Topband: The use of digital modes on 160 metres

[Jan Babinec]

Just to underline Tom's comments, see the following paper

http://www.sm2cew.com/Digital%20communications%20using%20minimal%20transfer.pdf

73 Jan OM2XW

> From: w8ji at w8ji.com
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:33:28 -0400
> Subject: Re: Topband: The use of digital modes on 160 metres
> 
> >> The simple fact is that digimodes, thanks especially to K1JT and his
> >> excellent software, are a game changer. DX is now workable on 6m via EME
> >> (I'm not suggesting topband via the moon, in case anyone was wondering!)
> >> but also via terrestrial paths when conditions are marginal - JT65 (and 
> >> its
> >> HF variant) can integrate and pull out signals that are well below 
> >> ambient
> >> noise levels.
> 
> So can a good CW operator.
> 
> >> I can see the same happening on 160. How would you feel if you have built
> >> and 4-square and got 200+ countries, only to find someone with a bit of
> >> bent wire doing the same thing?
> 
> A bit of bent wire can easily work 200+ countries on 160 on CW. Probably 
> more so than on "digital" modes at the present time.
> 
> But, on the flip side, how excited will
> >> the
> >> latter operator be when he finds he can work DX on a band which 
> >> previously
> >> he had found impossible because he doesn't have room for that 4-square?
> 
> ....or doesn't have patience or CW skill.
> 
> >> It's early days yet, but as the digimodes software improves further (and
> >> it's really down to the processing power of PCs at the end of the day) 
> >> and
> >> other matters like bandplanning get resolved, these are the dilemmas we
> >> will increasingly be facing. Maybe we will need two versions of 160m 
> >> DXCC -
> >> one of which specifically states "SSB and CW only" or somesuch!
> 
> That's a good suggestion. It really should be one award for the case where a 
> human operator copies the signal, a man and his radio, and another 
> certificate where a machine actually copies the signal, a man reading the 
> text decoded and printed on a machine.
> 
> This fits with the trend to make rewards in life increasingly less dependent 
> on human effort, patience, and skill, and those who prefer to do it with 
> human involvement. There should be two clear classes.
> 
> But that isn't the primary issue for me. The issue for me is technical, and 
> surrounds how we plan growth when some groups simply go off on their own and 
> ignore bandplans and the IARU.
> 
> 73 Tom 
> 
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