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VK3XX > MORSE 09.06.06 09:05l 65 Lines 3277 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 981473VK3XX
Read: GUEST DF1GG
Subj: Re: Small survey vk6be
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<DK0WUE<CE8FGC<VK6HGR<VK4TRS<VK3FBD
Sent: 060609/0638Z @:VK3FBD.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC #:10462 [Lilydale] FBB7.00g
From: VK3XX@VK3FBD.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC
To : MORSE@WW
Hi Bob and other readers.
The message from Bob VK6BE about DX worked on VHF/UHF using CW reminded
me of some tests I carried out about a couple of years ago on 2 metres.
In very ordinary conditions the path between my QTH in the Melbourne area
and Wangarratta, Vic is quite marginal mainly because of the proximity of
an intervening range of hills very close to the Wangarratta end of the 172
km path. At that end was VK3BEW right in town and we both ran 10 watts
into fairiy ordinary antennas, in my own case an 11 el Yagi at about 11 m
high above ground which is 150 m AMSL.
We compared sigs on CW, PSK31 and SSB telephony.
Success was in that order, CW was always readable r5 if there was any
propagation at all. PSK printed reliably 80-100% most of the time provided
the watefall pattern in Digipan could be distinguished against the noise.
SSB was r2/3. Occasionally as tropospheric conditions improved a bit
readability also improved but the CW was always way ahead of the ssb and
even the PSK31.
There is no doubt that is what would we expected but it proved the point
that CW was the best small signal mode, only now superceded by the various
modes developed by W1JT and others which I must confess to never having
tried though I do have the WSJT software but never seem to be around at
the right times. Or indeed perhaps enough patience to learn!
I have been in Australia for 34 years and apart from those tests I have
never had a CW contact on 2 metres because of zero detected activity. Yet
in the UK in the 1960's I had many CW contacts the length of the country
on 2 metres and a proportionately large number under auroral propagation
conditions. Many of these were in continental Europe too. Of course that
was easy and by comparison VHF stations here are few as they are largely
confined to the state capital cities with country area stations very few
and extremely far between! Even in 1980-83 I worked over 100 SSB stations
around Melbourne and out to 100 km yet I would be hard pressed to find
even one except certain activity skeds today except when there is a good
tropospheric opening or I listen to those between here and Sydney (about
500 km) working by aircraft scatter. So after Oscar 10 and 13 for a bit of
VHF?UHF challenge I have largely given up on VHF or UHF comms. It is all
getting too hard for me now. So back to HF and a lot of that is on CW for
DX at this stage of the sunspot cycle.
Just thought you all might be interested in this contribution to the Morse
thread. It is good to see so many responses favouring CW can be generated
by this Jurassic ( as considered by some) mode of packet. This plus IRLP
has made me keep the VHF/UHF gear running. Though my 2 metre and 70 cm
beams are stuck now due to a rotator failure and my current inability at
76 with a current back and sciatic nerve injury to do anything about
replacing the rotator. Very frustrating. Maybe next spring I will get the
mast down when it is a bit warmer! Meanwhile it keeps me going on 2 metres
with a J-pole for FM up there on the top. But only CW on HF!!!
Cheers and
73 - GORDON, VK3XX @ VK3FBD.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC
Message timed: 16:02 AEST on 09 Jun 2006
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