[MRCA] PCS Mode - Thank you

[Alex J Rokowetz]

Rob,
 
I received several responses, none which said "I know EXACLTY what PCS is." or " I work with PCS every day...".  The emails I received generally started with "PCS sounds like..." or "PCS might be...".  That said, here's what I heard:
 
By law, PCS is a mode required for use within certain marine/ship to shore HF SSB radiotelephone transceivers.  Manufacturers of marine HF SSB radiotelephones like SEA  www.seacomcorp.com also have the PCS mode in their HF SSB transceivers.  If Transworld/Datron wants to market the 7000 series radios to the marine market (or user who wants to install a 7000 series radio in certain vessels) then PCS would be a required mode.
 
Most of the respondants thought PCS may stand for something like Pilot Carrier Sideband or Pilot Carrier System.  The emission designator for this mode may be "A3A".  I'm unsure if A3A is the current designator for PCS or if it has been replaced with a newer designator.
 
The respondants also provided the following detailed information about A3A and PCS:
	* a pilot carrier is sometimes used when precise demodulation of the received signal is required. The pilot carrier is separated from the sideband information, amplified in a separate channel, and re-inserted at the detector. Another method is to use the pilot carrier as received to derive error signals for automatic-frequency control of a receiver oscillator.
	* A3A inserts pilot carrier for 2 MHz marine operator duplex channels... A3A is used primarily for public correspondence channels.  This allows the shore station to lock on to the pilot carrier with an autotune receiver. The pilot carrier is 16 dB below the radio's PEP output
	* Locking a receiver to the pilot carrier produces a link which is no longer dependent on only master oscillator stability for fidelity and phase detection
	* 3A is Single Sideband with pilot carrier. This mode has a 4% pilot carrier reinsertion. This is commonly used among public shore stations and ITU stations where the carrier can be locked on and used by automated services
Alex
K2AJR


>________________________________
>From: Rob Flory <farmer.rob.flory at gmail.com>
>To: Alex J Rokowetz <belarok at yahoo.com> 
>Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 7:47 AM
>Subject: Re: [MRCA] PCS Mode - Thank you
>
>
>Please enlighten us.
>Thanks, 
>Rob
>
>
>On Mon, Dec 19, 2011 at 7:44 AM, Alex J Rokowetz <belarok at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>I thank each of you who responded to my question about the PCS mode.  The responses I received (on-list and off-list) give me a pretty good idea of what PCS is and in what applications it's used.
>> 
>>Thanks again,
>>
>>Alex
>>K2AJR
>>
>> 
>>----- Forwarded Message -----
>>>From: Alex J Rokowetz <belarok at yahoo.com>
>>>To: Army Radios <armyradios at yahoogroups.com>; 40M Group <40mtr_USB_Group at yahoogroups.com>; "transworld_radio at yahoogroups.com" <transworld_radio at yahoogroups.com>; Military Radio Collector's Association <MRCA at mailman.qth.net>
>>>Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2011 9:49 PM
>>>Subject: PCS Mode
>>>
>>>
>>>The Transworld RT7000 HF transceiver has the following modes:  USB, LSB, USB Data, LSB Data, AME, CW and one mode with which I am completely unfamiliar... PCS.  The manual states that PCS is the "same as USB but with the addition of a carrier signal in transmit mode at a level of -16 dB relative to PEP".  The manual provides no other information about the PCS mode or when it would be used.
>>> 
>>>I'm looking for additional information about this mode and searching the internet has so far yielded no results.  Does any one have any familiarity with PCS or in what situations it's typically used?
>>> 
>>>Thank you,
>>>
>>>Alex
>>>K2AJR
>>>
>>>
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>
 
While all of this may not be the definitve word on PCS, it gives me a general idea about what it is and within which situations it's used.  That's what I was looking for.
 
Thank you all,