Soundings aren't required. They merely minimize wasted linking attempts on currently-unsuitable bands. You can run an entirely "sounding free" ALE network, and in fact the utility dxer crowd does occasionally note such networks run by various government or NGO entities.
If you want to have the advantages of sounding without useless clutter, you only sound (once) prior to an expected scheduled incoming call. As for room actually talking, last time I monitored during a contest, I didn't notice much room at all, for talking or much of anything else beyond the contest. If we were to hold contesters to the same QRM standards that we (should) hold ALE systems to, there would be a lot less noise going on during a contest. On 10/2/07, jgorman01 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The only problem I see with this is how several tens of thousands or > even hundreds of thousands of hams are going to do 10-20 seconds of > sounding even using whole segments of bands. There won't be any room > or time for actually talking! I just don't see this being good for > "most HF communications". > > Jim > WA0LYK > > --- In [email protected], "Andrew O'Brien" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Seeing how useful PC-ALE is, I have to imagine a time when that is how > > most HF communication is attempted. If it requires brief "soundings" > > that are considered "unattended", then I say change the rules and > > allow brief 10-20 second transmissions that are unattended in some > > portions of the bands. It sure beats some of aimless wandering I have > > been doing with other calling methods. > > > > > > > > On 10/2/07, Steve Hajducek <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi John, > > > > > > For ARRL members, that piece was on page 9 of the Oct 2007 QST. > > > > > > More and more ALE will become integrated into the Amateur Radio > > > Service (ARS) do to its significant advantages, it is just such an > > > obvious path to take with respect to the role that the ARS plays in > > > ECOM support for one thing in my opinion. > > > > > > > > > > > > > Announce your digital presence via our Interactive Sked Page at > http://www.obriensweb.com/drsked/drsked.php > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > -- Regards, Robert Thompson ==================================================== ~ Concise, Complete, Correct: Pick Two ~ Faster, Cheaper, Better: Pick Two ~ Pervasive, Powerful, Trustworthy: Pick One ~ "Whom the computers would destroy, they first drive mad." ~ -- Anonymous ====================================================
