JB wrote:
The neat thing about going full digital? You no longer have any idea why
the signal breaks up. PERIOD. The Customer is no longer bothered by
interference of any kind. Either it works or not. If your QSO, Phone Call,
Mayday, Police call for backup, TV signal gets knocked off the air, you
won't have a clue why.


Actually, NOT. Even the simple bars on a cell phone tell you if
communication is possible or not. The software running on an up-to-date
rig can describe the exact reason to you, if your rig interfaces to your
computer screen ... not to mention broadcast HDTV is in its' infancy,
taking its' first baby-steps ... even if you give the avg. American TV
viewer this information, do you think he would know what to do about it?
For "those dummies" you will pretty much have to have the software
handle the problems ... or make simple recommendations, perhaps "MOVE
THE ANTENNA DUMMY", or "RAISE THE ANTENNA DUMMY", or "BUY A DECENT
EXTERNAL ANTENNA DUMMY", or "POSSIBLE SIGNAL REFLECTIONS ARE OCCURING,
MOVE/REPOSITION THE ANTENNA DUMMY", etc. ROFLOL!

I have experimented with Easy Pal Digi SSTV and DRM it is neat but I can
rarely get the S/N high enough for a complete transfer. Text is more
reliable, but it is hard for me to put my faith in a signal that sounds
clean and strong to my ear but with no result. I could have passed several
photos on MMSSTV with half the S/N and knew well what they were. Sometimes
getting the information through is more important than waiting for
conditions to get better to get it perfect.


If the binary signal just clears the noise floor, and not by much mind
you (I am hesitant to quote an exact figure here) a perfect signal is
quite possible ... that is simply the nature of digital.

I just don't know why anyone would claim that digital signals are not
MUCH superior to analog -- remember the old analog cell phones -- who
would ever wish to "go-back-there???" ... the only software I have used
with HF/VHF/UHF digital processing is open source ... I immediately made
modifications to the decoding/coding scheme (Ogg Vorbis), "packet hold
time" and size of the buffers and implemented my own CRC checking
(faster algorithm) ... however, others must get a copy of it from me and
we both share it or no communications are possible. I see amateur
software in the same light I see amateur antennas -- build your own or
have another amateur elmer/tutor/instruct/assist/share-with-you ... it
is just traditional and the true spirit of amateur radio ...

I don't mind being a network admin. but being a radio op isn't quite dead
yet.


I actually worked at the college I attended in the 1990's when I
returned to go "full into computers" (my previous degree was as in
electronic engineering), and before I began an intern position in my
field of study. My last few months, before receiving my diploma, the
actually created a new position for me, "Student Programmer", I was
actually quite proud of it--even though the "big boys" seen it as a
joke! LOL Being both a programmer and a network admin. assistant made
the job seem like "money for nothing", what other sys admins seen as
major problems and were on the phone to Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC)
over, for the VAX, I usually had fixed by the time the techs got there
.... made me rather "hated", really ... however, most finally came around
and asked for the perl-scripts and C programs I used to automate every
task I could find! ... common computer users worshiped us ... "some of
us" let this go to their heads ...

picture breaks up and quits. At other times the same station will give a
solid 3 or 4 bars.This happens on all channels. Perhaps atmospheric
movement? Lots of dust here in the desert. Any other ideas?


As I have said, I am anxious for it to be deployed in my area ... I am
already looking into "digital to analog conversion boxes" which I can
download the firmware from to "reverse engineer" and then flash open
source firmware into ... either by hook or by crook. grin

Only God can control atmospheric conditions (but then, there is HARRP
and other such projects which do SEEM to alter them), and who can stop
that neighbor from erecting that steel storage shed, building that
wrought iron fence, installing those bars on his windows, operating that
ham rig from his stealth antenna grin, etc? :-(

Yes, ducting and "ghosting" of the signal(s) due to reflections, etc.--I
can see these as being a REAL problem. From your description(s), sounds
like "they" just took the exact-same
technology/encoding/decoding-schemes and implemented them onto broadcast


Regards,
JS