I had some problems making the required connections for getting the information source (computer) to both HF and VHF/UHF radio. Did some checking around and heard good things about an interface from Johnny Melvin, G3LIV. So, looked at his site and emailed him about one of his interfaces. You have to experience the kind of help Johnny does before you'll believe it. He asks lots of questions, but the results are that it works with NO problems with any 'digital' mode I've ever tried.
The particular interface I got is a "two-fer". A simple button push will swap inputs to two radios, just that simple. It 'controls' the radio in that it tells it when to transmit and listen. A simple 'plug-n-play' type thingy. Another nice feature is that you have to make no changes in mic levels when swapping between digital modes and voice. (Not all that important, but certainly handy!)
The only problem I had was a mechanical one. The 'plug' on the end of one cable didn't 'fit' the jack on the radio. A little 'trimming' on the insulation of that 'plug' and it fit just dandy. A 'genius' level fix, right?? Oh well.
It isn't free. But it certainly works and isn't -that- bad anyway. And the thing is tiny! The only 'hard' part is remembering to do the swapping part, you know?
I've had the thing for a year, year and a half. It isn't exactly the most advanced thingy anymore, most interfaces do about the same things now. It was 'new' and advanced a couple of years ago though.
Just a heads-up sort of thing, mainly because I just found it where I saved it to keep from loosing it (as in where the #3// did I put the @#$ thing?)...
It's not going to suit everyone, but it's certainly nice for us clumsy fingered people...
- Doc
The particular interface I got is a "two-fer". A simple button push will swap inputs to two radios, just that simple. It 'controls' the radio in that it tells it when to transmit and listen. A simple 'plug-n-play' type thingy. Another nice feature is that you have to make no changes in mic levels when swapping between digital modes and voice. (Not all that important, but certainly handy!)
The only problem I had was a mechanical one. The 'plug' on the end of one cable didn't 'fit' the jack on the radio. A little 'trimming' on the insulation of that 'plug' and it fit just dandy. A 'genius' level fix, right?? Oh well.
It isn't free. But it certainly works and isn't -that- bad anyway. And the thing is tiny! The only 'hard' part is remembering to do the swapping part, you know?
I've had the thing for a year, year and a half. It isn't exactly the most advanced thingy anymore, most interfaces do about the same things now. It was 'new' and advanced a couple of years ago though.
Just a heads-up sort of thing, mainly because I just found it where I saved it to keep from loosing it (as in where the #3// did I put the @#$ thing?)...
It's not going to suit everyone, but it's certainly nice for us clumsy fingered people...
- Doc
