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Re: [VHFcontesting] Non meteor scatter digi modes in the Jan contest ?

To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Non meteor scatter digi modes in the Jan contest ?
From: Patrick Thomas <p-thomas@mindspring.com>
Reply-to: Patrick Thomas <p-thomas@mindspring.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2017 09:28:47 -0500 (EST)
List-post: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com">mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
>Is there much interest in running non meteor scatter digital modes in the next
>contest ?  [...]I did have JT65 and we were able to complete in less than 10 
>minutes.

I make it a point to operate terrestrial JT65 for at least a couple hours of 
the contest.  I'd certainly encourage others to do so... after all, it's made 
for digging really quiet signals out of the muck.  It's easily coordinated via 
http://on4kst.org/ or http://www.chris.org/cgi-bin/jt65talk.  Don't know why 
it's not more popular, given all the EME nerds using JT65 through antenna 
stacks and kilowatt amps between 144-1296 MHz.

You might want to also review replies to my thread "JT65 on 222 and above" of 
28 Apr 2016, when I asked about calling frequencies.  To summarize my 
viewpoint, although just randomly squatting in the SSB segment is "okay," it's 
not optimal.  JT65 can pull out signals really close to the noise floor, so 
knob-spinning is not the best approach, and not everyone knows or can reach the 
web chat sites (for example, remote rovers).  Besides, it's a logical, 
well-established practice to have a calling frequency, QRG, call it what you 
want, as a baseline where you can park the radio.

Please discuss, but I think "standard calling frequency minus 24kHz" makes a 
lot of sense, resulting in 144.176, 222.076, 432.076, etc.  It's close to the 
standard calling frequencies, thus easy for knob-spinners to find and 
compatible with equipment tuned for that area.  And it avoids stepping on SSB 
users (CW folks are more audible, and can filter more easily).

WSJT software suggest 144.489 on 2m for reasons which escape me, maybe WSPR 
legacy.  144.100 is pretty dead, so while the band plan seems to allow it, I 
think 144.076 would be off the beaten path.  As stated previously on 6m the 
convention is 50.276.

I've been working on another JT65-related post so will have to get that out 
today too, in this vein. :)

Patrick
KB8DGC
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