FT-3 DR - Set up help needed

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22

Al,
If you have early version of Yaesu HT cable and it the contact is not reliable, I can exchange it for you or you can just trim some of the molding around the contacts with a box cutter.

Also, Digirig should not be a default audio device. Please make sure to move both green checkboxes to your computer’s regular mic and speakers otherwise all system beeps and boops will end up on the air.

23

Thanks, Denis. I’m not looking for replacement cables; I’ll try trimming my current ones down and see how that works.

I could have been more clear in my statement above: Windows keeps randomly deciding to make the Digirig the default device, which as you say, is not the setting I want. If I reboot the laptop, or even just unplug and replug the Digirig, Windows sometimes (not always) makes it the default device, and also does things like sets or unsets levels, mute, AGC, etc. Frustrating, but I blame Microsoft for this.

24

Thank you for the clarification.
I found the device settings go back to defaults if Digirig is plugged in a different USB port. My Windows preserves the settings between reboots and re-plugs as long as the port is the same.

25

I hope this is the right place to post.

It appears that I can not get my cable (from here) to work properly with any of my radios.

What works:
-PTT works
-In soundmodem I can see that audio is coming from radio

What does not work:
-Simply APRS messages can not be translated/interpreted. I could not do any other test (time and problem with VARA FM!).

What radios:
_FT1DR
-FT2DR
-FT3DR
-FT70

How I did test:

  • a FT3DR sends APRS beacons manually.
  • two computers run SoundModem 114 listen.
  • one is connected via VX-6
  • the other computer connected first through VX-6 and VX-7 to confirm all pieces are working and APRS messages are interpreted correctly.

-NON of FT series were able to work, I can visually see that something is coming in the waterfall (soundmodem).

Scratching my head here.

26

There are three functions:

  • get audio from the air: since you see the signal on the waterfall, this works. You can also patch the incoming audio to the computer’s speakers for monitoring while setting it up. See troubleshooting guide on more info for this.
  • PTT: you report as working
  • get audio from computer on the air: you can use another HT on the same frequency to confirm that this happens.

Now even if everything works, you may still not be able to establish the link because of the RF, audio levels or software configuration issue.

Divide and conquer the concerns:

  • troubleshooting with stations in close proximity will remove RF considerations
  • trying different digital mode will rule out issue with the specific software
  • start with the lowest levels and add gradually
  • make sure you select correct (Digirig’s) audio devices from the list
27

Thank Denis for pointing out audio level.

I did setup the test again mainly because I used my FT3DR as the transmitter last time and did not test it as the receiver. I just prematurely made the conclusion that becasue all of the others failed this is automatic fail too :expressionless:

Anyhow, this is my findings:
-FT3DR worked, I was paying attention to the HT volume and it was at 50%
-FT70 did not until i increased volume to exactly 30 out of 31 (31 did not worked too).
-FT1DR only worked at maximum volume.

While this was absolutely a newbie mistake, it is somehow strange to me that the whole eco-system is so sensitive to the volume.

There is a lesson learned and thought share it here so hopefully helps someone else.

28

Yes, overdriving audio is a real thing and it may have a dramatic effect on the sound.
When done on purpose, that’s what turns acoustic guitar sound into heavy metal guitar sound.

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