West Mountain Radio RIGblaster Plug & Play Bedienungsanleitung

RIGblaster

plug & play Owners Manual

Revision 1.4

Oct 2008

Thank for purchasing a RIGblaster plug & play. The plug & play is designed to be

absolutely as easy as possible to set up while still providing full compatibility with each

and every ham radio sound card software program.

Unlike the other RIGblasters, the plug & play is designed to work only through a radio’s

rear panel data jack or auxiliary connector. This it makes it easy to plug in but there are

trade offs due to the design of various radio manufacturer’s data and auxiliary jacks.

If your data jack was designed to work the way you might want, you will be pleased with

the operation of the RIGblaster plug & play. West Mountain Radio did not design the

data jack on your radio, therefore we do not control how that system operates. We only

take sound in and out of the jack and control PTT through the jack.

Some jacks support operation on all modes and on all the bands that the radio may

provide, some do not. Some jacks may mute the microphone whenever PTT is

activated through the jack or they may leave the mic hot when using the jack. Your jack

may not function at all unless you turn it on from the radio’s menus or controls. Other

RIGblasters connect through the mic jack so we can control switching between the mic

and a computer. The RIGblaster plug & play cannot. If your radio’s data jack does not

function the way you wish a RIGblaster plus or pro is the solution.

We are sure that if your radio’s rear panel jack works the way you wish, the RIGblaster

plug & play will provide many hours of amateur radio enjoyment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SOUND CARD OPERATION, INSTALLATION AND SETUP Page 3

Step 1: Windows®plug and play installation Page 3

Step 2: Connect the computer audio cables and radio data/aux jack Page 4

Step 3: Receiving Page 5

Step 4: Check transmit audio tones Page 5

Step 5: PTT Setup Page 6

Step 6: Set the transmit audio to your radio Page 7

Step 7: Work lots of DX and have fun Page 7

CW OPERATION, INSTALLATION AND SETUP Page 8

Step 1a: Connect CW keying cable Page 8

Step 2a: Configure the computer and radio for CW operation Page 8

Step 3a: Work lots of DX and have fun Page 8

RIG CONTROL CAT/CIV, INSTALLATION AND SETUP Page 9

Step 1b: Connecting a CAT or CIV interface Page 9

Step 2b: Setting up the radio for rig control Page 9

Step 3b: Setting up rig control software for rig control Page 9

TROUBLESHOOTING Page 11

WARRANTY Page 12

RIGblaster plug & play connections and indicators

SOUND CARD OPERATION, INSTALLATION AND SETUP

(READ CAREFULLY; PROCEED IN ORDER, STEP BY STEP!)

These instructions only explain how to use and setup the RIGblaster. Refer to the

manual for your radio and read the help files for your computer or third party ham

radio software for the other necessary information.

Step 1: Windows®plug and play installation

Plug the RIGblaster plug & play USB cable into the USB socket that you plan to use for

your RIGblaster. Wait until Windows® pops up a message saying: “Found New

Hardware”.

Windows® will ask you what you want to do. The ONLY option that will work is to “tell

it” you have an installation disk and to put the West Mountain Radio CD in your

computer, if you do not already have it in.

After selecting you have a CD disc then “Browse” to the CD and select the “Drivers

RIGblaster P_P” folder and complete two sets of driver installations, USB serial device

and serial emulator.

Once the drivers are installed by Windows®, the green “POWER” LED on the

RIGblaster Plug & Play will illuminate.

The driver installation is complete if Windows® indicates “Your Hardware is Ready to

Use” and the RIGblaster green POWER LED comes on. This will not happen if you

have stopped, cancelled or aborted the installation at any point for any reason, or if you

have let Windows® recommend or search for the correct driver.

Continue to the next step only if the driver installation completed correctly. See

tip below.

Tip: To confirm that the driver installation has completed correctly first check that you

have the green RIGblaster LED lit. You may then also check the Windows®device

manager. To do this, right click “My Computer” and then left click “Properties”. Click

“Hardware” then “Device manager”. Scroll down and click the “+” symbol next to

“Universal Serial Bus controllers” and also click + for “Ports (COM and LPT)”. You

MUST see the WMR RIGblaster under both these categories of installed hardware. If

not the RIGblaster installation was not completed successfully.

Tip: While you are looking at “Ports (COM and LPT)” note which COM port number was

assigned to your RIGblaster by Windows®. Later when you set up your ham radio

software you will need to know the COM port number for software configuration.

Step 2: Connect the computer audio cables and radio data/aux jack

Plug the RIGblaster’s mini plug stereo sound card audio input and output cables into

your computer’s sound connectors. Usually the sound card jacks on the back of a

desktop computer will be color coded correctly, so just match the colors.

If you have a desktop computer with rear panel jacks that are not color coded, plug the

green RIGblaster plug into the sound card line output . Plug the blue RIGblaster

plug into the sound card line input (you may use the mic input but it will be more

difficult to adjust and may not work as well).

If you have a laptop computer, or you wish to use the front panel connectors on a

desktop computer, they will not be color-coded. Plug the RIGblaster’s green plug into

the headphone output and plug the RIGblaster’s blue plug into the mic input.

Note it is preferable to use a line input if available.

Plug the RIGblaster’s data jack cable into the correct jack of your radio. You may need

to use a RIGblaster data/aux jack adaptors, if required with your radio. The plug &

play’s standard 6-pin mini-DIN plug will only work with certain radios. For example it will

work with an Icom IC746 data jack but not with an IC706 data jack.

You should connect amplified (wall supplied power) computer speakers to the

RIGblaster plug & play’s “COMPUTER” “spkr” jack. Normally you must use amplified

speakers so as not to load down the sound card output! If you do not have computer

speakers you may use 40 ohm, or higher, computer headphones. Speakers or

headphones are needed to be able to hear the computer and to tell if transmit or receive

audio is present!

Continue to the next step only if all the connections were identified and

connected properly.

Step 3: Receiving

From the RIGblaster CD’s “Software Collection”, or from a web download, install ham

radio sound card software. We recommend a PSK31 program to start with, such as

WinPSK.

From our CD, select “Software Collection” then select PSK31. From the PSK31

program list select and install “WinPSK”, assuming you have a Windows®PC. This is

an easy program and mode to use and there is a great deal of activity on the air. Other

modes and programs are usually more difficult, especially, Packet, RTTY and the

EchoLink®system.

Tip: From our CD select “Operating Information” and listen to the sound of PSK31 from

the recorded sounds. Use the frequency table for frequencies to operate on the various

modes.

Besides tuning in signals with your radio you will have tune in with the software. Read

the program’s help files to learn how to tune in and decode signals.

You must select and turn up the mic or line input (whichever you are using) of your

sound card using the Windows® sound card “Recording Control Panel”.

Tip: If you do not know how to access your “Recording Control Panel” read your

Windows help and/or the Oct 2003 QST article entitled “The In’s and Out’s of a Sound

Card”. The article is available on the West Mountain Radio web page and is linked from

the RIGblaster CD ROM.

Adjust your sound card input to achieve the proper receive audio signal as seen on the

software’s waterfall, or similar, display. To decode the signals that you are now feeding

to the software, remember to consult the software’s help documentation to tune in and

decode signals.

Continue to the next step only if you were able to receive and decode signals

correctly.

Step 4: Check transmit audio tones

Check that your software will generate transmit audio tones. Make sure that your radio

is off or into a dummy load and put the software in transmit. You should hear transmit

audio sound (tones) coming from the computer speakers or headphones that are

connected to the RIGblaster. If you do not hear sound, check that the sound card’s

“Volume Control” panel has the “Volume” and “Wave” sliders up half way or more. If it

is too loud from your speakers, turn down the volume on the speakers, NOT the sound

card.

This is an important test of the computer and software operation. Weak or no transmit

sound will make it impossible to transmit!

Tip: If you do not know how to access your “Volume Control” panel read your Windows

help and/or the article in the Oct 2003 QST, entitled “The In’s and Out’s of a Sound

Card”.

Continue to the next step only after you have confirmed that you can hear

transmit audio tones.

Step 5: PTT Setup

If you have not previously done so, right click the “My Computer” icon on your desktop

and then left click “Properties”. Click “Hardware” then “Device manager”. Scroll down

and click the + next to “Ports (COM and LPT)”. Check which COM port number was

assigned to your RIGblaster by Windows®. Remember this number, you will need it to

set up every ham radio sound card program.

No matter which program you are using you must setup and configure the program for

PTT operation by “telling” it which COM port number that Windows®assigned to the

RIGblaster.

If the program gives you a choice of using RTS or DTR for PTT: select RTS. DTR

should only be used for CW keying (see CW setup later in this manual).

Turn on your radio and enable, activate, or turn on your radio’s data or aux jack, if

necessary. The jack on the back of your radio may normally be disabled. If so, you

must refer to your radio’s manual to enable the jack.

Be sure to have your radio on and set for data/aux jack operation. Then test PTT

operation by activating transmit with the software. Set the mode to USB, assuming you

are using a PSK31 program. The radio should be connected to a dummy load as you

may transmit a signal upon PTT activation. The RIGblaster’s red PTT indicator should

come on and your radio should indicate PTT (transmit) activation. The radio may or

may not indicate power output depending on how the sound card is set, see the next

section.

Continue to the next step only after you have confirmed that you have PTT

activation on both the RIGblaster and the radio.

Step 6: Set the transmit audio to your radio

Check the manual for your radio to see if the microphone is disabled when the rear

panel data/aux jack is used. If your mic is NOT disabled you should disconnect the mic

or turn down the mic gain. If the radio’s data/aux jack is controlled by the mic gain you

will have to disconnect the mic and leave the mic gain set to a normal level.

With the radio’s RF power adjustment (drive) control set to maximum power, activate

the software transmit. You should hear transmit tones coming from your computer

speakers or headphones. Open your sound card “Volume Control” panel and adjust the

sound card master (left hand) “Volume” slider and the “Wave”, slider up or down

together until your radio indicates just less than full power output.

Note: Driving to full power, and activating ALC, especially with the radio’s power control

turned down will result in a distorted signal that is difficult or impossible to copy. Always

set the audio drive from the computer to less than full power even though the radio’s

power/drive control is set to maximum.

Tip: Once you have the audio transmit power set correctly you may then adjust your

computer speaker volume knob for a comfortable level. You may find these sound

adjustments are sensitive depending on your sound card and/or radio. Once you have

arrived at a correct setting you may use either turn down sound card or the transmit

power knob to further reduce the power. Do not turn down the radio’s power setting and

turn up the sound card.

Step 7: Work lots of DX and have fun

You are on the air!

CW OPERATION, INSTALLATION AND SETUP

(READ CAREFULLY; PROCEED IN ORDER, STEP BY STEP!)

Step 1a: Connect CW keying cable

You may have purchased a CW cable from West Mountain radio or you may use any

shielded stereo and/or mono 1/8” mini phone plug to 1/8” or 1/4” phone plug (depending

on your radio’s CW jack) cable,

Connect the cable from the RIGblaster’s “RADIO” “CW OUT” jack to the radio’s straight

key jack. A paddle input jack will NOT work! You must use a straight key jack.

Continue to the next step only if you have connected the CW cable to a straight

key jack.

Step 2a: Configure the computer and radio for CW operation

Obviously you must install and use CW software and you must set the radio to the CW

mode of operation. After installing CW software set it up as outlined in step 6 above.

Make sure that you have configured the software for the correct COM port and It is

configured for CW keying on DTR.

NOTE: If your data/aux jack does not support PTT control when the radio is in the CW

mode you will have to set the radio for break-in or semi-break-in CW operation. This

works great, exactly how you would want a key to work.

Test CW operation by transmitting with the CW software. The radio should transmit CW

and the RIGblaster’s yellow CW keying LED indicator should flash.

Step 3a: Work lots of DX and have fun

You are on the air with CW. You can now type CW with your keyboard! Keyboard CW

operation is great for CW contesting but nothing beats a real key for regular CW QSOs.

RIG CONTROL CAT/CIV, INSTALLATION AND SETUP

(READ CAREFULLY; PROCEED IN ORDER, STEP BY STEP!)

Step 1b: Connecting a CAT or CIV interface

The RIGblaster plug & play has a built in USB to Serial converter with TTL (5 volt logic)

output. It may be used with any radio that requires an RS232 to TTL level converter.

This includes most Icom, Ten Tec and certain Yaesu radios. If your radio has a DB9

RS232 control jack on the back, you DO NOT need nor can you use the RIG CONTROL

interface inside the RIGblaster plug & play.

You may order a pre-wired cable from West Mountain Radio for rig control via the

RIGblaster plug & play’s interface. If you wish to make your own cable you may look on

our support page for instructions.

Assuming you have a correctly wired cable connect it between the RIGblaster’s

“RADIO” “RIG CONTROL” jack and the radio’s jack.

Caution: When interfacing electronics between various products that are connected to

the outside world you must be careful to avoid damage due to ground loops. A

computer with a case grounded through its line cord and a radio grounded to an

antenna system can have tremendous AC leakage between these two grounds. During

a thunderstorm with a near by lightning strike, not a direct hit, several thousand volts

can be induced into the loop antenna formed by this type of ground loop. It is important

that every piece of equipment in your ham station is connected with a star ground

system to a SINGLE POINT GROUND (NO LOOPS).

Step 2b: Setting up the radio for rig control

Most radios have settings for the rig control communications interface, which may

include baud rate, parity, stop bits and CI-V addresses.

It is best to double check that the radio has all of these are set to the default or standard

settings. Consult the owner’s manual for your radio to be sure it is set correctly to the

defaults and make a note of what these settings are.

Step 3b: Setting up rig control software for rig control

Since radios have settings for the rig control communications it makes sense that the

software MUST be set to match those settings EXACTLY. Most rig control programs

will use the radio default settings when you select the exact model radio. Be aware, for

example, that if you have an IC706MKIIG and you set your software to an IC706MKII

(NO “G”) the rig control will not work, at all! This is true of other series of radio models

also.

Regardless of which rig control program you have installed, you will have to “tell” the

program the COM port number for the RIGblaster, and you will have to make an exact

match for the communications settings.

Any one item set incorrectly will totally prevent rig control from working! You must have

every communication setting in the software exactly match the settings for the radio and

in the radio.

With rig control set up and modern logging software you will never have to type your

frequency into your computer log again and you can jump to a DX cluster spot instantly.

Yaesu 6 pin DIN CAT control cable wiring

Yaesu 8 pin mini DIN CAT control cable wiring

Icom or Ten Tec CI-V remote cable wiring

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