I’m experiencing an issue with receiving audio on my Mac setup using a DigiRig Lite connected to a Yaesu FTA-250 transceiver. Here’s my situation:
My setup:
- Mac computer running macOS Sonoma Version 14.6.1
- DigiRig Lite interface
- Yaesu FTA-250 transceiver
- USB Audio Device configured at 48,000 Hz, 1ch 16-bit Integer
- USB Isolator to prevent ground loops and noise
What works:
- Transmitting works perfectly - I can send data by playing an audio file while holding down PTT
- The transmission is clearly audible on another radio on the test frequency (123.050)
The problem:
- When receiving transmissions from another radio on the same frequency, the audio in my Mac recording is extremely weak
- The Audacity waveform shows mostly static with a very faint signal where the actual transmission occurs
- The signal-to-noise ratio is very poor compared to direct recording with my phone
What I’ve tried:
- Confirmed my audio settings in macOS (USB Audio Device is properly selected)
- Verified both radios are correctly tuned to the same frequency
- Confirmed the volume levels on the receiving radio
I’m looking for advice on how to improve signal reception quality with this setup. Has anyone encountered similar issues with the DigiRig Lite and Yaesu radios? Could this be a settings issue, hardware limitation, or something else entirely?
Any suggestions for improving reception or recommended software tools that might help enhance the weak incoming signals would be greatly appreciated.
