<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html><head> <meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="content-type"> <title>TUNE</title><meta content="w1hkj" name="author"></head> <body style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 204);" alink="#000099" link="#000099" vlink="#990099"> <h2 style="text-align: center;">TUNE Mode</h2> Too often you see an overdriven signals on the digital sub-bands; multiple audio sidebands on PSK, splatter from overdriven MFSK and RTTY. There is absolutely no reason for a transceiver driven by fldigi to exhibit this type of performance. You can set up your computer / transceiver for good solid performance without excessive drive.<br> <br> The "TUNE" button generates a continuous single frequency audio signal at the exact frequency to which the waterfall cursor has been set. The peak amplitude of this signal is the peak amplitude of every modem signal generated by fldigi. None will exceed this value, even the simultaneous multi-tone modes like Throb. Every modern SSB transmitter uses some automatic level control ALC for preventing overdrive for SSB voice. A little overdrive on a voice channel can be tolerated to a degree. In fact, that is what an analog RF compressor does, overdrive and then subsequent filtering. But you absolutely cannot tolerate that with the digital modes. Here is the way to set up your transceiver for a clean signal. I recommend starting out with a dummy load, but an "off hour" for a band might work just as well if you do not have a dummy load.<br> <ul><li>For Windows users</li><ul><li>Set your sound card output level to the minimum on the Windows mixer</li></ul><li>For Linux users</li><ul><li>Set your PCM level to about 80%</li><li>Set your Transmit Level control for minimum output level.</li></ul><li>Enable the "Tune" mode in fldigi ... you do have CAT or PTT set up ...right?</li><li>Make sure your transceiver's speech compression control is OFF</li><li>Slowly bring up the Mixer audio out until your rig's ALC just starts to function (a light blinking or a meter showing this condition).</li><li>Reduce the Mixer audio output until the ALC is disabled.</li><li>You are now transmitting at maximum output power without distortion.</li></ul>You can use any level below this and be assured that your output signal will be clean. All digital signals that fldigi generates will be limited to this peak-to-peak voltage. You should always use the minimum power necessary to maintain good comms, remember that even if you are clean at 100 W you signal will be so strong among the QRP signals that it will overpower the AGC on many receivers that are working another digital station within the same SSB bandwidth that you are on. You will appreciate this the first time that you are working a weak PSK DX station and someone blasts through and captures your AGC.<br><br>You should try the the above adjustments at different audio frequencies. Transceivers that achieve the SSB filtering with crystal or mechanical filters will have a considerable amount of variation across the passband of the filter. This will show up as a varying amount of ALC that is dependent on the audio frequency. Once you are comfortable with the process you can very quickly repeat the "Tune" and set the power for the frequency to which the waterfall is set.<br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="index.html">Contents</a><br></div> </body></html>
