Data input to Anan 100D

RadioHam1958
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2017 6:35 pm

Data input to Anan 100D

Postby RadioHam1958 » Sun Nov 26, 2017 3:32 pm

I an using the Anan 100D for MARS with a RapidM RM2 modem. Currently I'm using Pin 12 of the DB25 connector as the mic and RM2 audio input to the 100D. I would like to have separate inputs to the 100D for mic and the RapidM RM2 so that I could adjust the levels separately and that the mic would be muted during digital transmissions from the RapidM RM2. Can the 100D provide this capability? I would not like to have to manually change inputs when switching from voice to data because in operation voice and data are intermixed.

Thanks for any ideas.

Jim/W1DU
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w-u-2-o
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Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:47 pm

Re: Data input to Anan 100D

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Nov 26, 2017 4:28 pm

Jim,

Fancy, expensive modem!

As you've probably noted, there is no way to simultaneously entertain a front panel microphone connection and a connection to the line-in on the DB25 connector. You have to go into Setup > Transmit and manually select one or the other. So although it seems like an obvious path to take, that won't work. And there are some other issues with this approach, which I'll discuss below. This leaves you two choices:

Choice #1 is to provision an external mixer, for example a Behringer 302USB, mix the microphone and modem audio inputs together, and feed the DB25 line-in from the mixer. The 302 is very handy for this. You can use a nice, fully balance, professional microphone like a Behringer XM8500 or even a Behringer B1. At the same time, on the second channel it will accept an unbalanced input from the RM2. And the main mix output is available in unbalanced form so you don't have to hassle with a transformer or nasty balanced to unbalanced cable lash up.

Choice #2 is to feed the mic into the radio in a normal fashion, and the RM2 into the PC microphone port, then use the VAC1 provision to feed the audio into PowerSDR. You won't even need any virtual audio cable software because the PC mic port is a real hardware port. Then you can use the options in Setup > Audio > VAC1 to set up a PTT override such that when you press the selected control the mic audio will automatically override the RM2 audio.

There is a huge "gotcha" with these setups, though, and that is that when making a data transmission you should NOT use any of the internal TX audio processing to process your data signal, that signal should remain 100% unprocessed. No leveler, no EQ, no CFC, no nothing. If you are bound and determined to create a completely automatic situation then you are going to have to decide between a distorted and poorly performing data signal (processed) or a very weak and poor performing voice signal (unprocessed).

If it was me, and it's not, but "just sayin'" ;) , I'd be prepared to switch between USB and DIGU as required. That way you can be in USB with full voice processing enabled, and then, when necessary for data, you can click over to DIGU which automatically disables all voice processing. Then, when the data transmission is over, click back over to USB again. You'll need to adjust mixer gains or VAC TX gain, depending on which way you go, to appropriately levels for voice and data, but you only need to do this once and can save everything in a TX profile (and/or mark your external mixer controls with some tape). Switching between USB and DIGU won't be 100% automatic, but with that one extra click it will let you operate the rig in the optimum configuration for each mode.

Alternately, you could set up two completely different TX Profiles and switch between those two, but I think it would be easier to just switch between USB and DIGU (or LSB equivalents, if you use them).

73,

Scott
RadioHam1958
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2017 6:35 pm

Re: Data input to Anan 100D

Postby RadioHam1958 » Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:53 pm

Thanks Scott for your quick, thoughtful response.

I can live with switching to DIGU for data. What audio input port is active when DIGU is selected?

Jim
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w-u-2-o
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Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:47 pm

Re: Data input to Anan 100D

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Nov 26, 2017 6:01 pm

RadioHam1958 wrote:Thanks Scott for your quick, thoughtful response.
:)

I can live with switching to DIGU for data. What audio input port is active when DIGU is selected?
Whichever one you've selected. It is up to you. Line, Mic or VAC1. You pick, same as you do for any other mode. You choose between Line and Mic in Setup > Transmit. If you turn on VAC1 it will become the active audio input, overriding Line or Mic, unless you've got one of the override options enabled in Setup > Audio > VAC1.

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