Jon, Excellent explanation! You should be a teacher (if you aren't already).
And, Stephen... welcome to the hobby and digital modes. Here's my personal preference with some elaboration: Interface: USB Signalink USB Signalink has an on board sound card so you don't have to tie up your computer soundcard. It also only has 2 cables... one to the radio and a USB to the computer. Power is supplied by the USB cable. I've found the devices with rats nests of audio and power cables hanging off them give a much greater chance for picking up RF and locking up your computer. Software: NBEMS / FLDIGI (www.w1hkj.com) FLDIGI multimode software is built for all major platforms. So, if you go from Windows to MAC, you just download the MAC version and away you go. This is a preference thing, but I like the single window display of FLDIGI. However, if you're going to get into contesting, I think the logging and automatic rig control may be a bit more advanced and better refined on HRD. Rig control is where your radio and software share info such as frequency, filter settings, volume, etc. You can change frequencies and settings on the rig from the software. I've not had much luck with NBEMS rig control but I don't care enough about the feature to bother to trouble shoot it. With regard to the software.... the good thing is both HRD and NBEMS/FLDIGI are free, so you can check them out and see what you think before going down one path or another. I'd take up some of the fellows offers to help you down your way. And if you can meet up and have someone give you a demo, that's the way to go. The first time you open some of these programs, it can look much more complicated than it actually is. Good luck and let us know when you're ready to make some digital contacts. I've chatted with quite a few hams in LA on both digital and phone... maybe we'll get lucky and meet up on a good path. -Dave, KB3FXI --- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com, "JonP" <jpere...@...> wrote: > > Some of your questions are sort of "which taste better -- apples or oranges?" > and you may get all sorts of different answers depending on personal > preference. I'll give you some of what I believe are the differentiating > factors. I'll also tell you my personal decisions but they are mine and > others will not agree because it's a personal thing. > > HRD vs. Others: There are a couple of programs like HRD, FLDIGI, and MixW > (plus a few others whose names escape me at the moment) that are multimode > and can do pretty much any of the "soundcard modes" (i.e., those digital > modes that can be done with soundcards and don't require special modems, > special TNCs, etc.). Then there are those built for individual "soundcard > modes" such as Digipan for PSK and MMTTY for RTTY. > > In my opinion (and it's only my opinion), the primary difference is that if > you go with a multimode program, there is a higher learning curve up front to > get started on your first mode but then almost no learning curve to go to the > next mode and the next mode and ... If you go with a specific program, you > have a moderate learning curve up front for your first mode and then a > similar learning for the next mode and ... Essentially, if you're going to do > multiple modes it comes down to "pay me now or pay me later". > > Of course, you'll have the learning curve of best operating practices for > each mode, but that has nothing to do with which software you're using. > > When it comes to capabilities to work in a given mode, I believe that the > major multimode programs are as good as the equivalent single mode programs. > For example, I believe that HRD or FLDIGI are just as good in PSK as is > Digipan or any of the other PSK programs. > > Personally, I decided to go for a multimode program. I like the fact that I > only had to learn the user interface once and could then quickly pick up > additional modes. I regularly switch back and forth between PSK, RTTY, > Domino, MFSK, MT-63, Olivia, etc. depending on what I'm hearing on the air, > and being able to do it by clicking a button rather than shutting down > software and opening up software is a major benefit in my mind (others may > disagree, especially if they prefer to work one mode only). I would also say > that if you have the smarts to get your general or extra ticket, the learning > curve on HRD (or on FLDIGI) is not going to be a hindrance to you. > > As to outboard vs. inboard soundcard -- again a matter of preference. When > you go "inboard" soundcard, you're depending on the soundcard that comes with > the computer and you're depending on the computer having enough speed and > memory to run the soundcard and the software at the same time. Not all > computers do -- especially some of the cheaper or older computers. When you > buy an "outboard" like the SignaLink, you know you're getting a soundcard > that works well for this purpose and does not take much memory or processor > speed. > > I prefer the "outboard". My primary ham radio computer is an Acer netbook > and the internal soundcard is not as good as the soundcard in my "outboard" > (a SignaLink USB), which means that I do better with the SignaLink on that > computer. I do a lot of EMCOMM work and I like the fact that I can move the > SignaLink from computer to computer without having to worry about whether or > not the computer's soundcard is adequate. > > Cables -- believe it or not, another preference thing. If you buy one of the > major soundcard interfaces such as a SignaLink or RIGblaster, they come with > the cables you will need (you will specify which rig you have and they will > include the right cables). There are people who prefer to build their own > cables and even build their own interfaces. Depends on whether or not you > like to tinker with a soldering iron. Knowing how many things I've ruined > with soldering irons -- having built an Elecraft K1 AND two Elecraft K2s -- I > didn't want to do any more soldering for a while. > > Note that the cables that come with the soundcard interfaces are for the > digital mode, they are not the cables for rig control (actually changing > frequency, power, and other settings through the computer). The 756 has good > capabilities for that if you want to use them (you don't have to -- you can > control the rig manually, which is what I like to do). If you decide to do > computer rig control, you will need an additional cable and you will > certainly need software that can do the controlling. Your 756 user manual > specifies the cable needed for that (or you can build your own). Both HRD > and FLDIGI do rig control as well as digital modes, and that might be an > argument for one of them if you decide you want computer rig control. > > Wow, I've written a book. Sorry about that. > > I hope this helps and I hope I haven't started a flame war by expressing my > preferences. > > Jon > KB1QBZ > > > > --- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen" <smyers10@> wrote: > > > > Is HRD the program to use, or should I start out with somethig that is more > > simple? Do I get an "outboard" sound card? What cables do I need? Any > > advice will be appreciated. >
