This LONG message (sorry) contains information on starting PSK31 with an
Omni V and Windows 3.11 (486DX2/66). I'll make the brash assumption that
others might benefit from my experience.
1. PSK-31. Try it! Loads of fun. . In preparation, read the article in
May QST and examine the information from Peter Martinez (G3PLX) at
http://aintel.bi.ehu.es/psk31.html, in particular the article in December
1998 RADCOM magazine, availble as PDF file from the PSK31 home page.
a) When you're ready, download the latest version (1.06); it's a
zipped file, 180Kb, one single version for Win 3.11, 95/98 and now NT.
b) IMPORTANT: read through the complete help files for PSK31.
2. PSK-31 w/ Omni V: (Applies to PSK31sbw ver 1.05)
General comments: Omni V is great for PSK-31 . . no surprise; lack
of RIT is actually a benefit in this mode (Omni VI etc,always leave RIT off
- do your incremental tuning with the program to avoid on-the-air
embarrassment.)
To configure Omni/Computer/Soundcard for PSK:
a) Take the Omni audio output, (rear panel phono jack),
making it an input to the "Line in" "stereo" jack on the back of the sound
card on the PC. Radio Shack has a great "stereo to phono" single piece
plug; you don't care which stereo channel goes to the TenTec; but don't wire
them together, and use shielded cable.
b) Route the sound card's line out, using small stereo
plug, to the "Audio In" phono jack on the back panel of the Omni V.
c) Remember your Sound Card basics: The INPUT signal for
PSK TRANSMIT is Peter Martinez PSK31sbw program or its equivalent -- it uses
the channel that's probably called "Wave" on your sound card mixer control
panel. Output from Wave is to the Line Out jack on the back of the card;
feed it to Audio In (Phono jack) on the back of the Omni V. Set level on the
mixer at about 20-30% fs for starters.
INPUT signal for PSK31 RECEIVE is the Line In channel of the
soundcard, as taken from Audio Out phono jack on rear of the Omni V.
The Wave and Line In channels have individual level controls on the sound
card mixer panel; there's a separate master volume to be set at an
appropriate level for all channels. So there are three active volume
controls on the Mixer. You don't need to set Audio Level from the Ten Tec
going to the Sound CArd-- it's fixed from the rear panel Audio Out. Front
panel audio cntrl has no effect, as one would want.
The settings I use on the Mixer Panel (only three channels are used):
Main Level Wave Line In
- -------------------- --------------- ----------------
80% f.s. 20% f.s. 50% f.s.
d) On the Omni V: Disconnect the mike. For receive, the
audio input is controlled ONLY from the sound card, as noted above.Once set,
you'll probably never need to adjust it.
e) To enable transmit on the OMNI V: Disconnect the mike
and set the PTT/VOX switch on the front panel to VOX; The microphone gain
pot (lower left) controls the audio drive level to the TX, assuming you've
set the WAVE and Master gains above zero on the mixer panel. After tuning
your Omni V for a particular band, and setting a power level in Omni Tune. .
. , with PSK31 in its TUNE mode, slowly advance the MIC gain control until
the ALC light comes on, and the power meter registers approx the output you
obtained in Omni V tune. [OR: set the mic gain to what ur accustomed to, and
slowly advance the Wave level on the Mixer Panel until ALC just lights].
This simple adjustment gives great signal quality. Resist the temptation to
turn it higher; note that 5-10 watts will be plenty for most QSO's. Exit
tune and hit a space bar. You should get about 1/2 the full power during idle.
NOTE: If you turn off the computer while TX is enabled, turn off the VOX
inut by depressing the VOX/PTT switch, else you may transmit a .wav file as
your computer shuts down. In any case , the TX will be "keyed".
3. Use of PSK31sbw.exe with Win 3.11.
a) PSK31sbw runs fine on Win 3.11 with a 486DX2/66; probably less
Mhz ok, but not a 386. Must be 16-bit Sound Card, so SB Pro WONT work.
b) I bought a Creative Labs Soundblaster SB16 card for $38. For
use with Win 3.11, you MUST configure for Plug and Play (PnP) prior to
enabling the card; fortunately, Creative Labs provides two great Win 3.11
programs: a configuration manager, CTCM.exe and a Conflict Resolver,
CTCU.exe, both available on their Web Site.
(http://support.soundblaster.com/ then
http://support.soundblaster.com/files/download.asp then click the box for
your particluar SB Product e.g. SB16, AWE 32 etc plus box for Win 3.11; then
select the file ctmbbs.exe , 706,033 bytes for downloading, which contains
drivers CTCM.exe and CTCU.exe; NOTE the down-loaded file may have a .htm
extension -- change it to .exe before running it).
These programs mimic PnP with Win 3.11. First, run CTCM, then CTCU
to ck for interrupt confilicts, finally a standard Windows iinstall from
your SB disks, making sure you choose the Win 3 install. I had one
problem: The command "C:\SB16\MIXERSET /P /Q", in autoexec.bat, hung the
system during boot. If this happens, ^C after MS-DOS starts, then EDIT
autoexec.bat to comment out the offending command. Later , I ran "mixrset
/p /q" after boot-up, and it worked fine, and have now moved it nearer the
end of autoexec.bat, whre it runs successfully on boot=up. Of course take
the usual precautions of saving your old config.sys and autoexec.bat files!!
4. Final comments:
a) Instructions in PSK31sbw suggest you calibrate your sound card's
actual digitizing rate. (Rate is set in the Setup window.) My particular
card (SB-16) runs well around 8000 Hz, maybe as low as 5000. Initially I
set the rate to 8500 Hz, then looked at several PSK signals using the
waterfall display while adjusting the Tuning in 10 Hz steps on the Omni,
getting the signals as close as possible to the alignment bars.. With the
PSK receive (audio) freq at 1000, and the frequency lock in the PSK prog
"off", vary the Sound Card frequence in Setup until the "skid marks" line up
with the guide lines. Try this on several signals, and you'll quickly get
an appropriate value. 8550 is correct for my particular card. This effort
isn't a big project.
b) Remember: mode is USB.
c) Monitor can be on or off; the family thinks the sound is a little
annoying, but the cat loves it.
d) You will need to adjust Pass Band Tuning control while watching
the skid marks on a PSK signal. 3:00 o'clock was optimal for my Omni V.
e) Of course other 16 or 32-bit sound cards will work. I felt the
extra few $'s for a Creative Labs Soundblaster was worth it. But others
indicate that many of the $20+ cards seems to work fine.
Have fun.
Bill Haddon, N6ZFO hounds@dnai.com
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