Digital modes
As more digital modes came accessible for radio amateurs, computers easily found their way to every hamradio shack including mine,as can be seen in the picture, taken on January 10th, 2001.
As the need for modems soon decreased rapidly by the development of software for soundcards, I decided to catch up and try-out the possibilities of working in digital modes. It all started with APRS, which i had seen on a hamradio assembly and where it almost immediately got my full attention.
Surfing the internet, I soon found some software, UI-view to be more precisely, and the described hardware adaptions to make a soundcard work as a modem for APRS. These adaptions consist mainly of making cables to connect the RX/TX to the soundcard. I took the liberty to condens it all here to a smaller text, ommitting all parts that are not really necessary to know if you only want to get on the air quickly ... It also turned out that it is possible to use the same cables for packet radio at 9600 baud and for WACARS, or tracking of airplanes during their flight ! For these purposes I used a second-hand TNC2C and a brand new TNC2X, but any TNC should do the job !
So, if you still got an old PC or laptop somwhere, capable or running Windows 98 (SE) with a soundcard and very limited RAM/harddisk, you can use it for receiving and/or transmitting packet radio, APRS, WACARS, ...
Just follow this page and you will be on the air in no-time. All necessary software and step-by-step descriptions can be found here in a clear language.
If you are interested in updates for the newer versions of Windows (Vista, 7,...) or other free ham sofware, click on this link to SV2AGW's site (opens in a new window).
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The computers I used
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Cables and connections
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Windows settings and software
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APRS with a soundcard |
WACARS and AirNav |
Using a TNC |