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signalink usb jumper module

Len
Len Member
edited June 2020 in SmartSDR for Windows
sorry if this has been asked before      I want to get a signalink usb interface and can't find the wiring diagram for the  jumper module    I think I understand the wiring for the cable to the radio but any help appreciated

Thanks

Len

Answers

  • James Kennedy-WU5E
    James Kennedy-WU5E Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020

    well for a matter of fact you do not need one if you run FLDIGI or HRD/DM780 it will talk the FLEX 6500 just fine. Here is the web site to download the drivers for FLDIGI http://www.w1hkj.com/download.html  you will see flex below. and of course HRD cost but it works good with my FLEX 6500 and win 7.  hope this was helpful

    Jim

    WU5E

    PS for JT65 I use HRD as a connection to the and run JT65 thru HRD, it works just fine.

    Jim

     

  • Jim Bryce W5HFS
    Jim Bryce W5HFS Member ✭✭
    edited November 2018
    Using a SignaLink with a Flex 6000 series and SmartSDR is totally unnecessary and defeats the beauty of the Flex 6000 series design that sends all needed information to the computer with DAX. Do you have some special environment unable to use this?
  • James Kennedy-WU5E
    James Kennedy-WU5E Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020

    sorry is the right download for fldigi  for flex  http://www.w1hkj.com/xmlarchives.html


  • Len
    Len Member
    edited July 2015
    Haven't got Dax to work and am sitting here waiting for FSK  Just thought it would be a simpler way to get on the air.    thanks all for the help will look over info and see what 1.4 brings in DAX changes

    Len
  • Jay -- N0FB
    Jay -- N0FB Member ✭✭
    edited December 2019
    I would recommend highly you watch the attached video on how to configure Digital Audio eXchange or DAX.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcb5QGoo_Nc


    Using DAX with SmartSDR and your Flex 6000 series radio obviates the need for a SignaLink or any other physical sound card interface.
  • KY6LA_Howard
    KY6LA_Howard Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2019
    From my non-scientific testing..

    DAX seems to have about a 6 dB gain advantage over external digital interfaces... You lose about 3dB intelligence when converting from Analog to Digital and another 3dB of intelligence converting back to digital again inside the Signalink

    Simple non scientific numbers with JT65 on the same antenna at the same time.

    Best Decode with a Signalink and an IC-7700 was -19dB

    Flex 6700 using internal DAX    - 26dB
  • Jim Bryce W5HFS
    Jim Bryce W5HFS Member ✭✭
    edited July 2016
    What are you trying to do;? Let's start there. If you're using DM780 and/or HRD simply select SmartSDR, choose DAX channel 1, and it works. I strongly recommend you look into setting the DAX correctly rather than wasting your time and effort with SignalLink USB. I've used SignalLink USB with an Icom 706 and with a Flex 1500, and it works quite well. But using it with a 6000 series device complicates your setup and probably diminishes performance.
  • Jim Bryce W5HFS
    Jim Bryce W5HFS Member ✭✭
    edited November 2018
    I will say, however, that prior to the advent of DAX for 6700 I did hook up a SignalLink USB with the 6700 and it worked well. But now that DAX is available, I much prefer the simplicity -- no additional cables or setup.
  • Len
    Len Member
    edited July 2015
    I ran through this but couldn't get it to xmit
  • Len
    Len Member
    edited July 2015
    I was trying to run MMTTY and another psk 31 program    I just got tired of it and am letting the radio sit  but it receives good
  • Ian1
    Ian1 Member ✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Len

    1st off your not alone. When I tried psk in the beginning I couldn't get DM780 to key my radio. 

    Working on DM780 with the HRD support staff then finally the owner of the company. It looked like the error was with the Flex software.

    Dudley and I still couldn't solve it he is Flex tech support. Then one day out of the nowhere it worked. My problem was not DAX but PTT settings.

    Hang in there because the final result is so well interfaced.

    Now at 100+ PSK contacts I enjoy digital communications more then SSB.

    Ian
  • Jim Bryce W5HFS
    Jim Bryce W5HFS Member ✭✭
    edited November 2018
    I received one of the very first 6700s, so I've been at it from the start with the 6000 series was new to the third party environment. As I recall I experienced some problem with getting the right configuration so transmission would happen and it involved PTT. I don't recall the details. There are several options in the DM780/HRD to set correctly. I suggest this should be documented by now with the technical folks at both Flex and HRD. I think I also had it working with MixW, but I've settled on DM780/HRD. Since all that I've uninstalled and re-installed and changed computers, etc. and all just works now. Be sure to use the latest versions, since they probably have incorporated the proper configurations by default now thereby making set up much easier.
  • George KF2T
    George KF2T Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2016
    I'm curious - imagine those numbers refer to different stations decoded, right? What was the difference on a given signal? How much do you think the receiver itself contributed? I get the impression from operating that when I work someone using DAX signal reports are closer to equal, but working a sound card equipped station, I seem to hear better. A couple of dB, perhaps. Maybe my imagination, but seems intuitively right, Your experience?
  • KY6LA_Howard
    KY6LA_Howard Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2014
    George it was a Non scientific experiment. Clearly the 6700 receives better than the IC-7700 and it definitely was a factor. Logically the conversion from digital out to analog into the signal link and then analog from the Signalink to digital of the soundcard has to add distortion on each conversion. We have never actually hooked up The signal link to the flexi. Frankly there was no point getting involved with the entire mess of cables for the signal link when we coulddo everything inside the flex without any cables
  • KY6LA_Howard
    KY6LA_Howard Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2014
    If you want to do a scientific test.
    Just you hook the signal link to your flex to compare the best received signals in JT65 for both methods
  • George KF2T
    George KF2T Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Thanks, Howard.

    Being a lazy man, I had wondered if you had done that ;-)

    Your logic is, I think, correct. Maybe someday in my "spare time" I'll do some testing and quantifying. Hard to say how valid it will be with shifting band conditions, etc., but if I do enough sampling the results should be suggestive, at least.

    Could use a 2nd PC, I suppose, for simultaneous testing. Wonder what impact different PC specs would have. though.

    (Oh now look, you've got me started!)

    Geo

  • KY6LA_Howard
    KY6LA_Howard Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2014
    George

    Welcome to the world of Scientific Testing in order to obtain reproducible results...

    That's why I prefaced my comments with "Non Scientific"
  • Bob G   W1GLV
    Bob G W1GLV Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020
    Why would you want a Signalink when you've got the best digital transciever in the world.
    We must move forward, not backwards.
  • LB6B
    LB6B Member ✭✭
    edited January 2019
    Like evreyone is saying. DAX is the way to go. And, just to mention it: Signalink also needs to be heavily modified to work the way it should:
    http://www.frenning.dk/OZ1PIF_HOMEPAGE/SignaLinkUSB-mods.html

  • Pete Pritchard
    edited July 2018
    Gents, the original question stands. Lots saying don't bother to find out. I'm curious, what is the jumper configuration for the SignaLink using a Flex radio?
  • KY6LA_Howard
    KY6LA_Howard Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    @Pete As you can see above we played with a Signalink 3 years ago with marginal results. Never bothered to connect it to a Flex Today using DAX. I regularly work JT65 down to -29dB and FT8 down to -20dB (my new record today ) These are pretty close to theoretical limits. From an Engineering perspective the Signalink introduces an unnecessary analog to digital conversion stage on the receive side and a digital to analog conversion stage on the transmit side that DAX avoids by staying entirely in the digital domain. This double set of conversions introduce unnecessary distortion which has to decrease the ability of the radio to work digital. Bottom line SorryI can't be of more help but realistically why bother
  • Larry _ NY8T
    Larry _ NY8T Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Shouldn't ut be the same as yaesu if using front mic jack ?
  • George KF2T
    George KF2T Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2019
    The mic jack is documented in the manual. The Signalink jumpers are pretty self explanatory. The Foster connector is in the Yaesu configuration. While unnecessary, it's extremely straightforward to builld (or even buy) the cable for Flex-Signalink interfacing. The internal jumpers likewise.
  • Pete Pritchard
    edited July 2017
    Thanks much guys,

    Pete/KL3IS

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