KC4UAI wrote:
I need a bit of help...

I'm pretty new to this PSK thing. I got to admit that I think it is a
very interesting way to have a QSO and that I've enjoyed the handful
of contacts that I've managed to have so far. I've learned a lot about
PSK and radio in general as I fumbled around trying to get set up and
on the air.

Which leads me to where I need help. I've run into a number of "first
timers" on the air and we all share the same set of questions about
the digital modes, the software, the hardware setup and the syntax of
a QSO. I'm fairly proficient at using Google, but I can tell you that
there are a lot of details that are hard to find when you are setting
all this up for the first time.

I hear ya! Lots of times we don't have enough background to go on.

One good tool however is in the programs themselves. Many of them have
"macros" that you hit a function key and it sends a pre-made bit of text
to the transmitter. That is a pretty good place to look for the
conventions. and most of us on PSK31 are not as big sticklers for those
conventions, so making a "mistake" won't be all that embarrassing.


Is there a good resource that explains the following:
1. The hardware required to link your radio to the computer sound card

This one isn't too bad to google.

http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/interface.html

http://www.w7ji.com/psk.html

has a nice little interfaces.

I suppose the caddilac interface would be one using optoisolators. The
interface I built is similar to the second one on the Geocities page. I
use isolation transformers for both the audio transmit and recieve, and
a potentiometer to trim the audio level.


2. The software choices you have

My favorites are DM780, (see description below) Digipan, and for
quirky value - Zakanaka. There are others, but these three are free.

Google on those names. for the downloads.

3. How to setup the radio to get a clean signal out, and how to know
it's right.

Just as a rundown, on PSK, it is best to have all the audio TX levels
as low as possible, consistent with putting a signal on the air. Most
important is to keep the ALC from engaging. This often limits your power
output, but you shouldn't be using too much output on PSK31 anyhow. It's
a narrow BW mode, and any flaws in a signal will make problems for other
OPs, especially at higher powers. My rule of thumb is 25-30 watts, but
never higher than 50 watts.


4. How to make a QSO (What do all the letters mean???)

What you need to do is a google search on Q-Signals. There will be a
lot of them, not all are applicable any more.

a) How to answer somebody or call CQ

It's largely a matter of personal preference. Some call CQ twice, some
three times. A few do a whole slew of CQ's, which is not needed for PSK,
since we can see a person on the waterfall as soon as they start
transmitting and tune them in a very short time. Those extended CQ's are
for modes where the sending OP is found manually.

But is CQ From (or "de") your callsign . You then repeat. Then listen.
Give the other Ops a chance to reply. I've seen a few Ops who space
their CQ's so cloe that by the time I've answered them, they are in the
middle of calling CQ again.


To answer a call, I usually give their callsign twice, then mine twice.
After establishing a QSO, it is just once.


b) How to end a transmission so they know you are done

During the call

Back to you - BTU their call de your call

Ending the call

73's their call de your call SK.





c) What does 599 mean and how do I formulate the RST reports
d) How to end the QSO


This is an interesting one. Strictly speaking 599 doesn't apply to PSK.
It means something like signal strength, readability, and tone. That,
plus a lot of users just give everyone a 599, no matter what their
signal is. I read somewhere about a alternative numerical exchange for
digital users, I'll try to find it again.

I'm already though #3 and I've learned a lot of the QSO syntax by just
doing it and watching other QSO's, but surely somebody has already
compiled all this information someplace. Where might that be?


I smile when I read this because one of the big troubles I had when
learning live copy Morse code was that most CW ops use a lot of
abbreviations. I was copying words that didn't make any sense to me -
and I assumed I was wrong. Wasn't until after a good bit of copying
that I figured it out.


Most PSK'ers use a lot more plain English than say CW operators do.
Some things such as CQ, 73's and SK are fairly common, and are a nice
connection to our roots, but PSK is not like repeaters, where the
repeater owner has complete say so about how others speak when they use it.


I'm also looking for information about how to harness my PSK software
to drive my logging software so I don't have to keep manually entering
all the log data. What software is out there that does this, and
where can I find it?

I would recommend Digital Master-780, which is part of the Ham Radio
Deluxe suite. This program does a lot of things for you, as well as the
basic program:

Rig control - This is very nice, as many items that might be a menus
item on the radio are now a mouse click on teh computer display.

Multiple modes - DM780 does PSK in it's many flavors, RTTY, Feld-Hell
Olivia, CW, and many more.

mouse over a callsign, and it tells you the country, and if th estation
is in the log yet. right click, and it places the call sign in the log
window, and looks up the station info via an internet call sign server.

It has plenty of macros, which are easily modifiable.

When you sign with the other op, it enters the QSO in the logbook. Then
it will upload the log to Eqsl.cc. Lots more features too.

Best of all, It is free, as well as being probably the best program of
it's type.


- 73 de Mike N3LI -