Posted: 9/5/2011 11:08:23 PM EDT
| Anyone use this format? |
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I am surprised more people don't use it. If you are just experimenting and trying to get random contacts in foreign lands, then it has no use. If you actually want to contact a specific person or group, it is the best mode available for ssb. Since the digital signal is near enough to voice in bandwidth usage, if you get a link you will probably be able to talk and if you can't due to conditions or due to the other person or people being away from the radio you can still leave a txt message.
Pcale used to be a bit quirky, but the latest release is pretty stable and very easy to use. I can't see a large regional net working without it. |
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Yeah, it works well with NVIS. It also works well with DX and it will work line of sight VHF as well. I am building a man portable unit and have been linking with my base unit. This is a good way to learn the features as there are many people who sound, but few who actually communicate with the system. I think this is because most hams don't use radios primarily to communicate with, they tend to see how far they can go or get q cards or contest. Nothing wrong with that, its just I got into this to use as a tool although it has turned into an interesting and educational hobby.
The main benefit to ALE is in communications between individuals and groups who may be in line of sight, NVIS or DX range where you don't have to arrange a time and frequency to meet on. If anyone in your group is scanning, all you have to do is call them by call sign or do a group call and the software will try first on the last heard / best signal and then cycle through all the frequencies until a link is made. THe computer actually rings like a phone when a call is addressed to you or your group. Then you just pick up the mike and talk if you are on a voice part of the band or QSY to the voice freq. If they are not there, you can at least leave a text message. ETA: "Tagar, is there alot of use of Codan in New Zealand?" No, there is a very small group that use HF for off road and a few commercial users around. I am going to join the 4wd network just so I can use a few freqs outside the ham bands to give me better NVIS coverage (freqs between 4.000 and 7.000)and to be able to pass business info as part of a continuity of business during a disaster scenario. Unlike the states, we can use a non commercial radio on commercial freqs and even CB freqs. |
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Yes, setting up the software is the first thing. Download PCALE full install and whatever the latest revision is. You might have to register on the yahoo group to get access to the software. Get your interface working with the radio and initially set the options to "no sound". THis will get you scanning and tracking any messages sent. The next step is to get your computer to sound and then start linking. I have not had many (any?) contacts into LA but I did get a link into NY the other day although no traffic was passed. There is a pdf of setting up pcale that will help get you started and if you have any questions I will be glad to help.
It may also be worthwhile to download MultiPSK. It is a very quirky software but it has some very good features for narrow band 400khz ALE and mail forwarding for ale400. There are a lot of issues with the software as well as how it looks, but I think this mode (ale400) will take off at some point for poor conditions, long range and QRP. DON"T USE MultiPSK for ALE 141! It will make you very frustrated! Use PCALE for ALE 141 and multipsk for ale400 or down loading weather faxes and other digital modes. |
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Good on ya, Neez. Get your General and have some fun.
I got a ale400 contact into Finland (which is a pretty fair haul for me) over the weekend and we are going to practice email drop box tonight using ale400. This is similar to a concept I posted on about a year ago for news nets. Sort of a peer to peer info service between hams who are interested. You place the email with call signs of who it is addressed to and the software sends a beacon every 15 minutes until the message is downloaded. It even allows for forwarding into areas that you don't have propagation into and it seems a lot more robust than RMS express winmor. Multipsk is great, but the user interface is so bloody confusing! |