The EchoLink system is software which allows Amateur Radio operators to communicate with one another over the Internet, using voice-over-IP (VoIP) technology. The program allows worldwide Internet connections to be made between hams, from computer to station, from computer to computer or by linking two or more EchoLink system connected stations.

The EchoLink system works with a RIGblaster using the EchoLink system's internal DTMF decoder and control. A special iLink interface board is not required to put your radio on the Internet for other hams to use. It is done neatly and simply with a RIGblaster and the EchoLink system.

Please understand that if you intend to connect your radio to the Internet it is for other hams to use. You will NOT normally be able to use your radio to talk over the Internet with the radio's microphone. The audio that goes out over the Internet comes from the receive audio output of the radio not the RF output. If your radio has a transmit monitor feature, very unusual with a VHF radio, you could. Also only with a RIGblaster Pro AND a sound card with mic./line. mixing you could. If you plan to dedicate a radio to Internet linking we would suggest you purchase our RIGblaster Nomic as you will not be able to use the mic. with our other RIGblasters over the Internet.

The Big Picture - The EchoLink system in SysOp Mode (Simplex/Link)

The Big Picture - The EchoLink system in SysOp Mode (Repeater)

The Big Picture - The EchoLink system in SysOp Mode (Repeater Linking)

The EchoLink system runs on Microsoft Windows® 95 or above. It is offered as freeware and may be downloaded here. click here

Get the EchoLink system Users Guide. To download this document to your computer, position your mouse pointer over the link and click with the RIGHT mouse button, then select "Save Target as..." which will then let you save it to your computer.

To set the transmit audio level with a RIGblaster and the EchoLink system our support pages under "SETTING AND TESTING THE TRANSMIT AUDIO WITH AN FM RADIO".

In order for the RIGblaster to work with the EchoLink system you must set your call to either a -L (link station) or -R (repeater station) and setup the sysop setup under the menu choices "tools" "sysop settings" to match the screen shots below.

RX control screen shot - Uses VOX carrier detect to trigger VOIP over the web

TX control screen shot - Uses serial port PTT control

DTMF control screen shot - Uses the EchoLink system's software based DTMF decoder

"Remember when communicating with other hams computer to computer you may be talking about ham radio but you are NOT operating a ham station. Please try to spend more time keeping our bands active rather than using the Web. Keep our bands from being taken away from us! Also remember that if you talk to a DX station via the Internet working DX, it is the same as if one or both of you were on the telephone, not a radio." Del, K1UHF.

WSJT is the name of a computer program. It stands for ''Weak Signal communication, by K1JT.'' The program currently supports four principal modes:

• FSK441, designed to support communication using very brief “pings” from meteor trails in the ionosphere;

• JT6M, also for meteor scatter, but especially optimized for the 6-meter band;

• JT65, ideal for extremely weak but slowly varying signals such as those found on troposcatter and Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) paths; and the EME Echo mode for detecting and measuring your own echoes from the moon.

• The program also offers a Measure mode for testing Sun noise and the like, and an EME Calculator to help you estimate the strength of your own and other stations’ echoes from the moon.

WSJT complete operating manual.

For operating procedures, a must read.

JT44 EME by K2UYH.

Lots of meteor scatter info on W8WN's web page.

WSJT live chat page: N0UK's "Ping Jockeys and JT44"

K1JT's "WSJT 2003 and Beyond"" PowerPoint presentation (4.5 MB)"

K0SM's "A Software VHF DXers" PowerPoint presentation (2.8 MB)"

K2UYH's "Small station EME on 23 and 70 cm using WSJT JT44" PowerPoint presentation (2 MB)"

K1UHF's "An Introduction to WSJT" PowerPoint presentation (3.3 MB)"

Download and play wav files with WSJT and see it decode recorded signals!
WSJT FSK441 signals at K1UHF, wav audio.
AH6LE in Oregon at K1UHF in CT via 2 meter Moon Bounce using JT44, wav audio.

This is assuming you wish to use a dynamic mic and the radio is designed for a dynamic mic. It may not work with amplified mics. or electret condenser mics.

The RIGblaster has two rows of jumper pins labeled input and output, they could be labeled mic. for input and radio for output. Simply wire the input jumpers for the make and model mic. and wire the output jumpers for the make and model radio. You can use the jumper diagrams in our manual but only look at the side that corresponds. Do not use diagrams for different model RIGblasters.

You may not want to try and hook up the up/down buttons, power other features. To keep it simple only hook up mic audio, mic ground, PTT and PTT ground; four jumper wires on each side.

YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN WITH THIS ONE, YOU SHORT OUT A POWER CONNECTION AND MAY BURN OUT YOUR RADIO.!

With some radios the back panel "data" jacks are properly designed and work well, do not expect your radio to work the way you expect, however, you may be disappointed. We have reports that Yaesu FT1000 series and Kenwood TS2000s work OK. Be aware that before you attempt this hookup that the rear panel jacks may not work on all modes. They may also leave your mic. hot while transmitting with the computer and you will be unable to override your computer with your mic.. You may also find that this jack on your radio may not support VOX operation,not a problem if with a computer serial connection to a nomic RIGblaster. We have had reports that some PTT control pins on data jacks require unusually low pull down voltages than may not be controlled by an optoisolator output transistor.

If you do decide to try the rear panel "data" jack on your radio and make your own cable you may need a simple modification to the Nomic's audio attenuate circuit. The Nomic is designed to feed a typical radio's mic. jack at a mic. voltage level (10mV nominal). Rear panel jacks typically need a much higher audio voltage so you may have to make the following mod. to accomplish this. Simply cut resistor R2, 100 ohms, and you will have the right amount of audio for your data jack in conjunction with the nomic's level adjust potentiometer.

This OpTip is ONLY for a RIGblaster nomic model using our accessory 1/4" phone CW/Mic. cable to connect your CW jack.

UA9OSV's CwGet copies CW with a sound card and his companion program CwType sends CW using a parallel or serial port. To set up CWtype for serial port operation you must manually edit CWtype's CwType.ini file. Using a text editor such as Windows Notepad you must open the CwType.ini file and set it for com/serial port keying, select your serial port and disable PTT control by editing the .ini file. You can control PTT transmit by using your radio's semi-break-in or full break-in feature.

Here is an example of how to set up CWtype to work with a nomic using your serial port:

[Osv_Cw]
KeyPortType=2 (this enables com port control using Windows API)
KeyPortNumber=1 (this example selects Com 1 --put your com port # in it's place)
KeyOffTxOffByte=00
KeyOnTxOffByte=01
KeyOffTxOnByte=00 (this change disables PTT control and selects CW keying)
KeyOnTxOnByte=01 (this change disables PTT control and selects CW keying)
DotPort=0
DotXorMask=FF
DotAndMask=10
DashPort=0
DashXorMask=FF
DashAndMask=20
UseSpeaker=1 (you may want to set this to "0" to disable the PC speaker and to use only your radio's side tone)

This example is only the first few lines of the CwType.ini file. DO NOT type in what we put in the quotes.

Don't forget to set your radio to semi break in or full break in keying for T/R control.

BTW, UA9OSV is using a standard RIGblaster M8 to key the CW using the PTT output. We do not really recommend this as it will shorten the life of the keying relays. The nomic and plus models key directly with an optoisolator so that relay life is not a consideration.

This OpTip is ONLY for RIGblaster Plus and RIGblaster pro connected to a CW jack.

UA9OSV's CWget copies CW with a sound card and his companion program CWtype sends CW using a parallel or serial port. To set up CWtype for serial port operation you must manually edit CWtype's CWtype.ini file. Using a text editor such as Windows Notepad you must open the CWtype.ini file and set it for com/serial port keying, select the port you are using. Leave the Plus serial keying jumpers in the "default" position, (DTR for CW and RTS for PTT) this is important! The pro by default uses DTR for CW and RTS for PTT The Plus or pro will key PTT via the normal mic. connections and key CW via wire between it's key out and your radio's key jack. Note: some radio's have two key jacks one for a paddle and one for a straight key, use the latter, of course.

Here is an example of how to set up CWtype to work with a Plus or a pro using your serial port:

[Osv_Cw]
KeyPortType=2 (this enables com port control using Windows API)
KeyPortNumber=1 (this example selects Com 1 --put your com port # in it's place)
KeyOffTxOffByte=00
KeyOnTxOffByte=01
KeyOffTxOnByte=03
KeyOnTxOnByte=04
DotPort=0
DotXorMask=FF
DotAndMask=10
DashPort=0
DashXorMask=FF
DashAndMask=20
UseSpeaker=1 (you may want to set this to "0" to disable the PC speaker and to use only your radio's side tone)

This example is only the first few lines of the CWtype.ini file. DO NOT type in what we put in the quotes.

With the Plus and the pro you will have PTT control and key with two separate circuits and the necessary software control, you will not need to use semi break in for T/R control. If you wish to use break in you will have to disable the PTT control as you see above with the nomic setup example.

You must configure MMTTY's setup utility to operate in with true FSK to control the keying via the TXD line of the serial port that is connected to the RIGblaster.
MMTTY Setup Screen shot.

For AFSK RTTY operation you should normally set your radio to LSB (unlike PSK programs) or use USB with MMTTY set to "REV" (reverse shift). For FSK operation you must set your radio and/or the software so that your receive and transmit mark and space tones are correct.

Many USB to Serial Port Adapters, including the IOGEAR Model GUC232A, offer limited capability for FSK RTTY. We have only found one arrangement where it will do RTTY/FSK and that is with MMTTY using the addin called EXTFSK. See our RTTY Links page for more on this.

Daisy chain the audio input and outputs on your 2 RIGblasters. In other words, connect your sound card output in to one RIGblaster audio in and go from that RIGblaster's audio out to the other RIGblaster's audio in. Hook your computer speakers to the remaining audio output. This will feed the computer audio to both RIGblasters simultaneously.

For the serial port wire a custom serial cable that connects the serial port of your computer in parallel to both RIGblasters. Wire one RIGblaster to DTR and the other to RTS (see our schematics for the pin numbers).

The WriteLog setup is not intuitive nor is it documented clearly. To do both DVK and CW, set up WriteLog exactly as shown in our screen shot. Make sure that you select the correct com port, the one that the RIGblaster is connected to.

WriteLog and two RIGblasters will do SO2R (Single operator 2 radio) phone contesting. For CW contesting consider the WriteLog interface. Contact K1UHF at West Mountain Radio if you wish to do SO2R.