FLDIGI on my Mac machine - installing on both Windows AND Mac

I used the instructions on this page and was able to successfully connect FLDIGI to my FT-991A! Great write up. Thank you!

And, FWIW, I recently installed FLDIGI on my Mac machine. But I then discovered these instructions that cover installing on both Windows AND Mac.

John Spady 4/24/2017

Digital messaging made easy - NBEMS (Narrow-Band Emergency Message System)

You don’t have to have a special interface to use this method of digital communication - just make it so your computer can hear (through its microphone) your radio for receiving. When you are ready to send a message, hold the radio’s mic near the computer’s speakers, press the PTT on the radio, and then the transmit  button in the software.

Begin by downloading the NBEMS suite of applications. Load the latest versions of the fldigi, flwrap, and flmsg applications, available from the following website: https://sourceforge.net/projects/fldigi/files/?source=navbar

Install fldigi

When you run the fldigi setup, the fldigi configuration wizard guides you through initial configuration of fldigi. Provide your input on the following fldigi configuration wizard pages:

1. Operator information

1. Enter your information in each of the fields.
2. Click the Next button.

2. Audio devices

1. Check PortAudio.
2. In the Capture: and Playback: drop downs, select the computer's microphone and speakers, respectively.
3. Click the Next button.

Note 1:   If you are using an audio interface device like the SignaLink, in the Capture: and Playback: drop downs select the USB Audio CODEC choices for the soundcard in the interface device.Note 2:  This data can also be entered from the main fldigi window, by clicking Configure on the fldigi menu bar and selecting Sound Card from the drop down menu.

3. Transceiver control

1. This guide does not cover the optional transceiver control. Click the Finish button.

Select the MT63-2000L mode

1. On the fldigi menu bar, click Op Mode and select MT-63. In the next drop down menu, select MT63-2000L.
2. On the fldigi menu bar click Configure and select Modems.
3.  Select the MT-63 subtab.
4. Uncheck the Allow manual tuning box.
5. Click the Save button, then click the Close button.

Identify the laptop’s microphone and speaker devices

If you performed the procedure in Install fldigi above, skip this section and go to the next section.

1. On the fldigi menu bar click Configure and select Sound Card.
2. Check Port audio, then in the Capture and Playback drop down menus select the computer’s microphone and speakers, respectively.
3. Click the Save button, then click the Close button.

Enable opening flmsg automatically

1. On the fldigi menu bar click Configure and select Misc.
2. Click the NBEMS subtab. In the top section (NBEMS data file interface) check Enable.
3. In the bottom section (Reception of flmsg files) check Open with flmsg, then click the Locate flmsg button.
4. Navigate to the folder containing the flmsg executable:
   On Windows ─The flmsg.exe executable is found here by default:        C:/Program Files (x86)/flmsg{version number}On OS X/Mac ─

1. Navigate to the flmsg{version number} application.
2. Press and hold the Control key and select flmsg {version number}.
3. From the menu, select Show package contents.
4. Navigate to /Contents/MacOS/flmsg.
5. Populate the Flmsg: field with the flmsg executable.

5. On Windows ─ Select the executable, then click the Open button.On OS X/Mac ─ Drag the flmsg application to the Flmsg: field.
6. The Flmsg: field is populated with the path to the flmsg executable.
7. Click the Save button, then click the Close button.

Operational notes

• At the bottom of the main fldigi window, in the lower right corner, is a squelch control. Click the SQL button to make it operational. In the vertical rectangular box to the far right of the waterfall, adjust the squelch level by dragging the enclosed small white box vertically.        
• The diamond icon to the left of the AFC and SQL buttons is the indicator of the audio level reaching fligi. Watch the diamond during receive and adjust the audio (by the volume of your radio or by a receive volume control on your interface) so that the diamond is green and occasionally yellow at audio peaks. When the diamond is red, the audio is overdriven. When the diamond is black, fldigi is not detecting any audio.
• The tan window for viewing received text does not automatically jump to the bottom while text is being received. After using the scroll controls to view text off the screen in this window,  scroll manually back to the bottom to see what is currently being received. fldigi users commonly think they are not receiving when they are instead simply looking at the wrong part of the tan receive window.
• MT63-2000L has relatively high latency due to the forward error correction it uses, so do not panic if you don’t see text immediately after the transmission starts. It may take several seconds before the squelch indicator jumps up and decoded text appears in the window.
• To call CQ, click the CQ >| button in the macro bar or press F1.
• To send text, type your message in the blue area, then click the TX >| button (the rightmost macro button) or press F12.

There is an article about making a simple sound card interface here:  http://kd7lrj.blogspot.com

This is just the tip of the iceberg - there’s lots more information about NBEMS and fldigi online. I believe that the forms processing (with flmsg) will be very useful.

KD7LRJ will be operating in the VHF band in FM mode on the Wasatch Front’s designated experimental frequency of 145.710 simplex using the MT63-2KL modem for a while if anyone wants to try to communicate. If something is sent that my machine can decode, I will try to respond via email or whatever works for you (let me know in the messages you transmit :). NBEMS does not require a dedicated frequency (it can be used over a voice repeater between voice transmissions if needed), but in the near future (Spring of 2014?)  we will likely pick a different frequency to use in Utah County.

If you have questions about getting started or want to set up a schedule to test your gear, email me at kd7lj@arrl.net  I also have an NBEMS capable station at work and wouldn’t mind testing from there as well.

John Spady4/24/2017

I used the instructions on this page and was able to successfully connect FLDIGI to my FT-991A! Great write up. Thank you!

And, FWIW, I recently installed FLDIGI on my Mac machine. But I then discovered these instructions that cover installing on both Windows AND Mac. This is a well written resource too:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PaZIxafsow0OkpWuJpevA2TBeA5_jVp7cJTyiz9_YkU/mobilebasic

 Thanks to both for the shared information