Datamode SOTA

this trick sometimes doesn’t work in the UK. I did that with my iPad and the sim gets blocked.
‘3 UK’ blocks them for sure.

Simple stick to Android :slight_smile: IMHO all Ipad/phones should be blocked #controversial lol

3 Likes

I put mine in an iPhone to get it connected correctly and then moved it to my notebook computer (which has a SIM holder). That worked OK with O2.
73,
Rod

As Glyn says, some carriers are strict and others are not. I use 3 (Three) and you are not allowed to ‘tether’ (i.e. use the phone to connect a laptop/tablet to the internet) on my plan. However, they turn a blind eye if you do it occasionally and don’t take the mickey downloading huge amounts of data. Or you can pay for a plan that allows to download and backup the internet! That’s a plus in my book, occasional use is fine. However, they will jump on you from a great height if you use a phone SIM in a tablet/laptop or try to tether when roaming. Again, I get to use my UK allowances in most European countries for free so again, the advantages outweigh the downsides. If I really need an internet connection for the laptop then you can normally find one via wifi at most cafes or bars and as long as you are careful what you connect to then you’re fine. Certainly I wouldn’t connect to my bank’s website via anybody’s wifi but via 4g/3g I have no problems.

Getting a dual SIM phone is a plus… you can add a local PAYG SIM for 10EU in most countries that will include 1GB of data and still have your own SIM for phone calls / texts.

So as the saying goes your mileage might vary.

Hello Tom,
When you have everything prepared.
An appointment. S2S and PSK mode.
I work with a KX3. I can work in digital mode (PSK / RTTY) easily.

73 de Dani EA5FV.

1 Like

+1 for that approach. I haven’t been on a phone contract for more than 10 years. Just renew monthly or 12 monthly SIM only deals.

A bit of checking out stuff today.

I checked my 3.5mm 4-pin jack cable with the multimeter. All pins connecting correctly to the corresponding pins and no shorts. But - when plugging this lead into my HTC One M8 mini phone, the earphone indicator does not come on! Checked it with various other jacks (2-pin, 3-pin) lying around, and the indicator did come on, as it did with the 4-pin jack from the phone’s supplied earbuds/mic headset. Not sure about this one, but will pick up another lead while I’m out today for comparison.

The lead does trigger the indication on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. However I’m not yet fully convinced that this tablet is “hearing” from the mike in the headset when connected, or still via the built in mic on the casing.

I’ve measured the voltage between pins 3 & 4 (ground and mike respectively) on both the phone and the tablet, and get 5.2V in both cases, which should be more than enough for both to work in conjunction with the Wolphi-link interface. I’m particularly intrigued that I can achieve this reading from the phone when the phone itself can’t see that it has anything plugged in!

Anyway more later. Meanwhile, if these latest observations trigger any ideas in anyone - or indeed hilarity at my bumbling ineptness, then please reply with your suggestions/laughter as appropriate.

Now off to buy a Christmas card (need ONE more), see 101 year old Nanna, and buy a cable…

And yeah, I’m going SIM only when February comes around.

Well, I’m no expert in these things, but as I didn’t manage the Christmas quiz (enjoyed following the thread though, thanks all) in the spirit of competition, I’d guess from your report that the device needs to see some current flowing to recognise that there is a device connected. It may even want to see current within a range of values…

That is a great age to feature in a Data related thread :smile:

73
Adrian
G4AZS

I did wonder about there needing to be something at the other end! But the earphone icon goes on when I plug in some 2-pin and 3-pin cables with nothing at the other end.

Anyway, no joy today. None of the 4-pin cables in town made it work. 3-pin ones did, but they’re no good to me.

HiTom, I have heard that the trick is to put a 33k resistor across the mic input to ground. This draws a little bit of current, and the tablet thinks a headphone/mic is connected.

Will have to have a look through my emails to check on a previous email received on this topic and send this to you once I return home tomorrow (so probably about 36 hours until I get to it).

Matt
Vk1MA / VK9NM (for a little while longer).

1 Like

A recent thread on WSPRnet gives two other suggestions for audio/data connections to tablets:

http://dev.wsprnet.org/drupal/node/6656

is it me? im getting only one post (the question)… nothing more

I think you may have to create an account to see the replies.

thank you and happy new year!

1 Like

Well having finally got my /P data mode system up and running again, I will do an activation this morning.

I looked at different systems, different interfaces, modifications, resistors and tablets. But the solution came with a new (2nd hand) Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo phone. Seems not all Android phones work with the Wolphilink interface.

Anyway, I’ll be QRZ around 1130z.

bands?

Good luck with it Tom !
I did PSK on one of my activations last weekend, on ON/ON-006, called CQ over a hundred times … got only ONE reply: from Christos SV2OXS
(using the Linx 7" tablet and homebrew interface + KX3 setup, described here :
ON7DQ (KF0CR) HAM Radio Blog: My KX3 Digimode Interface)

Yesterday I tried it again on FL/NO-133, … got ONE reply from ??? yes, Christos SV2OXS again, he’s my PSK friend from now on ! hihi


So my experience : chasers are not interested in datamodes (yet).
I was thinking of doing my next activations in PSK only … that would teach 'em …
But of course I risk not qualifying my summits then …
I’ll look out for you … my PC is up and running.

73 - Luc ON7DQ

2 Likes

Now I’ve got my system working again, we can plan an event and maybe later a Challenge to explore and encourage the interest. One chaser has been worked so far on the current activation - tnx CT2IWW.

1 Like

I have been listening for you Tom, but there is no chance on 20m being so close to each other. Even 40m has a longish skip. 60m might work though if you care to try?
Good luck
Ken

I tend to only bring out a single band antenna on most activations Ken sorry. Doing a few more calls on PSK31 now then going to CW.