[NLRS] Dan's - PSK on 2m

[Bill K0AWU]

Hi Dan (and others)

  Over the last 3 or 4 yrs I have ran a fair amount of 2m PSK31 with 
first with W0PHD and then mostly with W0OHU. It is an interesting 
mode.

  With W0PHD, I have a very BAD path and I can not often talk to him 
on SSB with any comfort level. "High country" and lots of trees in that 
direction. Wally is 164 miles from me.

  With W0OHU, Ed was using 1/2 of an antenna INSIDE his garage 
rafters. 6 elements I think. With the antenna maybe 8ft off the ground 
and INSIDE this was a good challenge for a 219mile path.

  In both cases, the paths are "challanged". In both cases we have 
had very good qso's and at other times not good QSOs. Not unlike 
any other mode. The advantage with PSK31 is that it really does not 
take too much siginal to get some copy, but there will be times or days 
that the signal will not be all that dependable. Multi path is a problem 
as with most digital modes .... airplanes in particular are trouble 
makers.

  Ed and I worked many times (well enough to exchange calls and 
brief messages) with 25watts and less. Quite a few other times we 
had nice chats. Often we were just checking to see if it was possible 
with his "computer controlled remote station" in the garage. Interesting 
enough... higher power levels often caused PROBLEMS ... multipath.

  PSK31 in my mind on 2m,  "fun to play with, but not sure I would 
want to depend upon it." HOWEVER, I have never played with it on a 
path as good as yours. I would think it would be quite good with good 
antennas on both ends and 25watt - to 50watt power levels. If the 
signal sounds good and copy is poor, lower the power .... copy very 
well may improve.

  Thats it from EN37ed ... far from "the place you want to talk too".

Bill K0AWU EN37ed (near Grand Rapids, MN 160miles north of MSP)