Apparently StripMime didn't like my attachment. I should
probably check the system.
Anyway, this is what I wanted to post.
Sorry for the bandwidth.
73 and Aloha,
Walt
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>From Peter G3PLX
This is strictly-speaking off-topic, but the subject potentially affects
ALL narrow-band digital modes, and that includes PSK31, RTTY, Pactor 1,
Pactor 2, and I will include CW too just for completeness.
The company SCS which manufactures the PTC digital mode terminal, and
which invented Pactor, has now released the latest Pactor-3 mode, which
can be retro-installed into existing PTC-2e hardware, and will be
available in new purchases.
This new mode is much wider bandwidth that Pactor-1 or Pactor-2. It can
be up to 2.4 kHz wide, so that makes it as wide as an SSB emission. If
mode-3 is enabled in two Pactor-equipped stations, one Pactor station
calling the other on a channel which is 500Hz wide with other QSOs
either side, could switch without warning to 2.4 kHz wide, WITHOUT
CHECKING THAT THE ADJACENT CHANNELS ARE CLEAR. It is therefore very
important that PT3 is ONLY used on channels which are 2.4 kHz wide
before the QSO starts.
The present worldwide bandplans do not distinguish between digital modes
of different widths, they just say that all digital modes should operate
in specific bands. I have informed RSGB about the latest developments,
and asked them to inform IARU and debate this urgently at the next IARU
meeting. If nothing is done to change the bandplans, there will be a
great potential for conflict. I believe that the intention of the
bandplans has always been to keep modes of different widths separate,
and that this intention has always been met in the past, but only
because digital modes were always narrow-band. Now that there will be
wide digital modes, I think we need to change the way the bandplan is
worded, so that we CONTINUE to separate wide and narrow modes. THIS
MEANS PUTTING PT3 HIGHER IN THE BAND THAN THE PRESENT NAARROW-BAND
DIGITAL MODES.
In fact on the popular amateur bands, 80, 40, 20, this can be done
without a change, at least it can in the region 1 IARU bandplan, because
the sections 3600-3620, 7040-7045, and 14101-14112 are already shared
between digital modes and SSB.
I would therefore ask anyone who receives this reflector to copy this
message to other discussion groups, especially those concerned with all
narrow-band amateur modes including PSK31, RTTY, Pactor, and CW, with
the intention to agree that ALL Pactor-3 activity should be inside the
sections of the bands that I have shown above, and certainly NOT below
3600, 7040, and 14100 where narrow-band modes are normally used. In the
case of 10MHz, it is well-known that this is a shared band and the IARU
bandplan prohibits SSB because of this. PT3 should therefore also be
prohibited on this band. This may all change in September if there is
some IARU resolution agreed at the next IARU region 1 meeting.
73
Peter
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