[RTTY] RTTY Screwed by FCC?

[Bill Turner]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 13:06:28 -0400, "Joe Subich, W4TV"
 <w4tv at subich.com> wrote:

>For a mode (specifically a "mode of emission") to be digital it is only 
>necessary for the signal to take a limited (finite) number of distinct 
>states as opposed to an infinite number of states between a set of 
>limits (amplitude, frequency etc.).  

------------ REPLY FOLLOWS ------------

Joe, you could not be more mistaken.

For a mode to be "digital", the states have to represent numbers. In
your examples which follow your quote above you have taken an analog
signal and digitized it. That is perfectly ok, but the original signal
was not numeric. Only your digitized version is truly digital.

I don't know how much simpler I can make it, but let me try one more
time:

In a digital system the different states represent numbers. These
numbers can be processed in a number of ways; added, subtracted,
multiplied, squared, whatever. In an analog system the different
states are only the presence of absence of a signal - no numbers
involved. Take two digital characters and multiply them together, then
divide the result by one of the original characters. You will now have
the two original characters. Can you multiply two Baudot characters
together without digitizing them first? No, you can not and that is
why they are not digital characters to begin with. They are analog.

You either get it or you don't, Joe. 

I have better things to do than spend any more time on the subject.
Think it over and we can agree to disagree if you like.

Bill, W6WRT