I may have mentioned this before, but Donner Digital Interfaces (
http://home.att.net/~n8st/ ) still uses an opto interface to key the radio.
They make a quality product for about any radio for only $40 - built. I
have three of them now, and have used them with the Omni 6+, Jupiter,
Argonaut V, TS-2000, Kenwood TS-690S, Patcomm PC-500 and have used their
hard keying interface on all QRP rigs that I have including the Argo. I
have had absolutely no problems with these interfaces with any of the radios
mentioned.
Buck may have swapped out the Opto for an FET because some of the postal
scanning systems implemented after the terrorist attack were destroying the
Opto. This happened to Donner and I think they now ship via UPS to prevent
the problem. Buck may have switched components to prevent the situation
from happening - I don't know.
If you are looking for a good interface, good support, and need an interface
then consider ordering from Donner.
I am not affliated with Donner - just a customer.
Duffy
www.wb8nut.com
-------Original Message-------
From: tentec@contesting.com
Date: Thursday, September 25, 2003 08:01:42 AM
To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Using Omni VI+ woth MMTTY on FSK - final report
Jim,
Buck changed the interface in the Rascal from an opto isolator to the
current FET. I have a couple of Rascals with the opto interface. I have had
no problem driving my Omni VI (opt 3) in FSK mode with them. I don't think
I've used MMTTY, but I did use WriteLog to participate in one of last
winter's RTTY contests. I wasn't getting reports of being upside down, so I
think it was working okay.
I don't know why Buck changed to the FET from the opto, but on a friend's
setup, that created ground loop hum in his TX audio.
I wasn't using Buck's cable. I had a cable with a 5-pin DIN and 4 phono
plugs that works just fine.
73,
Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim" <jlboockh@earthlink.net>
To: <TenTec@contesting.com>; <w1mag@bellatlantic.net>;
<bill.w7tvf@air-internet.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 12:17 AM
Subject: [TenTec] Using Omni VI+ woth MMTTY on FSK - final report
> Thanks to help I received on the Ten Tec reflector and on the Yahoo
> MMTTY Group, I now have my Omni VI+ working properly on FSK using MMTTY.
>
> It seems that the interface circuits suggested by AA5AU, K4ABT, and
> others, work on RTTY with the Omni V/VI but reverse the signal. I
> bypassed the transistors in the interface circuits with a 10K resistor.
> This feeds the DB-9 pin 3 FSK signal from MMTTY directly into the
> Mark/Space jack on the Omni VI. (On the Omni V this jack is labeled RTTY
> KEY.) It works like a champ.
>
> Another option is to add a second transistor, resulting in a two-stage
> interface. One very helpful peron reported using this successfully with
> a Rigblaster.
>
> The Rascal interface sold by Buck K4ABT does not work as he sells it. I
> had to modify his Omni VI cable by adding an FSK line. I also had to
> bypass the FET in the Rascal's FSK interface with a 10K resistor. Now,
> unlike the AA5AU circuit, it provides not only an FSK signal but an
> audio signal for PSK31. Buck's email responses to me sounded like he is
> not familiar with the Omni V/VI. (His interface and cables worked fine
> on AFSK.)
>
> Thanks for all the help. Listen for me this weekend on the CQWW RTTY
> contest.
>
> Jim N4AL
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
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