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1-9 of 9 messages
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new on psk31.A quick question.
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by GEOCACHERM3HXE on April 17, 2009
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Hi all...I have a question.I am restricted to 10watts output due to licence conditions and have a trio ts-130s.I reduce the output on SSB useing an ALC mod.I have removed this mod for psk as Im told that I can reduce the power by a combination of the mic gain on the rig ,the souncard controls and the level control on my interface is this correct? I hope so as it seems to be working ok sofar and have NO alc reading at all on my meter and have made a few good dx contacts already. Could someone please tell me If ive done this right?
Thankyou.
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RE: new on psk31.A quick question.
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by AA4PB on April 17, 2009
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That's correct. Anything that reduces the audio level to the transmitter will reduce the power output on SSB. That includes the sound card mixer controls, the interface level, and the mike gain.
You never want any ALC action on PSK31 as it can distort the signal and cause poor IMD readings and a wide transmit signal. You did right in removing the ALC mod for PSK31.
By the way, you can limit voice SSB output power with the ALC mode removed by keeping the mike gain down as well. You need to closely monitor the output power with a peak reading wattmeter and adjust the mike gain for the desired peak output reading on the meter.
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RE: new on psk31.A quick question.
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by G0GQK on April 18, 2009
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My advice to you is don't be concerned about it, nobody but you will know. Many years ago when PSK was first used it was recommended that the most power required was 10-15 watts. Many stations are using more, I had a contact with one in the US who stated he was running 200 watts, which is quite uneccessary.
Watching the screen a few days ago a station in Portugal reported he was using 500 watts. God help us when the bands do improve if we have many of these stations using vastly excessive power.
G0GQK
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RE: new on psk31.A quick question.
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by N3OX on April 18, 2009
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"I had a contact with one in the US who stated he was running 200 watts, which is quite uneccessary.
Watching the screen a few days ago a station in Portugal reported he was using 500 watts. God help us when the bands do improve if we have many of these stations using vastly excessive power. "
Oh for God's sake, PSK31 is not a magic mode that's 20dB better than any other mode.
There is no such thing as a maximum "necessary" power for any amateur radio mode, period.
There IS such a thing as a properly adjusted system putting out a nice, clean signal, but once you have that, you can pass it through a nice, clean amplifier and run nice, clean PSK31 at a kilowatt output if necessary. Not many amps will actually do that, but I'm sure many 1.5kW - 2kW class ones would do 500W full duty cycle.
The idea that there is a maximum "allowable" power on PSK31 is ridiculous.
If I need to run 1kW to barely contact Vietnam on 20m on CW, I sure as heck can't contact Vietnam on the same antenna on PSK31 with 10W. So what if I want to contact Vietnam on PSK31?
Just out of luck?
Where do these ideas come from? A dB is a dB is a dB.
Sometimes you need more power. Sometimes you don't. You should use good practice, but trying to champion the idea that PSK31 can only be a QRP mode is bizarre.
And yeah, I'm sure 500W stations with good propagation to you trash your waterfall. Too bad you don't have some sort of ... uh.... whaddayacallit? ... oh, yeah, some sort of FILTER to block out other stations besides that little narrow strip you're trying to listen to...
73
Dan
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RE: new on psk31.A quick question.
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by N3OX on April 18, 2009
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By the way, M3HXE...
PSK31 *WILL* make you lots of contacts with 10W.
I'm not trying to dispute that.
QRP works.
It's just ridiculous to demand QRP from everyone on a whole mode regardless of what they might be trying to do there, and this appears to be part of PSK culture... the idea that there is a maximum allowable power output that's different from the one your license allows.
73
Dan
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RE: new on psk31.A quick question.
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by KF6IIU on April 22, 2009
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The main problem with high power of PSK31 is that it will tend to originate from LIDs with their volume turned up to 11, compression on, and the resulting 5khz wide byproducts from amplifying the crummy signal.
However, even a clean loud PSK31 signal will cause intermod in lower-end receivers. And two loud clean PSK31 signals near each other will "look" even worse.
I used to run PSK31 on a FT-101E, now I have a IC-706. The 706 is definitely more prone to this kind of intermod. So before I give out an RST 591 signal report I always turn my attenuator on or my RF gain way down to make sure it's not my own rig's intermod messing up the waterfall.
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RE: new on psk31.A quick question.
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by N3OX on April 23, 2009
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" So before I give out an RST 591 signal report I always turn my attenuator on or my RF gain way down to make sure it's not my own rig's intermod messing up the waterfall.
"
Amen.
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