I needed a dedicated sound card interface for my Yaesu FT817 radio. Pre requisites were :
- Need to work from the Data and ACC socket. Microphone socket need to be free.
- Had to interface via USB to the computer.
- Need solid PTT switching (RTS signal from the RS232 board). Vox was not even and option.
- Need CAT to be working from the sound card interface.
- Interface need to be relative small
- Integrated sound card (does not use PC/notebook internal sound card)
- No external adjustments (only through software volume sliders)
- Compatible with all digital modes software (including HRD)
- Powered by the USB port
- Provides 2 supplemental USB ports for other usage (ex. a memory stick, etc.)
- Use a single USB port from the PC/notebook (for sound, PTT and CAT)
Scrounging the Internet I found what I was looking for from Dan YO3GGX.
I am not going to go into the construction details here as Dan's website contains everything you need to know. For information I am going to publish the schematic diagram of the interface. Please not I used a different USB Hub, Sound Card Dongle and used veroboard to accommodate the PTT module.
Diagram:
Image: Dan YO3GGX (Click on image for larger view.)
Using the interface
You need to connect the interface to the PC/notebook using a standard USB(male)/miniUSB(male) cable.
NOTE: Use a quality USB 2.0 cable (shielded and with ferrite at the PC end) especially if you are working with high power.
Wait for the drivers for the USB/serial module to be installed. If necessary, use the CD provided together with the CAT cable. Check in Computer Management / Device Manager / Ports (Windows XP) to see which port was allocated for the new interface. In the following example is port COM6.
- Check that the USB sound interface driver is installed too.
- Set in the program of choice for CAT the right COM port for CAT.
- Select in the program of choice for digital modes the right sound card and the right PTT mode.
You are now ready to use your new interface.
Comment: I am very pleased with the working of this Sound Card Interface. It is really a pleasure to have a unit that works great without any problems. It was worth all the effort and time spend to build this unit. Looking back at the project the cabling and hot gluing could have been better but I was in a hurry as DX waits for nobody!! Maybe one day I will revamp the interface, who knows.
Images of the ZS1I Sound Card Project for the FT817. Click on images for larger view.
