More 28MHz mobile fun: PSK and TX6G

This morning, 28MHz seemed pretty quiet as I drove to the station this morning – very little on SSB. When I got to the station, I tried CW which was just as quiet. As I spun up the band to the beacon area, I noticed some PSK on 28.120.

Some months ago, I downloaded the Multimode application for my iPhone which decodes PSK and RTTY. I just fired up the app, held the phone reasonably close to the rig and saw PSK signals appear on the display. To tune the signal in, you just drag the centre of the bar to the centre of the required signal and with any luck it displays.

This morning, it was fun to see 5B4/SQ2MQM working a JA station. And this evening when I got back to the car, LW5ER was coming through nicely.

Obviously you can’t have all this going whilst you’re actually driving. That would be dangerous! So, I tuned up the band to the SSB segment and the very first signal I heard was TX6G coming through – really great signals. In a perfect world, the next sentence would be that I cracked the enormous pileup running 10W to the whip.

Sadly no! The Anytone can’t deal with split frequency operation, so it was just a case of enjoying listening to the signals coming through from the other side of the world. I did stop in a lay-by and text Justin, G4TSH, who’s there, that they had a great signal to the mobile.

Tim Kirby, G4VXE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Oxfordshire, England. Contact him at [email protected].

2 Responses to “More 28MHz mobile fun: PSK and TX6G”

  • Mary Ann - KA8PCB:

    Hi y’all!
    After 25 years, I’m going to get back on the air. Might even upgrade from my 1982 “Novice” License.
    I’ve just been browsing the radio pages on the internet and ended up here. Sounds like a good place to pick up information and tips. What I’ve read so far has brought back a lot of good memories.
    Maybe I can contribute something useful to your site one day.
    Just picked up a AR-3500 and will take it to our local Tech. Guru to have it checked out. So…. if you hear my rusty key on the air, please pardon my mistakes.

    Best regards –
    KA8PCB

  • Charlie M5RFD:

    All this talk of PSK is geting me itching to be back on the air. I gave up about 5 yrs ago having become sick of the ‘rubber-stamp’ ’59 thank you and good night’ sort of QSo on SSB. At the moment I amtrying to get an extrenal sound card to work with my Kinux laptop which is proving rather tricky. But when I crack that, I will start viewing PSK signals again and it may reawaken my interest fully.

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