I’m going deaf. ?Cannot hear in right ear, at all. ?Left ear is very, very weak and going… ?
I want to get my licenses, and then go digital.
I need to know what I need to make digital communications with the TX-500, and later, will add whatever Lab599 comes up with, for amplifier/tuner/battery back-up. ?With the TX-500 I’ll still have mobility.
What has been my “bucket list,” has become a necessity. ?I already live in an assisted living facility, but don’t want to be forever warehoused, until I die.
”Later,” I’ll need to get a base station that has the ability to decode and encode Morse Code… ?
My world will become “silent,” but I will not be so. ?I was in broadcasting, and in journalism, when it actually meant something, as well as an instructor/teacher. ?I can still contribute, and Ham Radio will be my way.
Any and all help greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
CFLeffen

P.S. ?I have a TX-500 coming from HRO, have an “enhanced” Deluxe Buddipole Long Version coming, a RadioWavz Pathfinder Mk.1 EFHW, on order, a QRP version of LDG Z-817, and have a RigExpert AA-35 Zoom. ?“Bits and pieces” of and for the TX-500 and Buddipole will be added by end of this month… ?Studying for all three licenses. ?

Thanks!

CFL

Sorry to hear that and I wish you a lot of strength!

I'm a big fan of the TX-500 and I'm just waiting for it to use it on a summit.?
From what I understand is that you want to go mainly digital and for this very purpose I would personally recommend the Icom IC-705. It also supports the 2m and 70cm band. It's basically a modern shack-in-a-box.

73 Stephan

PS: I didn't see at the time of writing that you already ordered the TX-500. It's absolutely doable with it, but you need more cables.

Hello, Stephan!
I thought of the IC-705, seriously, but after heart attack #4, and stroke #2, vertigo was such that only a “brick” would survive me. ?Yes, what ICOM offers is amazing, but the package isn’t robust enough to survive what may become worse. At present, vertigo is in abeyance, but it could come back. ?
I desperately want to get my licenses, and do POTA and IOTA. ?I was in COVID 19 lockdown for 19 months. ?For a geezer that used to be active, this was Hell. ?All I have left are my youngsters, my cat, and my dreams. ?Like any geezer, all I want, is to be relevant.
I’m wondering if somebody makes pads you can wear on your arms or legs, that vibrate to the impulses of Morse Code? Not hearing them wouldn’t matter, if you could feel them… ?Just a thought I’ll keep tossing out…
Thank-You for your rapid response, Sir. ?Most heartening!

CFLeffen

PS. ?Yes, more cables…. My hands are not as steady, nor my eyesight as strong, as in years past. ?I will see if there are firms that make such cables for the TX-500… ?It’ll be worth it, to have someone capable do the work… ?I remember seeing a gentleman from Taiwan, here on the forum, that also has challenges… ?Perhaps he’s found an answer as well…

All the Best to You and Yours, Stephan!

Echoing what Stephan said?

you will need a digital/audio cable for FT8 and for interfacing with a computer for a CW reader etc

the 705 is much more digital ready than the tx-500
has gps, WiFi. ?Bluetooth?
wireless operation


but the tx-500 is great at its strengths

good luck !

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PS: I didn't see at the time of writing that you already ordered the TX-500. It's absolutely doable with it, but you need more cables.

Two cables, one for data and one for CAT control. DigiRig will soon have a tx500 adapter to handle both functions. I’m doing it now with a Toughbook, homebrew data cable and Lab599 CAT cable.?

Thank-You, Marc, for your rapid response. ?Have been “spoiled” watching and reading the works of Julian, OH8STN, and Thomas, K4SWL. ?Add to that, everything I can find on YouTube, on the Internet, and as many posts here, that I’ve been able to read. ?The TX-500 isn’t perfect, and for what I want, I’ll need to find work-arounds. ?Yes, I knowingly did not go the easy route, because I need something that can survive me, and what may be coming down the pike.

My first choice had been a Xiegu G90 and an XPA125B, and somehow, they went up in smoke. ?Never Communist Chinese electronics, ever again. ?Back to the drawing board, I went. ?Julian and Thomas highlighted what I came to believe, and still believe, what may well be the greatest civilian field radio of this time. ?I don’t live above the Arctic Circle, nor do I live in the mountains of North Carolina, but those gentlemen know whereof they speak/write…. When they “speak,” I listen…

I wish that I could do what they, and you, do. ?My days of hiking may well be over, other than very short walks from a vehicle. ?The TX-500, the Z-817, and pre-planned Buddipole configurations should be possible- at least in the near future. ?{That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it. ;-) }
High speed, low drag is no longer my mantra. ?No race, but slow, and hopefully steady, will be my goal. ?I hope to learn CW, as it’s been proven to slow, or stop, dementia and other mental disabilities. ?I think it was May 2018, QST, that had an article about this, but my memory may be faulty. ?SCRIBD has an article called,?

“How CW Can Protect You From Dementia”MAR 1, 2020?4 MINUTES,?BY DENNIS LAZAR,* W4DNN.

Sorry, don’t know how to make the font function obey…

Anyway, the story points out that there ARE health benefits to CW, as well as Ham Radio…

Thanks again, for putting up with me…

All the Best, to You and Yours,

CFLeffen

Thank-You, Nick! ?This is Wonderful News!!! Just exactly what I need! ?I hope the gentleman from Taiwan sees this as well! ?Just knowing that the TX-500 community is growing, is exciting! ?Proof that interest in the TX-500 is not a flash in the pan!
I’ll look forward to their offerings. ?I’m already grateful for this magnificent forum! ?First thing I read in the morning, last thing at night!

Again, Thank-You, Sir. ?And, too, Thanks to Everyone Here!

CFLeffen

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Nick WB4SQI, Can you point me toward the cable setup you have?? I'd like to duplicate it - maybe I can build an extra for CFLeffen.

Mike
KO4BCN

Good Morning, Michael!

Thank-You for your kind interest!

I’m like a camera, having been a pro decades ago, in that you just need to point and shoot. ?Giving me the address or name of a company, I’m off to the races. ?When?Nick mentioned DigiRig, and their possibly making a TX-500 adapter for data and CAT control, I looked up their website. ?Will email today, and encourage them to pursue this endeavor. ?I’m sure that there are many with “dyslexic” fingers that can’t cope with small wires in small spaces. ?The insurance companies would panic, should I get to soldering anything.

I am grateful and amazed with the Amateur Radio community, especially those who give of their experience, wisdom, and knowledge. ?You ALL are a credit to the world, and are a shining example of what is right with it. ?Thank-You, ALL.

All the Best to You and Yours, Michael

CFLeffen

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It's in the TX500 manual at the end. All cables are well diagramed. The manual is one of the best I’ve seen, well written, concise.

There is also a separate pdf which includes cable diagrams -
73

I contacted Digirig regarding cables for the TX-500. They were very responsive, here is their reply:

"I plan to release TX-500 specific version of the interface around the end of the summer.?

Have talked with family and advisors about my health and hearing. ?

When grilled about what I wanted to do, vis-a-vis Amateur Radio and not being able to hear, options began to appear and disappear. ?Those radios and forms of operations using sound, went away. ?Digital and CW with automatic decoding/encoding, remained.

I still have dreams of POTA, though my health had precluded SOTA. ?Travel by vehicle is still possible, but long hikes are out. ?So too, are concerts. ?Museums, with a walker, and time, are still a go.

We talked ICOM, Kenwood, and of course, Yeasu. ?Why bigger units?

Yes, the Labb599 Discovery TX-500 is a superb, world changing unit for QRP and field work. ?I still support it, and urge people to at the very least, study about it, consider it, and if possible, commensurate with their needs, wants, and desires, to buy one. ?If it had more features that could be met, as regards my health, I wouldn’t change. ?I like and respect the designers, engineers, Amateur Operators, and aficionados of fine technology too much, to be other than totally honest. ?If I were not going totally deaf, soon, and if my eyesight were not as poor, I’d not change. ?The TX-500 is that good. ?It’s the origin/beginning of a resurgence in interest and practice of QRP radio. ?I believe that it is a major part of the future of Amateur Radio.

I wish all here, the very best. ?I am eternally grateful for your time and kind consideration. ?You have made this warehoused geezer feel much better about the world, and its future.

Thank-You All…

Now, in my deliberations, and with the help of those who counseled me, I’ve had to change my lifestyle, plans, and direction. ?To that end, mobility is second place to my course. ?Not being able hear does change things.

DIgital, and later, CW (with the help of software, and the new radio), will be my avenues of approach to communications. ?After much thought, and study, I decided to go with Yeasu’s FTDX10, HRO’s Ham Radio Deluxe software, FX130cn filter, MARS, a 32” monitor, and an upgraded tablet/notebook that would still allow portability, if monitor left at “The Home…”
Yes, it’s heavier, bigger, and did I say, heavier? ?My cardiologist will have a cow- don’t tell him…

I will, when not doing digital (30W, my Elmer said), I’ll be attempting, some day, CW at 5 to 10 Watts. ?My heart is still QRP… ?If Labb599 can design and build a machine that meets current, and projected needs, I’ll again be in the market.

As I’ve said, Thank-You!

God Bless You All,

C.F. Leffen

For those interested in supplementing their Morse-Code head-copy, there is an amazing app available for Android - Its Called "Morse Expert" (written by the author of CW Skimmer) and requires no connection to your radio (uses phone's mic).
You just set it on the desk near your radio and it quickly picks up the CW signal that you are listening to and decodes it as text! That said, if someone is sending crappy code it will still try to make sense out of it anyway.
I must admit it's probably one of the best (if not the best) free CW Decoders out there!

I have used my TX-500 for FT8 with good results using cables that came with it and
wiring audio into the Left side input for audio in and out to a laptop and a Raspberry Pi.
Also works for CW using Fldigi or other such digital software.


AL

I do alot of digital, and I kept on doing it with the tx500. I got the digirig with the cables, and plugged it into a cheap little avita windows tablet. It works a treat. It is also a really light and portable combination if that is important.

The folks at digirig we're excellent, and took good care of me. I think I was one of the first set of cables out the door. I would highly recommend them.

Jim

Digirig has released their cable set that goes with the mobile v1.6 interface. Be sure to specify that all this is for a TX-500 and Denis will modify the jumpers for you.
--
Grace & peace,
Tim AF6TF