💾 Archived View for alaskalinuxuser.ddns.net › 2021-08-05.gmi captured on 2024-09-29 at 00:14:44. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
">
024w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/wsjt-x-
300x240.png 300w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/
wsjt-x-768x614.png 768w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/
2021/07/wsjt-x.png 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
In my latest foray into the world of HAM radio, I’ve decided to try out the
numerous digital modes. I’ve been having no luck when it comes to talking to
people on the radio for several reasons, and so I thought I should try doing
something else. The real hang ups with voice communications, such as upper side
band, is that as a technician license, I can only talk on the 10 meter band.
Due to solar conditions at present, the 10 meter band is really bad for distant
transmission, and all the general and expert license holders have ditched it
for 17, 20, and other meter bands.
As I am still learning, it is my understanding that you can use digital with
much less output power and get much better results, so I’m hoping to leverage
that for my setup, since I don’t have an amplifier or fancy antenna setup. It
seams that with minimal antenna and 5 watts, people are able to transmit
digital signals around the world. I’d like to join that club.
So, I bought a SignaLink_USB device.
">
61w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/1024-1366-
edited-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 386px) 100vw, 386px" />
And a little bit of “assembly” was required, namely setting the jumper wires
inside, or, like myself, installing the jumper board that they also sell:
">
68w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/1024-1365-
225x300.jpg 225w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/
1024-1365.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 382px) 100vw, 382px" />
Once I hooked it up to my old TS-820S radio, and to my desktop computer, it
didn’t take long to start “listening” to the radio with WSJT-X, a radio program
that runs on Linux. I still don’t know what I’m doing, and at this point I’m
just listening, so in the first few minutes I had, I didn’t get anything useful
from it, but I did at least get the waterfall of heard sound. I’m really
looking forward to playing with this some more.
A lot of folks from a radio telegram group I’m on are very helpful in many ways
as I walk through the HAM radio journey. However, it was a bit odd to me, they
all seemed to think that digital modes with an analog old school radio like
this will not be a good idea, even though online many people are doing it all
the time. So, that is a bit confusing. I’m just trying to make use of the
equipment I have, rather than buy a new $1200 radio for my side hobby. While
ultimately they are probably right, I hope I can at least make it work decent
enough to entertain myself in my free time. em; max-height: 1em;" />
Linux – keep it simple.