[wsjt-devel] Some experiences with USB on an IC-9100 USB interface

[jeff m. <wa...@wa...>]

I've been using the IC-9100 USB interface with WSJT-X, version 1.5-rc1 with 
Ubuntu 15.04 Desktop.

First the good news

  * The internal sound card and two serial interfaces were supported by Ubuntu
    by default
  * The CAT interface worked first try and very smoothly on TTYUSB0
  * The built in USB sound card serial ports appears with different identifications
      o from the lsusb list: TI PCM2901 in the lsusb list and Cygnal CP210X UART
      o from WSJT-X Settings/Audio:
        alsa_input.usb-Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_Audio_CODEC-00-CODEC.analog-stereo

There are a few quirks worth mentioning.

  * The 9100 has a Data Mode that can have a different Rx bandwidth from SSB mode
      o I set data mode to 3.6 KHz to see some of the JT9 band (without making
        SSB mode too wide)
      o But, whenever WSJT-X changes bands, it forgets that the radio was in
        "Data" mode and sets it SSB mode
  * Receiving USB sound may have the level about 30 dB too high
      o So had to move the input level slider all the way down.
  * Transmitting USB sound may have the level too low
      o With default USB mod level at 50%, the Pwr slider had to go all the way up
      o With USB mod level at 100%, the Pwr slider backed off to the 1.5 ticks
        below max

thanks,

jeff, wa1hco