[PaQSO] Digital Dilemma

[Mike Coslo]

Jim wrote:

>I agree that all digital should be lumped together. 
>So, if you are on 40m, you get ONE digital contact,
>not one RTTY and one PSK.  That is more fair.  The
>modes are relatively similar, plus you eliminate the
>rapid toggling back and forth.  “Got you on RTTY, can
>we switch to PSK?”
>

PSK suggested frequencies are:

1838.15
3580.15
7035.15 and 7080.15
14070.15
21080.15 and 21070.15
28120.15

There are others, but they are on bands not permitted in the contest.

Your scenario of switching back and forth between modes such as PSK and 
RTTY are not likely for a number of reasons:

1. The software between different digital mode programs hs in my 
experience, used different levels to drive the sound card.

2. Being a different mode, you will have to switch your logging 
software. These first two reasons mean that it will be relatively time 
consuming to switch modes on a whim.

now the biggie....

3. PSK31 is a fine weak signal mode. That being said, a person trying to 
make PSK31 contacts in the middle of RTTY traffic will probably be 
sorely disappointed. A strong CW signal will nuke it as well. The PSK31 
segment on 3580 simply goes away when W1AW broadcasts their information 
and code practice bulletins.

So the two party'ers will be much better served by working their proper 
modes, work the segment until they've worked everyone there, then 
QSY'ing to the other mode's proper band segment, and working again 
there. Perfectly legitimate. I hear it when people agree to work SSB or 
CW after working one or the other mode.

>If we allow it to be two contacts, we must be
>consistent and allow multiple forms of phone contacts
>on the same band.  We can then have LSB, USB, AM, and
>FM counting as separate contacts.
>
The difficulties that I have with your logic, IMO, is that in order to 
follow it, and if we were to be *totally* consistent, we would allow 
only *one* contact per band no matter what mode was used.

But that isn't what we are about. We try to encourage CW use by giving 
it more points than phone contacts.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -