Well, despite my intentions, I am not able to operate /M using digital modes. On our way up to Webwood, ON. I tried to make a few PSK31 contacts while Julie drove but the radio indicated no ALC while in TX!
See, I should really have tested the whole setup prior to our road-trip but we’ve been exceedingly busy this holiday season. It is a poor excuse, I know, however it is a fact of life. So let this be a lesson to you! If you change your station setup in any way, it s a good idea to test it prior to intended (or emergency) use.
This afternoon, I tried some basic troubleshooting to see what was going on. I am able to receive just fine, and the PTT is working as it should, the problem is that in the “DIG” mode of the radio, there appears to be no audio being fed to the radio (as indicated by no ALC at even high audio levels w/ the digital gain set to 100/high).
So now it boils down to a couple of possibilities – neither of which I am presently equipped to test. The first being that the sound card interface cable I made is faulty – I saw a pinch in the cable and it is possible (though unlikely) that one of the conductors developed an open. The other leading likelihood is that the 6-DIN connector is not making good contact with the socket of the radio. In either event, more testing will be required to determine the cause.
More to follow …