Overview of Digital Modes, FLDigi and N1MM Logger+ Collin Howe AA0CN Rochester Amateur Radio Club - rarchams.org Relevant Links on Last Slide

Digital Modes Mechanism of communication using discrete signals (Non-Infinite, repeatable) Often uses specialized hardware/software (Teletype Machine, Modem, Computer) Can be much faster than voice (at the expense of reliability) Can be much slower (can work in low-signal conditions at expense of speed) CW: Simplest “Digital” mode, high reliability

Rig Control / Communication Digital Modes often use Computer through a purpose-built interface using the computer’s Sound Card as a modem Many Radios have USB control built-in Signalink USB control interface Homebrew COM / Sound Card interface: PTT On/Off, RX Audio, TX Audio KF5INZ Easy Digi Interface: Or just use speaker and mic, and manually switch TX/RX!

Rig Control: Example Interface RX/TX Control Signal PTT Pin/Gnd PC “Mic” or “Line In” Radio RXOut Speaker PC “Speaker” Radio TX MIC In

Digital Mode Considerations High Duty Cycle, turn down the power! Some AutoTuners have Digi power limits Volume-sensitive (driving radio direct, ALC) Some radios have a “Digital” mode, won’t take USB audio if not in Digi Mode Sometimes tricky setup for PC Interface (You kept the manual, right?) Use ferrites to reduce hardware issues Limitless potential!

FLDigi: Rig Control Software

Waterfall and Current Freq FLDigi Intro Decoded Text Out Waterfall and Current Freq (Audio)

FLDigi Intro Text To Encode

Current Freq and Log Info FLDigi Intro Current Mode & VFO Freq Current Freq and Log Info Note: Current Frequency = (VFO Freq ±Offset) + for USB, - for LSB

Waterfall Signal Identification: Carrier Wave (CW) / Morse On/Off encoding Single Carrier Narrowest Bandwidth Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Amplitude Modulation Voice/Music/Broadcast Single Carrier with Products Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Single Sideband (SSB) Most Common HF Voice No constant carrier ~1500-2000 Hz bandwidth Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Radio Teletype (RTTY) Text-Only Baudot Encoding Two distinct carriers (Mark and Space) RTTY-45 : 200 Hz bandwidth, 45 Baud Transceiver often set to LSB for RTTY-45, may be used in USB Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Phase Shift Keying (PSK) Uses 2 (Binary), 4 (Quad) or 8 “Phase Constellations” BPSK-31 most common, “typing speed” 31.25 Baud Narrow ~60Hz bandwidth Usually used in USB mode Common Freqs: 3.580, 7.040, 10.142, 14.070, 18.100, 21.080, 24.920, 28.120 MHz Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Multi-Freq. Shift Keying (MFSK) Keying is done by one tone at different frequencies MFSK8: 8 tones, 7.8 baud MFSK16: 16 @ 15.625 Bd 154Hz / 218Hz bandwidth Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: THROB / THROBX 9 or 11 tones 1 to 4 Baud (10-40 WPM) Throb 1: 72Hz Bandwidth Throb 4: 144Hz Bandwidth ThrobX 4: 94Hz BW ThrobX 4: 188Hz BW Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Olivia / Contestia Many tones 2N, 4 thru 256 8Hz – 2000Hz Bandwidth Good for poor propagation and High QRM Use USB Mode Contestia: An Olivia variant, twice as fast Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Other HF Modes JT-65 Weak Signal / QRP UTC time synched, ~50 seconds, 13 chars WSJT Software by K1JT SSTV Many different modes MMSSTV Software Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

Waterfall Signal Identification: Other Modes, VHF/UHF Packet / AX.25 / APRS USB, FM for VHF/UHF APRS on 144.390 FM MT63 High bandwidth, Fast Audio coupling for ARES: MT-63 2000L @ 200WPM Waterfall/Audio source: http://www.sigidwiki.com

FLDigi Useage

FLDigi Mode Selection

FLDigi Config (Rig, Audio, Etc.)

FLDigi Config, Operator

FLDigi Config, Rig Control (USB)

FLDigi Config, Rig Control (HW)

FLDigi Config, Audio In/Out

FLDigi Config, Audio In/Out

FLDigi Config, Audio In/Out

FLDigi Rig Control Rig will display, Freq. will sync T/R button

FLDigi Macros Macros

FLDigi Macros (Edit)

FLDigi Intro Type or use Macro to populate text, Before or during TX Click to select signal on waterfall RX/TX Toggle

FLDigi Transmit

Contest QSO Format (Not fixed) CQ CQ CQ DE K0AAA K0AAA K K0AAA DE AA0CN AA0CN K AA0CN 5A WTX 5A WTX DE K0AAA K K0AAA DE AA0CN 1A MN 1A MN SK …

FLDigi Macro QSO

FLDigi Macro QSO

FLDigi Macro QSO

FLDigi Macro QSO

N1MM Logger+

N1MM Logger+ Logger Radio Interface Digital Interface Record callsign, report, time, note Dupes Radio Interface Record Frequency, Mode Digital Interface Use FLDigi component for Rig Control, Digital Interface Modem, Macros Record Exchanges Network-attached Log

N1MM Logger+ : Initial Setup

N1MM Logger+ : Control Setup

N1MM Logger+ : Audio Setup

N1MM Logger+ : Digital Interface

N1MM Logger+ : Digital Modes

N1MM Logger+ : Digital Modes

N1MM Logger+ : Digital Modes Waterfall & Freq Selection Macros

N1MM Logger+ : Digital Modes Callsign set to be logged Select Callsign

N1MM Logger+ : Add Log Entry Comment/Exchange Report (If Any) Hit “Enter” to add to log

N1MM Logger+ : Basic Hotkeys Space or Tab for next box Shift+Tab for previous box Hit “Enter” to add to log

N1MM Logger+ : Log Added Log Added

N1MM Logger+ : Log Duplicate Duplicate Indicator

N1MM Logger+ : Log Duplicate Possible Duplicates Duplicate Indicator

Reed-Solomon Identifier Data Sent/Received before main transmission body to identify mode FLDIGI can be set to automatically switch to mode identified by RSID Immediately followed by transmission

Reed-Solomon Identifier RX & TX RSID Toggles RSID Receive Mode QPSK-250 RSID

FLMSG / MT-63 2000L Used to Send/Receive Forms

FLMSG / MT-63 2000L Interfaces with FLDigi and Sound Card Modem Can Acoustically Couple (Using mic/speaker)

FLMSG / MT-63 2000L Can Display/Print messages on Receipt

FLMSG Android: AndFlmsg FLMsg for Android Phone or Tablet! http://www.w1hkj.com/vk2eta/

SDR Sharp with RTL-SDR USB General Receiver, 25MHz – 2.2GHz, $15 Samples wide section of band, good for finding nearby interference and VHF/UHF Listening

WebSDR Receivers Online, Free, no hardware/software needed Wideband, multi-user. http://www.websdr.org/

Questions?

Links: FLDigi / FlMsg: http://www.w1hkj.com/download.html Ham Radio Deluxe: http://www.hrdsoftwarellc.com/ N1MM Logger+ https://n1mm.hamdocs.com/tiki-index.php WSJT by K1JT: https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/ Android AndFlMsg: http://www.w1hkj.com/vk2eta/ SDR# (RTL-SDR): http://airspy.com/download/ WebSDR Receiver List: http://www.websdr.org/ Signal Identification Wiki http://www.sigidwiki.com