PSK32 digital V same power voice contact?

[2E0ILY]

If I have a clear and successful QSO over say a distance of 3000 miles by PSK31 what are the chances of them having a similar QSO with the same operator using SSB voice communication, using the same power, with similar conditions prevailing? Just curious as to the relative "punchiness" of the two modes. Thanks.

[K7JBQ]

I think you mean PSK31, but who's counting?

Can't estimate the "chances" without knowing a few variables, such as antennas, receivers, propagation and on and on. But on the whole, your odds of making a PSK31 contact and a CW contact are pretty close to the same and a "ragchew quality" phone contact generally quite a bit less. It's all about bandwidth and, in the case of CW, ears. The lower the bandwidth, more punch (note: Even though CW has more bandwidth than PSK, the computer between the ears can do a better job of decoding than the computer on the desk).

73,
Bill

73,

[K0RGR]

If we're talking about a couple of KW stations in good conditions, there would be little discernible difference, save for the people complaining about you running high power on PSK. If we're talking two 10 watt stations, PSK will typically run circles around SSB. However, if it's on 10, 12,or 15 meters in good conditions, you might not tell the difference. You can carry on a conversation with several digital modes when the signals aren't even discernible by ear or on the waterfall. Ancient AMTOR could do this trick very well, and virtually error free. PSK is much simpler and actually a better conversational mode.

I have spent time on the beach with my FT-817 running less than 2 watts on PSK31 with a small whip antenna, and made lots of contacts. I've done the same from inside some motel rooms.

[G0GQK]

A few years ago when band conditions were stable, which they aren't these days, it would have been difficult to make regular SSB contacts to the US from the UK using 20 watts, simply because the signal would have "vanished" because of the large number of 100 watt plus operators on the band. Using morse code, no difficulties at all.
Test comparisons some years ago CW v PSK31, showed that PSK was comparable to Morse on many occasions and often the penetration by PSK was better. I have always had my doubts, but who am I ?
In my experience using a Heil HM4 microphone which is a very "thin" audio, meaning sharp, penetrates noisy band conditions and my feeling is that a good sharp PSK signal will get through band noise better than a poor transmitted PSK signal which has stray sidebands

Increased power doesn't increase the range of a signal if the propagation conditions don't exist, when conditions have been excellent it used to be said that one could use a piece of wet string

Mel G0GQK