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Connecting a VHF radio to computer....?

WX2MIG

WX2MIG

Still Alive & Well
Dec 10, 2008
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39° 19' 23" N X 74° 36' 30" W
I have an older Dell laptop in the shack, and....(especially since there's no internet connection out there)....I'd like to connect it to a 2 meter VHF rig.

At present all I have is a Yaesu VX-170 HT, and I doubt I'd be able to connect it to a computer unless there's an inexpensive device available that would allow it......?

My second choice would be to purchase another 2 meter mobile as a dedicated shack radio, and connect it to my laptop. Would I need a special type of radio for this, or again is there an inexpensive device that would allow it......?

With the expanded receive, I've tuned past a lot of out-of-band frequencies that transmit one sort of digital signal or another....(I assume it's either PACKET, or RTTY)....and I'd like to load up a translator program into the laptop to read what's being sent, and possibly do some 2 meter digital myself.

Obviously I don't know jack about this mode of operation, so any helpful advice is greatly appreciated.....
 

As far as using a code reader software you can run a line from your external speaker jack on the radio to either your mic input or line-in input on the computer. Most readers will work this way . Adjust the volume accordingly .
 
Sonwatcher said:
As far as using a code reader software you can run a line from your external speaker jack on the radio to either your mic input or line-in input on the computer. Most readers will work this way . Adjust the volume accordingly .
Click to expand...

Thanks Sonwatcher, that sounds easy enough, but it would exclude using the VX-170 since it does not have a dedicated speaker output jack, only one for a speaker mic, but most any 2 meter mobile will have an output jack for an exension speaker....

You know of any good freeware programs I could load into my puter, and where on the net I might find them.....?
 
I don't think you will be decoding much of anything you find on VHF. That is mostly proprietary stuff and does not use any mode that hams do. Most of it is telemetry for remote control and monitoring anyway. However some good software to have on hand is Digipan for most digital modes as well as MMSSTV and MMTTY. Just Google those terms. Simple to install and run.
 
There are two types of computr programs for radios. One of them controls the radio, frequency, memories, etc. The other type is one that 'decodes' digital signals, RTTY, packet, PSK, CW, etc, etc. The first type depends on if the radio is set up for computer control to start with, some are, some not. The second type mainly uses the computer's sound card as a TNC, or a decoding device. That second one is probably the most common, typically free, and not that big of a problem to interface with a computer. Which you may want is up to you and your radio's capabilities (computer too, within reason). You want to sort of watch that digital stuff, it can be very addictive if you're not careful ;).
- 'Doc
 
We have a net here that a lot of times will use the repeater to share something over SSTV on 2m. I know 2m SSTV is real popular in the UK in the 144 portion of the band . I have read of people in the US using it on simplex .
 
SSTV was one of those 'addictive' modes I was talking about! It can be done most anywhere, but I'd sort of stay off the 2 meter repeaters, use simplex instead. that's just courtesy. One thingy about FM and SSTV, is that since FM is a sort of 'yes/no' thingy, it tends to make for very nice picture reception, if you can receive it at all, sort of. Some SSTV modes are longer than others, and since FM is a 100% duty cycle thingy, reducing power isn't a bad idea. Makes the radio happier. There's more, but it's getting sort of 'off topic' so I'll quit.
- 'Doc
 
The first weekend I had an SSTV station up and running I couldn't stop! "Just one more pic, then I'm done", lol.

I couldn't sleep that night because I couldn't get the "Scotty 2" sounds out of my brain!
 
(not to "jack" the thread, but), as far as sstv goes, the newer digital sstv is awesome:thumbup:. there is a group of us running EASYPAL on 7.173 or 14.233 most of the time.
 
Highlander_821 said:
The first weekend I had an SSTV station up and running I couldn't stop! "Just one more pic, then I'm done", lol.

I couldn't sleep that night because I couldn't get the "Scotty 2" sounds out of my brain!
Click to expand...

That's for sure ! I had my radio gear in a corner in the bedroom. It was the only place I could get close enough for the antenna above. Nothing like hearing the ol' modem noise start screeching and looking across the room seeing the wife , who was sound asleep, snap open her eyes like you snuck up behind a cat and screamed ! LOL !
 
Sonwatcher said:
That's for sure ! I had my radio gear in a corner in the bedroom. It was the only place I could get close enough for the antenna above. Nothing like hearing the ol' modem noise start screeching and looking across the room seeing the wife , who was sound asleep, snap open her eyes like you snuck up behind a cat and screamed ! LOL !
Click to expand...


And the reason why I'm building my shack out in the garage this time around. My first shack was in a pantry closet off the kitchen, and that was too close to the livingroom where the wife watches TV, all I used to hear was...."Could you turn that noise down, I'm trying to watch a show"......
 

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