Hi Mark, Welcome to the world of ALE acty.
DBM is the killer 8FSK protocol from the standard. Its raw speed is 125 baud but deeply interleaved which has it neck and neck with its kissing cousin GTOR for throughput. The BRD (FEC) selection is very robust and the ARQ is just great. It supports binary files with the FTP selection, although you really don't want to be sending files that are to big, keeping them under 10k during good channel conditions would be best as to reasonable transfer time. DBM and GTOR are my two most favorite FSK ARQ protocols and DBM BRD and MT-63 are my two most favorite FSK FEC protocols. I hope to add MARS/MT-63 ARQ to the other list in time. In MARS-ALE we actively support external TNC/Modems for use after the ALE link and I may also add passive support in the same vein as hardware ALE radios so that a third party program such as Airmail could make use of the TNC/Modem after the ALE link whereas the MARS-ALE remains in the loop for the modem activity regarding the ALE link time out timer for hand off. In PC-ALE G4GUO took the approach of launching a child process via a DOS Batch file after the ALE link for the hold off to run the third party tool and revert back to ALE and its timer upon termination of the third party tool. Thus its a bit more universal for Ham use, using that approach you could launch MixW or MultiPSK or whatever and PC-ALE just sits there in a linked state until you terminate that child process. We also plan to add am additional PC Sound Device Modem (PCSDM) class to MARS-ALE that will support the planned MT63, GTOR and PACTOR I protocols and whatever else may be added. The ALE standard requires that the ALE controller/modem is always listing for ALE signals, this updates the LQA database of stations (that how you dial a station and automatically achieve a link the best channel) among other things and there is only such you can do on one modem at the same time, as it is now, the PC-ALE/MARS-ALE FSK/PSK modems can both be active at the same time using the same PCSDM so you see why a 2nd PCSDM will be brought into play. The default system sound device used for system sounds etc (we recommend that is not be used as a PCSDM) will in the future support all the ALERT and ALARM sounds as well as the coming Vocoder output and input for the digital voice modes to be supported after an ALE link. At this time I am not sure what G4GUO is planning for PC-ALE in this regard. However under current FCC Part 97 Rules, ALE can be used in the digital sub bands for two-way digital data comm and in the Voice sub bands for SELCAL (and more but not digital data comm) and of course Digital Voice contacts after an ALE link, so time will tell. In MARS all of our digital data comm and Voice comm are on the same channels, at any moment we may switch between Voice and Data and back again, it is the nature of MARS net operations. P.S. - Don't know if you have any SWL/Utility station interest at all, but PC-ALE makes for a great ALE SIGINT tool for trolling the HF spectrum for interesting monitoring, HF was pretty dead for years from the mid 80's to mid 90's when the moved to Satellite took place, but the entire world is back on HF now due to the cost savings and reliability of access advantages and the ALE systems. I keep a TCI-8174 receiver on-line 24/7 as my ALE vacum cleaner, its a fun side SWL pursuit when you just can't find any HF/6m DX of interest or you just want do get away from Ham radio for a while. /s/ Steve, N2CKH At 10:45 AM 8/26/2006, you wrote: >Bonnie, > >Thanks. I found the definions for the > >AMD automatic message display >DBM data block message >DTM data text message > >It is interesting that you say that we were using 8FSK, I have observed the >eight orthogonal tones on my waterfall before, and didn't know exactly what >was producing them. Now I know. I probably won't be scanning, as my >interest lies mainly with data comms, so I will hang out on 14109.5 and see >what I log. Have you thought of doing a presentation for TAPR at the DCC >in September? They are looking for speakers. > >73, > >Mark N5RFX Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Other areas of interest: The MixW Reflector : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup/ DigiPol: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Digipol (band plan policy discussion) Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
