On 2/7/2023 2:08 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
On 2/6/2023 8:36 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
The key idea that led to the PSK31 and RTTY decoders was this: that a ham
receiver should be able to demodulate all commonly heard signals and display
them on the front panel, without resorting to a computer. That was around
2005, though. Since that time many new data modes have been added that made
this less practical, but RTTY and PSK31 are still in widespread use
When I tune the bands, I hear RTTY only during contests. RTTY used to be
common with DXpeditions, but was replaced several years ago by FT8, because of
its ability to provide QSOs to marginal stations is 10 dB better than CW. I
gave up on PSK31 after the third brag tape. That was more than 10 years ago.
There are far higher priorities for Elecraft's development activities.
I love the modes that Joe Taylor and crew have given us -- they're a major
weapon against the RF noise that has grown exponentially over the last two
decades. Using FT8, one guy with 100W to a compact vertical provided a new
country from Crozet, a very rare and remote entity that hadn't been on the air
for decades. I and many neighbors worked him easily on 30 and 20, a nearly
10,000 mile path. When I worked him, he had 7-9 dB of headroom for FT8. Oh --
and unlike the mess on 30M CW with the Bouvet team, there's no one tuning and
or callling him on up on his frequency, no helpful clowns sending UP UP ASS
ASS, over, and over, and over again. Their words, not mine.
Sure, CW has been my favorite mode for 66 years. But not THAT kind of CW. I'll
proudly log the FT8 QSOs.
73, Jim
I worked Thierry on 20M CW, as well as 20 and 30 FT8. Already confirmed in
LOTW. I'll count the CW. Phone was confirmed in 1981 :-)
Wes N7WS
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