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W2INR
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« on: January 21, 2005, 06:42:46 AM »

We have been testing some appplications that provide good voice communications on the internet. I have beenl ooking for a good program that would give us good quality audio and hopefully video conferencing capabilities in the near future.

We are currently testing an application that Blaine N1GTU had recommended. Jay N3WWL , Tom K1JJ , Blaine N1GTU and myself have sort of tested the waters and I need  some participants to load the system to test it under with traffic.

This program has surprisingly good audio and it runs smooth with 4 people on it.

If you are interesting in joining the testing just PM or Email me. I will send the info to set your system up for connecting.  What you will need is a full duplex sound card and a mic and speakers to participate. The testing is being done with the PC or Linux application . Apple Mac will be added once a program has been selected.

If you are interested in testing or have a application to recommend  us to try please email or PM me
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« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2005, 10:00:18 AM »

Hi Gary and all:

A friend of mine uses Skype with very good results. He uses this to remote his ham shack.

73,
Dan W1DAN
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K1JJ
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« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2005, 11:25:09 AM »

I must say that this system is unbelieveable!  It's duplex with a 1-2 second delay, but just like a bunch of guys chatting in a quiet room. Fidelity is quite good for internet digital.

Conversational information transfer is SO much better than the typing keyboard chat room. Also, jokes, dry humor and voice inflection are so easy to convey.

Don't miss out on this, guys. The software downloads and installs in a few minutes - a breeze and free.

I went the extra mile here and mounted a mike boom (like at the rig] next to the computer with a dynamic mic, a little HB one transistor mic preamp and an EQ. This goes directly into the computer sound card. Be sure to have a variable pot or level adj going into the computer LINE level. Sounds just like hi-fi AM... well almost. The highs are limited to about 4K and the lows to 100hz at this time, but that's still FB!!!

Once you get up and running you need to spend some time adjusting the vox sensitivity so that the other guys do not trip your own VOX and cause an echo. This is easy just by watching the guys talk on the screen [little bulbs lit up] and adj the software until your spkr does not trip your mike.

Also, remember that there is a 1-2 second delay, so it's easy to double at times. Just keep talking unless you hear another's voice [duplex] and stop if you do to let the other guy have it.  EZ.  This system will evolve to become faster and more hi-fi as the internet data rate does too.

Contact Gary and be there tonight!  A group will be talking there for sure.

73,
Tom, K1JJ
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« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2005, 11:32:24 AM »

I'll give it a shot. Will it work with dial-up?  I bet it works well with a few 807's in the gullit.
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Bob
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« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2005, 12:01:35 PM »

Is it ok if I hook up my heil headset to the computer and call "cq contest"... HI HI, J/K OM.
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« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2005, 12:50:55 PM »

Yes, Bill - I'll pull up the 1KC slider and with your headset we can start the "Nasty Audio Net".


I got an email looking for this: Here's the one transistor microphone preamp circuit I built. For a dymanic mic, just eliminate the electret input circuit and vice versa for an electret mike.

http://www.ee.washington.edu/circuit_archive/circuits/micamp.html

So, if you have a spare mic and EQ lying aroung like I did, this circuit will get ya up and running with a dedicated computer transmit hi-fi audio system.

Bob, I don't know about dial-up service - maybe Blaine or the others can tell you. We are all using 25kbits of data speed right now, for what that's worth.

When the band's washed out for locals, like last night, this system is superb. Guys were talking and showing each other pictures of their shacks - narrating the tour like in person.  :grin:  ie, you can continue talking in duplex while pulling up other pages, doing google searches, listening to Ted's 3885 RX link out west, etc. Some guys even piped in the local 3885 band or some great jazz music...

BTW, I'm using an older 233mhz  1998 computer here. So if I got it to work, anyone can.  This is my first exposure to voice internet.

T
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Use an "AM Courtesy Filter" to limit transmit audio bandwidth  +-4.5 KHz, +-6.0 KHz or +-8.0 KHz when needed.  Easily done in DSP.

Wise Words : "I'm as old as I've ever been... and I'm as young as I'll ever be."

There's nothing like an old dog.
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« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2005, 01:37:09 PM »

Hi T,
My shack computer is a 233MHz Pentium MMX.  I've used it for voice over the internet when I friend of mine was stationed overseas in the Air Force back in '99.  We had good connections all the time and both of us were using dial-up so possibly Gary's setup will work OK Fine if you guys were running 25K at the time.

I was just thinking I can run audio to my PC through my mixing board instead of using a PC mic.  I'll bet that should sound pretty good.  I'm gonna give it a go tonight.
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Bob
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« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2005, 01:54:55 PM »

Hi Bob,

Yes, most guys are just using their station audio systems into the computer. Works great.  Blaine and Gary both use their full mixer and processing units with the B1/RE-27mics.  Jay is using some sort of CB headset from Walmart, but with his voice he sounds better than anyone else...  :lol:

I used a separate audio system cuz I still wanted to be able to talk on the air at the same time if need be - plus wanted a mic right at the computer which is a few feet away from the rig.

Catch ya tonight, hopefully.

T
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Use an "AM Courtesy Filter" to limit transmit audio bandwidth  +-4.5 KHz, +-6.0 KHz or +-8.0 KHz when needed.  Easily done in DSP.

Wise Words : "I'm as old as I've ever been... and I'm as young as I'll ever be."

There's nothing like an old dog.
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« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2005, 01:57:13 PM »

Master Vu opined:
Quote
So if I got it to work, anyone can. This is my first exposure to voice internet.



I was unsuccessful, despite copius applications of advice from Master Guru Blaine.  Connection kept immediately timing out.  I suspect that it has something to do with the satellite latency of the Direcway ISP.

Ahh, I don't wanna talk to youse guys anyway.

73 John
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« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2005, 02:15:50 PM »

OK, I just went through my box of computer crap and found my computer mics.  I noticed that the computer mic uses a tip, ring and sleeve for connections.  Will I be able to plug in the output of an audio mixer into the mic input on the soundcard? What is the third connection on a computer mic used for? It's not a powered condensor mic by any chance?
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Bob
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« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2005, 03:01:31 PM »

Hi Bob,

From what I determined, the two wires are for stereo audio and the third is gnd.

I simply tied the two audio leads together and connected that to my EQ output hot audio lead and the ground went to the other ground.

Works FB.

I determined the left and right computer hot leads by putting my finger on each and hearing the hum come thru each speaker. Touch it with a soldering iron tip to generate a loud hum is need be.

John/JN:  I'm surplised a white collar guy like you can't get a blue collar thing like a data line working, caw mawn. Try another computer. Keep trying. We need your corny jokes up there.

T
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Use an "AM Courtesy Filter" to limit transmit audio bandwidth  +-4.5 KHz, +-6.0 KHz or +-8.0 KHz when needed.  Easily done in DSP.

Wise Words : "I'm as old as I've ever been... and I'm as young as I'll ever be."

There's nothing like an old dog.
KE1GF
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« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2005, 03:20:46 PM »

If I go out and get one of these 20-30 dollar USB cams, will it work with the software?
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K1JJ
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« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2005, 03:44:17 PM »

Quote from: KE1GF
If I go out and get one of these 20-30 dollar USB cams, will it work with the software?

Bill,

I'll bet the audio part in that camera will work OK for this use. But, you really want EQed "hi-fi" audio like what goes into your rig, not a Kaymart plasdick mic, caw mawn

Video is coming in the near future according to G.  Right now this is a voice only software set-up.

Video is a scary thought. I have a great face for radio/audio only.

T
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Use an "AM Courtesy Filter" to limit transmit audio bandwidth  +-4.5 KHz, +-6.0 KHz or +-8.0 KHz when needed.  Easily done in DSP.

Wise Words : "I'm as old as I've ever been... and I'm as young as I'll ever be."

There's nothing like an old dog.
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« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2005, 03:44:38 PM »

Hey T,

 Yep, you're right.  The computer mic I have is mono and the (+) side is wired to the tip and center ring.  And it appears the shield is wired to the outer sleeve.  I 'm not sure which is sleeve and ring with these three wire jobs.  I could never keep the two straight.

OK, I got a cable made up and it seems to work when I record audio to the PC so I should be able to get out over the net once I get the software loaded up and running.  Thanks.

B
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Bob
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His fear was when I turned it on for the first time life on earth would come to a stand still.
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« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2005, 03:48:03 PM »

Quote from: K1JJ
Video is coming in the near future according to G. Right now this is a voice only software set-up.

 Video is a scary thought. I have a great face for radio/audio only.


Yeah, the last thing I need to do is show my goober nerdy face especially when I'm in my underwear
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Bob
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Home of GORT. A buddy of mine named the 813 rig GORT.
His fear was when I turned it on for the first time life on earth would come to a stand still.
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« Reply #15 on: January 21, 2005, 03:49:52 PM »

Quote from: W1RKW
especially when I'm in my underwear


You aren't eating Cheese Doodles are you?
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« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2005, 03:58:44 PM »

If I ate cheese doodles my underwear wouldn't fit and you'd definitely not want to see me on the net  :grin:
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Bob
W1RKW
Home of GORT. A buddy of mine named the 813 rig GORT.
His fear was when I turned it on for the first time life on earth would come to a stand still.
KE1GF
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« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2005, 04:28:22 PM »

Quote from: K1JJ
Quote from: KE1GF
If I go out and get one of these 20-30 dollar USB cams, will it work with the software?

Bill,

I'll bet the audio part in that camera will work OK for this use. But, you really want EQed "hi-fi" audio like what goes into your rig, not a Kaymart plasdick mic, caw mawn

Video is coming in the near future according to G.  Right now this is a voice only software set-up.

Video is a scary thought. I have a great face for radio/audio only.

T


FB OM, I already have my station audio going into the computer...
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