[GreenKeys] RE: Wednesday Update on HoffNet

[Eric Scace K3NA]

   From the recent email traffic, I fear that folks have very unrealistic expectations for this HoffNet project.

   We can not expect to use one frequency to cover all of continental USA 24 hours per day.  Probably two frequencies won't do the
job either.  Running low power reduces the available time further, of course.  If folks have been expecting that 10137.3 kHz will
work all day/night for them, these expectations are unrealistic.

   That leaves us with two choices:

   1) Design the network for close to 24 hour per day continental coverage.  That requires multiple frequencies and full power.
This means either:
      a) station operators will have to move radios multiple times per day, either by computer control... or manually... or have
multiple radios/TUs/machines.  This will get closer to full-time coverage, but at the cost of a great deal of manual intervention.
Older radios will be more difficult to properly line up each time a frequency change occurs.  I think this is impractical for most.
      b) operators will pick one frequency to monitor and accept limited availability.

   Frankly, I think it's silly to set a design goal of "I can talk to anyone in North America 24 hours a day".  That's what the
internet is for.  95% of participants will be happy to have one radio locked on to one frequency, dedicated to this project.  So
that leaves design goal #2...

   2) Design the network for relative simplicity.  This means one frequency.  This means we don't have 24 hour communication between
any particular pair of stations... but some communications will be available at some point during the day for everyone to play with.

   I recommend walking before running.  Let's get interested people on one frequency, parked there 24 hours a day with a functioning
radio, TU and machine.  With a WRU function, it's easy to determine if you have propagation to your target station.  If we find over
100 people running SelCal and autostart, I will be really surprised.

   Of the choices of 20m, 30m, 40m or 80m, I would still favor 30m as the single-frequency or preferred-frequency choice.  It has
the greatest number of hours of propagation to somewhere between stations in the USA.  Yes, it will close in the evening at some
point as the MUF crashes down -- and, in a few years, it will close pretty quickly after sunset.  30m will also allow
intercontinental participation, an increase in the audience.  This band is free of contest congestion on weekends.  Antenna
requirements are pretty modest compared to 40m and below.  The only real issue here is the inability to run 1.5 kW in the USA.

   20m will get clobbered every contest weekend during the daytime; it will also close earlier that 30m in the evening.  This band
can also get congested during non-contest weekends.

   40m is just asking for trouble.  It has more limited coverage during the daytime than 30m.  During the nighttime it will be
clobbered by European SSB (here on the east coast) and by the major contest weekends.  The autostart system will click on many times
with gibberish.  This band is very crowded and we can not expect a quiet frequency.

   80m won't be worth much in the daytime.  One needs power and an antenna at 65 ft+ to make RTTY good copy across the continent at
night.

   And any frequency will be affected by ionospheric disturbances.

   I strongly recommend sticking with a single frequency on a quiet band.  I think as the year goes on we will find 10133.3 the best
compromise.

-- Eric K3NA