Airmail Via Pactor Ii Usb And Kenwood Ts480sat Issues

[Trim50]

I’m having some difficulty getting my Pactor IIusb and Kenwood TS480SAT with Airmail to establish a connection with a BBS or MBO in order to send e-mail via HF. Everything seems to be working just as described in all the manuals and help link at Yahoo winlink groups, however I have yet to make a connection.

There is one little thing that may be an issue when using the automatic radio frequency controller. I can control the frequency through the Airmail program and propagation routines, however it seems to set my radio frequency at a frequency just below that which is requested. For example, the frequency being requested is 7062.9, my radio will get set to 7063.2. It does this for every frequency. Is there something that needs to be adjusted and could this be the reason that I’m not able to establish a connection? I’ve take and fine tuned to the exact frequency and still can’t establish a connection.

If anybody could help, it would be greatly appreciated...I've been trying to work through this for 4 nights now, and I'm about ready to stick a pencil in my eye!

[GoneTroppo]

Hi Trim, I think the frequency difference you are seeing is the normal centre offset for USB/LSB. It is user set in the program, I think under Audio Tones or Levels. Sorry I cannot be more precise but I am away from the boat for awhile. I have a Pactor II and a TS450S, and I had trouble in the beginning with audio level settings, I had to slowly increase levels until it worked. There is a section in the AirMail setup or help file on radios look under Kenwood. Hopefully someone who knows more will answer you soon.

Regards, Stephen

[Trim50]

I'm also not hearing any tones over the radio when the Pactor is transmitting. I believe I found the issue in the menu function:

VOX

Source

menu 60

Transmit with the audio input on the DATA terminal

oFF/ on (oFF is default) 36

[GoneTroppo]

From memory the radio receiver(speaker) should be muted(off) when transmitting, so you should not hear anything when TXing, only when receiving. Again from memory VOX stands for Voice Operated Transmitting and is used instead of activating the press to talk(TX) switch. Of course I don't trust my memory anymore, too old, so I always read the instruction manuals now.

[MMNETSEA]

Hi Ken,

Here is a link to an outfit to your north - there is a guy there who is very helpful regarding offsets and freqs in your area.

Click HERE

Richard

[svReboot]

I have at TS-480HX and a SCS modem. I invested in the pre-made cable to connect the two and have never had any issues - it worked out of the box. I did not have to adjust any levels or anything else. Also, in airmail once you select the station you will find the tuning frequency down in the corner near the bottom. It will be different than the frequency in the pull down box at the top. All airmail is USB (upper sideband.)

For example my pulldown says WB0TAX 71.3.7(p3). In the bottom right hand corner it says "dial frequency 7102.2 USB" You tune the radio to the dial frequency.

You should not hear anything when you transmit unless you have the transmit monitor on.

Make sure you have run the propagation program - so that you know that you are trying to connect to a station that is likely to hear you.

[Trim50]

Yep...bought my cables from Farallon.

Everything seems like it is working. I just am not getting any answers on any frequencies.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by svReboot

Make sure you have run the propagation program - so that you know that you are trying to connect to a station that is likely to hear you.

Ken,

A really first class FREE programme for establishing best propagation times for specific frequencies is :-

Christiaan RAMADE's PROPHF v 3.1 - you will find it at http://dxfile.free.fr

Richard

[Trim50]

Got my email working this morning!!!! It seems I just had bad prpagation at night here in the marina.

I'm as happy as a kid with his first tonka toy ;-)

[redbopeep]

Congrats!

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Trim50

Got my email working this morning!!!! It seems I just had bad prpagation at night here in the marina.

Marinas are not good places to work -- all the masts and rigging conflicts with propagation. If you are going to use HF it is best to get out and away from other boats.

[possum]

Hello

Thanks for the interesting thread.

I'm thinking of getting a Kenwood TS 480SAT for ham (I've just got my licence) and to back up the marine radio, but how do you open it up to to TX on the marine bands? Are some ham sets easier to open for marine than others? For example, I see that modifying the Icom 706 involves pulling out diodes and that seems a bit of a worry.

Regards

Possum

[svReboot]

Originally Posted by possum

Hello .....

Possum

Unlocking the radio is technically illegal unless you have certain other licenses (e.g. you are a MARS operator.) However, if you Google your question there are web sites with the instructions.

[Trim50]

Originally Posted by possum

For example, I see that modifying the Icom 706 involves pulling out diodes and that seems a bit of a worry.

Regards

Possum

Only requires taking the radio into Ham radio store and paying about $20.00...I leave the radio insides to the radio experts.

The TS480SAT seems to be a really great rig...I like it so far.