Images from ARISS SSTV Event

Just listened to the last pass from the ISS SSTV event. I suspect that this was ended a bit early as the signal dropped off completely mid-pass. Here are the images I received since the last post:

These were received using my VHF/UHF base station using the Ed Fong Antenna and the IC-7100 along with MMSSTV software.

WinLink Revisted…again

I don’t use WinLink too often, especially on HF, but with the recent local repeater changes on VHF I decided to test as many access modes so I don’t fumble around with setting when I may need them the most.

On HF I found that the old WINMOR method has largely been replaced by ARDOP and VARA is of course available as well. I found these instructions useful for the IC-7300 ARDOP setup. We have local HF stations now on 40m, 30m and 20m but I could not access them. I had the best luck with stations up state on 40m and was able to verify connections and exchanges.

I downloaded and installed VARA HF and was able to get it setup with minimal issue. On the IC-7300 be sure to select CV-I for PTT method and leave DTS and RTS unchecked. I adjusted the output signal to indicate 1/3 of the ALC range. Here again I was able to complete an exchange with HF stations up the state from here.

On VHF packet there are several new stations that I can use. VARA FM works quite well and is relatively fast. Packet VHF works well except I am still have an issue when using K5RAV-10 in which I can send email but not receive it.

All in all, it looks like the setup works for both HF and VHF WinLink. My next experiments will likely center around setting up an NVIS antenna for HF and getting setup on my portable rigs. The FT-817 is nice in that it can work VHF & HF with the Signalink. Will be interesting to see how HF works especially with an NVIS antenna.

Packet VHF Winlink Revisited

It has been quite a while since I played with Winlink so of course some things have changed. One main change was I upgraded my PC to Windows 10. I also found that an arduino driver seemed to want to park on my IC-7100 COM port. I previously setup using a program called CAT7200 to allow CAT control on the soundmodem software. I tried to reinstall this to no avail as Windows did not like it’s digital signature.

Turns out It turns out that UZ7HO modified the soundmodem software to allow for direct CAT control of CI-V interfacing. So go that worked out and Winlink packet is working again. I updated my IC-7100 setup instructions on the projects tab of this site to reflect the changes.

Of course that is not the end of the story…Two weird problems showed up. I can send messages via winlink but I am not receiving them. I do receive them via telnet though. The second issue is with my Baofeng HT’s. None of them seems to be working with the local repeater. Sigh…

FLdigi & Icom-7100

I added a few screenshots of software & Rig setup of FLDigi on the Icom 7100. The procedure is to download & install FLdigi & FLrig. First setup FLrig and leave running in the background. Key setup screen is indicated in the file. Then run FLdigi and select FLrig for rig control and be sure not to have rigCAT or hamlib enabled. The screens cover CAT setup. Audio devices will also need to be setup but that is pretty straightforward. Same basic procedure should apply to the Icom 7300 but I have not tested.

VHF packet & Antenna Testing

There is an increasing amount of local activity in setting up and using VHF Winlink. I have shown before that my setyp on the IC-7100 works but the lack of a local digipeater has limited my use. Today I tried two antennas for VHF. First up was the Ed Fong DBJ-1 J-pole I assembled last week. I tested this by installing on a painters pole and varied the height up top about 20 ft. Even at about the same height as the discone this antenna tuned beautifully across the 2m band. I was able to have a simplex QSO with Cliff, N5CEY, 16 miles away near Bayview. I could not hit the RGV digipeater and direct to W5STX-10 was hit or miss.

I pulled the homebrew 2m Moxon out of mothballs and set it up at about 20 feet pointed generally Northwest. With this I can hit the W5STX-10 station consistently but still not the RGV digipeater. I have been able to send some messages via this setup without difficulty. I hope to try some peer-to-peer Winlink with KF0MP soon and Cliff is planning to put up a digipeater at his QTH soon.

VHF Winlink on Local Repeater

I have posted a set of instructions for setting up VHF Winlink on an ICOM 7100 using sound card modes. Instructions should apply to any ICOM rig with CI-V interfacing. The end of the document shows the specific packet nodes here in the Rio Grande Valley. This is all in preparation for our local EMCOMM conference this weekend. This file is also found on my Projects page.

VHF Packet Winlink Working

Back in July,  I did some work to get packet winlink working over the local HF packet nodes. At the time, the local digipeter was not operating so I was not able to make a solid enough connection to exchange mail. The digipeter node is now operational here in Brownsville. I gave it a try after reviewing how I had done it before using the IC-7100 and a software soundcard modem. Quick review:

1. CAT7200 software is installed and then run to create a com port that the IC-7100 will recognize for CAT control.
2. UZ7HO Sound Modem software performs the TNC function via soundcard mode.
3. RMS Express is run in packet winlink mode to exchange mail.

The radio is set manually to the digipeter frequency which in my case is 145.01 Mhz. An ultra important step is to set the mode to FM-D. Once all this was set I was successful in sending and receiving email at 1200 baud. Not bad for a soundcard mode.

ICOM 7300 – First Impressions

I spent some time playing with the new IC-7300 transceiver this weekend on various modes. My first comment is that having used an IC-7100 for some time I was instantly familiar with about 90% of the IC-7300 controls. Most of the buttons are labeled the same and many of the setting menus are also the same. First thing I installed was a headset adapter so I can use the Koss SB-45 headset. I needed a plug adapter (which I luckily had on hand) to plug in my Vibroplex paddles. Rig control via Ham Radio Deluxe was fairly straightforward as the USB drivers are the same as the IC-7100.  I started operating on 20m during the North America QSO party on Saturday with the 1/4 wave verticals.

My first impressions are that the rig works well (and possibly better) than the IC-7100 on SSB. My signal reports were solid 59’s and occasionally 59+ all across the USA. Also made some DX with favorable reports.  Receive options make it easy to adjust RF gain controls and filters to help clean up the signals. I like the overload indicator which tells me to back off on the preamp or RF gain or both. The main learning curve for me thus far is in using the scope screen. Once you play with this awhile you get used to operating more visually. You can see whats going on across the whole band and find signals to tune into or find dead spots where the frequency is open. It is also easy to switch in the audio monitor to hear what you are transmitting.

Also tested digital modes JT-65, FT-8 and PSK31 after configuring the software for the rig. The audio scope helps look at the signal quality on digital modes. I did not find any notable differences in using the 7300 vs the 7100 on digital.

So overall I am impressed by the new rig especially on SSB Phone. I’ll likely expand on this review as I get some more time on the rig but I am happy with what I have seen thus far.

The IC-7100 is now setup as my base VHF/UHF rig and I hope to play with DSTAR on it for the first time sooner rather than later. I will continue to have it connected to my PC for rig control and can switch in HF when needed.

Ham Shack Changes – Part I

I made some changes to the Shack today. First up was removing the FT-450D and the FT-2900R and their associated cabling. The FT-450D will become a portable station along with an MFJ-4230MVp Power Supply in a pelican style case. The FT-2900R will eventually make its way into my Ford F-150 for 2m mobile operation. The IC-7100 is now working as my VHF/UHF rig. I have kept the rig control and HF connection intact so I can also use it on HF. I have now installed a new Icom IC-7300 for my HF base rig. Installation was stratight forward and operation is VERY similar to the IC-7100. The main new features are of course the spectrum scope and the filtering. I have Ham Radio Deluxe, N1MM+, JTDX and WSJT-X configured and working with the new rig.

Today is the North America QSO Party so there is an active band on 20m to play with the new rig. I’ll review later as I have more operating time built up on the rig. Here is the new “minimalist shack”…so far:

Addtional changes in the works are:

1. Swap my ground braided strap connections with copper strap.
2. Install S9 Antenna and radial plate
3. Secure the FT-450D and FT-2900R in their new homes

Hints on setting up Receive on WSJT-X and JTDX

I spent some time reading the manuals for WSJT-X & JTDX to ensure that I was optimizing recieve. This seems to have improved after making the following changes:

1. Make sure the PC is set for 16-bit 48,000 Hz sound card sampling.
2. Turn off AGC
3. Properly set microphone level. This is a two step process. In my case, I dropped the microphone level in Windows to 1%. Then using the Connectors–>ACC/USB AF Level control on the rig, dropped the level until I could get to 30dB receive with the slider at mid-scale. In my case the AF level was set to 10%.

These changes have helped with receiving weak signals. JTDX in particular typically decodes 15 to twenty stations when the band is busy.