Attempting to use Yaesu FT-60R , Digirig lite, Linux Mint 18.3 64 bit on a Panasonic Toughbook Cf-19.
Things I’ve done:
I believe I’ve managed to set up direwolf, install ax-25 packages, configured axport, installed linpac. I believe I am getting audio from the radio into the computer, as WSJT shows a waterfall, also the mic input level in Pulse Audio Volume Control (input devices) shows incoming traffic when I connected the FT60 and put it on NOAA weather channel. Also, when I pull up fldigi and select the USB audio device it receives data. I set gpsd auto to “false” and uninstalled brltty already.
Things I want to do:
I want to utilize linpac or native ax.25 (ax-listen etc) to do packet work and utilize keyboard to keyboard VHF packet modes or connect to VHF RF BBS.
Questions:
Ever since unboxing, and whether the FT60 is connected or not, and before, after and during configuration of all of the above tools, both the GREEN power light and the RED PTT light on the Digirig light are illuminated at all times. I cannot confirm that this is normal operation. It seems that when I plug the Digirig into my USB on the toughbook, it should not illuminate PTT at all unless I TX? Can you confirm this (in other words, is this red PTT light normal and will switch to green if I TX?) I have not tried to establish a connection or TX since I have not confirmed my configuration is correct. I did try to run ax-listen after starting direwolf while connected to the local APRS frequency on the FT60 and no traffic was showing in the terminal (but not sure if the frequency had any TX either).
1. Is the solid red PTT light at all times and conditions normal? 2. What should my next step be?
I am attaching an IMGR link of screenshots for my Alsamixer settings and Pulse Audio Volume Control settings on Linux Mint 18.3
The red PTT LED should normally be off. Does it stay on if you plug it into other computer?
It’s possible that there is some noise generated or some audio feedback exists that trips VOX.
interestingly, since i posted i have also plugged the digirig lite in to two android phones and both power(green) and ptt (red) lights come on immediately when plugged in, even without a radio plugged in. I just plugged the digirig into a thinkpad pc and as soon as the pc is powered on the digirig power and ptt lights are both on, even with no radio attached.
UPDATE: I found that for all three computers, the Linux toughbook, Android phone, and Thinkpad laptop, when i plug in the digirig lite by itself, the ptt light is NOT on, only the power, but when i plug the ft60 cable into the digirig, straight side of course, this causes the ptt light to turn on, and the ptt light stays lit when connected to the ft60, with the ft60 turned on or off.
It is possible that the HT when connected provides an alternative path for the current that lights up the led (green).
There is also specific with Yaesu HT cable that it shares the same line between mic audio and PTT. This can also contribute to the issue (does the LED light up with cable connected, but no radio on the other end?).
If the radio is not actually keyed up when PTT LED is on, then this effect can be chalked off as a glitch of cosmetic nature. I’ll keep looking into this, but see if you can get an actual RF connection.
So far I have had no success transmitting from the Digirig lite - I tried WoAD on two different Motorola Android devices, Linux via linpac and ax call, and Winlink express using Vara FM. Running the calibration with VaraFM yields “no signal” and no audio TX on second radio. I also tried to plug headphones into the end of the digirig (instead of the Yaesu Ft-60) and no audio is heard.
Also in all cases, the Linux Pansonic Toughbook laptop, Thinkpad Windows 10, and Android with USB-c the red PTT light turns on immediately when the Digirig lite AND the Yaesu ft-60 cable are plugged into the USB port. This happens regardless of whether the FT-60 is plugged in, to clarify the Yaesu FT-60 cable being plugged into the Digirig lite alone causes the permanent red PTT on Digirig. At no time does the FT-60 TX light up red during the process.
I haven’t had time to test the Digirig lite with my Yaesu ftm6000, but as a test I did plug the Yaesu mini din 10 cable I have into the Digirig lite and the PTT on the Digirig does not light up.
Just to add further (possibly) helpful information -
I just spent some time making sure windows sound settings were correct, and they were. Using what I believe is a correct config for soundmodem and winlink express packet winlink, no audio transmits via the FT60. When I plug headphones in and attempt to listen to TX no audio is heard. For testing I temporarily changed soundmodem to the PC soundcard and the TX from winlink express came thru my PC speakers.
When starting winlink packet session, there are audio bars on the digirig lite playback device in windows sound, one pulse for each connection attempt, but the TX light on the FT-60 doesn’t light and nothing is heard on second radio monitoring.
Earlier you shared screenshots for Vara configured for PTT by RA. Board (GPIO3). This time around it looks like it’s soundfmodem. Here, the PTT by GPIO3 is referred to as HID and looks like this:
I changed the settings in soundmodem to match yours and unfortunately the result was the same, windows sound control still shows the audio levels for TX on the digirig lite but no sign of TX from the FT60
