Operating instructions

24 Choosing a Ham Radio
Figure12–Withtherighthardwareandsoftware,youcanuseyourcomputertocontrolyour
transceiverandevenmakecontactsusingavarietyofdigitaloperatingmodes.
network known as Winlink. The computer’s sound card is connected to the microphone
and headphone jacks through a data interface, available from several manufacturers. These
devices isolate the radio’s input from the sound card’s output, preventing hum, RF feed-
back, and other problems. If your radio has a data port, the computer can send and receive
data directly from the radio without using audio to or from your sound card. Interface
cables are usually available for specific radios from the interface manufacturer.
maNuFacTuReR’s diRecToRy
These are the Web sites for the primary manufacturers of Amateur Radio transceivers:
Alinco www.alinco.com
Elecraft www.elecraft.com
FlexRadio Systems www.flex-radio.com
ICOM www.icomamerica.com
Kenwood www.kenwoodusa.com
MFJ Enterprises www.mfjenterprises.com
Ten-Tec www.tentec.com
Yaesu www.yaesu.com
Many other manufacturers and distributors are listed in the pages of QST magazine and
in the ARRL Technical Information Service directory at www.arrl.org/tis.