Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL MODES Creede Lambard, WA7KPK Mercury Northwest November 2012

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK What is a digital mode?

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK What is a digital mode? ● Any amateur radio mode that can or must be received, presented, encoded and transmitted by the use of a computer or other dedicated digital device.

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK The first digital mode

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK The first digital mode ● Morse code!

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK The first digital mode ● Morse code!

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK The first digital mode ● Morse code ● CW

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK The first digital mode ● Morse code ● CW ● Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Radioteletype (RTTY)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Radioteletype (RTTY) ● Developed when AM was king

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Radioteletype (RTTY) ● Developed when AM was king ● War surplus Teletype machines

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Radioteletype (RTTY) ● Developed when AM was king ● War surplus Teletype machines ● Uses FSK on both sidebands

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Radioteletype (RTTY) ● Developed when AM was king ● War surplus Teletype machines ● Uses FSK on both sidebands ● Uses Baudot encoding (5 bits)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Packet Radio

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Packet Radio ● Sort of an “internet via amateur radio”

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Packet Radio ● Sort of an “internet via amateur radio” ● First became feasible in 1980 when the FCC allowed transmission of ASCII via ham radio

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Packet Radio ● Sort of an “internet via amateur radio” ● First became feasible in 1980 when the FCC allowed transmission of ASCII via ham radio ● Primarily uses dedicated equipment for communication (TNC)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Packet Radio ● Sort of an “internet via amateur radio” ● First became feasible in 1980 when the FCC allowed transmission of ASCII via ham radio ● Primarily uses dedicated equipment for communication (TNC) ● Does error correcting

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Personal Computers & Sound Cards

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Personal Computers & Sound Cards ● RTTY modem software developed for PC

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Personal Computers & Sound Cards ● RTTY modem software developed for PC ● PC software emulating a TNC is available

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Personal Computers & Sound Cards ● RTTY modem software developed for PC ● PC software emulating a TNC is available ● Research on creating narrow-bandwidth PC-based modes

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Personal Computers & Sound Cards ● RTTY modem software developed for PC ● PC software emulating a TNC is available ● Research on creating narrow-bandwidth PC-based modes ● FCC allows ASCII transmission

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Personal Computers & Sound Cards ● RTTY modem software developed for PC ● PC software emulating a TNC is available ● Research on creating narrow-bandwidth PC-based modes ● FCC allows ASCII transmission ● FCC allows other encodings provided they are published into the public domain

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK PSK-31

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK PSK-31 ● Created by Peter Martinez (G3PLX) in 1998

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK PSK-31 ● Created by Peter Martinez (G3PLX) in 1998 ● Stands for “phase shift keying”

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK PSK-31 ● Created by Peter Martinez (G3PLX) in 1998 ● Stands for “phase shift keying” ● Bandwidth: 31 hz

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK PSK-31 ● Created by Peter Martinez (G3PLX) in 1998 ● Stands for “phase shift keying” ● Bandwidth: 31 hz ● QSOs in the width of a typical SSB signal

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK PSK-31

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK PSK-31 ● Created by Peter Martinez (G3PLX) in 1998 ● Stands for “phase shift keying” ● Bandwidth: 31 hz ● QSOs in the width of a typical SSB signal ● Does not do error correcting

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● Drinking from the firehose!

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● Olivia MFSK

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● Olivia MFSK ● Developed by Pavel Jalocha (SP9VRC), 2003 ● Named after his daughter

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● Olivia MFSK

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● Olivia MFSK ● Developed by Pavel Jalocha (SP9VRC), 2003 ● Named after his daughter ● FEC enabled

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● Olivia MFSK ● Developed by Pavel Jalocha (SP9VRC), 2003 ● Named after his daughter ● FEC enabled ● Can be decoded even when below the noise floor

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● MT63

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● MT63 ● Also developed by Jalocha ● Similar in some ways to Olivia

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● MT63 ● Also developed by Jalocha ● Similar in some ways to Olivia ● Used for emergency communications due to robust FEC

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Other Digital Modes ● Several other modes ● DominoEX ● Thor ● Throb ● Hellschreiber

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65 ● “Music Box” mode

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65 ● Developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65 ● Developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT ● Also chair of astrophysics department at Princeton

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65 ● Developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT ● Also chair of astrophysics department at Princeton ● Also Nobel Prize laureate in physics

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65 ● Developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT ● Also chair of astrophysics department at Princeton ● Also Nobel Prize laureate in physics ● Based in meteor scatter and EME

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65 ● Developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT ● Also chair of astrophysics department at Princeton ● Also Nobel Prize laureate in physics ● Based in meteor scatter and EME ● Not a keyboard-to-keyboard mode ● Based on the minimal information necessary to conduct a QSO

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK JT65

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO ● CQ WA7KPK CN87 ● (each transmission is one minute long) ● (CQ was sent on an even minute)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO ● CQ WA7KPK CN87 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA PM95 ● (reply was sent on an odd minute)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO ● CQ WA7KPK CN87 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA PM95 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK -15

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO ● CQ WA7KPK CN87 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA PM95 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK -15 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA R-10

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO ● CQ WA7KPK CN87 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA PM95 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK -15 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA R-10 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK RRR

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO ● CQ WA7KPK CN87 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA PM95 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK -15 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA R-10 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK RRR ● WA7KPK JH1KYA 73

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK A typical JT65 QSO ● CQ WA7KPK CN87 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA PM95 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK -15 ● WA7KPK JH1KYA R-10 ● JH1KYA WA7KPK RRR ● WA7KPK JH1KYA 73 ● 30W DPL TU 73

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Hardware requirements

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Hardware requirements ● Transceiver (of course)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Hardware requirements ● Transceiver (of course) ● Computer (the faster the better, especially for higher-latency modes like JT65 or Olivia)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Hardware requirements ● Transceiver (of course) ● Computer (the faster the better, especially for higher-latency modes like JT65 or Olivia) ● Sound card or dedicated USB device (e.g. Signalink or Rigblaster)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Hardware requirements ● Transceiver (of course) ● Computer (the faster the better, especially for higher-latency modes like JT65 or Olivia) ● Sound card or dedicated USB device (e.g. Signalink or Rigblaster) ● Cables to connect radio to computer

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Software

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Software ● Ham Radio Deluxe ● Very comprehensive (read: steep learning curve) ● Includes most digital modes ● Current version (5.0) is donationware; next version (6.0) will be $60 ● Numerous other bells and whistles ● Windows only

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Software ● Fldigi ● Reasonably fast ● Keyboard-to-keyboard modes only (no JT65) ● Developer is very responsive ● Associated utilities: flrig (rig control), flmsg, etc. ● Windows/Linux/Mac

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Software ● JT65-HF ● JT65 and similar modes only (no keyboard-to- keyboard) ● IMO much superior to the original JT65 software for HF use ● Developer in poor health ● Windows only; Linux version does not work on recent distributions

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Software ● Others

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Software ● Your favorite browser ● Useful for propagation maps, callsign lookups, help with your program, etc. ● Logging program (your preference)

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK My digital software setup

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Comments/questions?

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK This deck will be available at digitalmodes.ppt

Introduction to Digital Modes Creede Lambard WA7KPK Thank you!! 73 ES GUD DX DE WA7KPK!!