Kenwood TS-480 SAT panadapter interface - part 2

We will see how to configure sdr-console ( but the same can be done with other similar softwares ) to create a panadapter interface.
First follow this article : Kenwood TS-480 SAT panadapter interface - part 1 .
Then we have to take a USB CAT cable that connect the rig serial port to an usb port of out pc.
Search for a non chinese cable, for a cable that use the prolific PL2303 driver.
Once cable is connected and driver installed you will see under device manager of windows a ( new ) COM port as below. Take note of the assigned number, in this case 8 , COM8.

Connect also the SDR dongle as described in "part 1" and open sdr-console.
Add your SDR to the "Definitions", you will find how on the software manual or google, it is very simple.
Then under label "view" click "select" on the right side. Then flag "External radio".

And restart sdr-console as asked.
You will see on the left a new item:

 Click on the question mark, settings will appear, click Omnirig and configure it as below, changing the COM port accordingly with what you have seen in Windows device manager:

Click ok and configure other settings as below:

Click on the "Frequency" label on the left and configure the IF frequency, for TS-480 is 73.095Mhz.
Configure also the offsets, you see below values for the SDR dongle Nooelec Nano3 but I think you have to adjust them in the case you use another dongle.

Click OK.
In my case, under the label "Home" of the main window, AGC is ON and RF Gain is set to 14.4dB, not automatic. If I set more dB or auto mode I see a lot of artifacts and all will become useless.

Now you can see your waterfall plus/minus 100kHz the center frequency, where radio is tuned.
They are also synchronized, when you change frequency or mode on the radio, the same is changed also on sdr-console and vice versa.

Please comment below if there are corrections to be done or something is missed.
Thanks

Kenwood TS-480 SAT panadapter interface

A panadapter is a device that connects to a standard hardware radio and allows you to visually see the RF signals on a waterfall. Since SDR’s run on the PC, they naturally have the ability to display a panadapter screen, and most software like SDR#, HDSDR and SDR-Console already provide this. The RTL-SDR can also be used to add panadapter capabilities to a regular hardware radio.

First of all you have to find the IF out pin named CN152 on our rig, opening the case bottom side, near the front.

I have found that connector on an old radio, something related to audio/music cassette deck, however they are very common.

Coax cable go out of the rig through the grid on the front panel

Even if with the signal coming out the IF stage we can already feed an sdr, it is strongly recommended to use an adapter to:

• match impedence
• don't load the rig uselessly
• isolate the couple rig-pc

Personally i have bought this Panoramic Adapter Tap (PAT70M)  and put it in a Mentos box

adding a female jack to feed it with the required power, 13,8V , taken from the same power supply of the rtx.
It is not necessary to power off or isolate this board during tx.
On the other side of the box comes out the signal on a coax cable with MCX male plug that will feed our sdr, a NooElec Nano 3

Check here Kenwood TS-480 SAT panadapter interface - part 2 to see how to configure sdr-console.

Kenwood TS-480 SAT audio cable for digi modes

I'm a happy owner of the rig Kenwood TS-480SAT, I will share how I made the audio cable to interface the rig to a computer to work with digital modes like FT-8.

The minidin connector named DATA in the rig manual is basically the same as the old PS/2 cable for mouse or pc keyboard.
You can take an old keyboard and cut the cable on the keyboard side,
remove the outer sheath and the common sheild and then, with the help of a tester,
find which pin is connected to which internal cable, taking note of the colors.
for example, below is my case

PS/2 male connector - front view:
Pin 1 - yellow
Pin 2 - green
Pin 3 - blue
Pin 4 - red
Pin 5 - brown
Pin 6 - black





On the rig side:
Pin 1 - GND
Pin 2 - to pc speaker
Pin 6 - to pc microphone

Then we will take two male jack 3.5mm connectors:

To pc mic:

Pin 1 connected to PS/2 pin 6 (black cable in my case)
Pin 2 not connected
Pin 3 GND to PS/2 pin 1 (yellow) and outer sheild











To pc speaker:

Pin 1 connected to PS/2 pin 2 (green cable in my case)
Pin 2 not connected
Pin 3 GND to PS/2 pin 1 (yellow) and outer sheild










For your convenience you can label the two jack connectors and use an usb sound card, as you see in the pic below, to leave the native pc sound card free.

 

 Maybe you have to polish the PS/2 connector to fit in the rig.