[50mhz] [VHF] Name this sound

[Lance Collister, W7GJ]

According to the update notes, Joe introduced ISCAT in WSJT9 to replace JT6M as the 
mode of choice for meteor scatter on 6m.  So it makes sense that you heard it on the 
digital meteor scatter calling frequency on 6m.  Actually, it probably could be used 
between many stations quite reliably on D layer scatter too if they are between 600 
and 1100 miles apart.

However, ISCAT has some very attractive qualities that I believe will make it popular 
for 6m DXing during multihop or marginal Es cndx too.  It can be used in either 30 or 
15 second periods, and it is slightly more sensitive than CW.  So, I would not be at 
all surprised if we hear it on other frequencies come Es season.  I have not heard 
yet of any "digital DX calling frequency" but would not be surprised if people 
started using 50.210 for international ISCAT DX.  Virtually all 6m EME occurs BELOW 
50.210, so I suspect one possibility for consideration would be for  ionospheric 
ISCAT DXing to take place between 50.210 and 50.220.

With the availability of effective real time 6m chat pages such as those provided by 
ON4KST, I think it will become very easy to experiment with ISCAT on such frequencies 
and determine some preferred band plan use for these very powerful new digital weak 
signal modes.

GL and VY 73, Lance



On 1/27/2011 2:12 PM, David Kozinn, K2DBK wrote:
> Again, thanks to all for helping, and as I noted (some may have missed the
> message), it was indeed ISCAT. If you've never listened, it does sound very
> different from FSK441 which is actually what I was expecting to hear there.
> In fact, after the signal went away, I did hear some FSK441 (also from a
> relatively local ham, it was MS) and was able to decode that as well.
>
> Thanks for the interesting diversion into the world of weak-signal digital
> modes.
>
> 73,
>       David, K2DBK
>       k2dbk.com
>       k2dbk.blogspot.com
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 6:11 AM, Joe<jbarkley at truvista.net>  wrote:
>
>>   Sounds like ISCAT. I have not used it but it is in the mode selection
>> in the WSJT 9.0 version.
>> Joe
>> KI4TZ
>>
>> David Kozinn, K2DBK wrote:
>>
>> This evening, I've heard a sound on 50.260 that I haven't been able to
>> identify. I'm not familiar with all the digital modes so this might be
>> something relatively simple, but I couldn't find a clip online that matched
>> it, nor could I figure out which of the many modes available in DM780 (part
>> of Ham Radio Deluxe) could decode it. The audio lasts for just under 30
>> seconds and seems to repeat after 30 seconds of silence, so I was thinking
>> it might be a weak-signal mode but it's very wide and didn't match anything
>> in WSJT that I could find either.
>>
>> Rather than try to describe it, I've posted a full "cycle" of the sound up
>> on my website (since I didn't know if I could post an attachment here).
>> Here's the link: http://k2dbk.com/50.260.mp3
>>
>> Can someone let me know what this is? Thanks!
>>
>> 73,
>>       David, K2DBK
>>       k2dbk.com
>>       k2dbk.blogspot.com
>>
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-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ
(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR)
P.O. Box 73
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2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815

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