[pskmail] Re: Guidance for beginner

  • From: "Rein Couperus" <rein@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: pskmail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:50:36 +0100 (CET)

When you have information in different placees it means you have to maintain it 
in different places, which always leads to more work.

The problem with a quick start is that people don't read the proper manual anymore :-)

In my opinion the FAQ on the wiki should be the place to put information which is not 
in the manual. The FAQ could also have a pointer to the quick start document contained 
in the manual, and we could give the quick start its own page on the wiki.
That way we all know where the info is and we can point new users there...
And we also know where to change it when it becomes out of date.

Rein EA/PA0R/M

(trying to implement some protocol enhancements at the moment)



Hi,

Yes, information is always good but we have to have some kind of plan to not let the info get old and misleading. For a while I have intended to write a "fast start" chapter in the manual, this kind of thing could be in there. Perhaps an appendix with various hands on examples with common equipment could be useful?
I have to get going on the manual anyway as I have rewritten the email interface and I need to document that, it's pretty straight forward so most will not need the manual there but I should document it anyway.

73, Per


John Douyere skrev 2012-02-09 04:06:
Rein, Per,
 
How do you see this (Gil's proposal)? I can make a WIKI page that you link to. I am a bit concerned at the duplication of information in the wiki and/or manual.
 
73, John

On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 1:08 AM, Gilbert Franke <g.a.franke@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
John, this is very helpful information. Perhaps it could be incorporated in the manual? or better yet, provided as a separate download on pskmail.org?
 
Jeff, I could be available this evening, if you want to sked a real time observation.  Let me know via this reflector or my own email <wb5rfq@xxxxxxxx>.
 
73, Gil WB5RFQ


On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 7:40 AM, John Douyere <vk2eta@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hello Jeff,
 
No problems. Your setup looks correct. I would then look at the servers, time (if they are scanning) and the mode.
 
1. On  http://hermes.esrac.ele.tue.nl/maps/pskmailers.php  you have the currently active (meaning in the last hour) servers as a list and as blue markers on the Google map.
 
Right now I can see AB9FT (I suspect too close for 30M), KB2PNM (good distance, scanning) and WB5RFQ-5 (good distance too, not scanning).
 
2. I use http://pskmail.wikispaces.com/PSKmailservers to tell me which servers are on which frequency. WB5RFQ-5 is fixed on 10148 so your ping could reach him and KB2PNM is scanning with minutes 0 and 1 on 10148 (see table at the bottom of the web page).
 
Note on scanning servers: Pskmail has a 5 minutes scanning cycle with minutes numbered 0 to 4. So if you are targeting 10148 then KB2PNM will listen on this frequency at 0 and 1 then 5 and 6 then 10 and 11 then 15 and 16 (and so on) minutes past the hour.
 
I normally wait an extra 10 seconds to make sure the server has changed frequency.
 
3. Mode: the most versatile mode I find is THOR22 as it is pretty sensitive and robust, not too slow and tolerates a fair amount of frequency mis-alignment. Select that mode and ensure that the TXID box is lit on Fldigi, then do a ping (at the right time if you want the scanning server(s) to listen too).
 
Hope this helps.
 
If that fails, then I would try to setup a sked with one of the server's operators on this list so that he can monitor the reception side and exchange information in real time (with say telephone or Skype or other messaging system). 
 
In my experience, once that is in place it should be easier sailing from there on.
 
All the best,
 
73, John
 
 

On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 11:30 PM, Jeff McKune <research@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
John,

Thanks for the kind, thoughtful, and quick reply.  Those are really good suggestions.  Let me respond to each one.

1.)  That helps clarify the frequency settings.  I am trying to connect to KD4QCL at 10148.00.  Both settings in the Misc section of Fldigi are set to a carrier of 1000, and I have set my radio to 10147.00.

2.)  This was an excellent tip, and I thought you had found the answer as I am using an FT-897D.  However menu item 39 Digital Shift is set to 0 Hz.

3.)  I am making sure that if I change any preferences or configuration settings in either program that I save and quit both programs, start Fldigi, and then start jpskMail.

I still get no response when I attempt a ping.  I sometimes see what appear to be server signals or maybe other pskMail client signals up and down the waterfall, but they never show up under my cursor so that they can be decoded.

If it helps, here is what I am using:

Yaesu FT-897D
LDG AT-897 Plus tuner
G5RV-Jr antenna
SignaLink USB
HP Pavilion dm4 laptop running Win7 64-bit
Fldigi 3.21.38
jpskMail 1.5

Again, many thanks for your help.

73,

Jeff
KD0JLM

 


 
--
Gilbert A Franke
361 442 6008 (cell)
130 N Harris
Bellville TX  77418

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