QsoNet Discussions

[G3HJF]

CW with Dahdidah
I am having trouble getting Dahdidah to work with CQ100. By itself Dahdidah generates excellent sounding CW but if I then bring up CQ100 I can hear no signals although they appear on the screen. If however I start CQ100 first and then try Dahdidah, I can hear signals but then pressing PLAY on the Dahdidah display I get the error message: "Unable to open sound card Error -9994."
I have tried all the combinations I can think of on the audio mixer displays but the effects and the error message remain the same.
Has anybody any ideas, or do I need a more versatile sound card? The present one is a Sigma Tel Audio. The driver is Windows WDM-KS
Jim Smith G3HJF.

[VE3EFC]

What version of Windows?

[G4ZPU]

Jim, Have you tried to change the Recording control from Microphone to Stereo Mix before you try to send the cw on the dahdidah program!

Cheers de Sten
G4ZPU

[G3HJF]

Thanks for the replies. For the record I am using Windows 2000 XP.

I will try the suggestion Sten if I can find that Stereo Mix. So far I have tried just about every combination of "mute" and "unmute" and twiddled the level controls but maybe it is a particular setting that is necessary.
Anyhow I will keep plugging away but I fear it is the sound card which is not up to it.

The "Keyer" works fine from the keyboard but I find the "type-ahead" disconcerting!
Using a separate cw oscillator is not as easy as it sounds. Few if any of the available practice oscillaors seem to have anything like a T9 note, wave shaping or sidtetone. These facilities now built-in to modern rigs have spoiled us all and I certainly don't want to put out a RST 392 signal like some.
But it is all good fun -if a trifle frustrating!
Jim G3HJF

[VE3EFC]

Hi Jim. Everything you need should be available behind the white question mark. You should be able to transmit anything the sound card is playing.

Be sure the same sound card is showing in BOTH output and input boxes. Open mixer for audio input and select "Stereo Mix" or "What you hear".

[G3HJF]

Hi Douglas,
Thanks for the reply. Well I don't seem to have a "Stereo Mix" option for my sound card. I have gone systematically through all the options shown in the hope that one configuration will make it, but no luck. I think that the lack of the stereo option on my sound card is the problem.
I now recognise that the system will not work for, with CQ100 running, clicking on the Dahdidah icon on the desktop display, causes the "S-Meter" light on the "transceiver" to dim out immediately .
So, it is either:-
1. get another sound card
2. Find a good keyable af oscillator with a T9 note
3. Wait for you Doug and your colleagues to find a method of using a paddle in place of the keyboard (not an eay task I guess)
4. Learn to love the keyboard

Thanks for your help and thanks especially for this very innovative system.

Jim G3HJF

[VE3EFC]

It is normal for the S-Meter to dim whenever you click away from CQ100. It is Windows standard to provide focus indication.

If your sound card is older than 14 years, it may not have full duplex capability to record what it is playing. All full-duplex sound cards have this capability.

Perhaps your sound card has been forced to half-duplex in the Windows control panel.

Try setting Dahdidah to some mode other than KS. Some sound cards are not happy about running in KS mode.

What sliders are showing in your input mixer panel?

[G3HJF]

Well I have gone through all possible combinations with Dahdidah and still no luck. Now I have opted to use my Elecraft K1 transceiver as the local tone generator .
The af output from the K1 is patched into the Line Input on the pc and my headphones into the Line Output. The transmit level is adjusted by both the K1 AF Gain control and the "Mic" on the tranceiver display so that I get a comfortable sidetone level and a fraction over S9 on the display meter. The tx power output is set to minimum (about 0.1 watt so no dummy load is needed)
The K1 keys well with either a paddle or a hand key and generates an excellent T9 note. Both the tone frequency and level can be changed. The code speed can be set to anything from 8 to 50wpm.
In addition the K1 can store two messages and can repeat either at a chosen time interval. This is invaluable as it can be set going calling CQ while you settle back with a good book until someone replies, or go and see what is doing on hf.
So far it has proved almost ideal in putting out a decent sounding signal on CQ100 and well worth the little effort if you have a K1 around (or a K2 also I'm sure).
Jim G3HJF

[AD7FQ]

So far, I'm having no luck at all. I activate dahditdah, and the s meter goes black..and I'm not on the KS setting. the cord is installed, the program is installed, and I cant make a sound....good thing I'm still on the trial period..
I'd love to get this working, but if I can't...no use in staying around.

[VE3EFC]

It is normal for the S-Meter to dim whenever you click away from CQ100. It is Windows standard to provide focus indication.

Be sure you cable is wired as shown in the manual. Ring it through to confirm continuity to the correct pins.

Don't forget to push the PLAY button before you start keying.

[AD7FQ]

I've spent quite a while with this. Even had it working for a short time, though I have no idea what I did to make it work....but it just stopped working...I have the proper settings re: the pinout. Doug has been good about answering my e-mails...I dont know why it stopped working, but it did stop, and there doesnt seem to be a thing I can do about it....Given the time since I wrote Doug...I don't think he knows either....
You have to check with a multi meter, to see which pin..or pins, connect to the key. It's not difficult..rest assured, if it was, I couldn't do it. Once you know, you can set the pinout diagram in the program, and is SHOULD work...I did work, but now it doesn'tRight now, I'm frustrated and disappointed.