Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Undecodable mode alert

If you're operating the PSK digimode on the weekend of 18th-19th September and suddenly find your screen full of PSK63 signals that you can't decode, don't be worried that there is something wrong with your radio or your computer. You are hearing the 7th CIS DX QPSK63 Contest 2010. Yes, it's QPSK63, that mode you've seen on your menu and never been able to get a reply to when you tried it. If you were ever frustrated by this, now's your chance to get satisfaction!

Starting at 1200UTC on the Saturday and continuing until 1200UTC the following day, the object is to make as many contacts as possible using QPSK63 (and only QPSK63) between stations in the Commonwealth of Independent States (known to many of us as the Former Soviet Union) and stations who are somewhere else. For more information see the contest website.

If you prefer SSB to digimodes, look for the upcoming 1st DX Esperanto Contest. It's a contest for phone operators, where all the contacts must be made using Esperanto.

4 comments:

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Got the e-mail from UT7FP as well. I already made some QPSK63 QSOs, but don't see any advantage. I'm very curious if the PSK frequencies are going to be crowded with these "broad" signals. 73, Bas

trackster said...

Now although the Esperanto competition looks like fun I'm afraid that the best I could muster is 'Mi ne komprenas vin'...= 'I don't understand you' 73 de Andrew

M0JEK said...

I tickled by the idea of the the Esperanto Contest.

Theodore said...

Most of the broader modes such as psk63 and its cousins tend to stick to the higher end of 14.070 audio offset as a courtesy.
Having been in digimodes for a long time, and with the ease of using new modes these days, it is obvious to me that PSK31 is the dominant mode by far in daily use.
Once you get used to the relaxed rate of typing on PSK31, then PSK63 and other higher throughput modes tend to be a bit uncomfortable, with that cursor chasing you in the transmit buffer!
I sometimes go to Olivia 16/500 for a while to relax, its very zen like watching that resilient, musical olivia piano strike out its chords.