Help with rtty and fax decoding on HF

[ka3jjz]

It is the Ham radio delux program. I'm not yet a ham, but will be soon(I like to moniter everything. 8)

Nothing wrong with that, but you need to refine your approach a little. You still haven't said anything about specifically *what* you are trying to monitor. If memory serves, HRD comes with a program called PSK31 Deluxe, which handles only that mode. 14070.15 is where I would start. I've never seen any reports of utility stations using this mode, although given the amount of software there is for this mode, it's a wonder to me that they don't use it.

Now, to start, I would not use the data jack to feed your soundcard. I used to use the 817 a little (and now I'm very sorry I had to sell it), and I seem to remember that the data jack is only active in certain modes. In addition, the dedicated RTTY mode on that radio, I think, has a flaw when trying to use it on PSK31 (I seem to remember this from the FT817 forums, but I can't quite put my finger on it....)

I would slap a cable together that connects the speaker out of the 817 to your soundcard. Use the KISS principle here! Bring up 14070.15 (which is a common spot to find PSK31 signals on the 20m band), and if you hear a whistling sound that seems to warble a bit, that's PSK31. Bring up the PSK31 Deluxe program and see if you have a signal in the waterfall. If you do, you're half way home.

Also make sure that the correct input to your soundcard (some like the line in, others mic in) has not been muted out. Check your master volume control in your system tray.

The manual that comes with the 817 leaves out a lot of really necessary information; however, W4RT sells a much better one (it's rather cheap) called the Pack It Reference for the 817. You can go here:

http://www.w4rt.com/

and press the 'Documentation' link. That little book was compiled from notes and hints from the Yahoo 817 group, and is WAY better than the stock manual.

And if you want more information on interfacing HRD with the 817, aside from joining the 817 Yahoo group, go here;

http://www.ham-radio.ch/forums/

Join, then go to the Yaesu forum. There were at least 2 topics there last I checked talking about the 817.

Of course, if you're looking to decode other modes besides PSK31, the chace-ortiz link I gave in a previous message on this thread will take you to a site where you can investigate all sorts of hardware and software combinations.
Oh yes, if you are serious about getting your license, and you want to use your 817 to its full potential, join the 817 Yahoo group - you'll be glad you did.

73s Mike

 

[Waldo325mvfd]

Ok, I was thinking of monitering RTTY. thanks.

 

[ka3jjz]

Ok, I was thinking of monitering RTTY. thanks.

Not a problem. If you want to get some possible targets for RTTY monitoring, go to the WUN site I mentioned in a previous message and download the most recent newsletter. That will definitely get you started.

There are some very fine multimode programs out there, tho some of them are more ham-related. Don't shy away from these! I myself have MixW, the free ALE decoder (PC-ALE) and the unsupported version of PC-HFDL which I fool around with from time to time. I also keep an older version of MultiPSK handy.

Skysweeper is a real nice product (actually it's a family of products), but right now, a little out of my price range.

73s Mike