Mt Washington Wx CAM
West Mountain Radio RIGblaster Pro Computer-Rig Interface
West Mountain Radio RIGblaster Pro Computer-Rig Interface
I have been using the RIGblaster Pro Computer-Rig Interface for a long time. As a matter of fact, I have two of them, one for the Mark-V and one for the Pro III. It has been a good and rock solid interface without any issues whatsoever. The nice thing about the RIGblaster interface is that it replaces all of the following equipment with this one interface:
- A microphone equalizer/processor
- A rig control interface
- A multi-mode TNC
- A contest Digital Voice Keyer
- A DSP receive filter
- A receive enhancer
- A DX beacon clock with receive
- An Internet remote base
- A sound card interface
The RIGblaster Pro has worked well for me for years for both Contesting and DXing. It has gotten a thorough workout and I have not had any issues with it at all. It cost $299, but it replaces a lot of devices that would wind up costing you up to about $2,000. So it is a good investment to be able to do all of these functions and only have one set up cables and interfaces that you are working with. I would recommend the RIGblaster Pro to anyone.
RIGblaster Pro Features
- Can be used with almost any make or model microphone and most model radios no matter what brand
- Any radio that has a 8 pin round screw on microphone connector
- Any radio that has an Rj45 modular telephone style connector
- Any radio with Rj25 6 wire microphone connector with the purchase of an optional Ft100 style 6 wire modular mic. cable
- Any radio with 4 pin round microphone connector with the purchase of a optional 4 pin mic cable
- Supplied with both a standard Db9 Rs232 serial cable and USB cable interface (supported for Mac (Os9,10), Linux, Windows (98SE - Vista 32 and 64 bit)! May be used old or new computers with your choice of USB or Rs232 Db9 serial
- Built in rig control, Rs232 to TTL interface tested with Icom and Yaesu; compatible with Ten Tec
- Rig control is possible along with sound card PTT control and CW keying on a SINGLE serial port using Hamscope or MixW software
- Rig control, FSK keying and sound operation is supported using two serial ports or when using two separate programs
- Fully isolated CW keying output for direct keying of your rig's CW. This jack is for use with non-sound card software using serial DTR control.
- Fully isolated FSK keying output for direct keying of your rig's FSK jack. This jack is for use with non-sound card software using serial TXD control
- Four ways to connect the receive audio from your radio: direct, mic jack, line out, speaker out. A radio speaker loop jack is included
- Dual rear panel RCA PTT jacks provide for a foot switch, amplifier and sequencer
- Front panel audio drive control allows setting the transmit audio from the computer to your radio without fumbling with your mouse
- Your microphone may be bridged to computer as well as radio for on-the-fly digital recording
- Transmit speech processing is done by looping mic. audio through the sound card using appropriate EQ and compression software. Voice Shaper by VE3NEA is an amazing free program for this
- Plug in 2nd mic. jack allows instant automatic switch over to a headset mic. without unplugging your main mic
- Both 1/4" and 1/8" front panel headphone jacks to monitor computer receive and transmit audio; no searching for adaptors. These connections facilitate using DSP receive audio software
- Computer speaker PTT activated mute-on-transmit works with speech processing and for general sound card operation
- PTT override and interrupt enables mic to override the computer or stop the computer program, perfect for contesting or SSTV operation
- Front panel LED indicators show whether computer audio or mic. audio is routed to the radio
- Front panel LED indicator shows if the computer audio is present at an adequate level for transmit or receive
- Front panel LED indicators show PTT, CW and FSK activation status making it easy to check the operation of your software
- Assembled in USA to IPC-610 manufacturing standards.
- Printed circuit board uses Fr4 material, double sided, plated through holes, solder mask over bare copper, silk screened
- Enclosure: .062 aluminum, polyurethane painted, silk screen labeling front and back
- 3M Bumpon® protective feet and 3M® adhesive pads are provided for mounting
- Toggle switches: 50,000 make and break cycles, 2 amps 250 VAC
- Stainless steel hardware throughout including PEM® threaded mounting standoffs
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