As time went on I ended up with a better rig, the one I have now and I looked at more specialist weak signal modes like WSJT, WSPR and JT-65. Just out of chance, or rather looking at something else I turned on HRD and DM780 (Which doesn't work too well on my nettop pc by the way. It's a little too puny) and had a go at a PSK31 and I remembered why I liked it so much in the first place. QSO's are simple and although not quite as nice as having a chat I have had several easy and pleasant 'chats' with European stations over the last 24 hours. Below is one I had this morning.
The screen looks very busy and there seem to be bits and pieces everywhere but in reality it is a simple mode to use once you get your head round the sequence for a QSO, which is very similar to a CW or SSB contact. I am very pleased with the mode as something to dip into when the sun isn't helping with SSB QSO's and convinced that many newly qualified amateurs would get a lot out of this mode.
The mode helped me gain confidence with my set up and learn to use the rig with a low power setting, I only ever use 25w or less with this mode and that is probably a bit much but the results are quite easy to see 599 reports from Europe and further afield are very common and even from the RF black hole of St Bees I can usually make several good quality QSO's with the west coast of the US but unfortunately Australia and Japan are just too far at present. Still enjoy the mode and remember that its out there, perhaps I need to set myself a calendar reminder not to forget these excellent modes.
73 g7kse sk
I think PSK QSOs are every bit as good as other modes. The fact that many ops do nothing but send macros is their choice. Then we have to remember that English is not the native language of many of those we work from the UK anyway, so without macros all you'd have is a rubber stamp QSO. But I have had many real chats where nearly every word was typed using digital modes.
ReplyDeleteI have found the mode quite handy to have QSO's when conditions are not so good. I can't claim to have had a complete QSO by typing but generally use a mix of macro and typed words. Using English is easy for us lazy Brits who can't speak another language very well (I'm including myself in that) and with PSK31 there is no reason why we shouldn't encourage QSO's in other languages. Perhaps then it might help others have SSB QSO's in something other than English.
ReplyDelete