FT450D FT8 Digital modesup

I am looking for a video showing how to set up digital modes. I have an external soundcard and a usb to 9 pin din lead.

As for software i have downloaded Ham Radio Deluxe.

I can't help with the radio, but for FT8, you want WSJT-X as the software.

Then a quick search on YouTube for "ft450d wsjtx setup" gets you a list to start going through.

Hi Wade,

I did write some articles about FT8 digital modes here on Charlie Tango but didn't get much of an audience.
Jeff (43CT016) made mention to me of digital modes a while back and that's what set me off on the path. (He was about my only audience input to it all too!) The WJST-X software suggestion he made is your best bet.
(You can interface/connect that software to other software packages such as HRD too via it's configuration settings.)

It was a PITA to set it all up on my old Yaesu FT-757gx but then the best things are


You're lucky in that your 450D has a 6 pin min-DIN DATA socket that can be used as a sound interface and you can even use the radios menu option setting for "Digi-VOX" to enable auto transmit. Along with the 9 pin DIN serial port you should be able to use CAT control too giving you automatic frequency setting and USB mode select.

You'll still have to get the whole hog setup though, either through lashing out for expensive interfaces or building your own leads. Then you have your PC OS to contend with. (Windoze is a PITA and my Linux wasn't much better!)

There's one good video on Youtube but doesn't go into too much detail and then there's several articles around the internet that delve in a bit more.

I think you'll need to dig around a bit mate


If you think that's a pain you can imagine the problems I faced with my 40 year old radio. The CAT control refused to work, I had to build my own leads and audio interface, my Linux OS "forgot" the USB soundcard with as much frequency as Windoze does and I have to manually set up everything!!!

But.....

I did get it working in the end and have been justly rewarded.
Due to other family commitments and health issues I've only been able to use FT8 in earnest over the last few days.
With my 10W power limit and my bits of wire dipoles in the loft I've already bagged 13 countries in just 17 QSO's

Worth the effort really.....well for me anyway.
(I enjoy the damn thing too!)




And they say FT8 is all too easy, even "cheating" amongst other things?!?!?


.....wait until you learn about working "split-mode" and hunting for a clear transmission window in that waterfall only to eventually find one and some station starts transmitting all over you(!) Plus you still have to deal with the usual radio problems such as propagation etc.

No wonder I don't see many Foundation callsigns on my FT8 RX!


For me it's perfect. They say, "FT8 - Ham Radio without all the Jibber-Jabber"

You just have to figure out a way to get there.


Best of luck with it all,
Victor

Victor,

I feel your pain mate. I thought it would be easy to set but alas it is not. I have the radio set up and talking to HRD but that is about as far as I have got. I will down load the WJST-X software and see if that is any easier as suggested by 43CT016. Got nothing better to do whilst being locked down.

Swadeyboy
26CT3743

Hi Wade,

It was worth setting up and should be easier on your 450D.


If it helps any here are some of the links I came across :-

https://morsetutor.com/2015/01/yaesu-ft-450d-digital-interface/

https://morsetutor.com/2017/09/ft-450d-wstj-x-config/


There's quite a bit more if you search "FT450D FT8" and "FT450D WSJT-X" as well.


Anyway, as I said best of luck with it all. I've got to admit I do enjoy working digital modes and it's fascinating seeing your signals pop up on PSKReporter around the world. I've received as far as Japan & New Zealand......just need to work them!


All the best,
Victor

Swadeyboy wrote:

I am looking for a video showing how to set up digital modes. I have an external soundcard and a usb to 9 pin din lead.

As for software i have downloaded Ham Radio Deluxe.

You need a 6 pin mini din plug on the end of a phone lead only 3 pins are soldered to the din plug, your 2.5 mm plugs go into your external sound cards speaker and mic sockets then plug usb into pc... you need to change a few radio settings like baude rate and disable CTS, set data keying to vox instead of mic. Then config wsjt-x to communicate with cat control via omnirig when you have ft8 up and running.

Yeah. I got the radio side working and the PTT.

Just got to get the bits to make up the data lead. Pain in the arse without Maplins never thought I'd say i miss Maplins.

Can the lead be bought online in the UK, bloody expnsive from the USA?

Thanks for the advice Alan and Rotel 240

Yeah. I got the radio side working and the PTT.

Just got to get the bits to make up the data lead. Pain in the arse without Maplins never thought I'd say i miss Maplins.

Can the lead be bought online in the UK, bloody expnsive from the USA?

Thanks for the advice Alan and Rotel 240

Victor wrote:

If you think that's a pain you can imagine the problems I faced with my 40 year old radio. The CAT control refused to work, I had to build my own leads and audio interface, my Linux OS "forgot" the USB soundcard with as much frequency as Windoze does and I have to manually set up everything!!!

Hi Victor,

If by that you mean it changing default cards on you, then I came across this the other day, which might be of use:

https://youtu.be/eMCvnj52Cgk

It’s basically making the USB soundcard for ft8 stay set as default regardless of what you plug in.

Hi Jeff,

Cheers for that mate, much appreciated.
I'm already a subscriber to Kevin's YouTube channel, (KB9RLW - The Old Tech Guy), and came across that video when I first had the problems. It didn't solve the issues completely but was a help.

I've since abandoned the USB soundcard route, (thinking it would be plug-and-play!!!), and found that my ageing PC always reverts to the internal PCI soundcard and the front 3.5mm jacks. With that, I built an interface/switch board connected to the front jacks and switchable between my monitor speakers and the old Yaesu radio. With a small command script on my Linux desktop I now fire up WSJT-X with the sound levels pre-set which gets around all the problems. I can now record from the radio and even retransmit recordings should I wish as well as utilise digital modes

Abandoning the USB/Serial PTT TX to radio VOX control also got around the other interfacing issues. (Other software packages would try and grab the same port!)

Where there's a will, there's a way - and now I enjoy FT8.


Thanks again, your little suggestion a while back of digital modes led me onto a great project and DXing to countries I wouldn't have believed possible with my Foundation 10W

You're always a great help and it's much appreciated.

All the best,
Victor