[Meteor-Scatter] FSK441 and procedure

[Shelby Ennis, W8WN]

At 13:08 2002-08-19 +0200, Remigijus Vaicius wrote:
>Briefly:
>1. CQ + 'letter" (normal MSCW procedure);
>2. CQ Uxx or CQ Dxx (Up or Down from calling frequencu on "xx" kHz);
>3. CQ xxx ("xxx" - frequency where you will listen after CQ)
>Something else??
>I have never tryed 2. or 3. and have no idea do WSJT support it in setup

On the other side of the Atlantic - We had previously discussed some of this.

1. We started out with the "CQ Letter" (e.g., "CQF"), but quickly 
changed.  It works fine, but limits you.

(1a.  We have not tried "CQ6" etc, for, while it would work, it again is 
limiting).

2.  We quickly went to "CQUxx" and "CQDxx" as it works FB with WSJT (just 
type it into the "TO" box, or go to "Options" and edit the "TX 6" box, 
depending on whether you wish to save it or not).  This requires only a 
little extra ping time over the CQ Letter method and is much more 
versatile, for it gives you twice as many frequencies to use (both up and 
down, always referenced from the frequency being used for a CQ).  It is 
also the easiest for a new operator to understand.

3.  We have not tried "CQ xxx" over here.   Advantage - it potentially 
opens up even more of the band, and you don't have to add or subtract 
anything in the middle of the night.  ;-}  Disadvantage - It requires 
perfect copy of 3 figures, but should work fine.

We will most likely stay with #2, "CQUx" and "CQDx" over here.  It is 
adequate for our needs and is simple.  This still gives you 99 frequencies 
up and down from the calling frequency.  However, because of the much 
larger number of good VHF DX operators over there, if your band plan 
changes, you might possibily need more frequencies.  (We can't even imagine 
anything like that!  Outside of major showers, a straight "CQ" is fine over 
here - not that many stations on).  We had a number of new stations on for 
the Perseids.  Most understood the "CQUxx" but a few did not at first.  We 
have tried to make our procedures widely available, but some fellows always 
miss it.  We have no better solutions for this problem!

(Grid squares - we do not put the grid square into the CQ over here, 
*unless* it's a /MM, /M, or /portable station that will change locations 
occasionally.  There has not been enough activity yet to need both the use 
of a different frequency and also the grid of the CQing station.  When it 
is used, the grid is put after the call of the CQing station.  E.g., "CQ 
W1LP EL62").

What would work best over there, we don't know.  This is simply a quick 
summary of our tests over here, while trying to look at your much larger 
numbers of operators but different band plans.
We will be interested in what you fellows decide.  HSMS, and most of the 
techniques for it, originated over there, so any ideas you have are 
valuable to us, also.

73, Shelby, W8WN