# Just want to verify that it’s time for the knife…
**URL:** https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Tags:** icom-ic-756-pro-iii, troubleshoot-audio
**Created:** [December 17, 2023, 9:25pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808 "2023-12-17T21:25:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bigbit](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Bigbit)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2023, 9:25pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/1 "2023-12-17T21:25:20Z")
This is my first post - just received my Digirig yesterday.
I have an IC-756ProIII that I bought used recently. It came with a Signalink which worked but marginally. I decided to try the Digirig with the integrated CI-V support.
I hooked everything up, and can see the USB serial device fine as well as the PNP sound card on my MacBook Pro. WSJT-X works OK except the incoming audio is hot - I used to get a received signal of ~70db with the Signalink receive dial set to about halfway. With the Digirig, my received signal is at ~87db, and adjusting the sound input on the Mac won’t do much - except that muting it does drop the signal to zero. I do receive and decode some FT8; radio control works flawlessly. But i can’t find any soft way to reduce the audio to an acceptable level.
I assume it’s time to activate the internal Digirig attenuation with an Exacto knife, but don’t want to take a knife to a brand new device without verification that I’m doing the right thing.
-W1AQP
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### Author:  [@Constrainted](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Constrainted)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2023, 12:16am UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/2 "2023-12-18T00:16:21Z")
I think @K0TX will comment on this. I do not want your question to go unanswered. If you decide you do not want the attenuation, a solder bridge can reverse what you have done.
73 Constrainted
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### Author:  [@Constrainted](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Constrainted)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/3 "2023-12-18T00:17:40Z")
> [@Touchy HT Volume Knob Winlink & VARA FM - How to Fix?](https://forum.digirig.net/t/touchy-ht-volume-knob-winlink-vara-fm-how-to-fix/751/7):
>
> Yes, but the the change is not permanent: You can bridge the attenuator pads with the solder blob if you wish to remove it. Also, even with attenuation the interface will still work with other radios, though the audio levels will have to be adjusted accordingly. The attenuator would not work on the USB line because it is not an analog connection.
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### Author:  [@K0TX](https://forum.digirig.net/u/K0TX)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/4 "2023-12-18T02:58:20Z")
On Windows I would first suggest making sure that AGC is disabled in settings. On Mac the driver may not have this feature available and in such case activating the attenuator would be the next step. As Constrainted pointed out this is something you can reverse if needed.
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### Author:  [@Bigbit](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Bigbit)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2023, 5:08am UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/5 "2023-12-18T05:08:18Z")
No AGC feature on my Mac, so I activated the attenuator on the board. Quick testing shows my receive signal down to about 70db and in the green on WSJT-X. I’ll test in earnest tomorrow using FT8, but things look good right now.
Thank you both!
73,
W1AQP
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### Author:  [@Constrainted](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Constrainted)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2023, 8:05am UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/6 "2023-12-18T08:05:49Z")
@Bigbit Thanks for the good news! Good luck with WSJT-X tomorrow.
73 Constrainted
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### Author:  [@Johngriswold](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Johngriswold)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/7 "2023-12-19T16:14:37Z")
I needed to do this for an FT-1500 FM rig I’m using. Easy operation, easily backed out. Even this software engineer was able to do it. (Yes, I had to ask permission to use something sharp…)
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### Author:  [@Bigbit](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Bigbit)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/8 "2023-12-19T18:28:52Z")
Thanks for the chuckle, John.
I was able to use FT8 very nicely on 10m yesterday. Very happy with my new DigiRig and my new-to-me IC-756 Pro III. Here’s my log from yesterday.
73!
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### Author:  [@Constrainted](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Constrainted)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/9 "2023-12-19T19:04:25Z")
Thanks for coming back with the good news!
73 Constrainted
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### Author:  [@K0TX](https://forum.digirig.net/u/K0TX)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/10 "2023-12-19T19:05:25Z")
Congrats!
Ha, that E. Kiribati station is all over the bands. I got him on 17m.
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### Author:  [@ak7vv](https://forum.digirig.net/u/ak7vv)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/just-want-to-verify-that-it-s-time-for-the-knife/2808/11 "2023-12-23T19:50:27Z")
AND YOU WERE GIVEN PERMISSION? Oh noes… 😉