HRD/DM780 WaterFall Band Switching FT817nd

[N4VEP]

The setup is ft-817nd with older Dell Midi Tower (Deminsion 2Ghz, 2Gig Ram), CAT-Cable Interface, LDG 817 Tuner. HRD seems to interface properly with ft817, and DM780 seems to interface properly with HRD. However, the only band available on the waterfall is 100hz-3000hz.

I haven't decoded any signal yet, but I believe that I may need to adjust the passband offset.

I had other issues with McAfee stopping the localhost server, and general noise from the PC, but those seem to be fixed.

Controls in HRD and DM780 for radio control (power, tuning, filters, etc) seem to work fine in both programs, except DM780 doesn't allow mouse tuning of the radio or switch bands on the waterfall. I can click on favorite freqs and the radio tunes, but the waterfall stays in the same 100hz-3000hz band. Or can tune the radio manually and HRD and DM780 pickup the freq.

I'm fairly new to HF and brand new (trying to get into) to digital modes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

73's Viron

[KB1NXE]

The bandpass you are seeing in the DM780 display is correct. It's the typical audio passband for digital modes. It does not change. You can change it, by selecting Program Options > Waterfall > click the box labelled 'Show RF Frequency' (at the bottom). If like the caveat says, the radio and audio are connected, you'll get a frequency display. Let's get onto bigger things. Like why you aren't decoding any audio.

What are you using to interface the audio from the rig to your sound card or do you have an outboard interface like a SignaLink USB? Or are you just running cables from the soundcard's input and output ports?

To be honest, the remaining controls are behaving normally. So, let's get the audio passing to the computer and we can work from there on how the digital modes work.

HTH

Jim - KB1NXE

[N4VEP]

Thanks, I will check the menu item, which answers another question I think. Do I need to adjust passband on my radio? It would seem not if DM780 is doing the job.

The only cable I am using is the CAT cable. I can hear distinct strong signals starting and stopping when clicking on favorite frequencies. Sounds like what I think is PSK31, but it does not decode in the QSO window. The signal level rises to near full intensity in the signal indicator in the QSO window. This seems to indicate that CAT cable is doing all the necessary communications.

There is some occassional gibberish decoded in the waterfall window, which is at a lower band. I've been trying to stay 40m and up as I am using loaded coil whip indoors with a counterpoise. Mostly I've listened to 14.070 and 14.080.

I did dump the LDG 817 tuner early because it is easy to tune the loaded coil whip by xmting in PKT mode.

When I calibrate my soundcard for SSTV it ends up within +/-0.1 Hz so the soundcard seems to be up to the job.

[KB1NXE]

You may also get that same indication if you have a microphone connected to the sound card and it's picking up the receive audio. If you are serious about using digital modes, nothing beats a real interface with it's own sound card built in. Like the SignaLink USB. The problem with using the normal sound card is if you have windows sounds enabled, guess what could get transmitted? Yup, those sounds. A dedicated interface also does keying (PTT) as well.

I looked at the manual for the FT-817nd and the ACCessory jack used with the CT-62 cable does not provide audio interfacing. You would need a second cable from the DATA jack to provide audio to a sound card. So the sound card mic is looking like the means of some data getting into DM780.

[N4VEP]

Thanks, you answered my next question before I asked it. Is the DATA cable the same as the old MAC used? What is it's exact make, so I'll know exactly what to buy? It looks like an old MAC connector.

PS. I hope not too many people were annoyed with me calling CQ repeatedly and waiting. :O Of course an true alligator station has more than 5 Watts.

Thanks again, Viron

PPS. Now to practice soldering something smaller than antenna wire.

[N4VEP]

Thanks for the help again. I will be cobbling something togather to pass audio. For a starting point a PS2 mouse cord should work for the DATA port on the ft817. Initially because temporary budget constraints I will trying running just a cable w/o additional soundcard or isolation xfmr. I realize that may present a ground noise issue, but it will probably be a month or more before I can buy a Signalink or parts to roll my own.