[UK-CONTEST] Re AFSK/FSK to PSK switching

[Phil Cooper]

Hi all,

Firstly, Happy New Year 2009 to everyone!

I don't think there is a neat and tidy way to achieve this. Like others, I
also use Writelog, but the PSK decoder is all but useless.

One way would be to use MMVARI, and log into WL, but that kind of defeats
the object. Does N1MM support the PSK modes??
Not too sure whether SD supports PSK either.

However, I am not in favour of PSK as a contest mode, simply because it
encourages folk to use way too much power. PSK is much better at lower
powers (under 20 watts), and if everyone uses 100 watts, the bands can get a
bit swamped. And if you then add the fact that many will be overdriven too,
you just end up finding the same call at lots of different frequencies.

Someone mentioned PSK63 and PSK125 for contesting. I disagree that they are
better. For one thing, you need twice the power to achieve the same signal
level for PSK63, and (I haven't tried it) probably double again for PSK125.
And then the bandwidth is greater as well.
The problem I found with PSK63 was that it was SO quick that you had to
almost double the length of the buffers, thereby defeating the object. If
you have just CQ TEST DE GU0SUP GU0SUP CQ as your CQ buffer, it is too quick
for folk to net onto.
OK, I will agree that the exchange can be quicker, but that is only part of
it.

I'll stick to RTTY thanks!

73 all

Phil GU0SUP

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