[South Florida DX Association] Jim's GAZETTE NL#167 (Digital Mode Newsletter)

[bmarx@bellsouth.net]

 Jim's GAZETTE Newsletter #167
> 5 May 2004
> 
> Please feel free to forward this document to any and all interested parties, or reproduce it
> any other publication. All we ask is that you give credit where credit is due.
> 
> >>>>>>>>>>>>
> 
> SHORT NOTES: KN4LF Propagation Outlook returns with Tom's improved health! He's back
> from his 2003 illness and, now fully retired, wants to go back to work. Hi. Subscribe or
> browse but begin at www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf.htm.
> 
> BARTG made a good decision and appointed Phil GU0SP their new Awards Manager.
> Congratulations, Phil. Details of all the awards can be found at www.bartg.demon.co.uk.
> 
> 6 Meter RTTY? Yep, Terry AB5K reports a QSO with N5UXT across a path 560 miles
> long--between Austin, TX and New Orleans. Very low signal strengthll for sure, but the
> MMTTY profile for fluttered signals worked and delivered 100% copy. 
> 
> Are you going to be in Germany June 25-27? Those are the dates for the Friedrichshafen
> Hamfest, and the DL hams would like to have you join in a RTTY meeting. Advise
> Waldemar DK3VN at dk3vn@nexgo.de if you plan on being there part or all of the time.
> 
> Barry W2UP says Sasser doesn't come via Email, only by "always on" internet
> connection. Find out all you need at www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp.
> 
> >>>>>
> 
> This ham has never been a big fan of amplifiers although many friends consider them as
> essential as electricity. That said, I am a big enemy of their use in the new digital modes.
> There is absolutely NO need for an amplified signal in, for example, PSK31. Rarely is
> output over 50 watts required for contact anywhere in the world. If I can read a signal I can
> most often work it with my 25-30 watts out to a vertical. And many others agree.
> 
> A few ops here and there don't get it. Pete ZL2AUB Emails complaining about having his
> waterfall completely wiped out by a 1 KW signal on MFSK16 from Alaska, and again from a
> 400 watt PSK31 signal from Alaska. With that kind of power the stations will most surely
> reach their target but their signal complete destroys every other QSO on or near their
> frequency. How foolish can you get?
> 
> Phil GU0SP reports more of the same. While looking at HB9DRV software at their club they
> were able to track some 20 signals simultaneously. Surprise! Some of the over-driven
> signals showed the same text on from two traces 1 kHz apart. So, using high power you
> can make your station look foolish as well as spoil the sport for others! Great mode.
> 
> To repeat, and please let others know, there is no need for high power in the new narrow
> modes. It is an utter waste of power and destroys the band for most everybody else. Got
> it?
> 
> >>>>>>>
> LOTW, the ambitious ARRL electronic logging/QSL undertaking, takes a batch of negative
> comments every now and then but two friends come through with quite positive comments.
> First up, Dean W5JPR admits being a computer illeiterate, but had little difficulty getting up
> and running. He can now create an ADIF file quickly and without error. Who taught him
> how? Nobody, says Dean, I just sat there with my coffee cup and a visiting cat or two and
> worked through it. Now he uploads the file and often has an acknowledgement back in less
> than 15 minutes.
> 
> His advice--Dont dread it! Then goes on to say that among the 60 members of the local DX
> Club, he is the only one who is on LOTW! 
> 
> Then, in came a long note from Steve N1NB, who is very computer literate (IBM retiree). He
> first told me about the software defined radio seen at the Baltimore hamfest. Not like the
> Pegasus which is radio controlled, this gizmo does almost all the processing of the signal
> in software. Oh, I cannot wait.
> 
> Anyway, back to LOTW. Steve, once through the authentication process, uploaded his logs
> and got an immediate response confirming 1350 matches. Soon he found himself with 6
> new countries, 32 new mode-country and 65 band-country confirmations. Twelve hours
> after the BARTG contest, he received immediate confirmation on more than 10% of his
> contacts! So, we can assume the RTTY crowd is signed up.
> 
> He describes the upload as a simple submission of your ADIF log files followed by your
> signature certificate. He has become a big fan. Now, starting right away, the ARRL will
> begin accepting LOTW confirmations for DXCC, other awards soon. I would guess that will
> give LOTW another big boost.
> 
> Steve is impressed and thinks most of the LOTW complaints come from those with multiple
> paper logs and those who oppose change of any kind in the hobby. There are quite a few of
> the latter and they aren't hard to find. Hi!
> 
 73 de Jim N2HOS
> jem@n2hos.com
> GAZETTE www.n2hos.com/digital