ZLP Electronics

Our interfaces are fully compatible with ALL CAT and ALL Digital Mode software and you can see our logo on the HRD support forum.
Often copied, never equalled..

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We often get asked the simple question "What do I need to use HRD", and the simple answer is a CAT interface.

[A]. A Kenwood CAT interface is an IF232. see http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/KenwoodCAT.shtml
An Icom CAT interface is called a CT17. see http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/IcomCAT.shtml
A Yaesu CAT interface is a called CT62. see http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/YaesuCAT.shtml
(An older term for Yaesu CAT interfaces may also be FIF232)...
Yaesu have complicated things slightly because they have changed the CAT connector on the radio several times and the connector may be a 6 pin din socket, a 6 pin mini din socket, or an 8 pin mini din socket).
So basically to run HRD you only need a CAT interface, a CT17 or a CT62.

BUT, people often do not ask the right question..... If you don't ask the right question you won't get the right answer.
HRD is a CAT program so you only need a CAT interface to use HRD (plus suitable radio and PC of course).
Simple.
Then comes the question "But there are no signals on the waterfall"...
HRD does not have any "waterfall"....
What went wrong ? The question has changed from "will it work with HRD" to "why won't it work with HRD's DM780 DATA mode software".... Not the same question at all...

CAT is CAT and DATA is DATA - 2 different things, both nice, even nicer when used at the same time.

What is a CAT Interface.

The image below shows HRD. The image at the bottom shows DM780.
HRD is a CAT program.
This allows you to control your radio from the PC. And changes you make with the radio will be shown on the HRD screen.
The CAT allows software to communicate with your radio and allows your radio to communicate with your software.
If you run a logging program that supports CAT, then that software may take advantage of the CAT by retrieving information from the radio to help fill in log details, such as the frequency that the contact was made on.
CAT is also useful on many radios were there are many sub-menus in the radios menu system, many of the sub-menu items can be easily changed via the PC.

What about DATA modes?

To operate DATA modes you need to make an ISOLATED connection between the radios audio, and the PC's audio. If it is not isolated you run the risk of Rx and Tx "hum", if it doesnt have isolation then it is not an interface rather a simple audio lead and you should expect it to produce a "ground loop". You can check if your connection has a groundloop by examining the Rx waterfall. You will also need to arrange a way to operate the radios PTT at the appropriate time. This will allow you to operate "AFSK" data modes. HRD comes with data software, it is called "DM780", but you cannot operate DM780 with a CAT interface! A CAT interface is for CAT, this allows the PC to communicate with the radio, it is NOT for DATA, a CAT interface will not communicate data to the radio for transmission nor will it receive it. Back to data modes, ALL the data modes in HRD's DM780 software are "AFSK" data modes.
There are many methods to connect the AF to and from the PC, and to and from your radio, some make a cheap n nasty "wired" connection without isolation (and most likely suffer hum on Rx and worse, on Tx - NOT good). Best practice is to use an isolated data interface, that means there is no posibility of any "hum" on Rx nor on Tx. I have seen dodgy "unisolated cables" (often called "interfaces" by their sellers) on the web (you know where) and they are really quite expensive for what they are. Put those unisolated cables in the bin where they belong, you don't need to spend a fortune to get a good "proper" isolated data interface (MiniPro).
OR the new MiniProSC (The SC stands for SoundCard), very similar to the MiniPro but has built in soundcard.
AF is covered so all that reamins is to activate the radios PTT, there are also many methods to put your radio into Tx at the appropriate time. Some, whose radio support Tx via the CAT system may use the CAT interface to accomplish this. Doesn't always work! Some radios will open the microphone ONLY for input when Tx via CAT command (Kenwoods). Some open both DATA Acc socket and microphone (most Icoms), some do either or both (Yaesu). Best pratice is to know your radio! What is nice and what always works is when you activate the PTT via the radios Acc socket. As a bonus, some radios will even mute the microphone when Txing via the Acc socket (Kenwood), some leave it open. Anyhow, it never fails, you always get what you expect, (if you configure your software correctly).

This is all really easy if you have a proper isolated data interface, the AF will be clean and the PTT will be handled for you, all you need to do is configure your software so that PTT is activated at the correct times.
So that is it (simple).
All you need now is a CAT interface, and a DATA interface and you will be doing it all !
You can have a CAT interface to operate CAT and you can have a DATA interface to operate the data modes.
Nice if there was an interface that had both CAT and DATA in the same interface.

Oh, but there is one;- The DigiMaster Pro+
It also operates FSK modes (true RTTY mode) and has CW keying.

What? You have 2 radios and want to connect them both to a data interface with a built in soundcard? OK, Try the DataLink

If you want ALL data modes, with built in CAT interface, built in soundcard, and built in CW keyer, then check out the new DigiMaster Pro3.