[Elecraft] RTTY vs. PSK31 (was: OT - 73 Magazine (was H modemixer))

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Good points Sandy, but you know there are a lot of guys with old Type 47 and
33 mechanical printers out there who enjoy firing them up and hearing them
rattle the windows of the shack pounding out TTY on paper by the hour. As
far as I know, not a one of them will do PSK or any other TOR mode.

While many Hams keep their eyes squarely on the future, many look back to
the past. Shoot, there are even many Hams who build and operate vacuum tube
gear and some who have yet to utter a single word on 'phone using anything
but AM phone! <G> 

I agree that we should conserve spectrum as a matter of good stewardship of
the resource but out here in the west, at least, we have lots and lots of
KHz on the HF bands that are unoccupied except, perhaps, during a contest.
If the day ever comes that we do find ourselves unable to squeeze in
sideways on a band, perhaps we'll need to re-think the use of some wider
bandwidth modes, just like "King Spark" was outlawed for just that reason
about 75 years ago. 

Ron AC7AC



-----Original Message-----
In my humble opinion, I would say PSK, generally, has it "all over" RTTY. 
Communication can be maintained with very marginal signals, and very nearby 
signals (unless they are "dirty" or overpowering the receiver's AGC system).

I have used a lot of RTTY systems over the years and they require MORE 
bandwidth, more power for effective communication (generally), and subject 
nearby signals more interference (generally).

The largest "bug" I have found in the PSK system is that it is "mangled" by 
propagation phase shifts caused by auroral disturbances even though audibly,

the signal sounds "OK".
I consider this acceptable as it (PSK31) seems to "get through" much more 
efficiently than RTTY with less power.  Speed in this case not a factor in 
keyboard to keyboard QSO's.

I can see no sense in using MORE bandwidth than a PSK31 signal to convey 
normal QSO information.  Other modes capable of data and image communication

in addition to normal keyboard QSO's wind up being gross "overkill" and use 
spectrum space a lot more inefficiently.  Spectrum space for CW, digital 
modes is "shrinking" from demands made for voice and wide data modes. 
Therefore it would behoove us to contrate our efforts on the narrowest 
digital mode that will give satisfactory communication in these days of 
decreasing spectrum space.  An amazing amount of use is being made of just a

3-5 Khz. "sub band" for PSK operations on most bands from 80-10 meters.  It 
amazes me why this mode isn't replacing RTTY, and remains a popular FSK 
mode.  It would be like comparing effectiveness of SSB voice mode to the 
older AM voice mode.  I can't see people changing over to AM, even as a 
"fad", over SSB operations.  It's starkly obvious which is generally 
superior!

My "two pennies" worth on this thread.

73,

Sandy W5TVW