Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 02:57:30 -0400
From: "Holger 'Geri', DK8KW" <DK8KW@compuserve.com>
Subject: LF: PSK31 QSOs and Test Transmissions
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
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Hello folks,

for those of you interested in receiving PSK31 please be informed that I
have arranged a sked with Dave, G3YXM to hopefully establish the first
PSK31 QSO between the UK and the continent. This historical event will take
place on 

                        Saturday, September 11, 1999 starting at 06.30 UTC.


Frequency is 137.450 kHz (hopfully +/- a few Hertz only). I will run a
short test transmission and call Dave between 06.30 and 06.35, then Dave
will answer for the next 5 minutes. Posibly we will be able to shorten the
overs after that, however, currently I still need 10 to 20 seconds to
switch from transmit to receive.

For those of you who do not like to wake up that early and who need some
more time to get a feeling on how to tune in on PSK31 signals (tuninge very
very slow is the key to success as the signal is only 31 Hz wide ...) I
will run another 1-hour test transmission on 137.450 kHz 

                        Saturday, September 11, between 09.00 and 10.00
UTC.


PSK31 is a teletype mode making use of a phase shift keying modulation.
There are various programs available as freeware (Windows, UNIX/LINUX,
etc.). If you have a so-called multimedia computer, the easiest way is to
use G3PLX's program for Windows 95/98 that makes use of a simple soundcard.
Follow the link to PSK31 on my "links" page
(http://www.dk8kw.home.pages.de).

It might be worth checking 137.450 kHz from time to time as I currently
also plan to run couple of tests in various HELL modes (kind of fax,
whereby each singe character is faxed as a sequency of tones with various
frequencies). There is a HELL mode that is compatible to Spectrogram so
that you can read the characters directly on the Spectrogram screen. I am
currently trying toestablish the best parameters and will advise soon. Also
for HELL there are various freeware programs available. I will add a link
to them on my homepage soon.

Reception reports are allways welcome!


Best 73 and  happy LF listening and reading


Geri, DK8KW (W1KW)

P.S.: between all those tests, I will also try to run a couple of good old
Morse-code CW QSOs made by hand ...