Sights and Sounds of Amateur Radio HF Digital

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Sights and Sounds of Amateur Radio HF Digital

• Presented By
• Joel R. Hallas, W1ZR
• Technical Editor, QST
• With thanks to Steve Ford, WB8IMY

Note If sounds dont start automatically, click
on speaker icon.
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FCC Rules

• 97.309(a)(4) Technical Descriptions
• An amateur station transmitting a RTTY or data
  emission using a digital code specified in this
  paragraph may use any technique whose technical
  characteristics have been documented publicly,
  such as CLOVER, G-TOR, or PacTOR, for the purpose
  of facilitating communications.
• Documentation should be adequate to
• recognize the technique or protocol when observed
  on the air,
• (b) determine call signs of stations in
  communication and read the content of the
  transmissions.
• www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/techchar/

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PSK31

• Debuted in 1999
• Most popular HF digital mode
• Heard near 3.580, 7.070, 14.070, 21.070 MHz

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RTTY

• One of the oldest HF digital modesHams began
  using it immediately after WW II.
• Most popular contest and DX mode.
• Heard near 7.040, 14.090, 21.090 MHz

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PACTOR

• Developed in 1991
• Three versions 1, 2 and 3
• PACTOR 2 and 3 are the most popular today
• Error-free burst mode
• Used primarily to exchange data, such as in the
  Winlink 2000 system.

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MFSK16

• Introduced in 2000 by IZ8BLY
• Uses 16 tones
• Good performance in poor signal conditions
• Heard near 14.080 MHz

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Hellschreiber

• Oldest digital mode created in 1929
• Fax-type mode where text is painted on the
  screen for direct readingnot decoded by
  software.
• Heard between 14.075 and 14.080 MHz

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MT-63

• Uses 63 tones in its most robust operating mode.
• Very good weak-signal performance
• Heard between 14.102 and 14.110 MHz

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G-TOR

• Developed by Kantronics only available in
  Kantronics products
• Error-free burst mode
• Briefly used in late 80s and early 90s.Rare
  today.

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300 Baud Packet

• Declining popularity, but still heard
• Used for message forwarding, APRS and some live
  keyboard-to-keyboard QSOs.
• HF forwarding heard near 14.095 MHz
• APRS near 10.150 MHz
• Live QSOs at 14.105 MHz

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AMTOR

• First Amateur Radio error-free burst mode.
• Introduced in 1982
• Superceded by PACTORrarely heard today.

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CLOVER

• Developed by HAL Communications.
• Some usage in early 90s, but never became
  popular among hams.
• Error-free burst mode.
• Rarely heard today.

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Q15X25

• Experimental burst mode
• Similar to packet, but with much better
  weak-signal performance

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Olivia

• New HF digital mode introduced in 2005
• Experimental
• Heard between 14.105 and 14.109 MHz

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DIGITAL VOICE

• Three Flavors to Choose From
• AOR For any voice radio.
• D-STAR V/UHF only.
• Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) technology from SW
  BC operation.

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DIGITAL VOICE

• AOR For any voice radio.
• Easy to use plug in mic and spkr
• Need to synch at start of each xmission
• Can do data and video plus voice
• Two models available, one voice only.
• See ProdRev, QST, Feb 2004

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DIGITAL VOICE

• AOR For any voice radio.

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DIGITAL VOICE

• AOR For any voice radio.

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DIGITAL VOICE

• D-STAR V/UHF only.
• FM bandwidths limit use to V/UHF
• Voice and data possible
• Continuous synchronization
• Requires special D-Star repeaters
• Integrated equipment family available
• Open standard ICOM has lead
• See ProdRev, QST, Jan 2005

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DIGITAL VOICE

• D-STAR V/UHF only.

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DIGITAL VOICE

• D-STAR V/UHF only.

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DIGITAL VOICE

• D-STAR V/UHF only.

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DIGITAL VOICE

• Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)
• Amateur version of SW BC proprietary SW
• Freeware SW available for WIN PC
• Least expensive digital voice
• Sound card operation for xmit/rcv
• Sorry, doesnt work for SW BC
• See WB8IMY article QST, Apr 2007

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DIGITAL VOICE

• Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)

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DIGITAL VOICE

• Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)

Note SPKR OUT is used for both transmit and
receive. Either a TR switch must be used, as
shown, or two sound cards can be used.
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For More Information

• ARRL HF Digital Handbook, 3rd Edition
• Available on line from the ARRL at
• www.arrl.org/catalog/