explain the complete lack of broadscale > adoption of digital modes other than PSK31 or RTTY? Given the wide > array of free soundcard software available, there is zero switching > cost; hams are naturally inquisitive, and can easily download any of > several free soundcard applications to run Olivia, Dominio, ALE, or > whatever new flavor of the month that Patrick F6CTE has concocted. > The development of new modulation techniques and protocols is useful > and important, and may some day bear fruit. But so far, no one has > developed a protocol sufficiently better than PSK or RTTY to > instigate any significant migration. Might these new modes be better > than PSK or RTTY in one or two interesting dimensions; sure, but then > they're either too difficult to tune, or consume too much spectrum, > or don't work unless the SNR is unrealisticly good. I and many others > who have listened to MFSK, MT-63, Throb, and Hell QSOs found no > reason to go further. Like anyone else, hams vote with their feet. > > I challenge you to try some of these new modes, and I and others would > welcome your opinion of these new technologies. >
Dave, an interesting point. I was going to post about PSK31 last week but forgot to get around to it. The gist of my thoughts were essentially the same as yours...that is...after all the myriad of other digital modes, PSk31 is amazingly dominant and well utilized. After hours of looking for MT63 and Olivia last week (for a test) I would assume the 40 or 20M bands were dead, then remember to tune the PSK31 areas and found dozens of signals , almost 24 hours per day. I was going to post something along the lines of "back to basics" and encourage some of the experimenters to not forget PSK31. I am now testing as new software release from G3PLX, I doubt that it will replace PSk31, but then again I was skeptical about Steve Fords' old QST article suggesting that PSK31 would supplant RTTY...Steve was right. So folks, I agree with Dave. While I love experimenting with new modes, I do not want to suggest that this group somehow looks down at PSK31. I use it regularly. Andy
