On RC3 Q65 automatically set the TX audio frequency to 1000 Hz for Q65-60D (as well as the A to C sub-modes) and to 700 Hz for the E sub modes. That worked well for the upper microwave users and kept the audio frequency within the bandpass of most SSB transceivers.
Some VHF operators who use the narrow sub-modes asked that the TX audio frequency be held constant at where it was last set and this was introduced in RC4 with a red warning if the audio frequency was likely to go outside the Bandpass. The VHF operators argued in part that the RC3 method would result in operators tending to focus on 1000 Hz and be on top of each other. RC4 does however introduce a problem in that if you change to say WSPR or echo mode the TX audio frequency is moved up to 1500 Hz and remains at this when you go back to Q65. EME operators often do an echo test to establish that their station is working prior to moving to another mode and thus end up TXing Q65 on 1500 Hz rather than 1000 Hz which is standard at the upper microwaves. This is a particular problem for weak signal microwave users who typically use a low Ftol and single decodes and do not notice that the TX audio frequency has been moved up to 1500 Hz. The problem is further exacerbated if you are running a sked with a weak station and use the 1000 Hz tune tone to establish that both stations are on frequency and that you have viable signals. In this case the 1000 Hz tune tone does in fact show up at 1000 Hz, indicating you are on frequency, but when you change to transmit messages they come out at 1500 Hz and are generally outside Ftol and thus do not decode. I can see a number options to mitigate these conflicting requirements although none are perfect, for example: 1. The RC4 method could be changed such that all modes always returns to the last TX audio frequency in use for that "mode". While this will work for microwave operators who are exactly on frequency the audio frequency will sometimes be changed off 1000 Hz to tune in a station off frequency so it is less than ideal. 2. The RC3 method could be applied if the higher microwave frequencies are selected and the RC4 method (modified to come back to the last frequency used for each mode) if VHF and lower microwave frequencies are selected. The problem is that there is no clear frequency boundary where one or other method is preferred. One possibility would be the modified RC4 method up to and including the 3.4 GHz band MHz and the RC3 method above that. The disadvantage of this approach is that people would need to understand that if they changed to the higher microwave frequencies the operating method has changed. While I don't see an ideal solution my preference for a compromise solution would be option 2 above. But I think it worth a wider discussion to see if a better solution can be found. 73 Rex VK7MO
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