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Nov 6, 2021Liked by Steve Stroh N8GNJ

In issue 0017, you commented about MIT and remote exams. I have assisted PARC at Auburn University with their online exams and I believe they have done a lot more than 250 exams. See https://parcradio.org/pages/online.html I moved so I am not currently helping them while I adjust to my new location.

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Nov 11, 2021Liked by Steve Stroh N8GNJ

Thanks for the article on the FTM6000R. I also want to see this work. If you get two of them, could I send you a pair of NinoTNCs to play against them? Inquiring minds want to know!

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Yaesu is proliferating non-standard versions of the mini din connector. On the FT-991 it is an 8-pin connector, and one of the functions of the 6 pin connector (an important one, the 9600 bps wide-band output) has been changed to support RTTY. Now a 10 pin connector with 4 pins (at TTL or RS232C level?) that serve some future purpose. At least Icom has the decency to use a 2.5mm TRS separately for the computer interface for programming and data, which even works with the FTDI RS232C adapter I got with my Elecraft 2m transverter (hooray for standards - standards are great). Icom also was nice enough to include a connector for their non-standard port on my IC-7100 in the original package, although their niceness didn't extend to offering free programming software.

I'm surprised Europe hasn't legislated more standardization in this area. Bigger fish to fry I guess but they like that sort of thing.

But it is shocking that with both Yaesu and Icom that they don't offer more functionality over USB for data modes. Why, o why, must we resort to the 6-pin interface to get more than 3-kHz audio (or quadrature for that matter, as it is in the radio somewhere for sure) when there's at least 12 mbits available over the USB? Is it laziness or protection of their own data modes. At least it provides signalink with some income.

73,

Chris VE3NRT

P.S. My club is doing remote exams here in great white north. With all the restrictions our federal government has imposed, it's the least they could do to allow it.

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