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SignaLink USB Installation & Operation Manual |
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SignaLink SL-1+ Installation & Operation Manual |
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SignaLink SL-1 Installation & Operation Manual |
Op Tips
Modifications
Setting the Default Sound Card
Setting the Transmit Audio Levels ("Playback" controls)
NOTE: Do NOT use your communications program's "Set Transmit Levels" ("Transmitter Drive", etc.), or "Set Receive Levels" ("Waterfall Drive", etc.) menus, as these do not seem to work properly for Windows Vista.
Setting the Receive Audio Levels ("Recording" controls) - Note that this applies to the SignaLink SL-1 and SL-1+ only. Receive Audio level adjustment with the SignaLink USB is done with the SignaLink's RX knob only.
NOTE: Do NOT use your communications program's "Set Transmit Levels" ("Transmitter Drive", etc.), or "Set Receive Levels" ("Waterfall Drive", etc.) menus, as these do not seem to work properly for Windows Vista.
The following file contains an exact copy of the Installation Manual that
ships with the SignaLink. It is provided in Adobe Acrobat format so that
it can be viewed and printed without any specific word processor. If you do not
have the Acrobat reader, you can download it free of charge by clicking on the
"Get Acrobat Reader" icon below.
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SignaLink USB Installation & Operation Manual |
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SignaLink SL-1+ Installation & Operation Manual |
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SignaLink SL-1 Installation & Operation Manual |
If you don't have Adobe's Acrobat Reader, click on the icon to get it.
NOTE: Support for this program has been discontinued, but the developers have posted a new link for downloading it here. If you use QuickMix, we encourage you to thank the authors for providing this download link and let them know how much the Amateur Radio Community would love to see an updated version for Windows Vista and Windows 7.
The QuickMix program by Product Technology Partners, Ltd. lets you easily save and restore many different sets of software volume control "mixer" settings. This is great if you run multiple programs that require different volume control settings, or if you find that your settings are reset by another application, or Windows itself. QuickMix runs in Windows 9x/NT/Me/2000/XP.
Ralph Milnes, NM5RM, has an excellent web site on running Sound Card Packet. His site gives step-by-step instructions on how to configure and use the AGW Packet Engine with various packet and APRS® programs, including WinAPRS, APRSplus, UI-View, WinPack, AGWTerm, AGWMonitor, and AGWCluster. If you would like to run packet with the SignaLink, Ralph's web site will show you how. Thank you Ralph!
SSTV is one of the few modes where you frequently switch between Digital operation (sending pictures) and Voice operation (talking about the cool picture that you just sent!). Because of this, if you plan on operating SSTV, we suggest that you attach the SignaLink to your radio's Data or Accessory Port instead of the Mic connector. This will allow you to keep your microphone plugged into the front of the radio, so that you can talk between pictures. For detailed information on operating SSTV, check out this great SSTV Primer by Michael Tondee, W4HIJ. A list of the main SSTV HF frequencies can be found below.
Main SSTV HF Frequencies
| 160 Meters | 80 Meters | 40 Meters | 20 Meters | 15 Meters | 10 Meters |
| 1.916 |
3.845 3.857 |
7.170 7.172 |
14.230 14.233 14.236 |
21.340 | 28.680 28.690 28.700 |
Joe Taylor, K1JT has written a wonderful program called WSJT, which stands for “Weak Signal communications, by K1JT.” The program currently provides two digital signaling modes; FSK441, which supports communication using very brief “pings” from meteor trails in the ionosphere, and JT44, which is for extremely weak but slowly varying signals such as those found on troposcatter, ionoscatter, and Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) paths. Both of these new modes provide significant improvements in sensitivity over traditional CW, and make it possible for modest stations with just a single antenna and power outputs of only 150 watts, to make regular contacts.
WSJT can be downloaded from Joe's web site. You will also want to download the WSJT User's Guide and Reference Manual, which will tell you everything you need to know about configuring and using WSJT. Be sure to thank Joe for all his hard work, and for making WSJT a free program! If you are new to operating Meteor Scatter, then click here for complete operating procedures for North America and South America.
NOTE: This modification is for the original SignaLink Model SL-1 only. The SignaLink Model SL-1+ has an improved PTT circuit that works with ALL sound cards.
While the SignaLink's Auto-PTT™ circuit works perfectly with nearly every sound card on the market, there are a few odd laptop computers that cannot activate the circuit without setting the volume controls to maximum, and distorting the transmit signal. To address this issue, we have provided information on a simple modification that can be performed to increase the sensitivity of the SignaLink's PTT circuit nearly five times. This increase in sensitivity will allow these "problem" laptops to activate the circuit at lower volume levels, which will provide a clean signal to the radio. Instructions for this modification can be found here.
NOTE: This modification is for the original SignaLink Model SL-1 only. The SignaLink Model SL-1+ has fully adjustable Transmit and Receive audio levels that eliminate the need for this modification.
When used in conjunction with your computer and radio volume controls, the SignaLink's transmit and receive attenuation circuits provide the correct amount of audio for most installations. However, with some equipment combinations, you may find that you need more transmit or receive audio than the stock unit can provide. For these situations, there are two special jumpers that you can install inside the SignaLink to increase the transmit and receive audio levels. The location of these jumpers and instructions for installing them can be found here.
