[pskmail] Re: Guidance for beginner
- From: Gilbert Franke <g.a.franke@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: pskmail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2012 06:48:29 -0600
Hi all, I like the idea of including John's suggestions as answers to FAQs
with a link to them from the manual (or was it link from them to the
manual, that might be better?)
From the comments about EMCOMM on <digitalradio> I gather that some regard
pskmail as difficult to set up. Well, it is if you try to do it without
the manual! But it really needs to be evaluated by folks who want to
provide emergency communications.
That devolves back onto the pskmail community in N Amer. We need to keep
the servers we have going dependably, and add more so that we have a
dependable network. That way when someone 'gives it a try' it has a
reasonable chance of succeeding.
I really appreciate the readiness and eagerness of all the developers and
veteran users in answering questions and talking us through the
difficulties we may have! Thanks again, Rein, Per, John -- and others who
have been so helpful.
-- Gil
On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 6:31 AM, Pär Crusefalk <per@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi Bernard,
>
> There should be a link to the manual in the program group where jpskmail
> is installed, just next to the application itself. For now I figured that
> should cover it pretty good. That is if its working for you? Its working in
> linux, have not tried it in windows in a while so pse let me know if it
> does not work.
>
> 73 de Per, sm0rwo
>
>
> Bernard Dekok skrev 2012-02-09 13:25:
>
> Hi Guys,
>
> I like the latest manual and I have put a link to it on the Wiki.
> The problem is that there are quite a few old manuals floating about out
> there. These have older and maybe obsolete information.
> One of them really led me astray after a Google Search.
> It might behove the effort here to not support older versions of
> PSKMail, but just to concentrate on the latest version.
> I order to do this, the manual must be updated at every new version fix.
> This will keep all users and sysops on the "same page", so to speak.
>
> Maybe the easiest would be to expand the "Help" File in the PSKMail UI to
> have a searcheable menu, like what some other Windows software have.
> Alternatively, just provide a hotlink in there to the latest Manual....
>
> Just a thought.
>
> Please keep up the good work.
>
> KC9SGV
>
>
>
> On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:50 AM, Rein Couperus <rein@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> 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<https://mail.google.com/mail/html/compose/static_files/blank_quirks.html#13561bcac6ca4fc8_>(cell)
>>> 130 N Harris
>>> Bellville TX 77418
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
--
Gilbert A Franke
361 442 6008 (cell)
130 N Harris
Bellville TX 77418
Other related posts:
