When I tried out FT-8 in the shack using my Yaesu DX-3000, I quite enjoyed it but the limitations of my QTH meant that I was constantly seeing the same operators over and over, so I kinda fell out with it.
But now I've decided to give it another shot but this time I will do it from much better locations - ie outdoors. Even locally I can get to the top of a 1500ft ASL hilltop (Winter Hill) and I reckon that I should do really well with my FT-818 and a multiband antenna.
But the FT-818 doesn't have a built-in soundcard like the DX-3000, so I found a second hand SignaLink SL-USB on eBay, complete with the appropriate interface cable. I've already got a decent laptop but ideally, I'd like to find a 12V power-adapter for it so I can hook it up to an external power source, should the internal battery get too low.
UPDATE <<< 10 Jan 2020
So it arrived in the post today and it looks totally mint! The great thing is, it includes the SLMOD6PM and SLCAB6PM which means that as it stands, the SignaLink SL-USB will work with 3 of my radios - the Yaesu FT-818, the ICOM IC-7400 and the ALINCO DR-735E.
UPDATE <<< 11 Jan 2020
I spent the last hour or so trying to setup a Portable FT8 Station using my FT-818, SignaLink USB and WSJT. I struggled quite a bit because I'd watched a few videos and read a few things on the internet which all lead me to believe that I just needed the SignaLink USB interface cable connected to the radio along with a USB lead. That's not the case - you still need a CAT control lead (6-Pin DIN to USB) so I had to make one up! Grrr!
Anyway, I was doing all this in the corner of the lounge and just for testing purposes I had the FT-818 connected to a Discone on the roof, just to see if the RX was working ok. It was, so I then switched to FT8-2M (144.174MHz) to try a transmit at 2.5W (the discone can tx on 2M). To my surprise, G7DEY (Peter in South Wirral) responded to the CQ and we managed to log a contact. So now I know that I can get out there with a decent antenna and do some FT8 work.UPDATE <<< 15 Nov 2024
Since posting this (some 4 years ago), I can confirm that the SignaLink SL-USB works incredibly well and the device has served me well. It’s a very high quality bit of kit which works flawlessly.
I sold my FT-818, so I decided to buy an interface cable to allow me to use the SignaLink with my Elecraft KX3.
2 comments:
Hello Tom, I know the signal link, it is really good. But it needs external power. That's why I'm using a homemade digimodem that is also connected to the mike input so I can use VOX on the radio. Another approach is using CAT controlled PTT. I connect the radio to HRD and WSJT-X or JTDX to HRD. But you can also control is directly from those programs, however my experience is that CAT control from HRD is more reliable. The ultimate is of course a complete system with bluetooth. You can read that on my blog. The advantage is that you install your portable station and access it with a laptop/tablet wireless as long as you are within 10 meter of the station. Well, good luck with the FT8 activity on the hilltop....hope to read the results soon. 73, Bas
Hi Bas, nice to hear from you and thanks for your comments. The SignaLink SL-USB doesn't require a power-supply, it is powered by the computer's USB socket. I chose this model specifically for that reason.
I would LOVE to invest in HRD and looked at it very recently, but sadly it does not support my main radio (ELAD FDM DUO). I contacted them and they said they have no immediate plans to change that :-(
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