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Licence free two-way radio services that now includes both FM and digital channels. Discuss models, modifications and other similar worldwide standards such as FRS and GMRS.
Hi guys
So I wanna try and transmit some audio from my computer via my handsets.
what adjustments should I make to my pc/soundcard to make the audio as "simpel" as possible, so the sound becomes as good as possible through the radios? I hope you understand what I'm trying to convey
Hope you guys can help.
Oh, Yes Another question, is it possible to connect, as in solder, a long "external" antenna to my handset, insted of the rubber antenna, so that I can use my handset inddoors in my office, like having a "basestation" and the n a long wired antenna up to my roof? does this question makes sence?
smsdalleisback wrote: ↑05 Feb 2023, 09:36
Hi guys
So I wanna try and transmit some audio from my computer via my handsets.
what adjustments should I make to my pc/soundcard to make the audio as "simpel" as possible, so the sound becomes as good as possible through the radios? I hope you understand what I'm trying to convey
Hope you guys can help.
Oh, Yes Another question, is it possible to connect, as in solder, a long "external" antenna to my handset, insted of the rubber antenna, so that I can use my handset inddoors in my office, like having a "basestation" and the n a long wired antenna up to my roof? does this question makes sence?
Greatings from Daniel fra Denmark
The default bitrate should be fine, the audio quality will reduce in quality once it is inserted into the radio so the input bitrate will not matter.
You will have to enable VOX on the radio for this to work correctly and a preamble delay so the first second is not lost. Alternatively you can contstruct a relay circuit so that it will key the PTT before transmitting.
F the connection is analogue, then there is no point converting whatever audio your computer currently uses. The thing to remember is that audio quality requires minimal distortion, so the usual issue is that your radio is expecting milliVolts from your microphone, and you are going to have possibly volts coming out of the computer, unless you have a dedicated audio soundcard, and even then, that will probably be 750mV or so, still too much.
What you need is a pad. In simple terms three resistors, soldered together, or even if you are crafty, bodged together with wago connectors. If you google for the subject, you’ll see the basic idea is quite simple. I’ve made these values up so the maths is easy. Join a 90 ohm resistor to a 10 Ohm one and connect this to the computer speaker output, with the 10 Ohm one connected to the screen (ground) and the 90 Ohm end to the hot end of the jack plug (the tip). If you take the join between the two resistors to the radio, it only gets 10% of the maximum voltage, much closer to the level a mic produces. Still a bit much to be honest, but then a 99 Ohm and 1 Ohm pair would give 1% as the reduction, you get the idea. The third resistor usually goes between the radio and the joint between the two resistors to add a little isolation and additional attenuation. Google has real values.
Once you match the level so the radio doesn’t distort, you are half way there. It’s important to get this right, because the Vox system relies on volume to trigger and computers hiss. Possibly the voltage of the hiss, could trigger the vox, so reducing the level is important for success. Years back I used a couple of hand helds for a quick and dirty repeater, and found the icom hiss was there even when the squelch was shut, and it was enough to trigger the vox. I put the pad in one of the jack plugs. The idea is to get the values right so the computer operates at its normal volume setting, which minimises noise.
LondonCbRadio wrote: ↑06 Feb 2023, 10:03
Get a baofeng 888 they are like £10 and you can remove antenna and do everything you want.
Baofeng 888 is what I allready have.. but what kind of cabled antenne can I put in it?, I need something like 10meters from the baofeng in my office to get to the roof and mount the other end there.
paulears wrote: ↑06 Feb 2023, 07:34
F the connection is analogue, then there is no point converting whatever audio your computer currently uses. The thing to remember is that audio quality requires minimal distortion, so the usual issue is that your radio is expecting milliVolts from your microphone, and you are going to have possibly volts coming out of the computer, unless you have a dedicated audio soundcard, and even then, that will probably be 750mV or so, still too much.
What you need is a pad. In simple terms three resistors, soldered together, or even if you are crafty, bodged together with wago connectors. If you google for the subject, you’ll see the basic idea is quite simple. I’ve made these values up so the maths is easy. Join a 90 ohm resistor to a 10 Ohm one and connect this to the computer speaker output, with the 10 Ohm one connected to the screen (ground) and the 90 Ohm end to the hot end of the jack plug (the tip). If you take the join between the two resistors to the radio, it only gets 10% of the maximum voltage, much closer to the level a mic produces. Still a bit much to be honest, but then a 99 Ohm and 1 Ohm pair would give 1% as the reduction, you get the idea. The third resistor usually goes between the radio and the joint between the two resistors to add a little isolation and additional attenuation. Google has real values.
Once you match the level so the radio doesn’t distort, you are half way there. It’s important to get this right, because the Vox system relies on volume to trigger and computers hiss. Possibly the voltage of the hiss, could trigger the vox, so reducing the level is important for success. Years back I used a couple of hand helds for a quick and dirty repeater, and found the icom hiss was there even when the squelch was shut, and it was enough to trigger the vox. I put the pad in one of the jack plugs. The idea is to get the values right so the computer operates at its normal volume setting, which minimises noise.
From what I understand, this is in the same line as what you're talking about https://www.epanorama.net/circuits/line_to_mic.html
I used this some 10-15 years ago, when I tried to create an AUX input in a old radio, instead of the AM function, so the radio could do FM and when switched to AM my input would take over
But it sound like it's almost the same setup
LondonCbRadio wrote: ↑06 Feb 2023, 10:03
Get a baofeng 888 they are like £10 and you can remove antenna and do everything you want.
Baofeng 888 is what I allready have.. but what kind of cabled antenne can I put in it?, I need something like 10meters from the baofeng in my office to get to the roof and mount the other end there.
Use low loss coax like echoflex 10. Don't use rg58 or anything like that.
LondonCbRadio wrote: ↑06 Feb 2023, 10:03
Get a baofeng 888 they are like £10 and you can remove antenna and do everything you want.
Baofeng 888 is what I allready have.. but what kind of cabled antenne can I put in it?, I need something like 10meters from the baofeng in my office to get to the roof and mount the other end there.
Use low loss coax like echoflex 10. Don't use rg58 or anything like that.
Cool.. thanks, I can buy ecoflex 10 for like 4,75 pounds pr meter here in Denmark, I guess thats okay do you know what type of connectors I need to fit the Baofeng antenna up on the roof, and what connector to connect the ecoflex to the baofeng 888 handheld?
Two things here. Remember Baofengs are very much fair weather radios. They respond quite poorly when faced with strong signals on frequencies in the same band. They overload easily and often even appear to receive things that are not actually there! 10m of cable is double the price of the radio, plus you need adaptors. The SMA style connector on the radio needs a short thin, flexible cable to the thick, stiff Ecoflex. This needs either N or BNC connectors, and your short bendy cable has the correct ends.
I’m now lost as to what you want to do? Connect your computer audio to the radio, but you want a cable to the roof, for an antenna? You said so you can hear the radio in your office, so can you not hear it already within the building? You’re spending a lot of time and money, when there could easily be a totally different solution.
