Hello,
That was fun, I think. Got on for the final two hours using
MixW2.08. Found the operation very fast. However, the fumbling with the
controls for contesting using MixW slowed me down until got into the rhythm
of the contest/software. Also, had to remember the contesting features
available in MixW.
As far as the mode itself, it has promise. It is much better than PSK 31
for finding and synching with a signal. Narrow filters are the only way to
operate if trying to CQ. S&P can use the wide filters unless there is a
very strong signal capturing the AGC. With a lot of stations on in a BPSK
63 contest, narrow filters will be needed for both CQ and S&P operation due
to the AGC capture effect. This seems to take away a big advantage of BPSK
63 over RTTY for a digital mode contest. Hopefully we will find out in the
fall contest.
For the mode to succeed, there has to be a better way of setting up your
station to not create spurious sidebands. I had the IC-746 and computer
adjusted so no ALC was showing and, yet before the contest, several folks
said I looked a bit wide (40 Watts output). Not sure what that means.
Anyway look forward to the trying the mode out this fall in a much more
populated contest environment.
C'ya in the next one.
73,
Mike, K4GMH
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