Topband: The use of digital modes on 160 metres

[Tom W8JI]

> For the record, I have tried JT65 and other digital modes. I'm not opposed 
> to them, but they are not for me. To each their own, of course, but I 
> would rather watch paint dry than work digital modes. For me it takes the 
> fun and sense of personal achievement out of operating.

It appears to me, if SM2CEW is correct, these are not QSO's at all.

"As we see, in JT65 things are different. The software has significant 
limitations because the
Deep Search module can never decode unknown callsigns or locators. 
Everything must be
known in advance and presented to the CPU. The Deep Search decoder is 
looking for
fragments of the 72 bit long message that the other station is transmitting 
to compare with the
known data already present on the computer. When there is a probability of a 
match to these
received fragments, the calls and a locator is printed in full on the 
computer screen. During
this Deep Search process, the computer may not even have copied half of one 
callsign to
perform the guessing. Two complete calls are at least 56 bits long, but in 
Deep Search 14 bits
or less are required to produce full calls on the screen. This means that 
25% or less of the
original message is actually required to be received via the radio. The 
operator is unaware of
this and is lead to believe that all information has been recieved."

They apparently do give users the perception of being a QSO. I wonder why 
the ARRL even counts them at all?

73 Tom