Amateur Radio Digital Modes

So you are getting bored with CW, SSB and listening to people on the radio.

here is a Challenge: get into HF or UHF or VHF digital modes

PSK31, RTTY, JT65, FT8,  FT4 and many more (these are the more popular ones.)


here is a list of digital modes and what each mode sounds like.
SOUND SAMPLES OF DIGITAL MODES

all digital modes use USB (uppersideband even 160,60,80,40,30)

FLDIGI supports CW, FELD HELL, PSK31, olivia, rtty, sstv and lots more

WSJTX supports JT65, JT9, WSPR, FT8, FT4 and others


Dimension4 or NetTime  is what sync's your computer to everyone else on the frequency

***************************************************************
it is the easy thing you have done since you got your license
all you need is the following:

1. radio hf/uhf/vhf
2 computer if no soundcard then $3.00 usb thumbdrive soundcard works
3. antenna
4. FREE software: FLDIGI, WSJTX
5. FREE software: time sync,   dimension4 or  nettime
6. (sound card interface-TNC) this converts audio to digital and back digital to audio
soundcard interface/TNC = Rigblaster or Microham or Signalink or if already in newer SDR radios


***************************************************************
so download both pieces of software and check them out
and install them for your setup
even if you do not have all pieces stated above
just listen to 14.070 for  PSK31   or  14.074 for  FT8  and get a feel for what the software looks like
and what it is trying to do.



it just takes persistence!

make sure your ALC meter stays on 0 (if it is moving then there is something wrong!)

power out must be below 20 watts ( i use 5 watts most of the time)

a few handy websites:

http://hamspots.net/FT8/
http://hamspots.net/jt65/

www.pskreporter.info   shows digimode automatic propagaton reporter


if you use Ham Radio deluxe or DxLab it works with those also.

you are more than welcome to peruse everything and comment about all or any of the items.

5/7/20 List of ham radio software FREE https://nl9222.home.xs4all.nl/digisoft.htm


**********************************************************************
so download both pieces of software and check them out
and install them for your setup YOU MUST KNOW YOUR COM PORTS
even if you do not have all pieces stated above.

just listen to 14.070 or  14.074  and get a feel for what the software looks like
and what it is trying to do.

FLDIGI AND FLRIG www.w1hkj.com
**********************************************************************

ka1uln@arrl.net

73

when running amateur radio digital modes all computers must be synced together
in order to have a qso. these are the 2 most popular apps to do the job.


http://dimension-4.en.softonic.com/ dimension 4 

http://www.timesynctool.com/ timesync
http://www.maniaradio.it/en/bkttimesync.html mania timesync

73 ka1uln

**********************************************************************************
Want to learn  Digital mode  for  Amateur Radio?  FT8 or FT4

the best write up was done by the  author and  creator of the mode K1JT

it is  well written and  easy to follow:  make sure you know your COM PORTS.

link  FT8 and  FT4  by  K1JT  >>>  link for wsjtx FT8 and FT4
_________________________________________________________________________________

Want to to learn a Digital mode for AMATEUR RADIO? BPSK31

First of all what is PSK:
What is PSK?
– PSK is an acronym for Phase Shift Keying. Information is transmitted
through patterns of polarity-reversals (180 degree phase shifts), hence the
name.
– Narrow-band, low-power, soundcard-generated radioteletype mode for
keyboard chat.
– Three data rates, 31, 63 and 125 baud. Bandwidth increases with rate.
– PSK31 is the most commonly used, its data rate is close to the speed of the
average typist.
– PSK is resistant to interference but has no error control, so it's not suitable
for transfer of data files. © 2013 Eric Fowler / WV3E – All rights reserved.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED:

Fldigi is a computer program intended for Amateur Radio Digital Modes operation using a PC (Personal Computer). Fldigi operates (as does most similar software) in conjunction with a conventional HF SSB radio transceiver, and uses the PC sound card as the main means of input from the radio, and output to the radio. These are audio-frequency signals. The software also controls the radio by means of another connection, typically a serial port.

Fldigi is multi-mode, which means that it is able to operate many popular digital modes without switching programs, so you only have one program to learn. Fldigi includes all the popular modes, such as DominoEX, MFSK16, PSK31, and RTTY.

Unusually, Fldigi is available for multiple computer operating systems; FreeBSD™; Linux™, OS X™ and Windows™.
(taken from w1hjk.com)


how to recognize the bpsk31:

Recognising the different modes comes with experience. It is a matter of listening to the signal, and observing the appearance of the signal on the tuning display. You can also practise transmitting with the transceiver disconnected, listening to the sound of the signals coming from the computer. There is also (see later paragraph) an automatic tuning option which can recognise and tune in most modes for you.

The software provides a tuning display which shows the radio signals that are receivable within the transceiver passband. Using a point and click technique with the mouse, you can click on the centre of a signal to select it, and the software will tune it in for you. Some modes require more care than others, and of course you need to have the software set for the correct mode first — not always so easy!

The RSID (automatic mode detection and tuning) feature uses a special sequence of tones transmitted at the beginning of each transmission to identify and tune in the signals received. For this feature to work, not only do you need to enable the feature in the receiver, but in addition the stations you are wishing to tune in need to have this feature enabled on transmission. Other programs also offer this RSID feature as an option.


PSK31 Frequencies In MHz,

1.838
3.580
7.040 to 7.060 for region 1 and region 3, and 7.070 for region 2 *
10.140
14.070
18.100
21.080 (although most activity can be found 10 kHz lower)
24.920
28.120

psk link  of all the  psk frequencies >>psk frequencies

for more information on  psk31 check

http://nharc.org/links/OperatingPSK.pdf

************************************************************************

33/73