PSK31 Interface


This is a great week-end project.  It requires minimal tools and no test equipment since alignment is done using the ALC meter on your transceiver and the waterfall display in your software.  I personally use Digipan 2.0 which is available free of charge and can be downloaded at: www.digipan.net.  Digipan is a great program and has many user macro's that make it very easy to use.

The interface described here is not my design.  I designed the printed circuit board to fit into the enclosure shown in the photo's.  I much prefer using printed circuit boards to perf-boards for a more professional look and the ease of construction.  With the PC boards, it's plug and play. Below,  the picture on the left shows the completed pc board and the picture on the right shows the completed pc board mounted in the base of the enclosure.  Unfortunately, I do not posses the mechanical skills necessary to make perfect cut-out's for the front and rear panels so I did not include mechanical drawings to indicate the hole placement in the panels. 

I have had several people who wanted to buy pc boards and enclosures so I have decided that I would offer a set of plans along with a pc board and enclosure for sale to anyone who wants to duplicate this interface..  I guess it would be like a partial kit.  You supply you own parts and mechanical work on the enclosure and I will provide the following materials:

 - Parts Overlay Drawing - Showing parts placement on PC Board.
1 - Parts Overlay Drawing showing PC traces and parts layout.
1 - Schematic Drawing of Circuit used on PC Board
1 - Parts List - With Digi-Key part numbers. All parts available on Digi-Key.com.
1 - Photograph of finished PC Board
1 - Photograph of finished enclosure

Price for the materials listed above is $28.50 or $20.00 for just the PC Board.

If you would like to homebrew your own PSK31 interface using the circuit that I used in building this interface you can download w7jipsk31.zip which contains all the materials listed above except the pc board and enclosure. There is no charge for the plans.

After building is completed you will need to build a cable to connect your radio to the interface.  The Male DB9 connector provides the following connections:

     Audio Input to Radio
     Audio Output From Radio To Computer
     Ground
     P.T.T.

The interface can be used with several different radios by simply building output connecting cables for each individual radio.

In addition to the output cable you will need two audio cables with stereo male plugs on each end (3.5mm) available at any Radio Shack store.  These cables will connect the audio Input and Output of the interface to your computer sound card. Once your PSK31 software is installed and configured and the interface is connected tune to either 7.070 or 14.070 MHz and see if you can see the waterfall display on your computer screen.  You may need to adjust the Output trimpot (pot on right facing the interface with the female DB9  connector on the left). 

Most software packages provide a 'Tune" mode in their software program.  Activate the 'Tune' function and adjust the trimpot for NO ALC indication on your transceiver during transmit.  Your rig should key-up when you activate the "Tune' function and probably indicate some amount of ALC initially.  Once you have adjust the audio input level to your transceiver to the point where NO ALC indication is present you're ready to begin operating PSK31.  Have fun and enjoy this digital mode. 

 


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