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[KE7FD]

I apologize in advance if this topic has already been approached elsewhere. Just having gotten back from Field Day where we worked numerous ft8 and some ft4, and owing to the fact that it is Field Day where we just exchange the bare minimum in contacts, needless to say I am unimpressed. I recall using PSK31 years ago and I'm wondering if that mode is still a favorite for conversational QSO's or if there's another mode used to ragchewing?

[VA3VF]

Try JS8Call:

https://js8call.com/

[K7AAT]

The most recent new chat program is VarAC  ( chat )   which uses the VARA HF software moden that WinLink uses.  It is error free and sizable files can also be sent ... but it is a very nice new chat option .  More and more hams are discovering it.   

[KF4HR]

Computer programming intervention can make for nice error-free data transfers on certain modes but on the flip side, relying on your PC to decode your data IMO reduces the challenge of QSO'ing (akin to using email).  I continue to prefer PSK31 or other real-time keyboard modes. 

[K7LZR]

PSK-31 and RTTY are still very much alive, and I hear both modes in use on 40 & 20m somewhat regularly .

[N8NK]

CW

Chuck, N8NK

[G4AON]

For sound card modes, Olivia works well. I have been a long term user of Amtor and Pactor with external modems.

Sadly, the majority of amateurs using data cannot be bothered with anything other than FT8, good luck finding anyone to have a ragchew QSO, I've been trying for years with little success.

73 Dave

[N1UKX]

Check out  https://www.podxs070.com/ , a club that promotes PSK31 operation.

[K3XR]

The most recent new chat program is VarAC  ( chat )   which uses the VARA HF software moden that WinLink uses.  It is error free and sizable files can also be sent ... but it is a very nice new chat option .  More and more hams are discovering it.

Been "test-driving" it for the past couple of weeks and I like it.  They just added a mailbox feature.  The downside is I don't find it to be very user-friendly, and it was slow-going at the start there are a couple of functions I'm still working on.  I admit, that I'm not at the top of the class when it comes to computer literacy.

[W3HF]

PSK31 is still around, though its usage has dropped from (say) five years ago. My waterfall on 20 and also on 40 was quite full during Field Day this past weekend. It's also busy during PSK contests, but it's true there are fewer stations randomly calling CQ at any given time.

I second the suggestion of the 070 Club (www.podxs070.com), and thank you to N1UKX for mentioning us. We sponsor contests, awards, other "non-contest" activities, and a pretty active email reflector, all focused on PSK31.

[KE7FD]

Thanks guys for the updates. I'll fire up my time machine to check out PSK31 and the other suggestions.

Glen KE7FD

[W1VT]

When I did PSK31 I found out that the cadence of my touch typing helped stations wishing to ragchew via keyboard find me.
Thus, it made sense for me to do a lot of typing.

Zak W1VT

[W4KYR]

 Packet Radio too

[N6YWU]

FT8 can transmit 13 characters of free text (every 30 seconds) anywhere in a band where digital modes are allowed. 

Just skip the computerized auto-sequencing and find a free frequency somewhere out of the contest-exchange-only sub-band.  ID at least every 10 minutes.

[VA3VF]

FT8 can transmit 13 characters of free text (every 30 seconds) anywhere in a band where digital modes are allowed. 

Just skip the computerized auto-sequencing and find a free frequency somewhere out of the contest-exchange-only sub-band.  ID at least every 10 minutes.

True...but why not use JS8Call instead? It has most, if not all, advantages of FT8 with a focus on conversation.

I may have missed something, if so, my apologies.

P.S. I do not use JS8Call, I tried it, but I'm not into keyboard to keyboard conversations.