Where is the HF digital modes activity?

Hi all...

I know everyone has there own opinions on the bands and such.....but this argument about the bandwidth on Olivia and some others gets old......as long as you operate in the areas set aside for digital modes there should be no issue. Half the time when I tune around, the band is dead,,,so what, I can't operate because I use 500Hz....come on, give it a go populate the bands with signals thats what Ham radio is all about.. Robust is simply it will keep on decoding when other modes are dying because of the conditions...Yes its slow....but its a QSO mode relax take you time think about what you want to say and even start typing your reply while the other person is still sending and then send once they have finished......that gives you a minute or two to do something else......no need for an official bathroom stop...they will never know...HaHa.

John

 

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm having trouble finding how to interface the output of my Linux PC using fldigi to my transceiver. In the past (using DigiPan), I used the serial port to key the transmitter, and connected the sound card's output to the microphone input. I can find no information on how to do this for fldigi.

I do NOT want to use the USB port. If it requires a complex USB interface circuit, I'm just going to forget the whole thing.

 

Hi all...

Depends on what you are prepared to settle with.....all I use is the Audio from the radio to the Mic Input on the computer and the audio output on the computer fed to the Mic Input on the radio with appropriate VOX setting.....no usb and no serial port..needed......there are plenty of cheap designs if you need to reduce audio using a couple of resistors..or such...

John

John

 

With Fldigi? Perfect. Thank you.

 

The Digipan manual, http://www.qsl.net/wm2u/interface.html, http://wa8lmf.net/ham/tonekeyer.htm and every other source I've seen never mentions using VOX in lieu of a separate PTT line. That's what I'm getting ready to do, though, although I did find my old RS-232 to PTT interface today.

I gave up on the series resistors. I had to use a 600 ohm modem transformer to the sound card's Line In, to prevent bad 60 Hz hum from a ground loop. I just removed a transformer from another modem, and that one is going between the sound card's Line Out and the microphone jack.

 

Hi, I am an avid PSK-31 operator - you can find PSK-31 at 10.142, 14.070, 21.070, 18.100, 28.120. There are 80 and 40 meter freqs also but they don't come to mind at the moment

 

Thanks, Fred. I'll check it out.

Just ran across this: http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php/topic,74318.0.html. Seems there is a Yahoo group dedicated to JT65-HF.

 

Well, I got a homebrew audio interface working here, and made my first PSK31 QSO in many years tonight. And no PTT line, just VOX.

I have seen almost no digital activity on 40, 30, or 15. LOTS of activity on 20 meters.

 

Yep. What he said.

For Linux you might look at VirtualBox, which will let you set up a virtual machine to run Windows so you can enjoy HRD / DM-780.

PSK31 and JT-65HF are probably the easiest to find, although you do stumble across other modes occasionally just above or below the normal PSK31 watering holes. 7.035 and 14.070 are usually the busiest PSK31 watering holes, with JT-65HF being busiest at 14.076. The ARRL does a nightly RTTY broadcast if you want to try receiving that mode. One feature on HRD / DM-780 is the RSID option. If a station transmits an RSID signal, DM-780 will pop up a message telling you what mode (PSK31, Olivia, etc...) it is and where it is located on the waterfall. If you click the message it will change modes and take you there.

For the other infrequently-used modes I would Google them and see where the ops hang out. Learn what the signals sound like so you'll know what to listen for.