Help for PSK31

[IZ4MJP]

First of all HNY

I operate with RRig since 2010. So i have some experience with this fantastic Black-Box.
I have a setup based on RRC-1258 MKII v5 on both side (the radio is TS-480). Latest FW 2.91 on board.
All is working fine about SSB, CW and RTTY. No problem to control my TS-480 with several SW (DXLab, MixW, ecc)

Now I'm trying to use MixW to make PSK qsos.

I'm using the internal sound card of my Intel i5 Windows 10 Pro LapTop  connected with the 2 connectors (mic, speakers) of the RRC via 2 audio cables, the audio is OK. I built a cable that connect the Aux/Mic port (RJ-45 pin 3 and 4 as for RRig Manual) to a minijack stereo from speakers output on the PC.
Mix W controls the PTT via CAT.

The problem is that no audio arrives to the other side (RRig Radio Side). in USB mode (PSK31) there is no power out from TS-480. Mix W keys the radio so i'm sure it is in TX.

I've checked and re-checked the cable and the configurations and all is OK. If i connect the TS-480 handy mike to my cable (with some adapters) my voice arrives at the radio without problem with a good modulation (and power out).
It would seem that there is a band pass filter that prevents audio to go from RRig Control to RRig Radio side.

So before changing my setup i'm wondering if is there a solution for this problem.
Maybe the problem is due to poor audio quality settings?

I would like to know which parameters to set in order to operate with PSK.

Just for your information my parameters are:
Audio Codec: 0 - Alaw 8 Khz (i have bandwith problems)
Codec inp HPF Hz: 163
RTP tx mode: Continuous


Thank you in advance.

73 de IZ4MJP
Franco

[dj0qn]

Hi Franco,

I am not an expert on digital operation, but it looks to me as if you have it setup correct. I assume you are
referring to the control RRC.

My guess is that you are looking for the wrong culprit. I would look at your Windows and MixW audio settings
instead. Maybe you will find something there that is not set high enough to pass audio.

73 & HNY,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[IZ4MJP]

Hi Mitch and thank you for your answer.
Before starting this post i did all the test on the "sound chain" (MixW -> Windows Audio -> speaker out and Mic/Aux IN at the RRig Control unit).
Hardware (cables) and software.

With an headphone and some converters i checked the entire audio chain so i'm 99,99 % sure that the PSK signal generated by MixW arrives at the Mic/Aux IN at the RRig Control unit.

I also did some tests with differents Mike Gain value (TS-480) and sound volume exit (Windows and MixW).
At a first sight i had your same idea (something broken in the audio chain).
To be sure i've changed the MiniJack stereo cable with a mono one but without luck and several RJ-45 plugs.

Tomorrow i'll try to change the Audio Codec using a better one (Codec N. 1 o 2).

For now HNY.

Vy 73
Franco IZ4MJP

 


 

[dj0qn]

Hi Franco,

I don't believe changing the CODEC will make any difference. There is no reason why it should.

This is very puzzling and is hard to say where the problem is. It could be a cable or wiring
problem with the red strappings in the RRC, but I assume you have already checked this.

I suggest that you try out a different program such as HRD to see if it works. Maybe you can
use the process of elimination to find the problem.

73 & HNY,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[IZ4MJP]

After two hours of experiment... resolved.
The culprit was a setting in MixW.
Unchecked the "PTT via CAT Command" and activated the VOX function on the Kenwood TS-480 resolved.
It's very strange because the only purpose of this setting is to key the Radio.

Thank you for your help.

HNY
73, IZ4MJP

[dj0qn]

Glad that you found the problem, Franco. I was pretty sure it was a setting in software
somewhere and sometimes these types of problems are hard to find.

73 & HNY,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX