1. HF Digital Communications
The Sound Card Radio
and FLdigi
Check your sound before making the presentation.
Slides with a speaker icon can be clicked on the hear what the mode sounds like
John Clements KC9ON Stephen H. Smith WA8LMF
Joe Miller KJ8O John Mathieson AC8JW
Brian Johnston W8TFI August 1, 2015

2. Contents
Introductions
Why Digital?
Olivia
Fldigi software

3. Contents Flmsg message program Sound Card Station
Hints and tips for digital operating
Local traffic nets

4. Introductions Joe Miller KJ8O
SWL since 1967, first licensed in 2006 and collects QSL cards
President of OCARS (W8TNO)
MI Affiliated Club Coordinator

5. Introductions John Mathieson AC8JW Licensed since 2004
Active in CW and digital modes

6. Introductions Brian Johnston W8TFI Licensed in 1976
Computer operator for a major newspaper
Avid experimenter and home brewer

7. Why Digital? Send and receive text, images, data, and audio
Some modes work very well in noisy and weak signal environments
If you can’t hear them you can’t work them is no longer true!

8. Why Digital?
Some modes can provide error free or reduced error transmissions.
A few provide ARQ (Automatic repeat request functions)
Good for Emergency Communications
For emergency work large data files such as needed supplies, lists of injured and other large amounts of health and welltfare traffic can be sent error free

9. Why Digital? Many modes use smaller bandwidths than voice
97.1(b) contribute to the advancement of the radio art.
97.313(a) use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.
We will see in upcoming slides how many of these modes will fit multiple conversations in the same voice bandwidth.
A few FCC reasons why to go digital.

10. Digital Modes of Operation
There are more digital modes than you can shake a stick at!
RTTY, PSK,MFSK, Olivia, MT63, JT65, Contestia, Hellschreiber, Throb, Packet, WSPR, SSTV, FreeDV and many many more!
All these are AFSK modes
Some of these modes are experimental.
Some have specific uses.
Others have not caught on or have been out dated by newer technology modes.
For example: I heard THOR mode the first and only time a few days ago.

11. MFSK16 Like RTTY but uses 16 different frequency shifts
Old technology mode - required complicated hardware before sound card software was available
Speed of 78WPM / 62.5 baud with a 316 Hz bandwidth
ARRL Bulletins are transmitted in MFSK16

12. MFSK16 Uses forward error correction (FEC)
Typically this is done by sending redundant data
The cost penalty is extra time to send the data multiple times
Result is greatly reduced errors from QSB, QRN and Multipath propagation

13. Olivia MFSK Variant used for traffic handling
Has forward error correction like MT63
Good with QSB, QRM
Will decode 10-14dB below the noise floor

14. Olivia Common bandwidth, shifts, and speeds Mode BW Shifts WPM 500/830
1000/32
1000 32 24

15. Software Many different programs Most run on windows and Mac
A few run on Linux
Most are free
We will look at FLdigi

16. Software FLDigi The program of choice for EMCOMM
Handles radiogram and ICS forms
Note: additional software needed for these on the FLDigi site.

17. Software FLDigi
FLDigi is FREE!
Handles most modes including SSTV and WeFax
Also contains a log book and radio control

18. Getting started on FLDigi
Home:
Downloads:
Beginners’ guide

19. Install files circled in red for NEBEMS.

20. FLdigi
FLdigi, FLmsg and FLwrap All are part of the NBEMS emergency management package.
(Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software)

21. FLdigi Fldigi is main program and communication interface
Works with multiple sound card modes
Did we mention that it is free!

22. Software FLdigi

23. Olivia 8/500

24. Olivia 8/500

25. FLmsg
Fldigi manages ICS and ARRL forms via FLmsg an attached program to FLdigi
Will send CSV and files

26. Flmsg
FLmsg allows the user to write ARRL radiograms or ICS forms and send them via one of the sound card modes.

27. FLmsg
It allows an almost automatic process for sending text messages and even files.

28. FLmsg 1. The user fills out the blank and saves the message in preset
folder.
2. In FLdigi let the receiving know you
are ready to send
3. In FLmsg click on Autosend.

29. FLmsg
The message when complete will open FLmsg in the recipients computer and port the formatted message to a web browser for printing

30. FLmsg
This is the ARRL blank form

31. FLmsg
ICS 213

32. Hardware Only 3 components needed
Radio
Computer
Audio / PTT Interface
Optionally a Computer Aided Tuning (CAT) interface
Not required but nice to have if the radio supports it

33. Hardware How much does it cost?
Assuming you have the radio and computer…….
Build your own interface from free to $25
Buy commercial interfaces from $60-300

34. Hardware Radio Almost any USB HF Transceiver
Older mechanical analog VFO rigs may NOT be stable enough for narrow modes like PSK31 but work well on modes like RTTY and SSTV.
Newer radios with stable frequency synthesizers are best.
Some high end rigs have PSK and RTTY built in!

35. Hardware Computer Big and fast not required
Most “XP” computers work fine!
Minimum Requirements
Available USB or RS-232 port
Sound Card
1GHz CPU, 100MB free RAM
300MB Drive space
Depends on software - YMMV
The latest and greatest for HRD V6 asks for 1-4GB RAM and 50GB hard drive which sounds excessive.
My current HRD 5.0 (Running CAT, Logbook, and DK780 at the same time) uses about 30Mb RAM and 300MB hard drive.
FLDigi uses 20MB RAM and 20MB hard drive.

36. Start today with a simple attenuator cable
Interfaces Receive
Start today with a simple attenuator cable
Parts are about $10 at Radio Shack, cheaper elsewhere!
wa8lmf.net/miscinfo/Univers al-Sound-Card-Cable.pdf
It may be good to have a few hard copies of this interface on hand!
Some RigBlasters make you believe putting a cable from radio Speaker out to PC “Line In” will work. Sometimes….maybe with the right touch!
If your PC supports “Line IN” Great! Otherwise save some problems by using an attenuator cable

37. Interfaces Receive

38. Interfaces Transmitting
Transmitting is a little more complex
PTT keying
Isolate the audio to prevent ground loop issues
You can try an attenuator method like receive. Sometime it works and sometimes not!

39. Interfaces Commercial
Several Manufacturers
MFJ
West Mountain (Rig Blaster)
TigerTronics (SignalLink)
Some models include cables
Other models require purchasing cables for your rig

40. Interfaces Commercial
Better models include a sound card built in
Your internal PC sound card is available for regular use
Prices from $60 - $300
The models with a built in sound card will require an additional USB port connection to your PC.
Depending on your PC and setup you may need to purchase a USB hub. For example the PC only has 2 USB ports and you have a CAT, PTT, and sound card interface!

41. Interfaces Homebrew
As basic as two ohm audio transformers, a few resistors, and a $1.00 opto-isolator chip for PTT keying.
Note: Make sure the Mic is unplugged, turned down or off. Some radios, such as the IC-725 will mix the back port and mic together is the Mic gain is turned up!
More Advantages: homebrewing can be cheaper….sometimes
Disadvantage…. Time to collect the parts and built it up
Possible print a schematic or two for those interested.

42. Interfaces Homebrew Radio Spkr/Aux Audio Out Computer Audio In
Computer Speaker/Line Audio Out
Radio Mic/Aux Audio In
Serial Port RTS Pin
Radio PTT Line

43. Interfaces Typical Setup
Depending on manufacturer, the MIC/PTT interface is usually a generic cable with jumper wires set inside the interface or a custom cable made for the specific radio model.

44. Tips and Tricks Power Reduce your power!
Unlike SSB, these modes either run at 100% duty cycle, or use multiple tones sensitive to intermodulation distortion!
Be kind to your finals!
Keep peak power out well below key-down CW maximum to minimize distortion.
Keep ALC to zero
Turn off speech processing or compression

45. Tips and Tricks Jacks
Use the Auxiliary, Accessory, “Data”, or “Packet” jacks on the radio.
Most radios from the major manufacturers have one or more of these jacks on the rear panel
May have constant audio input, output, and PTT lines

46. Tips and Tricks Jacks Typical Jacks
6-pin Mini-DIN Pin Full-size DIN

47. Tips and Tricks Jacks
No need to adjust the volume or mic gain all the time
No need to unplug the speaker to hear the radio
No need to swap the mic in and out
You may need a mic switch!
Some radios, such as the ICOM IC-725 will combine the mic audio and Accessory mic audio!
Fortunately the mic gain control ONLY adjusts the mic input and not the accessory jack
Alternatively a Mic on/off switch could be used

48. Tips and Tricks Jacks
Some radios have an audio out line in the microphone jack. This can help reduce extra cables.

49. Tips and Tricks RSID Use Reed-Solomon Identification Short code at the
beginning of a transmission which identifies the mode
Several programs automatically detect this and pop up a box

50. Tips and Tricks Sound Device
Check your sound card settings in the control panel!
Turn off special effects
Turn off pass-thru or “Listen to this device” modes
Set rate to 16 bit 48000Hz
When I got a Vista machine it was a pain to get ANY program running! However, once the bugs were fixed the machine ran great in digital.
Then I got a Windows 8 computer
Digital modes were OK but some things didn't work right. Weak signals would not decode. JT9 did not work at all!
Problem was the “Special Effects” turned on by default!
All is well now :)

51. Tips and Tricks Sound Device
Use the mixer to adjust your transmit audio using a dummy load and short second intervals
More tips.....
Pass through mode causes an echo, most noticable on Echolink!
JT9 requires 48KHz, many modes get by fine with less.
Try setting your mixer Mic and Speaker to 50%, then adjust within your software. You still may need to make other mixer adjustments after that.

52. Tips and Tricks References
Commercial Sites
Software:
Ham Radio Deluxe V6
Interfaces
MFJ
RigBlaster
SignalLink

53. Local Digital Traffic Nets
Kentucky Digital Net
3.585mHz 8/500 Olivia
Wednesday 7PM

54. Local Digital Traffic Nets
Michigan Digital Traffic Net
3.583mHz 8/500
8PM Tues, Thurs, Sat.
State nets welcome out of state stations

55. Local Digital Traffic Nets
Ohio Digital Net: 3.580mHz, 8tones 500hz (8/500)
Tues at 8PM

56. Questions?