Benefits of digital communications:
Digital communications requires less power, transmits farther and is reliable even in poor conditions. Another benefit is, digital communication can only be “decoded” by others set up for digital communications. It just sounds like a ‘humming or buzzing’ noise while transmitting to anyone monitoring the frequency without the digital equipment.
Digital communications does require a computer since it uses software such as fldigi. However, it does not require an internet connection for transmitting and receiving—it uses radio waves. Digital communications Send or receive text messages over radio using your computer’s sound card or using a Signalink.
Note: No Ham Radio License required to receive digital communications. This comes in to your computer through your sound card, so you can decode these signals into text from a Shortwave Radio Receiver or even a recorded audio file.
Click HERE to learn more about digital communications.
[…] Digital Communications […]
[…] Digital Communications […]
[…] Digital Communications […]
Just purchased the Uniden BCD436HP and BCD536HP. Manual difficult to understand. Anything on line as a “cheat sheet” that we can pull up to get this baby up and running?
thanks
VM
I am beginning to set up a digital network for like minded persons to check in to once a week, to check out their radios and exchange information amongst each other.
Contact me at LByer1@yahoo.com
L E E
Im doing some vhf fldigi/winmore P2P etc.. Yet to get my cable for the Hf rig.
Let me know what your planing.
kd4stt@gmail.com
Hi folks, I have tested these “Easy Digi” since May 2018. I got both an entire complete setup and the 2 board kit that sells for $7.95. (you have to add your own cables to the kit) I have heard the Texas FSQ Digital net also talk about their use of these low cost kits which has prompted me to post them here in the Digital section of Corps.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Psk-31-EASY-DIGI-Sound-Card-Interface-PSK-RTTY-SSTV-NBEMS-JT-65-PCB-KIT/323255997507
Currently I have tested them on a Raspberry Pi3 along with this $7.95 TRRS sound card. Get a TRRS cable at the local store in the phone section and chop the other end off and connect up to the Easy Digi board for Computer audio in and out.
https://www.amazon.com/LZYCO-External-Adapter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B0719PKWNT
If your radio has a 6-pin din for digimodes/packet, I found you can buy a cable end to end and chop it in half for 2 cables and wire up to the Easy Digi board: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Din-6-Pin-Black-Cable-10-ft-Male-Male-Minidin/232361192065
You can find assembled ones here in this store:https://www.ebay.com/sch/cliffordwareham/m.html?item=221669005522
I am a licensed Tech but all this code and acronym speak is killing me.
I have a handheld Baofeng BF-F8HP, programing cable, Apple PowerBook.
What additional equipment exactly do I need to be able to work the digital network?
Exactly what you need is:
1. Other operators in your area also willing to do 2m digital (or, upgrade to General and expand into HF)
2. A Signalink external soundcard (from Ham Radio Outlet or Gigaparts, etc.), and be sure to also get the signalink cable for YOUR radio when you order your Signalink
3. Free software (FLDIGI), and then begin watching the tutorial videos on digital mode communications using the fldigi suite. Those videos are all embedded in a posting
on AmRRON.com, and you can find it, and other postings, by typing ‘Digital’ or ‘FLDIGI’ in the search box on the website.
4. A little patience and tenacity. It feels overwhelming and like a huge learning curve at first. But just keep plugging away at it. None of us got it all up and running overnight.
This is the truth my friend as I worked with different HF packages and then back down to the HTs. I now have several travel boxes set up with SignaLinks for FT-857d, and Baofengs. Then sat one upon the Icom 705 and instead of using windows I put a raspberry pi with FLDIGI, JS8 Call, and such on it and a 4″ touch screen. Home use I am now using my ICOM 7300 and it is phenomenal what this site has taught me. I look forward every week to the AIB and will look to do retransmission at some point soon out here. Need more operators to test with. Keep up the great work you all do.
Tim,
Agreed. Lots of code and acronym speak, so it’s helpful to use DuckDuckGo to find NBEMS tutorials.
You can also practice with just the radio, a Baofengtech APRS cable and an Android tablet/phone. (no iOS version available at the moment)
You’ll need to sideload AndFlmsg on the tablet. This is a combination of Fldigi and Flmsg, but doesn’t have all the features/modes.
If you use the default MT63_2000_LG mode, do can even skip the cable.
We have a TON of information posted on the website. In the upper right-hand corner (the search box), type ‘Digital’ and/or ‘FLDIGI’. There are postings with videos and other tutorials that walk you through step-by-step. One foot in front of the other. It’s a journey. Be patient and before you know it you’ll be there.
I have watched all the fldigi videos. I think I can now fumble my way through fldigi and flmsg. I have also started a winlink acct. now to use it. I have a d710ga that does packet. If im not mistaken I can use that for winlink. I have also found that the cable for the Baofeng the connects to your phone for aprs will also plug into laptop and run fldigi. I have been playing with it all weekend and was told is working good. Thank you for all the videos it sure helped a lot. As soon as I get more familiar with it I will attempt a 2m net here.
Rick, Weiser Idaho. after Months of fighting windows & my FT-991A, got sick of driver issues, PC constantly removing functioning drivers & ports, so I loaded Linux UBUNTU. Best thing I ever did. Works great from day 1 no issues. Went back to fldigi & dropped Ham Radio Deluxe.
Rick, this is Juliet Papa-03 in Florida. Am getting ready to purchase FT 991-A to do digital and upgrade from 1980’s radio. will the 991a allow me to do digital systems used by Amrron?
I am using an FT-991A myself with either fldigi or HRD with DM-780. I haven’t had any problems using all of this with Windows. Perhaps I just got lucky, or maybe the drivers I am using are fixed since I just got my HAM General and started messing with all of this in February of 2021.
I too bought the HRD and do not use it anymore. I use a Raspbian 4 with FLDIGI suite and a 4″ touch screen. Fewer errors and headaches. Love it. Owe, I use it with ICOM 7300, and ICOM 705 when out in the field.
I have been trying to get fldigi and ft8call to work together. I can receive on both at the same time but I have to open ft8call first or it wont stay open. Once call is open I open fldigi but I have no control. Is there a setting I am missing? I have watched all the videos several times and I just cant figure it out. They both work good…separately, but not together.???