Thanks to the many that responded with very helpful suggestions to my
problem ... it is now resolved!! Here is a brief run-down of what I did:
- first, I determined that it was NOT an RFI problem - the fact that the
problem occurred at 5w should have been a solid clue, but then even w/o the
rig on, MMTTY (v. 1.58) locked up after I clicked on the TX button.
- next, it was a question of eliminating problems in: USB port, XP, MMTTY,
or USB-Serial adapter.
- one of the respondents suggested that I look at my good friend Don's
(AA5AU) website regarding his evaluation of USB-Serial adapters
(http://www.rttycontesting.com/usb.htm) and his other site (below). Don
lives across town from me and I have often referred to his excellent RTTY
info pages, but had been too wrapped up in the presumption of RFI to
consider something else! There was some great (and worrisome!) info about
many of the adapters on the market and their possible problems, but none
that I could specifically identify as mine (a Manhatten Computer Products
adapter purchased from BuxCom).
- a query to BuxCom about the ability of the UART in the adapter to handle
5-bit Baudot got a terse (although, in hindisght, technically correct) reply
to "set your software for FSK... In the program, it is NOT the USB2SC, it is
your SoundCard software setup... FSK, NOT AFSK". As the software WAS on my
list of factors to investigate, I decided to look at it first ...
- Off the AA5AU RTTY page (http://www.aa5au.com/rtty.html).After
unsuccessfully trying all of the suggested settings in MMTTY described in
"Transmitting FSK with MMTTY", I noticed another section entitled
"Specifics -USB adapters, EXTFSK". That turned out to be the key ... a new
plug-in that JE3HHT had for dealing with "external FSK" using a USB-Serial
adapter for PTT.
- After downloading and installing the latest version of MMTTY (v. 1.65)
along with the plugin (http://mmhamsoft.ham-radio.ch/mmtty/index.html)
called EXTFSK, I tried it with my portable setup and ... it worked!! A quick
check on 20m RTTY this afternoon led to Q's with UA6CA and 9A150NT.
- Finally, I found no problems even after removing the toroids.
Thanks to all who responded, and special thanks to Don for his great
reference source. I'm now a happy camper (literally!). :-)
78,
Don W5FKX
Delta DX Association
http://www.qsl.net/ddxa
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