Hey F call operators - Digital Modes!

[VK2MUS]

It’s a shame there are not more F call operators seen on the spot maps, pretty easy to interface the radio – at worse audio out on the radio (or head phone jack) to line in on the lap top – much better if you build a simple isolation circuit which is pretty simple.

Download a copy of wspr and jt65a-hf off the web, download a program called D4 to set the clock and away you go. (remember to click enable logging box)

Cannot transmit however you will learn about propagation across the bands and help you to get those antennas’s set up just right to get that distant signal. It gives you a visual link to those SF,A,K and sunspot values with a better understanding of the F layer and E layer effects.

Apart from the transmitting side there is the satisfaction of say spotting a G call sign transmitting at 1watt in a one hour window opening when the HF voice operators are complaining that the bands are dead. Last night I picked up two G prefix’s from the UK both transmitting on 1 watt covering a distance of over 17,000 Km not bad when we as F operators wonder just how far we can get on 10W.

http://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html
http://sourceforge.net/projects/jt65-hf ... e/download
covers jt65a and most digital modes
http://wsprnet.org/drupal/wsprnet/map
http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar ... _r2226.EXE
covers wspr
for D4
http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/download.htm

Come on F call operators give it a try
John

[VK4ADC]

and.. an encouragement to upgrade so you can transmit too !