Is a FLEX-6xxx Series Radio Phone Patch Capable with say Skype?

I was recently asked if I had phone patch capability with my HF station for Emergency Comms applications. I do with my Heathkit SB-102 and the HD-15 Hybrid Phone Patch accessory. But then, thinking outside the box, does anybody know of a way to route a DAX channel to say the Skype application of which I have landline dialing capabilities to run a phone patch over HF? Anybody here with knowledge of a way to do this using some other method? I would prefer to NOT have to use external wiring but rather use DAX and computer software only. If this is not currently possible, perhaps a FLEX engineer can take this as an "Idea" for a future application with the FLEX-6xxx series of transceivers. 73, Dave K4EET

Rev. David E. Hamm, K4EET

83 Posts
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confident with my FLEX-6500 HF transceiver as having many untapped possibilities...

Posted 4 years ago

4 years ago

WX7Y

797 Posts
165 Reply Likes

Interesting concept, Skype should work okay as it is just a sound card program with a few bells and whistles, just have to set up your DAX TX and RX slice channel as your sound card devices used in Skype.
Not sure if you could monitor the phones audio coming to the radio's Transmitter unless you set up in your computers sound card settings to listen to the DAX channel which may be a legal issue if you can't monitor the 3rd party traffic.

I've done this a long time ago with the FLEX5000 and VAC for remote base audio which would work the same way as DAX.
Skype MIC audio goes to DAX RX channel and make sure it's selected when you want to run a patch and the Skype RX audio goes to the DAX TX Stream and you have the DAX selected in the "P/CW" window.

hope this helps
Bret WX7Y

(Edited)

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2016-02-13T19:01:07+00:00

Rev. David E. Hamm, K4EET

83 Posts
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Using the "MON" button on SmartSDR might solve the monitoring issue. As for legal issues, I don't think that applies when running phone patches under the USAF MARS guidelines on USAF frequencies. But that is a question that I will want to get answered. Thanks for your assistance! I'll give it a try and see if I can make the phone patch work. 73, Dave K4EET

2016-02-13T23:17:05+00:00

WX7Y

797 Posts
165 Reply Likes

Yes the MON button works with DAX input so you should be covered either way.
Seems like in earlier versions of SmartSDR MOX didn't work but I'm probably wrong
73's
Bret

4 years ago

George Molnar, KF2T, Elmer

1678 Posts
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Yes, it works.

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4 years ago

Ken - NM9P

4239 Posts
1351 Reply Likes

This is exactly how many people did remote ops in the earlier days of Flex radios. Using Skype and TeamViewer or Paralells Access, or other Remote Desktop programs...before they added sound. Making the leap to skype phone shouldn't be that big a leap.

One problem with using DAX TX audio is that VOX does not work. Using the PC input in the TX panel would give you VOX but might add more latency.

I have not tested this aspect, since I do not do Skype phone....