Cable for RadioShack HTX-10

1

Mic connection is aviation type GX16-6?

Pin 1 Mic Audio
Pin 2 Ground on receive (this is one of the speaker terminals
Pin 3 PTT ground to transmit
Pin 4 channel select (pin 6=Up Pin 3 through 22K =Down)
Pin 5 Ground
Pin 6 +13.8V

image

Digirig cable will look like:

GX pin 1 (Mic) → 3.5mm TRRS ring 1 (RIG_AFIN)
GX pin 5 (Ground) → 3.5mm TRRS sleeve (GND)
GX pin 3 (PTT) → 3.5mm TRRS ring 2 (PTT)

3.5mm TRS tip (Speaker) → 3.5mm TRRS tip (RIG_AFOUT)
3.5mm TRS sleeve (Ground) → 3.5mm TRRS sleeve (GND)

2

That’s one great little radio.

3

I did the first part, pins 1, 5 and 3 into the trrs.

I’m a little confused about the second part, do I just take a separate trs connector cable and solder the tip wire of that to the tip wire of the trrs wire i have now which is currently the only unconnected wire there, and then take the sleeve wire, and then solder that to pin 5 of the GX16-6 connector along with the other ground?

One thing I noticed when i plugged in was the audio on my radio was out like it was when i took the mic off the radio, is that because i didn’t make the whole connector? Sorry I’m new, I’m a 2 month old ham and I haven’t soldered in 20 years before this but I’m having fun haha.

Also if you wouldn’t mind could you explain the logic of how wiring it all up like this works? I like to understand how things work and I’ve been trying to wrap my head around exactly what’s happening here. Do I do anything with pin on the gx16-6? seems like there’s an extra wire that would be dangling on the trs wire too

Also if there’s a way to modify this to just run it off my computers soundcard and just have a couple trs cables one for audio and one that would send audio through the mic when it was there, that would be even more relevant to my interests, but like i said I have no idea what im doing but im having fun

4

that has my cheat sheet for hooking up an htx-10

it might help to state your ‘goal’ for the radio.

are you trying to do ft-8 on 10m?
winlink on 10m?

allstarlink or echolink node?

i can answer the audio question.
when you unplug the microphone, the ‘speaker’ circuit is interupted.
(like cutting one of the speaker wires)
that is why there is no audio from the speaker when you unplug the microphone.
this was typical with ‘cb radios’ back in the day but is uncommon with ‘most’ radio gear today.

that is also why you can use that pin on the mic jack to supply the soundcard with rx audio instead of plugging in a wire to the back of the radio

there are a couple of threads here on the htx-10
take your time and glean what you can from them in order to get your solution.

good luck
:slight_smile:

kb0wlf

1 Like
5

Well, the main thing I’m wanting to do with it is sstv using the sound card on my computer. I’m also very intrigued by the digital modes, though i know some have to adjust frequency and I think that’s what the digirig device is for right? But yes, priority #1 is sstv, priority #2 would be any digital mode(s) i could use from my computers soundcard and a program like fldigi or wsjtx, or maybe with a future purchase of a digirig.

That makes a lot of sense about the speaker circuit being interrupted! thanks!

I saw the other thread where you posted your pictures, just trying to figure out how to convert this information to a plan and then a build, like i said I’ve done part of it and kind of scratching my head. But learning a lot, I mean before yesterday I didn’t even know there was a difference between a trrs and trs cable, and before i started this particular journey I had no idea what to call the connector , now i know it’s a gx16-6, I scoured the internet looking for a 6 pin xlr cable until i stumbled across something, probably here that called it a gx16-6 haha

6

ok, great

that helps a lot to formulate a reply
:slight_smile:

SSTV, a favorite of mine.
first, if you’re planning on using sstv with another ham you know, you’re good.

the reason i say this is that 99% of sstv activity is on 20m, 14.230 for analog sstv and 14.233 for digital sstv.
(in this context, both are ‘digi’ modes but the encoding of the picture is different)

another .99% is from the ISS and is on 2m

so the htx-10 is left out for either of those bands of course.

NOW, on to the hardware wiring.

to decode sstv from the htx-10, you could hold an android phone running droid sstv up to the speaker if you have a friend transmitting sstv in the 10m ssb portion.
it will decode really well without ‘wires’.

ok, the digirig
let’s simplify and at the same time complicate things.

the digirig has 2 main ‘parts’.
an audio device (usb soundcard)
a comport

what’s that mean for a ham radio?
‘back in the day’ we had a different box called a TNC.
this was a box that connected to your computer via a serial port (comport)
the box had ALL the ‘stuff’ inside to create digital mode ‘tones/noises’ through the radio as well as ‘push the transmit button’ on the radio.

the computer did none of the ‘processing’.
that meant every time a new digital mode was ‘invented’ a whole new box had to be produced.
EXPENSIVE to the ham radio operator.

in comes ‘sound card packet’
let the computer figure out how to make all the digital noises for the radio using the sound card.
sweet!
but how do i push the transmit button on the radio automatically?
ahh, the comport on the computer!
(there are 2 ‘lines’ on a serial port that can be ‘toggled’ on/off open/closed)

later radios have the capability to send the transmit ‘button’ over the remote control commands.
(like change frequency, change mode, etc)

so the digirig is a neat little bundle that puts everything you need in one package.

audio to make the digital noises
comport that can be used to toggle the transmit button AS WELL as provide remote control on radios that support remote control.
htx-10 does not of course.

lastly.
a digirig cable for the htx-10 should be using the audio jack of the digirig.
connect rx audio, mic audio, ground, PTT, to a trrs plug in the correct order.

the serial jack on the digirig will not be used.

in software, ham radio deluxe, rx sstv, mmstv , fldigi etc.
you would select the usb sound device for audio in/out
you would select the digirig comport for ptt (RTS checkbox and whatever number the comport is)

also, if there is a remote control option in the software of your choice, you would select NONE.

good luck
:wink:
kb0wlf