[RTTY] New Winlink usage

[Jeff AC0C]

I saw a winlink (it was pactor of some flavor but since you can't decode the 
stuff, you don't really know) session fire up in the middle of a big 
dxpedition pileup a few weeks back - on 17m.  There were tens if not 
hundreds of guys calling the DX.  The pactor was right in the mess of the 
pileup and there is no way on earth that they had any sort of busy detection 
working.  With all these stations in action, I don't think anyone - anywhere 
on earth - could have missed that something was happening on that QRG.  It 
took a few minutes for that noise to drop off.  Seen the same thing on some 
W1AW pileups on 30m recently.

If you are telling me that a guy listened before he hit send, then I have 
bridges for sale and a business card that lists me as your monkey's uncle.

Now in fairness to WL, it could als be some guy's idea of creating 
interference and just happens so that the guy was using pactor as the mode. 
But since you can't decode pactor, the average Joe Ham has no idea of even 
where to begin.

73/jeff/ac0c
www.ac0c.com
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Joe Subich, W4TV
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 2:20 PM
To: rtty at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RTTY] New Winlink usage


> This doesn't, of course, alleviate the need for effective listen-
> before-transmit on the automated station's side...  And, this doesn't
> excuse the occasional Winlink sysop who sets up their node either
> outside the automated subbands, or with more than 500Hz badwidth
> configured.

With Winlink.org recommending system operators disable channel busy
detection and many system operators *advertising* PACTOR 3 and/or
WINMOR 1600 support on frequencies outside the automatic control
subbands, I think you are being charitable at best.  Both of these
actions are certainly contrary to good amateur practice and are
probably contrary to the regulations.  Considering that the actions
would appear to be intentional, they are deserving of substantial
monetary forfeitures and/or license suspension.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 4/23/2014 2:55 PM, Michael Adams wrote:
> Actually, I thought the point that NQ4U was trying to make is that much of 
> the time when there's an issue with Winlink QRM in North America, it's 
> likely because an actual human simply clicked "connect", perhaps 
> disregarding warnings about the frequency being occupied, and without 
> listening an appropriate length of time to see if the frequency is in use.
>
> This doesn't, of course, alleviate the need for effective 
> listen-before-transmit on the automated station's side...but it should 
> partially deflate the concerns about Winlink nodes connecting amongst 
> themselves in a fully automated manner, at least within areas under the 
> FCC's jurisdiction.   This also doesn't alleviate the need for Airmail 
> users to exercise extra care, using their ears since Airmail lacks RMS 
> Express' spectrum display.   And, this doesn't excuse the occasional 
> Winlink sysop who sets up their node either outside the automated 
> subbands, or with more than 500Hz badwidth configured.
>
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