Unwanted PTT-off delay when using mic PTT switch

[VE3VEE]

Hello everyone,

I don't know if this is a RemoteRig or TS-480 issue, but I'm asking for help on this forum as there are users of both here.

When using my microphone's PTT switch (or my foot-switch connected in parallel with it) there's an unwanted PTT-off delay of about a second and a half till I start hearing my RX. Interestingly though, this delay is NOT present when I play pre-recorded messages from my TS-480's voice memory module. After the message finishes, the RX comes on instantly.

The unwanted PTT-off delay may be a big annoyance in contests. Is there any way I can help it?

73 Marvin VE3VEE

[dj0qn]

;arvin,

Make sure that you transmit monitor (MONI) is turned off. Same with CW sidetone. The latency will drive
you crazy and should never be turned on for that reason.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[VE3VEE]

Mitch, it's not that. Those setting have been disabled. What drives me nuts is simply the fact that when I let go of the microphone, or let go of the foot-switch, I hear nothing for about a second and a half. This delay is not there when instead of the mic-PTT or foot-PTT I use software to control PTT, for example when I use Win-Test software to send CW messages or I use Win-Test to send pre-recorded voice messages, the PTT-off delay is none. Can I somehow achieve the same with my foot-switch? Can I connect my foot-switch differently so it controls my TCVR the same way as the software does?

I see RemoteRig has its I/O outlets that the manual says could be used for PTT. Would this work differently than my current Mic-switch or foot-switch?

73 Marvin VE3VEE

[sm2o]

Hi
there is no way the Remoterig can produce such a delay. Are you using 3G/4G ? some mobile networks have som startup problem before they start a continuous audio stream, then it use to help if you set RTP tx mode = continuous in the radio-RRC.

73 de mike

[VE3VEE]

Hi Mike,

I've had RTP tx mode set to Continuous. The internet speed is likely not a cause of this issue. I use high speed internet via TV coax cable at home and a WISP at remote QTH.

The one second delay is actually NOT present when:

- sending CW messages from Win-Test contest logging software
- sending recorded voice messages from TS-480 by pressing the appropriate buttons on the TS-480 control head
- sending the voice messages by controlling TS-480 with keyboard shortcuts from within Win-Test logging software

(in the above 3 instances I do NOT use mic ptt button or foot-switch)

The one second delay is present only when:

- I use mic ptt button or foot-switch connected in parallel to the mic ptt button

73 Marvin VE3VEE

[W1UE]

Marvin

I don't know how your setup is wired, but it sounds to me like your mic PTT switch is really only being used as a method to connect your microphone to the RR box, and what you are really doing is using VOX; what you are hearing is the VOX delay.  I have a footswitch wired to my I/O input, use that for PTT for my mic and there is no delay when I let up on the switch.

Dennis W1UE

[sm2o]

W1UEs idea sounds resonable. There is no way that the RRC can give the delay.

73 de mike

[VE3VEE]

Mike, it may not be RRC, it may be my TS-480 itself, or some TS-480 setting I'm overlooking.

Dennis, I use foot-switch during my normal operation. However, TS-480, to send recorded voice messages, requires VOX to be on. Also Win-Test software requires VOX on my TCVR to be on, otherwise it will not send voice or CW messages either. So when VOX controls the switching between TX and RX, I don't experience the one second mute delay before RX comes on. When mic button or foot-switch controls ptt, then I do get the one (or one and a half) second delay.

Dennis, if you have a mic button, could you test if the ptt tail delay is longer when you use the mic ptt button versus your footswitch wired to your I/O input?

To wire my footswitch to my I/O, would I need to travel to my remote QTH to make a connection between I/O and the tcvr, or it only requires connection between the footswitch and Control-RRC?

73 Marvin VE3VEE

[W1UE]

Marvin

I don't have a PTT on my mike.  I use a headset.

The footswitch goes into the PTT I/O port at the Control RRC.   I made an
easy cable by cutting the plug end and about a foot of wire off a damaged
piece of Cat 5 Ethernet cable.  Added an RCA phono jack to the correct
wires.  Took all of 5 minutes to make the cable.

Dennis W1UE

[VE3VEE]

Dennis, does the I/O of Radio-RRC need to be connected to TCVR, too? Or it is enough to just connect the I/O of Control-RRC to my footswitch? No trip to my remote QTH needed?

73 Marvin VE3VEE 

[W1UE]

The manual shows that there is already a connection at the Remote end for PTT from RR Box to 480.  If you use the PTT via the Control I/O, that will energize the RR Control PTT, pass it to the Remote RR, then onto the TS480.  Provided you wired the PTT in already at the Remote end, it shouldn't need a trip there to do this.

Dennis W1UE

[VE3VEE]

Dennis, that sounds good and I'm very much interested in testing it to see if controlling my PTT this way removes the one second PTT tail delay. However, I've looked through the manual but I cannot figure out which pins of Control I/O to connect my footswitch to. Would you be able to help me with this, too?

Thanks so very much for your help!

73 Marvin VE3VEE

[VE3VEE]

It took me a while, but I figured it out. I needed to connect pin 4 and pin 8. I'm able to control PTT via I/O, but it does exactly the same thing as my old footswitch and my mic PTT switch. No matter how I control PTT, I always get the more than one second of PTT-off tail delay.

I will have to, all over again, go through my TS-480 settings, one by one, to see if I have something missconfigured.

If anyone has any ideas to try, please do let me know. I'm running out of ideas myself. Any crazy idea will be tested :-)

73 Marvin VE3VEE

[dj0qn]

Marvin, I can try it out from here if you want. Maybe I can see what the problem is. I would use the
microphone's PTT button.

If you want me to test it, send me details or the exported BIN file to dj0qn (at) darc.de.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[VE3VEE]

Hi Mitch,

I think I might have helped the situation a little bit by turning the (SSB) VOX delay off, but I still think it is not as it should be. Please, have a look at it.

- Please, notice how quickly (instantly) RX comes on after you play the pre-recorded message (press CH1)

- Then compare it to the delay till the RX comes on after you let go of your microphone's PTT button. It's definitely not instant. In a contest I may miss the first letter or two of a station's callsign.

I'm e-mailing you passwords, etc.

73 Marvin VE3VEE