Two Meter PSK

[wa9cwx]

Since I like to listen to Coast to Coast on Sat Evenings / Sun Mornings, I am in the shack, but NOT working CW....So lately I have been calling CQ on 2 meters, using PSK. That way, I don't have to worry about answering a call.....

BUT, that too is getting boring, so now, I AM looking for QSOs on 2 meters...... ANYONE ON in the MidWest?

144.15 PSK/USB. #? ?

BTW, I use horizontal polarization, and usually call starting around 9 PM, local time, changing beam headings at about 30 degree intervals, starting West, ending North East, with about two minutes for each heading. Repeat several times per hour.
I have also tried Vertical polarization.

ANYONE out there interested in PSK want to try Two meters??

[n9dsj]

Quote[/b] (wa9cwx @ June 03 2007,15:49)]Since I like to listen to Coast to Coast on Sat Evenings / Sun Mornings, I am in the shack, but NOT working CW....So lately I have been calling CQ on 2 meters, using PSK. That way, I don't have to worry about answering a call.....

BUT, that too is getting boring, so now, I AM looking for QSOs on 2 meters...... ANYONE ON in the MidWest?

144.15 PSK/USB. #? ?

BTW, I use horizontal polarization, and usually call starting around 9 PM, local time, changing beam headings at about 30 degree intervals, starting West, ending North #East, with about two minutes for each heading. Repeat several times per hour.
I have also tried Vertical polarization.

ANYONE out there interested in PSK want to try Two meters??
Hi,

Sure, always interested. BPSK31 is not the most robust of modes; you might consider DominoEx, MFSK or Olivia as an alternative. 144.140 is mostly FSK144A for meteor scatter. We used to have a Great Lakes net for digital modes, was alot of fun - we seemed to have the best of luck with Olivia and DominoEx....

I am in EN52....only 100 watts with 14 elements at 80 feet on 2 meters as the amp died.

73,

Bill N9DSJ

[n8fq]

I'd be willing to hook up with you on 2m digital as well. As Bill said, PSK31 isn't all that robust, so you may want to try something else. In addition to weak signals, on VHF you run into multipath, which'll manifest itself as multiple doppler-shifted copies of the received signal. Very few modes seem able to survive a 'collision' with one of these reflected signals. I have, for quite some time, wanted to do some experiments to see which modes handle it the best. (Feldhell obviously, but other than that).

As for the net Bill mentioned, I was the NCS for it, but due to my small station (50w, 13 elements at 30ft) and surprising lack of time, I have been trying to arrange for someone else to pick it up.

[kg4kww]

Wat software are you all using for PSK31 and will it work with a rig blaster??

[n9dsj]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ June 03 2007,16:56)]Wat software are you all using for PSK31 and will it work with a rig blaster??
I am using Multipsk as I am a beta tester for it -- supports many many digital modes and most functions are free. Alot of other good software out there for BPSK31.

73,

Bill N9DSJ

[n9dsj]

Quote[/b] (n8fq @ June 03 2007,16:42)]I'd be willing to hook up with you on 2m digital as well. As Bill said, PSK31 isn't all that robust, so you may want to try something else. In addition to weak signals, on VHF you run into multipath, which'll manifest itself as multiple doppler-shifted copies of the received signal. Very few modes seem able to survive a 'collision' with one of these reflected signals. I have, for quite some time, wanted to do some experiments to see which modes handle it the best. (Feldhell obviously, but other than that).

As for the net Bill mentioned, I was the NCS for it, but due to my small station (50w, 13 elements at 30ft) and surprising lack of time, I have been trying to arrange for someone else to pick it up.
Joe is quite correct. Another resource when "playing" with various digital modes is :

http://www.obriensweb.com/drsked/drsked.php


Thanks to Joe and Andy, this is a handy place to coordinate testing and QSO's

73,

Bill N9DSJ

[wa9cwx]

Great, Is there still activity with the net, etc?

And yes, I can do Olivia, I run 150 watts, 8 elements at 65'.

Also, I just simply got that frequency from an article.
Is there another, standard frequency for 2 Meter Digi modes?

Sat is the best time for me, but I can switch to other evenings.

Actually THIS next Sat isn't! I have a weekend class....

Usually about once a month. OTHERWISE Sat evenings are the easiest.

Frank

[n9dsj]

Quote[/b] (wa9cwx @ June 03 2007,17:07)]Great, Is there still activity with the net, etc?

And yes, I can do Olivia, I run 150 watts, 8 elements at 65'.

Also, I just simply got that frequency from an article.
Is there another, standard frequency for 2 Meter Digi modes?

Sat is the best time for me, but I can switch to other evenings.

Actually THIS next Sat isn't! #I have a weekend class....

Usually about once a month. OTHERWISE Sat evenings are the easiest.

Frank
Hi Frank,

144.150 is usually ok...next weekend is a contest so all bets are off.

I am usually on most evenings if you want a sked....usually in the warmer months I am at my other QTH in far Northern Wisconsin but will listen from there as well (no internet access from there so working blind).

Or just try now on 144.150 BPSK31...am listening.

73,

Bill N9DSJ

[wa9cwx]

I'M there in 5 minutes

Frank

[n9dsj]

Quote[/b] (wa9cwx @ June 03 2007,17:27)]I'M there in 5 minutes

Frank
Indeed you were, Frank...sorry I needed to run off. Nice signal and thanks for the QSO.

73,

Bill N9DSJ

[K0RGR]

There is a Yahoo discussion group dedicated to PSK on the VHF/UHF bands. It is run by KB9UMT in Peoria. We used to have a net on Sunday nights, and it was quite fun to check in from up here in Minnesota.

PSK did turn out not to be as useful on 2 meters as we had all hoped. It is heavily affected by multipath distortion. Still, I think you can work a weak PSK signal at distances that would be tough on SSB and not real easy on CW. MFSK works much better, but it's tough to tune in. I haven't tried Olivia there, but I suspect it would be an improvement over MFSK.

The discussion group also led a lot of people into digital meteor scatter and the use of the WSJT suite of digital modes. A modest station can make random contacts out to a distance of about 2000 km. via meteors. No meteor shower needed - random meteors work pretty well.

PSK_VHF_UHF (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PSK_VHF_UHF_HAMRADIO/?yguid=73613957)

[n9dsj]

Quote[/b] (K0RGR @ June 04 2007,13:18)]There is a Yahoo discussion group dedicated to PSK on the VHF/UHF bands. It is run by KB9UMT in Peoria. We used to have a net on Sunday nights, and it was quite fun to check in from up here in Minnesota.

PSK did turn out not to be as useful on 2 meters as we had all hoped. It is heavily affected by multipath distortion. Still, I think you can work a weak PSK signal at distances that would be tough on SSB and not real easy on CW. MFSK works much better, but it's tough to tune in. I haven't tried Olivia there, but I suspect it would be an improvement over MFSK.

The discussion group also led a lot of people into digital meteor scatter and the use of the WSJT suite of digital modes. A modest station can make random contacts out to a distance of about 2000 km. via meteors. No meteor shower needed - random meteors work pretty well.

PSK_VHF_UHF (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PSK_VHF_UHF_HAMRADIO/?yguid=73613957)
Indeed,

MS is pretty easy (although time-consuming) on 6 and 2 meters using JT6M or FSK441 with a surprisingly minimal station (like mine). Also not subject to band conditions unless tropo or Es arrives. Helps if the rocks cooperate a bit though. Actually it works well under "dead band" conditions on 10 and 12 meters also, something I would not have expected.

In regard to digitial weak signal modes, JT65 takes the cake when little else will work but it is not a "conversational" mode. I have had good luck with DominoEX, especially with FEC enabled, as it is alot more tuning tolerant than Olivia or MFSK, although both work well when dialed in. DominoEX at 11 baud was optimized for the 160/80 meter environment but still works well in other applications. It reminds me of JT65A in that even though JT65 was designed for EME it turns out to do very well on HF also. My pipe wrench works well as a hammer at times too!

BPSK31 is a rough go at true weak signal levels due to path distortions but works ok on decent paths considering its limitations. Have not tried BPSK/QPSK 63/125/220 with or without FEC....all good candidates to experiment with on VHF.

Other fun stuff worth trying might be SlowFeld; although it was meant mostly for working off aircraft reflections on 2 meters.

Will have to play more from my EN45 home as it is not noise-ridden like this place...alot to do and so little time.

73,

Bill N9DSJ