve lived this long without it , I guess I will survive

[@shaofuchang515]

Simply put, it allows you to send a digital file from your computer through the air using the band that you are licensed for. It is commonly used on 2m/70cm of the amateur radio band. Imagine if you are deployed to a medical facility to assist communication to the emergency operations center during a hurricane emergency. Lights are out, cell towers are down, and you with your amateur radio is the only link between that facility and the outside world. Ordinarily information would be spoken into your mic and copied on the other side by way of repeating it back to you. In the mean time that frequency is tied up momentarily. However, the need for digital arises when you are asked to deliver... say... a list of medication. From Atazanavir Sulfate to.... say Zantac. Conventionally you'll have to spell it out phonetically. Alpha tango alpha zulu alpha... and the other side would repeat letter by letter to confirm they have it correct. you'll be on the air for HOURS tying up that frequency and exhausting your battery. Depending on the how far they are away operating analog usually means you have to up the transmitting power which caused wear and tear and of course, elevated power consumption. That being said, what the signalink allows is for you to take a picture of the list using a webcam, send it through your laptop, allow it to be transmitted through a hideous combination of strange noises... and have this hideous noise picked up by another station that you are trying to talk to, and they can "download" that noise into a sheet printout. they will understand you need everything from Atazanavir Sulfate to Zantac without you ever having to spell it out letter for letter. You can send this at the lowest power setting on your radio and therefore conserve battery life and minimize interference that's the gist of it, if you have any questions ask away :) 73 de KN4GEI

[@chrissewell1608]

I thought it was used for IRLP. So you can hook your radio (ie. a mobile radio) to a computer's internet. Then tap into a program like EchoLink. So it digitizes your analog radio signal.... But being backwards compatible, would be cool for sending data over the air.

[@n2dabloo]

@@shaofuchang515 bruh...best example ever.

[@shaofuchang515]

@@chrissewell1608 Its basically another version of it, digilink is simply a sound card that interfaces the radio to something digital.

[@shaofuchang515]

@@n2dabloo thanks, the local ARES affiliated club regularly conduct trainings of the sort, we call it SETs, or simulated emergency exercises, so that if we do have a storm and one of us gets deployed to staff a shelter with special needs or a hospital, that would be a backup solution if the power goes and phone lines fail.

[@yobringitondown5565]

So this cannot use true AFSK packet protocol on VHF?

[@daveb5041]

I have heard on the internet that it cannot. It has a chip built in that is issued by the FCC to block signals that are out of band or if it detects that you don't have the correct license for it. This can be hacked by taking the chip out of an SDR dongle and soldering on top of it. Doesn't matter if the pin count is different just hook up as many as you can; the chips are not that picky by how many watts you connect to each pin. Some people just use hot glue and tin foil if they don't know how to solder. Paper clips also work according to instructables if you don't have popsicle sticks.

[@K8ZUKARES]

I've added a trouble shooting guide to the downloads.

[@leebyer1]

I've been wondering for a long time, if there is a way to identify the mode an unknown staTION might be using, other than guessing and going thru all of the modes on FLDIGI. Assume also that the station in question has not checked its transmit id at the top. lee byer w7ldc often on 14.030

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

What mode fldigi is capable of do you think is best for FM while mobile?

[@K8ZUKARES]

I'm a big fan of PSKR. Use the speeds that you can get away with. Your band conditions will dictate if you can transmit at 500 vs 125. Usually, with these higher frequencies, it works, or it doesn't. You won't be trying to snatch a digital signal out of static like a 40m conversation. You also have a lot more bandwidth to play with using 2m or 70cm.

[@daveb5041]

I like to turn the delay up so it gives the signals time to travel from the computer to the radio and completely out the antenna before receive signals start coming back in. Otherwise I found the signals get reflected in the coax. More delay for longer runs of wire. I estimate that for 1/8 of turn of the dial is 25 feet from computer to tip of antenna. Remember to treat the cable from the box to the computer as if it was 3 times longer then it is since it has three wires in it. You can also use loops of wire if you max out the delay knob by shorting the wires out to each other. Doesn't matter which wires you connect together: You can connect one of the USB wires to the antenna wire since all the signals are analog and only digital signals are directional but require the directional cables sold by hifi audio companies. You can also amplify the signal by sticking those gold cell phone booster stickers they used to sell on infomercials back in the 2000's that you stuck to back of the battery. Stick them to the box and wrap them around the coax: remember to stick them 90's to the length of wire other wise it will just boost near by cell phones.I find those amplifiers/stickers work well in elevators and other places by giving you all five bars of signal.

[@moikanos1]

You can use Zello with Signaling and your Ham radio more flexible solution.

[@mtmals9786]

Thanks..in a new town house..need new LP portable set up...ur Go box is perfect for my FT857D, Siglink, lap top. Thanks W3PDR

[@leos9865]

Thanks

[@lotharmayring6063]

most computers have a audio card..............

[@isak01234]

"you should not have to force it, just wiggle it back and forth and it will go in nice and fine..."

[@petbo466]

Hello, first of all I apologize my English I have the Signalink USB with the purchased Data cable on a Yaesu FT8900r One thing has become completely clear to me after 3 days of intensive work with my Win 10 64bit 1709 Enterprise version. Devinitiv works with Signalink and the FT8900r No Echolink with Vox Mode. Too bad I threw this in the drawer vy 73 Peter

[@mikefromflorida8357]

Great video, but please stop calling everything this guy. Thank you.

[@oscarbuison-bo7zz]

Im not that good on computers but this sound cards (SOUND LINK) is this also good for decoding transmissions and received from satellites APRS thru UISS ? De DW6XJO Thank and 73