All, I find that I normally use PSK31 - as that is what most other stations use and is popular. But, I see a lot of stations that I cannot work - yet I can see their trace on the waterfall. Often, they are responding to my CQ and they just don't make it. Why do people respond to a 2 * 3 call with a 1*1 or 1*2 call? There seems to be a strategy for psk31 mode that involves sending information multiple times - like a poor man's FEC. I expect that is why they know who I am - from listening to my 2 * 3 call.
The thing is - is there a mode that if I can see them on the waterfall then I can work them? I see no reason why we can't just go narrower/slower/more FEC and go right down into the noise. And why not have it be adaptive - and be able to become faster and wider if conditions are good - and even have a feature of being able to set a max bandwidth for those who may be constrained or for where a number of stations are sharing a 2.4KHz segment? Things I like about PSK31: - easy to tune with start bars, idle bars and ending tail (sorry, my naming scheme here) - narrow bandwidth - popular Things I dislike: - lack of RX sensitivity at times - errors at low SN Features that would be nice: - reliable, verified delivery - ability to use as part of a 'stack' so as to use for APRS or TCP/IP or file transfer or ALE or sounding or whatever - easy tuning - highly adaptive under trying conditions - be basis of keyboard mode DX mode - Open Source Please - I would like your opinions on this. Perhaps one of the current modes could be adapted - or am I trying to re-invent the wheel? What is the best that is out there currently and can we make use of it? In an ideal world what would be the theoretical best that we could aim for? I understand that with Turbo codes that it is possible to come very close to theoretical limits - are amateur protocols using such techniques? Having done some reading about DominoEX there appears to be various workarounds which may be required in order to make a mode practical - like being able to work around a carrier on the frequency. 73 de Brett VK2TMG -- =============== Brett Rees VK2TMG http://lisp.homeunix.net
