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GM, secret garden, Well, it's simple really.... when I went to have the 'puter built, I had them dump the modem card, because I don't need it for control of my radios, and I have a LAN which connects to the Internet thru the router, which also gives me the Wireless node..... This gave me room for several additional cards, including 2 to create a total of 4 9 pin COM posts without interrupt conflicts (most new 'puters have only one 9 pin, relying on USB for connectivity, and unfortunately, the equipment I have doesn't like the USB/Serial converter cables.. the units simply will not configure properly.. I needed 4 com ports at minimum, and in reality, probably should have a second computer, similarly equipped, to handle the Packet node, and also for 24/7 control of ALE (Automatic Link Establishment, using a separate HF radio for the ALE and a separate radio and TNC (Terminal Node Controller) for the Packet node mailbox.. this, of course is all for Navy Mars.. Look up both of these on Google, if ya want to learn more --hi--- or I will be more than happy to explain in length.....I enjoy teaching, and if I can bore mrsgwoore to death with esoteric e;electronic minutiae, I'm sure I can manage to at least make a secret garden somewhat sleepy [evil pedagogue grin LOL)..... Anyhow, there are digital communications modes which are called "soundcard modes" for the obvious reason that they are produced by, and received by, the computer's soundcard, instead of an outboard TNC.... these bear such esoteric names as PSK-31, MFSK, MT-63, OLIVIA, Q15x25, etc.... There is a program, which I use called MixW that is, IMHO, about the best one can find for this (also try Googling that).. there is also PC-ALE which makes automatic contacts, and is frequency agile, and likewise, uses a soundcard....

While I like using a TNC (it is outboard, dedicated, and doesn't have the limitations of a Windoze based OS, that eats all your memory, and can be used for programs requiring an Acknowledgment such as AMTOR ARQ and PACTOR ( and Packet as well, the outboard works far better, as it does with PSK-31 as well, for the above reason, it's dedicated.... The TNC also has a good deal of memory, which is necessary to have a 24/7 mailbox and not have problems connecting, nor being connected to.... But that's beside the point, a soundcard program lets you feed the audio directly into the SSB xcvr, and for all practical purposes you have FSK (Frequency Shift Keying), well, actually AFSK (Audio Frequency Shift Keying), but for all practical, purposes, at the receiving end, the equipment doesn't notice the difference.... At any rate, I needed two sound cards so I could simultaneously run one from a radio program (say MixW, or the PSK function of the AEA PK-232 "Pakratt" TNC (I have 2, so there goes 2 comm ports... 1 comm port is used for my soundcard interface unit which connects my primary radio and the computer, and one is used for the CAT control of the radios thru a CI-V level shifting interface (each radio has it's unique address, so only one COM port is needed. I hope you are following me so far....

That leaves me with the problem, "how do you record audio, or copy a streaming ITTY (Internet Teletype) feed at the same time as doing all the other stuff, or use "Echolink (Kind of a worldwide net of radio ops on the Internet, where you can access repeaters all over the world from your computer... kind of amazing, really.... OR, just kick back and listen to music while copying a large amount of traffic. The answer, a second sound card....it is completely independent from the first card, thereby allowing simultaneous use... kind of like "call waiting, and "3 way calling" combined on your computer. Besides that, the second card can be as high end as you want to make it, and the better the card, the better the audio and performance, even though I am rarely listening to the output, it is vitally apparent to me right away when I look at the HF transceiver and see the power output (Which, on SSB [single sideband] only occurs when an audio signal is present. OPNOTE: It used to, back in the first days, be called SSSC (Single Sideband Suppressed Carrier), because that is exactly what is happening. One is getting rid of the carrier, and the unwanted sideband, and putting all the power into the sideband left... There is also ISB or DSB where one has both sidebands in use, but a suppressed carrier, and different things being transmitted on each sideband. If you want a more detailed explanation, and the proofs of how sideband works vs AM, etc, and how much power is used for generation of the carrier and the sidebands, etc, also comparison with FM, ETC... i will be more than happy to comply... be advised, however, that this can get REAL long ( I could write all night, and still not cover everything)....

Anyhow, 2 sound cards are for flexibility and the ability to do 2 things at once, which I find more and more necessary, as the mission of Navy MARS has changed, at least the primary mission, although we still can, and do, get moral messages to the troops, and conduct phone patches, that has taken a back seat to ECOM (Emergency COMmunications) and being there for the Feds, State, and Local govt's when the balloon goes up and all comms are out... as an NCS/SHARES station, I am a direct part of Homeland Security, and carry ID as such. We may not get paid for what we do, but it's important none the less... I have been doing this, one way or another for close on to 40 years (will be next year) and while the Amateur aspect is fun and all that, I far more enjoy the challenge of MARS and the responsibility and opportunity that it gives.....

Damn, I've bloviated more than a Dumbocrat trying to Filibuster....... let me know if my explanation has been at all satisfactory, I do tend to run off at the mouth when I get on electronics or aerospace O(That's what engineers do LOL) and I do enjoy teaching it.................

Just FYI, if you want to see what I talk about in my email signature, radio, MARS, my former ship and all, have a look HERE

Similarly, if you want to find out about my TNC's, you might try HERE

To find out more about communications procedures than you could ever use in your lifetime, try and click HERE OPNOTE: read and study this material well, there will be a closed book final exam at the end of the semester on the material on which I have lectured. I hold each and every student responsible to keep up with the assigned reading, as well as the lab and practical requirements. gwmoore doesn't care what the FCC rules state at this point in time. CW (Morse Code ) is MANDATORY, and not just at 5WPM for one's General.... the prof expects all students of his course to be comfortable at at least 20-25 WPM, copying on an Underwood Manual communications "Mill" (typewriter) and be able to type fine copy right off the air, since time, of course, is not only money, but the mark of an expert Radio Officer. ROTFLMAO... I simply couldn't resist that... since I copy CW on just such an anachronism, the same as I did years ago, I expect each and every student to be able to manipulate same with extreme dexterity, including the consumption of coffee, donuts, smoking cigarettes, etc while keeping the copy up to speed.. Extra credit will be given for the ability to stand "Split Phone Watch, and keep up with 2 separate freqs at the same time, one in each ear, while keeping the logs, etc up to date. I assure each and every one of you that it is indeed, possible.. (I quit smoking in '86, but it is still a requirement in my course ;-) OK, now that I have bored the hell out of you, I hope I have given you a coherent explanation of the 2 sound cards, It was important to get that background info in, because unless one understands the actual use, it's kinda rough understanding the need for 2 separate sound cards, hence the long dissertation on things radio. Yes, I still find it fun!!!!, but, you probably realize that all engineers are daft, and think out of the opposite sides of our brains than most other folk ;-) (Why else would we have voluntarily taken all that math/science in college, then asked for more??? Greg (the confusing).....