Troubleshooting - Tigertronics SignaLink Installation & Operation Manual

Troubleshooting and Detailed Adjustment Procedures

- TROUBLESHOOTING -

These are the most common problems as reported by our
Technical Support Staff.
problem, or if you do not find your problem listed here, then
please refer to the Technical Support section of this manual.
Radio Won't Transmit (SignaLink's PTT Indicator Is
OFF) - It is important to remember that the SignaLink keys
the radio automatically when it detects transmit audio. If the
PTT light on the SignaLink is OFF, then it is most likely
because the sound card is not sending a signal or the signal
level is too low. Verify the following:
Sound card not functioning properly - If you are not
•
sure if your sound card is functioning, you should
perform the Sound Card Test following this section.
Sound card levels set too low – Repeat the procedure
•
for setting the audio levels from the sound card (see
Adjusting Audio Levels).
Sound card cables reversed – Make sure you have not
•
reversed the mic/spkr cables to the sound card and that
they are plugged into the correct sound card jacks. Most
sound cards are poorly marked so you may need to refer
to your computer's manual to verify the correct jack
location.
Radio Doesn't Transmit Even Though The SignaLink's
PTT Indicator Is ON - If the SignaLink's PTT light comes
on but the radio doesn't transmit, then you have jumpered the
PTT incorrectly on JP-1. This should not be an issue if you
tested the PTT line as outlined in the jumper section. If you
find ANY jumper connected wrong then we recommend that
you go through the entire jumper installation procedure
again.
Radio Transmits But Power Output Is Too Low – Power
is normally adjusted using the radios mic gain control. If the
gain control is fully clockwise and you still have not reached
full power then you have the sound card output level set too
low. Review the "Adjusting Audio Levels" section of the
manual again.
My Transmit Signal Is Wide Or Distorted - This is
generally the result of over-driving your radio or having
forgotten to turn off your speech processor/compressor.
Some radios simply do not perform well at full output in
applications like PSK-31. Try turning the mic gain down to
reduce distortion and see if it improves the quality of your
signal.
I Can't Seem To Receive - There are several possible
causes for this problem:
If you cannot resolve your
Sound card not functioning properly - If you are not
•
sure if your sound card is functioning, you should
perform the Sound Card Test following this section.
Sound card or radio level controls set too low or
•
muted - Because there are multiple controls that effect
audio levels, it is very easy to have one set wrong. See
the "Adjusting Audio Levels" section to correct the
problem.
Sound card cables reversed – Make sure you have not
•
reversed the mic/spkr cables to the sound card and that
they are plugged into the correct sound card jacks. Most
sound cards are poorly marked so you may need to refer
to your computers manual to verify the correct jack
location.
Computer too slow or incompatible with software.
•
Software not configured properly - Check the
documentation for the program that you are using and
verify that your computer meets the minimum
requirements. If you are using a PCI sound card, make
sure that the program will work with it. Some programs
will NOT work with PCI sound cards at all. Verify that
the program is configured correctly and be sure that you
are using it correctly. If all else fails, test using a
different program.
Why Can't I Receive Some Stations - No matter how good
your antenna and radio are, there will always be some
stations that you cannot copy (even with strong signals!).
While the reason for this may be because of operator error
(wrong mode or baud rate, off frequency, etc.), radio wave
propagation problems can often prevent you from receiving.
Some modes are more susceptible to this than others. For
example, even though PSK31 usually works very well with
weak signals, sometimes even strong PSK31 signals cannot
be copied at all because of multipath and Doppler Shift
propagation problems. Other modes like HF Packet and
RTTY do not work well with weak signals and are
susceptible to multipath and Doppler Shift.
Windows "System Sounds" Cause The SignaLink To
Transmit – Since the SignaLink is activated by sound card
output, it is important that it is turned OFF when not in use.
The sounds that are generated by Windows during different
system events (Startup, Shutdown, File Close, etc.) can be
transmitted if they are inadvertently sent to the SignaLink.
- TESTING YOUR SOUND CARD -
If you are having unexplainable problems or are simply not
sure if your sound card is working at all, you can use the
following test procedure to verify sound card operation.
This test uses the Sound Recorder program that comes with
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