Greg and all,

Finally got it working.... remade the TRS lead and moved the soundcard from a USB hub to an actual USB socket on PC. All good now!!

73 de Rob G4UJS

On Oct 15, 2021, at 4:09 PM, Joe via groups.io <jcwerth1@...> wrote:

?

I’ve been using an 847 on satellite for about 4 years with excellent results! Good luck and feel free to email me via my QRZ page email for any detailed questions…. In my opinion, the egg beaters are expensive from M2, and best generally for only higher passes. ?But, several sat operators use them with good results. ?Good luck!

Joe. KE9AJ?

On Oct 15, 2021, at 1:08 PM, Richard AG5M via groups.io <ag5m@...> wrote:

?Hello.? For a long time I have wanted to get into satellites.? That will change next spring.? A few questions:

Question 1:? I have a Yaesu FT-847.? Is that still a very good radio to begin learning satellite operation?? To get my feet wet, so to speak.

Question 2.? I am thinking of using the M2 Egg Beater antenna system, no rotor and tracking software to mess with, keeping things simple to begin with.? Is the M2 Egg Beater antenna system really good for a newbie to start out with for satellite operation?? I can always upgrade later.

Question 3:? Are there any groups dedicated to satellite operations, listserv, Groups.io, other, I should be subscribed to?? I'm not aware of any here in the USA.

Thank you, 73 Richard AG5M

On Oct 15, 2021, at 1:08 PM, Richard AG5M via groups.io <ag5m@...> wrote:

?Hello.? For a long time I have wanted to get into satellites.? That will change next spring.? A few questions:

Question 1:? I have a Yaesu FT-847.? Is that still a very good radio to begin learning satellite operation?? To get my feet wet, so to speak.

Question 2.? I am thinking of using the M2 Egg Beater antenna system, no rotor and tracking software to mess with, keeping things simple to begin with.? Is the M2 Egg Beater antenna system really good for a newbie to start out with for satellite operation?? I can always upgrade later.

Question 3:? Are there any groups dedicated to satellite operations, listserv, Groups.io, other, I should be subscribed to?? I'm not aware of any here in the USA.

Thank you, 73 Richard AG5M

Hi Rob,

Well if receive is working, the sound card is likely ok.? But 2m FT8 is still using SSB, not FM, right?? I believe the DIN connector aims at the FM world (i.e. for packet radio), so it might be taking audio from the DIN (because PTT is there), but delivering it to the wrong place.

Try this...? Put the rig in FM mode, minimum power, and see if you're getting the AUDIO out (check with an HT).? I bet you do.? That would confirm that you need to be connecting into the TRS jack.

If so, take the PTT line and run it through a 2.2k resistor to the Tip of the TRS plug, with the audio going through a small DC blocking cap (0.1uf or so; not critical).? Ring of the TRS to Line-in on the audio card.

Good luck!

Greg? KO6TH

Rob wrote:

Still struggling Greg....... I've wired up a 6pin DIN for the packet socket....as I only want FT8 for 2m.

I now have PTT working via RTS and CAT only reading frequency not controlling PTT line.

However, I still cant get any TX power out. Its still as if the audio isnt coming out of sound card.

I've just ordered another USB soundcard to see if that is the problem

RX works OK.

73

Rob G4UJS

still bashing head against that damn wall

Hi Rob,

Well if receive is working, the sound card is likely ok.? But 2m FT8 is still using SSB, not FM, right?? I believe the DIN connector aims at the FM world (i.e. for packet radio), so it might be taking audio from the DIN (because PTT is there), but delivering it to the wrong place.

Try this...? Put the rig in FM mode, minimum power, and see if you're getting the AUDIO out (check with an HT).? I bet you do.? That would confirm that you need to be connecting into the TRS jack.

If so, take the PTT line and run it through a 2.2k resistor to the Tip of the TRS plug, with the audio going through a small DC blocking cap (0.1uf or so; not critical).? Ring of the TRS to Line-in on the audio card.

Good luck!

Greg? KO6TH

Rob wrote:

Still struggling Greg....... I've wired up a 6pin DIN for the packet socket....as I only want FT8 for 2m.

I now have PTT working via RTS and CAT only reading frequency not controlling PTT line.

However, I still cant get any TX power out. Its still as if the audio isnt coming out of sound card.

I've just ordered another USB soundcard to see if that is the problem

RX works OK.

73

Rob G4UJS

still bashing head against that damn wall

Still struggling Greg....... I've wired up a 6pin DIN for the packet socket....as I only want FT8 for 2m.

I now have PTT working via RTS and CAT only reading frequency not controlling PTT line.

However, I still cant get any TX power out. Its still as if the audio isnt coming out of sound card.

I've just ordered another USB soundcard to see if that is the problem

RX works OK.

73

Rob G4UJS

still bashing head against that damn wall

Hi Greg,

Thanks again.... I am sure it helps. So I need to use the TRS socket. Now to find a 2k resistor and a capacitor!!!

Is there anyway of seeing the "signal" on the PTT..... clipping my multimeter to the PTT wire and GND doesn't show me anything!

Cheers

Rob

On Mon, Oct 11, 2021 at 07:57 PM, Greg D wrote:

Hi Rob,

You need to key the rig with the TRS jack, not the DIN.? The DIN heads over to the FM world, and I don't recall it working with the HF SSB modes, though I could be wrong.? My head was getting rather flat from the wall it was hitting about then trying (as you) to get the thing to work.? Again, the rig is trying to be smart, and either over- or under-doing it.? The "quaint" (now antiquated) model of the world was using separate, external TNCs for HF and VHF digital, so they have separate jacks in the back of the rig, and "logic" to try to figure out where the audio is coming from.

The PTT "signal" is an open-collector style pull-down through about a 2.2k resistor.? That goes to the Tip of the TRS plug along with the audio after a 0.1uf DC blocking capacitor.? The TRS "Ring" is the received audio that goes directly to the audio line-in of the computer.

Hope this helps,

Greg? KO6TH

Rob wrote:

Thanks Greg & Tom

I think I understand but I still cant get it to work.

I was only wanting to use the 847 on 2m FT8 and was wiring to the 6pin data socket only.

The soundcard USB Data mode cable I am using is a UD01UN. It connects to a soundcard and has 3 wires to attach.

Audio Out,?Microphone Input and PTT.

I wired them to the 6 pin din to pins 5, 3, and 1 (I must have the audio cables the right way as I can RX FT8)

I stopped using CAT for PTT and configured the PTT to use RTS on the com port the data cable mode.

When I start WSJT the frequency is read (by CAT) and it starts receiving......if I click on UTNE in wsjt the little red light comes on in the data cable but the rig doesn't go into Transmit :-(

I am now wondering whether there is a PTT signal coming out of the Data cable....... The data cable doesn't show any other connections to make... just the 3 (Audio Out,?Microphone Input and PTT.) no GND connection. Should I be able to see something happening on the PTT wire with my multimeter?

TIA

regards

Rob (getting fed up now!)



On Mon, Oct 11, 2021 at 06:42 PM, Greg D wrote:

What Tom said.?

The 847 is centered in the "uncanny valley of engineering" with its handling of PTT.? Too smart, and not smart enough.? It apparently tries to choose the audio source from wherever PTT is sourced, so if PTT comes from the TRS jack on the back (used for HF modes), audio from that source is used.? Same for the Packet connector.? The problem comes with using CAT.? There is no way to associate a particular audio source when the rig is keyed with PTT, so it uses the hand Mike input.? That is bonkers, because the Mike is the last place one would expect audio to come from when using a computer to key the rig.

So, the only way I was able to run FT-8 (et al) with the 847 is to key the rig from the TRS jack in the back, using a USB Serial dongle and its RTS / DSR pins driving a small level shifting circuit and DC-blocking capacitor.

For extra credit, try combining both HF and VHF digital modes (both connectors) to a single Raspberry-Pi based "TNC".? Can be done.? Not pretty.

Greg? KO6TH

K6EU wrote:

Not having?AF out connected to the tip would cause the problem you are seeing.? ?I have a FT-847 running FT8 using PTT multiplexed with AF out per the manual.??

?

73,

?

Tom K6EU

?

?

On Mon, Oct 11, 2021 at 9:38 AM Rob <g4ujs@...> wrote:

hi is anyone using the 847 for FT8.

I've connected sound card to data in/out

PTT is via CAT.

i can RX stations with both JTDX and WSJT.

When I hit tune the rig goes into TX but no power output..... its as if the audio isn't getting into the rig.

As i am using CAT for PTT I haven't wired PTT to the tip of the data connector....is this my problem?

HELP!

73 de Rob G4UJS