How to express operating frequency on PSK31?

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eHam.net Forum : Digital : How to express operating frequency on PSK31?

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How to express operating frequency on PSK31?	Reply
by KD7TKQ on June 28, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I had been under the impression that the operating frequency would be the radio's dial frequency (assuming your radio is displaying actual frequency, rather than a built-in display offset) plus the audio frequency (point on the waterfall) at which your software is operating. However, When I went to copy the W1AW FD bulletin, I tuned to the announced frequency of 18.1025 (as 17m seemed my best bet) by setting my radio to 18.10125 and looking at the 1000hz point on my waterfall. In the few minutes before the scheduled transmission, I saw several people tuning up at that same spot, so they obviously had the same idea as I. However, the actual transmission occured further up the dial, at approx. 18.1025 + 1500 (radio on 18.1025 and 1500 on the waterfall) or 18.104. So, which is the correct way to specify a PSK31 operating frequency???

RE: How to express operating frequency on PSK31?	Reply
by KD7TKQ on June 28, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
(oops... I meant to say I started by tuning my radio to 18.1015 and looking at 1000 on waterfall for 18.1025...)

RE: How to express operating frequency on PSK31?	Reply
by AA6YQ on June 28, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
The correct way to specify a PSK31 frequency is by specifying the frequency of the PSK31 signal -- not your transceiver frequency. PSK31 applications that provide transceiver control are able to read your transceiver frequency and thus directly display the frequency of the PSK31 signal you are decoding, e.g. http://www.dxlabsuite.com/Wiki/Graphics/WinWarbler/PSKSignals.jpg If your application doesn't do this, or if you don't have transceiver control configured, then you'll have to manually add your transceiver frequency to the "audio offset" reported by your application. 73, Dave, AA6YQ

RE: How to express operating frequency on PSK31?	Reply
by KD7TKQ on June 29, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Thanks, Dave. So I was calculating correctly. Hmmm... that means W1AW was doing it wrong? oops!

RE: How to express operating frequency on PSK31?	Reply
by KC5NYJ on June 29, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Ham Radio Deluxe or more precisely, DM-780, has a specific option to display the actual transmitting frequency on the waterfall instead of the offset. You have to be using HRD to control the radio for this function, I believe. I ran into the same scenario when attempting to decode the PSK Field Day Bulletin Sunday at 11a CST on "14095" as advertised by the ARRL. I noticed several stations "tuning up" or calling on or about the offset of 1500hz, or 14096.5. Also, there was a pactor station there several minutes before the bulletin and it stayed there throughout, making it impossible to decode the entire bulletin. Very unfortunate and confusing planning and frequency coordination on the part of W1AW.

RE: How to express operating frequency on PSK31?	Reply
by KV9U on June 30, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
W1AW may not always be on an exact frequency due to the fact that the frequency may be in use. Of course they can not always hear stations that a distant station might hear. This issue of what is the actual frequency comes up a lot with digital operators and Dave was right on target that it should always be the actual frequency and typically it is the center frequency. Some rigs have a sweet spot at 1000 Hz and others, such as my ICOM rigs are at 1500 Hz. That means that I need to set my dial frequency below the actual frequency by 1500 Hz if using USB. Hams that insist on using dial frequency, should always state the offset. Since many incorrectly assume that it is dial + 1000 Hz, those of us with a different offset need to convert this for our rig and it can be easy to make an error.

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