Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-27 Thread John Becker, WØJAB
Just to add my two cents.
I do have a SL-1 that is used only for MT63 and HELL.
Having said that I have found no problem with it. Of
course they are not ARQ modes. I do use ARQ modes
a lot but also have the hardware to operate it.

John, W0JAB






Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-27 Thread Sholto Fisher
I agree with Skip on this Bonnie, the Signalink interface is a very good 
digital interface and to write it off as a P.O.S is misinformed, 
disingenuous, just plain wrong and potentially damaging to a small US 
ham radio oriented company who manufacture quality products.

Just to reiterate I have use it successfully with ALE/141, ALE400, 
Packet (HF 300 and VHF 1200 baud) and PAX without noticing any problems.

Of course I use MultiPSK so your results may not be as good if using 
other software.

73, Sholto
KE7HPV


Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-27 Thread Patrick Lindecker
Hello Rud,

In asynchronous ARQ mode, in all cases, it is necessary to bit synchronize 
the receiver as the receiver does not know when teh next frame is going to 
be transmitted (reversely, in synchronous ARQ mode this is not necessary as 
the RX knows exactly the time of the reception of the next frame).
For bit synchronization, it is necessary to send previously a sequence of 
symbols (which solves this problem of VOX even if it was not done for 
this...).

For example, here is an extract of the ARQ FAE protocol. 28 symbols to 
synchronize can seem much but the S/N can be very low (down to -13 dB).

As you see in ARQ FAE in ALE400, there is a delay of 0.56 second before 
transmitting any useful symbol.

73
Patrick

ARQ FAE synchronization sequence
 In 125 bauds

Before each FAE frame, it is transmitted 28 symbols, alternately on the 
lowest frequency and then on the highest frequency, so for a duration of 
about 0.224 second (28/125 s). This is aimed:

* to cover the necessary delay to switch the transceiver (128 ms maximum, 
with a standard delay of about 40 ms),

* to permit the symbol synchronization just before the frame reception (96 
ms).

- In 50 bauds

It is also transmitted 28 symbols, alternately on the lowest frequency and 
then on the highest frequency, so for a duration of about 0.56 second (28/50 
s). This is also aimed to:

* to cover the necessary delay to switch the transceiver (128 ms maximum, 
with a standard delay of about 40 ms),

* to permit the symbol synchronization just before the frame reception (432 
ms).


- Original Message - 
From: "Rud Merriam" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 12:25 AM
Subject: RE: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes


> Or the protocol implementers need to recognize the need to generate a tone
> to trigger the VOX. This would be analogous to the delay they provide for
> transmitter keying.
>
>
> - 73 -
> Rud Merriam K5RUD
> ARES AEC Montgomery County, TX
> http://TheHamNetwork.net
>
>
>> -Original Message-
>> From: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of expeditionradio
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 1:26 PM
>> To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes
>>
>>
>> > Sholto Fisher wrote:
>> > I can't believe it makes any significant
>> > difference at least for ALE400 FAE.
>>
>> Hi Sholto,
>>
>> Whether you believe it or not, that's
>> up to you. But the math doesn't lie,
>> and neither does the oscilloscope.
>>
>> IMHO, any interface that chops off part of your
>> transmission, for whatever mode, should
>> be returned to the manufacturer for refund :)
>>
>> 73 Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA
>>
>>
>> 
>>
>> Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page
>> at http://www.obriensweb.com/sked
>>
>> Check our other Yahoo Groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> 
>
> Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at
> http://www.obriensweb.com/sked
>
> Check our other Yahoo Groups
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
> 



Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-27 Thread kh6ty
Bonnie,

> Rud Merriam"  wrote:
>
> Or the protocol implementers need to recognize
> the need to generate a tone to trigger the VOX.
> This would be analogous to the delay they provide for
> transmitter keying.

>Bonnie wrote:
>IMHO, it is ridiculous to suggest that
>the "protocol implementers" should change
>the protocol to add overhead to accept
>cheapo bogus hardware. In many cases, the
>excellent worldwide standards have already
>been set, and the proliferation of
>sub-standard interfaces on the market is
>not going to affect the protocols, like the
>tail wagging the dog.

The ARQ specification by K9PS clearly states that all  in a preamble 
are ignored except one, so in order to make it possible to use MFSK16, with 
its rather high latency, with ARQ for NBEMS, we simply added 10  to 
each transmission to compensate for the latency. This also made it possible 
to use MT63-2000 with ARQ. It works, and the additional overhead is so small 
that the slowdown in throughput is insignificant, especially since MFSK16 is 
so good, that whole blocks that might ordinarily have to be repeated using a 
lesser mode are not, which is much more significant to throughput than the 
time it takes to send 10  characters.

The K9PS specification has not been deviated from and the NBEMS system also 
works perfectly with either SignaLink digital VOX or SSB rig VOX.

You should clairfy your overly broad statement that the SignaLink will not 
work with "ARQ" modes, to say it may not work with traditional PC ALE or 
AMTOR, but is fine to use with other soundcard modes, so you do not continue 
to mislead others.

I think you owe Rud Merriam a personal apology for calling him "ridiculous". 
It is YOU who are in the wrong, not he...

73, Skip KH6TY
NBEMS Development Team 



Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-27 Thread Robert W. Strohmeyer
Well stated, Bonnie.

73 de Stro
KO4FR

  - Original Message - 
  From: expeditionradio 
  To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 12:17 AM
  Subject: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes


  IMHO, it is ridiculous to suggest that 
  the "protocol implementers" should change 
  the protocol to add overhead to accept 
  cheapo bogus hardware. In many cases, the 
  excellent worldwide standards have already 
  been set, and the proliferation of 
  sub-standard interfaces on the market is 
  not going to affect the protocols, like the 
  tail wagging the dog.

  There simply is no need to purchase a 
  poorly designed bogus interface that depends 
  on VOX, that chops off the beginning of each 
  transmission or received signal. 

  It is up to operators themselves to select 
  a proper interface that conforms to the 
  standard of digital protocols they intend to 
  operate. The trend is for more ARQ protocols 
  being used in ham radio. 

  There are many excellent interfaces on the 
  market that function properly. Why bother 
  with the junk ones?

  It is also very easy to homebrew an interface. 
  I've built several of them in a few hours of 
  work, and put the plans for them on the web:
  http://hflink.com/interface/

  Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA

  > Rud Merriam"  wrote:
  >
  > Or the protocol implementers need to recognize 
  > the need to generate a tone to trigger the VOX. 
  > This would be analogous to the delay they provide for
  > transmitter keying. 



   

  __ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature 
database 3390 (20080826) __

  The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.


  http://www.eset.com


RE: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-26 Thread Rud Merriam
Bluntly, you are ignoring the reality of trends in computer hardware. 

Further, my suggestion does not impact any protocol. The protocols require
no changes.

What could be changed is the way a protocol __implementation__ signals that
it ready to transmit. A simple check box on the screen that defines the
radio interface and sending an audio tone, possibly sub audible, is all that
needs to change. 

 
 - 73 - 
Rud Merriam K5RUD 
ARES AEC Montgomery County, TX
http://TheHamNetwork.net


> -Original Message-
> From: expeditionradio [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 11:17 PM
> To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes
> 
> 
> IMHO, it is ridiculous to suggest that 
> the "protocol implementers" should change 
> the protocol to add overhead to accept 
> cheapo bogus hardware. In many cases, the 
> excellent worldwide standards have already 
> been set, and the proliferation of 
> sub-standard interfaces on the market is  
> not going to affect the protocols, like the 
> tail wagging the dog.
> 
> There simply is no need to purchase a 
> poorly designed bogus interface that depends 
> on VOX, that chops off the beginning of each 
> transmission or received signal. 
> 
> It is up to operators themselves to select 
> a proper interface that conforms to the 
> standard of digital protocols they intend to 
> operate. The trend is for more ARQ protocols 
> being used in ham radio. 
> 
> There are many excellent interfaces on the 
> market that function properly. Why bother 
> with the junk ones?
> 
> It is also very easy to homebrew an interface. 
> I've built several of them in a few hours of 
> work, and put the plans for them on the web: 
> http://hflink.com/interface/
> 
> Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA
> 
>  
> > Rud Merriam"  wrote:
> >
> > Or the protocol implementers need to recognize
> > the need to generate a tone to trigger the VOX. 
> > This would be analogous to the delay they provide for
> > transmitter keying.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at
> http://www.obriensweb.com/sked
> 
> Check our other Yahoo Groups
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 



RE: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-26 Thread Bob Donnell
Recollection is that the SignalLink has its own internal VOX circuit, so can
be independent of the VOX settings of the rig - except if the user makes the
mistake of turning VOX on in their rig, and the rig has a longer delay time
than the SignalLink does - which is likely.

Either way, I cringed when I heard that the SignalLink uses VOX, with no
direct control option.  But hey, I'm one of those that has VHF/UHF radios
and TNC's that are fast enough to reliably work 1200 baud packet with 40 ms
of TXDelay.

73, Bob, KD7NM
Operating in the land where one can send a ack packet while other's slow
radios are still locking their PLL's up...

-Original Message-
From: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Patrick Lindecker
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 1:40 PM
To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

Hello to all,

About "slow" asynchronous ARQ modes as ARQ FAE, Pax, Pax2 and even Packet
there is no much problem to have several dozens of ms in delay. This because
due to sound card buffers, the obligation to work even with slow computers,
and due to slow modulation, it is introduced big margins (several hundreds
of ms or even seconds depending of the mode or the number of repeaters used
in Pax, for example). So this delay is not critical.
And as Rick said, it is a positive point about asynchronous ARQ modes which
are flexible. Moreover they are economical as they transmitted only when
requested and not everytime (transmitting padding characters).

However, for quick ARQ modes (as RFSM2400 or  110A) it is certainly an other
story, as the margins might be very low...and, moreover, I'm not very sure
that the VOX delay is really constant... It might depend on a filter
associated with a threshold. The delay with which the threshold will be
switched will depend on the sound level at the input.

The best is the direct switching from the serial port, then the Cat system
and afterwards the VOX system.

73
Patrick


- Original Message -
From: "expeditionradio" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 8:26 PM
Subject: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes


>> Sholto Fisher wrote:
>> I can't believe it makes any significant
>> difference at least for ALE400 FAE.
>
> Hi Sholto,
>
> Whether you believe it or not, that's
> up to you. But the math doesn't lie,
> and neither does the oscilloscope.
>
> IMHO, any interface that chops off part of your
> transmission, for whatever mode, should
> be returned to the manufacturer for refund :)
>
> 73 Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA
>
>
> 
>
> Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at
> http://www.obriensweb.com/sked
>
> Check our other Yahoo Groups
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
> 




Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at
http://www.obriensweb.com/sked

Check our other Yahoo Groups
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup
Yahoo! Groups Links







RE: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-26 Thread Rud Merriam
Or the protocol implementers need to recognize the need to generate a tone
to trigger the VOX. This would be analogous to the delay they provide for
transmitter keying. 

 
 - 73 - 
Rud Merriam K5RUD 
ARES AEC Montgomery County, TX
http://TheHamNetwork.net


> -Original Message-
> From: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of expeditionradio
> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 1:26 PM
> To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes
> 
> 
> > Sholto Fisher wrote:
> > I can't believe it makes any significant
> > difference at least for ALE400 FAE.
> 
> Hi Sholto, 
> 
> Whether you believe it or not, that's 
> up to you. But the math doesn't lie, 
> and neither does the oscilloscope.
> 
> IMHO, any interface that chops off part of your 
> transmission, for whatever mode, should 
> be returned to the manufacturer for refund :) 
> 
> 73 Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page 
> at http://www.obriensweb.com/sked
> 
> Check our other Yahoo Groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 



Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-26 Thread Patrick Lindecker
Hello to all,

About "slow" asynchronous ARQ modes as ARQ FAE, Pax, Pax2 and even Packet 
there is no much problem to have several dozens of ms in delay. This because 
due to sound card buffers, the obligation to work even with slow computers, 
and due to slow modulation, it is introduced big margins (several hundreds 
of ms or even seconds depending of the mode or the number of repeaters used 
in Pax, for example). So this delay is not critical.
And as Rick said, it is a positive point about asynchronous ARQ modes which 
are flexible. Moreover they are economical as they transmitted only when 
requested and not everytime (transmitting padding characters).

However, for quick ARQ modes (as RFSM2400 or  110A) it is certainly an other 
story, as the margins might be very low...and, moreover, I'm not very sure 
that the VOX delay is really constant... It might depend on a filter 
associated with a threshold. The delay with which the threshold will be 
switched will depend on the sound level at the input.

The best is the direct switching from the serial port, then the Cat system 
and afterwards the VOX system.

73
Patrick


- Original Message - 
From: "expeditionradio" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 8:26 PM
Subject: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes


>> Sholto Fisher wrote:
>> I can't believe it makes any significant
>> difference at least for ALE400 FAE.
>
> Hi Sholto,
>
> Whether you believe it or not, that's
> up to you. But the math doesn't lie,
> and neither does the oscilloscope.
>
> IMHO, any interface that chops off part of your
> transmission, for whatever mode, should
> be returned to the manufacturer for refund :)
>
> 73 Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA
>
>
> 
>
> Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at
> http://www.obriensweb.com/sked
>
> Check our other Yahoo Groups
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
> 



Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-26 Thread Sholto Fisher
Sorry to harp on about this but ALE400 has a baud rate of 50 (20ms 
length) and the VOX PTT is 28ms plus allowing for say a 12ms delay from 
a modern rig that is only 40ms total delay on transmit, just 2 "symbols".

 From MultiPSK's help file:

In "ALE400" it is transmitted 28 symbols, alternately on the lowest 
frequency and then on the highest frequency, so for a duration of about 
0.56 second (28/50 s). This is aimed to permit the symbol 
synchronization just before the frame reception.

I'm no expert (so forgive me if I am way off base on this) but even 
allowing for 2 missed symbols that still leaves 26 for synchronization 
before receiving the FAE frame. I can't believe it makes any significant 
difference at least for ALE400 FAE.

73 Sholto.




expeditionradio wrote:
> --- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com, Sholto Fisher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> Hi Bonnie,
>> Does it really make that much difference?
>>
>> 73 Sholto. 
> 
> Yes, it really does make a difference :)
> 
> Please see my previous explanation where I 
> detailed the exact number of symbols that 
> are deleted by Signalink at the beginning 
> of every time you transmit. 
> 
> Then, there are the receive signals that 
> may be deleted by Signalink due to PTT 
> release delay.
> 
> 73 Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA
> 
> 


Re: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes

2008-08-26 Thread matt gregory
Bonnie what do you suggest using with out spend a whole lot
 i was also looking at the rigblaster plug and play usb
MATTHEW A. GREGORY 
KC2PUA 




- Original Message 
From: expeditionradio <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 1:47:27 PM
Subject: [digitalradio] Re: Signalink No Good for ARQ Modes


--- In digitalradio@ yahoogroups. com, Sholto Fisher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hi Bonnie,
> Does it really make that much difference?
> 
> 73 Sholto. 

Yes, it really does make a difference :)

Please see my previous explanation where I 
detailed the exact number of symbols that 
are deleted by Signalink at the beginning 
of every time you transmit. 

Then, there are the receive signals that 
may be deleted by Signalink due to PTT 
release delay.

73 Bonnie VR2/KQ6XA