In this video I will show you all about the site PSKreporter, and what you can learn about your signal, and the band conditions. Did you just build an ugly antenna? It may have tuned up, but are your signals traveling the globe? Check out the video to learn more. SUBSCRIBE to HamRadioConcepts LIKE and SHARE on Facebook.
I like your videos man, please keep them coming. I'm totally new to digital modes so can use all the help I can get. An idea for your next one is how to properly setup a rig so it's not splattering, etc. I read somewhere that ALC indicator should not be coming on at all? My Ten Tec Jupiter is prob creating a terrible digital signal because I've only ever really worked SSB and CW. I know how to set it up for those modes but not digital.
PSKReporter is very cool. I have been using it recently to test the performance of a receiving antenna. PSKReporter actually supports a number of different modes. If you visit the site [pskreporter.info], you can easily flip through the selector for the displayed mode to see which modes are shown, and get an idea for how many people are reporting each different mode.
From my experience, Zero ALC is not necessarily the ideal setting. Read the radios manual to determine what you should see. Example, TenTec says the ALC light should just flash on peaks, FT-857 says eight bars, KX-3 manual says four bars..... you get the picture. Usually, if you raise the mic gain slowly until power out just ceases to increase you should be below the splatter point, but YMMV.
Ive made psk31 contacts in Europe, but have only seen my signal reported in the us. This technology is great though to verify your transmission. And yes, I have found the mic gain to be most helpful in adjusting the power out.
I love PSK reporter, I leave my transceiver on RX when I am not using it, and can monitor from anywhere I have wifi what it is receiving. Also great for working out what times of day that rare DX is active and workable for you. regards MJ0LEL
Great tool without a question. Nice to be able to select by mode. The show logbook selection is great for a quick view of where you are being heard and who you are hearing. The distance chart selection is great for a nice quick graph to see the primary range you are operating in within the given interval. Mr. Gladstone also does the CWOP charts. He is one of the best at statistics and charting I've seen in a long time. Very user friendly presentations.
No, PSKreporter will show most of the other digital modes, but not wspr. That mode is left to wsprnet.org. regards, Roy
Great video and thanks for explaining about PSK reporter. I have been wondering about this technology so appreciate your efforts. Keep up the good work. 73 John K0JY
This is a good point. I've posted several places on the net that zero ALC isn't always a good idea. And not just for the reasons you mention. The common thought is to set power level on the rig to 100w, or max. Then only add enough audio to achieve the desired output. Say 25 watts. But then operators complain that they are getting inconsistent power output levels. There are at least two reasons for this. 1. Some audio frequency tones drive the transmitter more easily. Example 1000hz vs. 2500 hz. 2. Transmitter heating. Cause: When you set power to max then only add drive to the desired power level, you are defeating most modern rigs ALC. ALC indications are inaccurate and the ALC action is almost totally disabled. Modern rigs use ALC to control the power levels. It even uses the ALC to protect the rigs from high VSWR conditions, Reverse ALC. The actual ALC indications are referenced to a known power output level. That is normally the power output level you set for. Fix: Simply set the power output to the desired level, say 25 watts. Then add audio level until you are just getting an ALC indication. The power output should be very close to the desired power level setting. How much ALC indication to tune for is dependent on your exact rig. Some rigs can be run at full ALC and be clean. Others need a bit less indication. But there should be some ALC indication. Want to make the power level even more consistent? If your rig has wideband transmit audio, simply use a TX audio bandpass setting that will allow the highest audio tone you want to operate on. If you want to use JT-9 more effectively without any fuss switching between JT-65 and JT9. Example: If you want to transmit JT9 up to 3200 hz make sure your TX Bandpass filter is set to pass 3200 hz. If not, you will have to start really adding audio drive to get the desired power output. Then when switching back to JT65 you will have to bring the audio level way back down. Using the proper ALC and TX bandpass filter setting will reduce this effect if it doesn't eliminate the problem. BTW, same goes for receive. Make sure your radio's receive filters and IF settings are wide enough to receive the tones you want to hear.
Loved your video on PSKreporter.info. For years, I have enjoyed going on so-called dead bands and calling CQ on SSB. I use my rig's built-in voice recorder to save my vocal cords. I call and call until I get results. More often than not, someone eventually answers me. Often, the other ops blurt out, "I thought the band was dead!" Even when conditions seem awful, signals are going somewhere. But recently, I have turned to FT8 and PSKreporter.info to accomplish the same thing. It's just easier now. I like doing it on 6 meters, in particular. I called several FT8 CQs the other day on 6. No calls but when I checked PSKreporter, I saw where someone 300 miles away heard me. How cool is that? Make noise, people! The bands are NOT as dead as you think. 73, N4KZ
I love these reverse beacon networks. I've used them for 2 years. Invaluable. Once in awhile it hiccups, but it is generally very good. If you check the reporting box in WSJT-X, it reports to pskreporter. So not only your send, but your receive do as well. There's only one problem with that, though. If you are on 20m, but due your rig control in the software thinks it is on 40m, it will report incoming as 40m. If you put out a big signal only on one band, you'll be surprised to see a few errant reports out there on other bands (not many though). It will also say 'this call has never been heard transmitting' when you look up some calls. Well, there appears to be some sort of cache limit in number of days. I wasn't on for 6 weeks and looked up my own call. Hmm. But its generally pretty good within a month or so.
