PSK 31 mode - digital--it's easy

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carson

carson

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For those unfamiliar with the PSK (Phase Shift Keying) mode, I have listed a photo below of the computer screen.

    Extremely low bandwidth used for each signal. All the yellow lines you see are individual hams, all over the world.  Just move your mouse pointer on one and you are on his frequency,

    Once your xmtr is fired up, just use the macro buttons above to send CQ's, personal info, greetings, replies, BTU's (back to you) and sign offs. In between, of course, you will have plenty of time to rag chew.

The technical setup is very inexpensive, the software is free.

  If you have any questions on how to proceed I'll be glad to share my own experiences.

carson FL

Just another thought: edit:  RF power to the antenna is usually less then 10 Watt.
 

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Yeah, stuff happens. But folks like you and me know better, don't we. Keep the audio input to a minimum; more is better doesn't work with phase shift.

If they only read the manual before they go on the air, that would help. :)

carson FL
 
cool

just for the heck of it I fired up psk31 Deluxe from Ham Radio Deluxe & was copying a few stations immediately.

how? the only connection (wire) between my puter & radio is the control cable.

Then I observed that the received signal was a function of the volume control. 

Aha! the dollar two ninety eight microphone I use for echo link.  Set the puter mike in front of the radio speaker, adjusted volume so spectral display looked nice & started seeing qsos.

Set the mod type for rtty.  Seemed like the right thing to do.

Next step - send from keyboard while keying radio mike & holding in front of 'puter speaker?

I asked Santa for a Tigertronics SignaLink USB.

Joel
 
Joel
West Mountain Radio, has the RigBlaster, real easy interface between the radio and puter.  Speaker and mic will work, but hard to maintain proper levels, plus avoiding background noise.



I am about to sell off my station, just don't have time to mess with HF.  I'll get another when the time becomes available. 
 
I built my own PSK-31 interface, couple of audio isolaiton transformers, opto isolator for Tr switching, and a switch and indicator for safety and indication About all there is to it.

Love PSK, I mean, I figured it out and power per cycle with PSK-31 a 30 watt signal compares to a full gallon on SSB, Very nice.

Worked all over the place with PSk and 30 watts output
 
A question, John
    Do you mean 30W DC Input power? As read on your IP meter when dipped?

True output, as I see it, is about 10W RF to the antenna or less. Have worked medium DX stations running 3 watt. If you crank your audio feed up to get too high, severe over-modulation (Thick traces and hi IMD).

Straighten me out, if I am wrong.

carson FL

 
30 watts out as measured on the Kenwood's OUTPUT meter,

NOTE: the transmitter can do 100 watt, And with the proper settings I can hit around 90 without distorting the signal but I absolute keep the power below 1/2 the transmitter's rating for other reasons (Duty cycle)

Others report my IMD in the -20s which is quite good.

The math on power density (punch of your signal) is to divide total watts out by total bandwith out

SSB is around 2-4 KC bandwith, AM 2x that  PSK is 31 HZ

So 31 watts PSK = 2,000 watts peak on SSB
 
John, my Kenwood also delivers 100 Watt. But that is DC input power. I too keep my DC input down to about 40 Watt. AGC at the top.

PSK audio out controls the RF to the antenna. The 10 Watts I am talking about is RF power as measured by my RF wattmeter. That's what counts.Remember we are talking continues wave Phase shift, not SSB . The carrier is constant, no peaks as in SSB.

carson
 
I do remember that is why I keep the power down to the left half of the meter (Meter peaks at 100 watt)

Running over 50 percent is not good for the radio.

AGC does not activate when I'm sending PSK, if it did the waveform would distort
 
Yep, PSK31 is a blast to use!  Some PSK programs will receive and decode a dozen qso's at once, if you really get bored.  Maybe one could try transmitting a dozen qso's at the same time too.  LOL  Now that's real multiplexing.
 
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