[UK-CONTEST] Data modes contest - SWL report !!!

[Andy swiffin]

>
>
>>>> "David L Sharred" <G3NKC at thersgb.net> 01/03/2004 21:59:41 >>>
>Hi All,
>
>Sorry I never worked any of you; I had a very busy weekend, and tried
hard
>to get sorted for a first go at datamodes.  A Mic plug stopped me
actually
>getting on, but I had a listen around all of the same.
>
>Tonight is the very first time I even received PSK31; so, should ask
some
>Dumb questions:
>
>a) - It is written that you don't need filters; I actually though it
helped;
>possibly due to the large dynamic ranges of signals (you could see
when
>someone else stronger came on, and swamped the signal!).  I even used
down
>to 250 Hz at times. Can anyone corroborate my beliefs?

Yes, me!   

I can't understand these claims that you don't need a good filter
either.  

>
>b) - I never saw it written on what your AGC should be set to - slow,
fast,
>or off?  I played with slow and fast; but not off.

I've been playing with the same - the problem is I don't have a narrow
filter (yet) just the vbt on the ts830 which I have set to the narrowest
bandwidth for data.  On psk (and to a lesser extent with rtty) you can
see a big signal come up within your passband and trigger the agc hence
swamping the signal you want.  I've been  trying it with the AGC off
like I use with the MS modes on vhf, generally the receiver on the ts830
copes.  I think I'm going to have to get a narrow filter for the 830 and
then maybe I'll be able to use agc again although I'm not sure how I can
wire it because the filter is switched through the mode switch and just
has a CW Narrow position.


>
>Some signals seemed very wide - typically with significant sidebands -
the
>waveform traces (although averaged ) in my display showed this quite
>clearly. Some big signals also fell in this category.  I heard MW5EPA
having
>a go at one of the guys; I logged 4 with strange sidebands. I shan't
name
>and shame; but if you have a concern over your signal, I can tell you
if you
>are in the black list !

Problem is you can't check out your own signal unless you've got
another receiver, 2nd computer etc etc and I don't!  Not that I have any
reason to think I'm txing a bad signal!   Am I right in my setting up, I
adjust the mic gain until the ALC just indicates and then back it off a
bit?  I'm using a good ol' ts830 with a nice valve pa.

>
>Used DX4WIN as the PSK engine, by the way.
>
>I got MMTTY at the weekend, but never had a go at that (must do it
before
>next time).
>
>Are there any ACTUAL contest loggers, with PSK and RTTY built in, thru
the
>sound card (not via RTTY units?). I know LOGGER Can handle MMTTY, but
not
>PSK31.

I'm using mmtty for rtty which I find quite nice, seems to do all I
want to do.  I've tried winwarbler and winpskse for psk and don't rate
either much, particularly for contest use but may be I just need to
practice more.   If anyone knows of a really good (free) psk program I'd
be interested (shame there's not an mmtty for psk!)

Cheers
Andy
gm8oeg