I’m seeking assistance getting my digirig mobile, Vara FM and FTM-500 to work together. I am using the Digirig 1,200 baud MiniDin10 and USB C to USB-C cables cables purchased from Digirig. I get no Test Tone sound coming from Vara FM when I Tune or Auto Tune from either my computer or FTM-500. I do see the FTM-500 go into transmit mode, but it’s not transmitting any sounds. I have verified many times my settings in Vara FM - Input/Output Sound and PPT Settings, and I have reinstalled the Sound and COM devices too. I confirmed baud rate in the COM device port settings at 1,200. I read postings to suggest that my Yaesu COM settings and Data Speeds are not important. But I set my COM speed to as low as possible (4,800) and Data Speed to 1,200. My Sub Band is on and Mute set to off. On a side note, my Digirig dr-891 works fine with VarAC/VaraHF and JS8Call using the same laptop. Any help would be appreciated.
Post Edit: I wanted to add, my Digirig dr-891 also works fine with Winlink and Vara HF. I’m pretty adept with Vara and the PC Sound settings… I also found guidance on using the FTM-300 and settings with With this setup. The PC sound settings do not show that it hears the radio either so, both directions do not seem to work. Maybe this digirig doesn’t want to cooperate?
Derrick,
Here are the recommended steps for troubleshooting audio output from Digirig
make sure you see the audio hitting the output device - this is reflected as green bars populated to the right of Digirig’s playback device in control panel
make sure audio leaves Digirig by plugging regular stereo headphones into the audio socket - you should her the tone on the right side
check the cable’s continuity against the schematic, here’s one for 1200 baud MiniDIn10 audio (mirrored when accessing from pins side)
Denis - thanks for your response. I sincerely appreciate it.
I see the audio hitting the audio device as shown by the green bars in the meter when I select the Tune button in VaraFM.
I do have audio coming to headphones pluged into the Digirig.
The MiniDin10 cable doesn’t show the schematic on Digirig product site like the other Yaesu cables so I can’t verify it. But it is the single cable variant of the Yaesu FTM MiniDin10 Cable designated for the Yaesu FTM-500 – Yaesu FTM MiniDin10 Cable – digirig - 1,200 baud audio + PTT.
Maybe this is the wrong cable? Upon further reading of the product details for selecting variants it states “If you plan on using a digital mode requiring wide FM bandwidth such as VaraFM or M17 then you’ll need 9600 baud variant of this cable.” My Vara FM setup is configured to use NARROW (FM System = NARROW), as is my FTM-500 (menu #15: FM Bandwidth = Narrow). Do you have knowledge regarding this cable?
Sorry about the 3rd point and continuity check. I used my Astro multimeter to test the continuity of the pins to the TRRS positions - I’ve had this for over a year and now I learned how to use it (thanks to Youtube) - I got the tones in the right poitions - here is what I found taking into account mirroring the pins to your schematic
T - 5
R1 - 1
R2 - 3
S -2
So my cable is correct, after all and there is continuity.
I am using Digirig black cables with Ferrites at each on of cable (USB-C to USB-C, included)
I’ll spend more time on the settings, but as I understand it it’s simply AF IN/OUT and PTT. I think the PTT is working so I’ll try to understand how to ensure the AF IN/OUT through the 10PIN is controlled. I’ll hit up a Yaesu ftm-500 forum. thanks!
Denis - I did want to mention that both the Windows Recording Device and Vara FM is picking up the AF out of the radio 10pin port, just in case there is any significance. It seems I just need to find the setting preventing the AF into the radio from the 10pin port. Thanks again.
The inbound audio is important for a successful session. Now we just need to get the outbound audio on the air. We’ve established that it has to be at the transceiver connector -tones are present at Digirig’s socket and cable’s connections are good.
I took my FTM500 into the Yaesu service center. He was able to demonstrate it working with a Signal Link, but would not attempt to test with my digirig (probably a policy). He said it should work with the Digirig, it’s only FM and doesnt’ require any specific settings. I’m back at home now, and trying again. At least the PTT is now being triggered and the radio is transmitting … nothing/something? I can’t hear anything from the rig. I see the VaraFM and Laptop Playback Sound Device meter, the Digirig plays to my headphones (Tune/Auto TuneP At the Yaesu SC you could hear the tones. I also determined that in the VaraFM Sound Card Setup the Right channel doesn’t play a sound during Auto Tune or Tune, so leaving it on L&R.
I should add I purchased this Digirig for my FT-891 about a year ago. Couldn’t get it to work and I’m trying to use it now. I subsequently purchased the dr-891 digirig and it works great on my FT-891. I thought I would try to use this for my FTM-500. Do you think my digirig mobile configuration is causing this. I have hit a lot of forum threads regarding the FTM-500 and there shouldn’t be any reason it isn’t working.
You said you tried VARA FM on the right channel and it didn’t work, so you have it on L + R. You probably tried it, but if not, try just Left. My VARA FM/Digirig setup works fine on L, but exhibits odd behavior on L + R. Also doesn’t work here on R like you said. Did you try any other software with the 5oo? Fldigi and UZ7HO Soundmodem have tuning signals which for some reason sound much better than VARA FM’s tune signal on my computer.
N7QJP thanks for the response. I have the data speed set to 1200. I have the digirig 1200 baud 10 pin cable. I also have the yaesu CT-164 10 pin to 6 pin cable with the corresponding digirig FT-8XX Mini-Din-6 Digirig Cable which is also set up for 1200 baud. Same behavior for both. At the service center in Cypress the Yaesu Service Tech used my CT-164 with the signalink successfully, so I don’t believe I have an issue with the cables or terminal in the back of the radio.
I did some research and for the corresponding SignaLink port configuration for the Yaesu 6 pin cable it states the following:
For special signals requiring un-filtered “discriminator” audio, you will need to move the “SPKR” jumper to pin #4 (9600 baud output).
I don’t own a cable that will use the 9600 baud. I don’t know what this means or if it’s applicable to the FTM-500DR. I sent a note into the Yaesu Service technician who helped me last week.
1200/9600 baud selection pertains to the received audio. From what I understand your computer hears the audio from the radio so that’s should not be an issue.
Here we are dealing with audio from Digirig to the transceiver. Still not quite sure why you don’t get audio on the air with all individual components passing their tests. For good measure you can try an audio loopback test as demonstrated here:
For the loopback you’ll need to temporarily connect pins 2 & 5 as shown in my schematic (don’t forget to mirror).
I have the same set-up as you, and have both Packet and VaraFM working correctly; both with the 1200 bps and 9600 bps DigiRig cables from the radio data jack to the DR Mobile, and on two separate FTM-500’s, so there’s hope
Here are the radio settings I’m using for you to compare, recognizing not every setting is relevant:
RX Menu #15 FM Bandwidth
Wide
Data Menu #69 COM Port:
Speed 9600
Output Packet
WP Format NMEA 9
WP Filter ALL
Data Menu #71 Data Speed
APRS 1200 bps
Data 1200 bps (I use 9600, but it’s cable dependent - most set-ups are 1200 bps)
The thread is getting long, so I may have missed it, or not comprehending the issue… Have you used another radio to listen to the transmit signal from the FTM-500, confirming the status of the transmit audio?
Thanks for making this a thread for the Yaesu FTM-500 which concludes with a working configuration. For completeness, it might be good to provide screenshots of packet modem and Vara FM modem configurations.
Yaesu FTM-500 DigiRig Mobile Winlink Express Settings (Click on images to enlarge)
For Packet Devices and MODEM settings in SoundModem by UZ7HO - PTT (COM) Port will vary per individual set-up: (I’ve changed the names in Windows settings to DigiRig TX et al for my own clarity, vs the Windows default of USB Audio Device)
appreciate the input.
