Weather Fax on SSB

[westsailwill]

Interesting problem. Perhaps someone can help me out. I have never done this, or seen it done before, so I have no idea what to see or expect.

I have an Icom 710 and an HP Envy 17-3D laptop with Microsoft 7. I have downloaded JVComm 32. I have connected a mono cable from the 710 to the HP headphone jack. I have tuned the 710 to the Time/Signal station. I have set to Fax reception, set fax type to geostationary, set drum speed to 60. Then I hit the green button on the bottom right hand corner of the screen.(start reception button?) Computer screen then shows a herringbone pattern with Demo Icons appearing as it slowly scrolls up the page.

I am in Miami, so I have tried setting frequencies for New Orleans broadcasts at 4317.9, 8503.9, and 12789.9 during listed times. Always the same results.

One other thing. The only sounds being transmitted are coming from the Icom 710 speaker. The HP computer remains silent. Sound card is working before mono cable is plugged in, and the computer speakers are not on Mute.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by westsailwill

.............
I have an Icom 710 and an HP Envy 17-3D laptop with Microsoft 7. I have downloaded JVComm 32. I have connected a mono cable from the 710 to the HP headphone jack. I have tuned the 710 to the Time/Signal station. I have set to Fax reception, set fax type to geostationary, set drum speed to 60. Then I hit the green button on the bottom right hand corner of the screen.(start reception button?) Computer screen then shows a herringbone pattern with Demo Icons appearing as it slowly scrolls up the page. ................

Do you really mean headphone jack? The computer is supposed to be receiving the fax signal from the 710. Try the microphone jack.

Bill

[wellin]

Can u hear the broadcast?

Sent from my SCH-I415 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[westsailwill]

Thanks for the quick response Bill. I have tried that, as swell as connecting the Icom 710 up to an external speaker which transmits the sound signal just fine. No sounds are coming from the HP computer at all.

Cheers,
Will

[wellin]

Try going into the soundcard settings and see if the microphone is muted or the slider turned down.

Sent from my SCH-I415 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[AfterHoursNLCT]

and make sure you're in the recording settings of the computer...

[westsailwill]

Volume is set and sound card is not muted. As far as hearing the broadcast, I'm not really certain as to what I should be hearing. I do hear a light fax sound, but I was expecting to hear something much more dramatic. I just find it odd that if I plug the mono cord from the Icom into the external speaker it transmits just fine, but when it is plugged into either the headphone or microphone jack it transmits no sound at all.

[svmariane]

Off the wall thought:
With my M700, I needed to switch from a mono to a stereo cable.
Didn't make sense to me - but it worked.

James

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by westsailwill

Thanks for the quick response Bill. I have tried that, as swell as connecting the Icom 710 up to an external speaker which transmits the sound signal just fine. No sounds are coming from the HP computer at all.

Cheers,
Will

Will,

They shouldn't be. The computer is used to process the sound signal from the Icom M710 into the wefax graphic which you will see painted on the screen of the laptop.

I'm confused by your use of the word, "transmit". We're not doing any transmitting here. We're receiving the on-the-air fax signal (that's what the 710 does), and passing it on to the computer via the mono cord where it is then processed and displayed on the screen.

You should be able to hear the fax signal clearly on the 710 if you're tuned to the correct frequency.

The only function of the laptop is to receive the signal from the 710. In order to do this, the mono cord must be plugged into the microphone jack on the laptop.

Bill

[btrayfors]

Not sure where you're tapping the audio from the 710. Ideally, looks to me like it should be from pins 2 and 5 of the ACC1 DIN connection in the back. Pin 2 is ground; pin 5 is Audio out (at a fixed level...unaffected by the volume control).

See p16 of the User Instruction Manual.

If you're using the external speaker jack, the audio level is varied using the volume control and, if too high, could very easily overpower the mic input to the computer.

Never done it with the 710; these are just my observations looking at the schematic and manual for the 710.

Bill

[westsailwill]

Bill,

By transmit I was referring to the signal being transmitted from the Icom. I understand that the computer is receiving the signal. I connected the external speaker just to check that the fax signal was being sent to the computer. I'm assuming (and we all know what that means) that I am tuning into the right frequencies, and these problems are somehow related to my computer, or my installation of the JVComm. Like I said, I'm not really certain that the frequency signals I'm receiving from New Orleans are all that they're supposed to be.

[westsailwill]

Bill,

Thank again for all the great advise. I am using the external speaker jack on the rear of the Icom with an adapter to step it down to accommodate the mono cable. As you have probably guessed by now I'm not an electronic wizard, and I would have no idea how to get a connection from pins #2 & #5. The advice on the volume from the Icom makes sense, and I will see if that makes a difference. Other than that...

[btrayfors]

OK. Sorry, I had to run to Staples...in the snow...before it gets too deep!

Be careful using the external speaker jack. You could damage the sound card in the computer with too much signal.

I'd troubleshoot by:

1. First. Forget the computer connection. Unplug everything from the radio. Now, try to tune to a WEFAX frequency until you hear a strong signal. You should be able to hear it clearly. New Orleans isn't that far from Miami...maybe an 8mHz freq during the day, and a 4mHz freq during the evening hours. Or, try another location....Halifax I think still does WEFAX.

Sorry I'm not a WEFAX expert. Maybe someone who is will chime in here.

2. Then. Once you have a strong WEFAX signal, then try getting the signal from the radio into the computer, and running JVFax.

BTW, to get the connection to pins 2 and 5 you'd need a DIN plug with the correct number and configuration of pins. Then, you'd solder the center or positive connection from the mono cable onto pin 5, and the shield or ground connection onto pin 2.

Not absolutely sure that's the best way. Wait a bit....some WEFAX expert is sure to turn up soon.

Meanwhile, read this thread:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread...from-Icom-M710

Seems like I was right about the ACC1 connection.

Bill

[El Rubio]

I'm not too familiar with downloading weather fax via soundcard, but have used soundcard modes on various amateuir radios from older tube rigs to modern rigs with line level in/out. One important factor that I don't think has been addressed is you shouldn't just connect the headphone out from your transceiver to the mic or line in on your computer. You can create ground loops that can produce noise and other problems. Ideally, you want to use an interface that isolates the speaker from the transceiver, but couples the audio. There are many devices that do this out there. Most use transformers to match impedance and isolate. Your computer's headphone, mic input, & line in, all use stereo connectors. Your radio's headphone jack is mono.

Within your software program, you should be able to select whether you are connected to the line in or the mic in. The mic input is typically more sensitive, but it should work either way as long as it isn't wao ( wide-ass-open). There is certainly a procedure for setting the audio levels- read the help section of the program you are using. Every amateur radio program I have used is very forgiving with audio levels and there is a wide range that will work before overloading.

If you have a laptop or desktop with external microphone, you can make it work without making a connection at all. just put the laptop near the radio output and adjust the mic input to the computer just like it was connected. You'll just turn everything a little louder. Oh, be sure to disable the windows sounds, like dings and bells, and "you've got mail", etc. That will all interfere with it.

Some hams will install a second soundcard to handle the digital modes while still enabling the regular sounds of the computer. You could listen to music while chatting on PSK31 or receiving a wefax. There are some cheap usb soundcards that do the trick, but high quality soundcards outperform them when it's hard to copy.

I'm going to download a copy of JVcomm so I can be a little more familiar with this. Good luck and don't give in if it's not working. Once you get it set up properly, it is very easy to use.

[westsailwill]

I want to thank everyone for all the thoughtful and helpful info. I still haven't got it working, but I'll keep plugging away at it until I do. I sure it's something very basic that I'm just overlooking. Thanks again

Will