Note: This procedure is to show you how to set up the Fldigi screen for DominoEX-11 operation of a 2 meter mobile rig operating on 145 MHz FM (simplex), interfaced to the sound card of your computer. This procedure records the details for the Log file that is available in Fldigi, and in so doing, enables you to make good use of the Fldigi stock Macros. You don't have to log every QSO, but you will save much typing by being able to Create the Data ONCE; use the Macros FOREVER!

Now let's do it! Fire up Fldigi software, and observe the Green Digits which represent your Rig's frequency.

Left click on the most significant digit location; then immediately 'left click' or 'right click' to make that digit location hold a "1". Work all the way across, digit by digit, until you have 145000.000, and under the "1" toggle up the options list and select FM, to Log your Mode of choice.

To the right, under the right hand 'zero', click on the light blue icon, and up pops the list of the S/W author's operating frequencies and modes, for use when obtaining info for logs. Your new info, Rig Freq and FM will not be on this Log List yet. Patience. A little more to do yet!

On the very top line; click on 'Op Mode', then 'Domino' and finally 'Domino 11'.

On the very top line; click on 'Configure' and select 'Waterfall'. Just below the center of the colorful popup window, see "Frequency Scale", and check the "Always show audio frequencies" box. I also checked the box for "Monitor transmitted signal, but that's your call. In the lower right of that popup window, click first on 'Save' and then on 'Close'.

Next, put your cursor in the Waterfall (black) area of the screen; see the white Audio Centerline bordered by 2 yellow lines. With your mouse, put the white line at exactly 1000 Hz under the Waterfall scale, the scale of which is now stated in the Audio Frequency Range, and left click. The white line disappears and the yellow lines are replaced by red lines. CONFIRM the exact figure 1000 by finding it in a little box which is centered right under the Waterfall.

Signal Level settings, (bottom lower left) should be at -20 and 70.

You're just about done! You next find the blue PLUS sign in the upper left corner. To write all the newly developed info onto the list, click on that PLUS sign. Now scroll down to the bottom of that big list and you can verify that the new info is correct. It is not yet saved! Save it by clicking the 'Save' icon right under the right-most green digit.

Now quit Fldigi, and re-invoke it. Bring up the List, scroll to the bottom, see the data you have just added to the Log List, and 'Double Click' on that data. Notice that the QSO Frequency is the sum of the Rig Freq PLUS the Audio Freq. Now you should be all ready to transmit, if your rig is set up on 145 MHz!

In the upper right corner, click on 'Tune' to hear the 1000 Hz note and see it on the Waterfall. Click on it again to turn the tone off. That 'Tune' note should be use as a test signal.

I recommend downloading the 'Beginners Guide', found under Fldigi 'Help'. A lot of good info in that, such as how to capture Calls, Names, and QTH and auto write them into your Log List. Very useful when working several stations in a row!

Right click on your loudspeaker icon in the lower right of your screen and select Volume Control Setting . Set the slider TOPS as follows:

Volume Control = 3 marks Wave = 4 marks Microphone = 2.5 marks All other controls should be MUTED

You may have to tweak the Volume Control and Microphone sliders a bit for your particular setup, but the above settings should be good starting points. BEWARE! If you overdrive your rig by adjusting your sound card Wave and/or Volume sliders too high, EVERY ham who sees your signal on his/her waterfall will not speak highly of it! Your signal will be highlighted as 'Overdriven' by multiple bracketing sets of 'railroad tracks.

You will not be able to see that you are earning a reputation as a T3 ham (Tell-Tale-Tracks), so please, to help yourself, ask other hams if they see any tracks on your signal. If so, ask them to report any sign of 'tracks' on your signal while you adjust your sound card Volume and/or Wave sliders downward slightly. It's an iterative process. Likewise for PSK31 operation.

Let's not get the Fed's in the habit of counting tracks and leveling proportional fines in order to deflate the national debt, hi hi!

On your Fldigi screen, bottom right, check the AFC and SQL boxes. Set the center of your Squelch Slider about ¼ inch to the right of the left end of the S meter bar.

Protect Your Computer Sound Card!

Don't overdrive your sound card Mic/Line Input with too much audio from your Rig! Use this procedure when setting up for DominoEX operation, and for any operation in which you connect your Rigs' audio output to the sound card Mic In or Line In jack.

For DominoEX operation:

Before connecting your Rigs' cables to your Computer Sound Card's input/output jacks, set Squelch to wide open and Volume to absolute minimum.

Now connect your cables, turn on your Rig and boot up Fldigi. Set it up for your band and mode of choice.

Leave Squelch at wide open, and creep your volume up until you see yellowish snow on a blue waterfall background. The snow is receiver noise, and you should be looking at a light snow storm in the left half of your waterfall. Remember, DominoEX is capable of hearing and successfully decoding signals that are 10 dB below the noise, so don't bury the signals in a heavy waterfall of noise! We don't have to hear the noise, but we do want to see it! We are used to getting more POWER in every possible way when on SSB and/or CW. On this mode, we need to deep six that habit, and set up for sensitivity to weak signals!

You should be Good to Go!

73 and good 'weak signal DX' de KD1BL

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