FT-8 vs. PSK31: an enlightening Sunday morning field report

[wayne burdick]

Thanks, everyone, for all the pragmatic and philosophical observations about FT-8. Depending on who you ask, it’s anywhere from miraculous to take-it-or-leave-it. Or both. This is characteristic of many aspects of amateur radio, of course. To each their own.

A different sub-noise-floor mode, PSK31, was on my mind this morning. After breakfast I grabbed my KX2 and 17/20 meter whip and went outside to check the bands. All of the CW signals were weak at the time. Then I happened across a warbling PSK31 signal in this mode’s preferred segment (14070-14073)—a VA7 calling CQ.

I used the KX2’s auto-spot function, resulting in perfect copy. He came back to me on the first call at 10 W, which is not unusual; PSK31 has an established track record as a great QRP more.

The important point is that I was able to carry on a satisfying, non-automated, data-mode QSO using a only a hand-held radio with an attached keyer paddle. In my sweats. On a gorgeous day right out of a Maxfield Parrish painting. Without a computer.

I was reminded that PSK31 *is* that mystical unicorn: the sub-noise-floor data mode that’s also a conversational mode. It isn’t full QSK, like CW, and it lacks the rigor of FT-8, but it has some of the advantages of both. This is why PSK31 (and PSK63) are built into the K3, K3S, KX3, and KX2. All you need is a keyer paddle. If you prefer a keyboard, you can use a terminal emulator application running on a variety of devices. Just attach your device to the rig using the supplied USB cable.

To summarize: If you’re a CW op who’s temporarily out of CW  signals, or an FT-8 user who longs for a few unmediated QSOs, take a walk on the wild side and try PSK.

Notes:

1.  Elecraft radios have a special mode, “PSK-D”, that treats PSK31/63 as a narrowband mode for VFO tuning purposes. You don’t just park the VFO at 14070 like you do when using a sound card and a computer. Instead, use a very narrow filter bandwidth (50 to 100 Hz) and tune around the 3 kHz PSK segment using the VFO set to 1-Hz steps. When you find a signal, tap the keyer speed knob, which auto-tunes the received signal (this is the “SPT” function).

2. RTTY mode (FSK-D) is also available. This legacy mode is great fun during RTTY contests. Last year at FD, taking a break from CW, I made over a dozen RTTY contacts using the KX2, including one of over 2500 miles with the rig hand-held + whip.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

----
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[Lee Hiers]

Yet i still can't copy it by ear....still just noise.  Obviously YMMV.

73 de Lee, AA4GA

On Sun, Jun 3, 2018, 12:20 PM Wayne Burdick [hidden email] [KX3] <
[hidden email]> wrote:

>
>
> Thanks, everyone, for all the pragmatic and philosophical observations
> about FT-8. Depending on who you ask, it’s anywhere from miraculous to
> take-it-or-leave-it. Or both. This is characteristic of many aspects of
> amateur radio, of course. To each their own.
>
> A different sub-noise-floor mode, PSK31, was on my mind this morning.
> After breakfast I grabbed my KX2 and 17/20 meter whip and went outside to
> check the bands. All of the CW signals were weak at the time. Then I
> happened across a warbling PSK31 signal in this mode’s preferred segment
> (14070-14073)—a VA7 calling CQ.
>
> I used the KX2’s auto-spot function, resulting in perfect copy. He came
> back to me on the first call at 10 W, which is not unusual; PSK31 has an
> established track record as a great QRP more.
>
> The important point is that I was able to carry on a satisfying,
> non-automated, data-mode QSO using a only a hand-held radio with an
> attached keyer paddle. In my sweats. On a gorgeous day right out of a
> Maxfield Parrish painting. Without a computer.
>
> I was reminded that PSK31 *is* that mystical unicorn: the sub-noise-floor
> data mode that’s also a conversational mode. It isn’t full QSK, like CW,
> and it lacks the rigor of FT-8, but it has some of the advantages of both.
> This is why PSK31 (and PSK63) are built into the K3, K3S, KX3, and KX2. All
> you need is a keyer paddle. If you prefer a keyboard, you can use a
> terminal emulator application running on a variety of devices. Just attach
> your device to the rig using the supplied USB cable.
>
> To summarize: If you’re a CW op who’s temporarily out of CW signals, or an
> FT-8 user who longs for a few unmediated QSOs, take a walk on the wild side
> and try PSK.
>
> Notes:
>
> 1. Elecraft radios have a special mode, “PSK-D”, that treats PSK31/63 as a
> narrowband mode for VFO tuning purposes. You don’t just park the VFO at
> 14070 like you do when using a sound card and a computer. Instead, use a
> very narrow filter bandwidth (50 to 100 Hz) and tune around the 3 kHz PSK
> segment using the VFO set to 1-Hz steps. When you find a signal, tap the
> keyer speed knob, which auto-tunes the received signal (this is the “SPT”
> function).
>
> 2. RTTY mode (FSK-D) is also available. This legacy mode is great fun
> during RTTY contests. Last year at FD, taking a break from CW, I made over
> a dozen RTTY contacts using the KX2, including one of over 2500 miles with
> the rig hand-held + whip.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
> ----
> http://www.elecraft.com
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[Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT-3]

There is nothing quite so satisfying as a nice ragchew in a quiet room
with some nice light jazz or somesuch in the background.

... or Wayne may have enjoyed the quiet morning outside during his
PSK-31 QSO.

There are higher uses for ears, but obviously, YMMV.

73 -- Lynn

On 6/3/2018 9:39 AM, Lee Hiers wrote:
> Yet i still can't copy it by ear....still just noise.  Obviously YMMV.
>
> 73 de Lee, AA4GA
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[David Gilbert]

Just out of curiosity, what's the difference between copying by ear
versus copying by eye?  Every signal out there requires some sort of
processing/demodulation for you to copy it.  Some modes turn it into
audio and some modes turn it into text.  I think hardware even exists to
turn it into touch.  Philosophically speaking, what's the difference? 
Your personal preference is fine, but it doesn't relegate the other to
"noise".

Dave   AB7E




On 6/3/2018 9:39 AM, Lee Hiers wrote:
> Yet i still can't copy it by ear....still just noise.  Obviously YMMV.
>
> 73 de Lee, AA4GA

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[W5RDW]

>"To summarize: If you’re a CW op who’s temporarily out of CW signals, or an
FT-8 user who longs for a few unmediated QSOs...."

I am stuck at #327 to achieve the bottom rung of the Honor Roll, so these
past few months have been more than boring since the 3Y0Z situation. A ham
friend of mine, Jim N5JS, told me about WSJT-X FT8 and I begrudging
downloaded the software. Well, after getting the K3 plugged into the
computer, I had the setup up and going. After a few days of ho-hum watching
my computer work stations, I wondered when the next dxpedition was going to
be on the air! In talking to Jim earlier, he pointed me to pskreporter.info.
After awhile of playing with seeing who was hearing my signal across the
globe, an Uzbekistan station was spotted on 20 meters earlier! One that I
need, since my old DX contacts of the '70s never qsl'd me for the 5
Uzbekistan stations I had worked. I quickly made a sked with UK9AA via
e-mail and in 2 days, 20M was wide open one night! Bingo, UK9AA answered my
directed CQ and was quickly in the log. The card is on its way! All with 50
watts!

I have a better appreciation of FT8 now, but still long to be in the crowd
up 5-10 KHz working a weak "CW" DX station!



-----
Roger W5RDW
--
Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
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