Hello everyone! I'm back with some more progress from the shack.
First, I'd like to start off with my FT-891. I love this radio and it has given me the best bang for my buck so far. This week, I thought I'd try some FT8, but what do I do about a sound interface?
A lot of you have assumed that the 891 has a built-in sound card, but unfortunately, it doesn't. It has CAT control (which is a world of difference if you've been using a 40-some-year-old rig!) but you have to provide the sound via a mini 6-pin DIN connector, like what you'd find on an old PS/2 mouse or keyboard. Below is my first attempt at such a device:
You can probably guess why that didn't work. Underneath those layers of aluminum foil is a USB sound card adapter. It wasn't working in the first place because I didn't isolate the radio and the computer, which is a MUST if you want to build this. If you don't your sound gets splattered and it can do some weird stuff to your radio. The odd thing was I could still make contacts - on a horribly made interface. Below was about 2 hours of trial and error:
This worked ten times better. I should have also mentioned that the output from the PC would actually fluctuate the 891's power output. It would fluctuate as little as 2 watts or even up to 10 or 15 watts! Not good at all! Luckily, this did the trick. Two audio isolators work just fine.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...
Does Windows seem too expensive, even for a few digits and a piece of official paper? Did you accidentally update to Windows 11 and regret nothing up to this point? Are you looking for an operating system tailored specifically to any and all ham radio operators?
Well look no further than Andy's Ham Radio Linux! That's right, this amazing, lightweight OS is built on the Xubuntu platform in all its 64-bit glory. And before you ask, yes - I can run it on my 15-year-old laptop, as seen in the photo above.
AHRL has everything from rig control, Direwolf for AX25, all your favorite digital mode software bundles, and even a satellite tracker! Programming your HTs and mobile radios is easier than ever with CHIRP built in too!
AHRL was built by Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ. It is free - download the ISO here! (https://sourceforge.net/projects/kb1oiq-andysham/) Just burn it to a flash drive and boot your computer from the flash drive! You can try it risk-free or just install it as is. It also gives you the option, if you have a current OS, to install beside your current system, just note that you'll have to have enough disk space.
***NOTE: The above sounded WAAAY too much like an advertisement - I apologize. I make no commissions off of Andy's Ham Radio Linux. But really, you should download it. I know you have an old laptop you want to get running again.***
I'm so glad that summer is finally here! This past semester had to have been the worst I've ever had, despite not failing any of my classes at all. Yes, I survived with all As and Bs.
Hopefully I'll be on the air a bit more often in the next few months, and then it's back to the grind in August. I'm planning on going portable soon so I can really hear and work the world!
Until next time, keep on hammin'!
73 de KE0SBX
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