It is ironic you should mention the P38, Les. Quite some years ago I was one of the early adopters of new technology. Not usually the bleeding edge, but close to it. Tried a number of boxes, including the Kantronics UTU, plug in card for Pactor for the C-64 computer, AEA CP-1 with BMK Multi (early non Pactor version for around $100 for DOS).
Then I had to make the big decision on which modes were going to be the future winners, particularly Clover II or Pactor. The AEA PK2232 and similar costly modems became available. Pactor and Clover II had the support from the Winlink BBS system and the RTTY Digital Journal group. Specialized software such as Peter Schulze TY1PS's clever Windows based Clover II Express software became available that did something that was a first ... it would automatically send a thumbnail picture to other stations equipped with this software. However, the legal aspect remained questionable for us in the U.S. (Perhaps it was only because of Mark Millers past petition that the FCC finally corrected this in very recent time). Today it would be close to impossible for Peter to sell this kind of software. Peter also sent perhaps the first digitized ham message that included a recorded song. Another interesting issue since some comments at the time seemed to suggest this might be legal here in the U.S. but I suspect further review made it not so. I bought the P38 for my (at the time) fairly advanced 286 IBM computer (ISA architecture bus and VGA graphics) and it never worked properly on Pactor. Even after claims by HAL that it would be corrected. They just could not get the programming right. It would connect with a Pactor station and then drop the link. Completely useless product for Pactor. Even when having Clover II QSO's with Ray Petit, W7GHM, the inventor of several early digital modes (Coherent CW, Clover, and then Clover II) we had a difficult time maintaining much data throughput between our locations with our mediocre antennas. Eventually, I returned the pathetic modem to HAL but had to pay a restocking fee. I made the decision at that point to abandon hardware modems and I am very fortunate that I did. It was not until the sound card modes became popular that I returned to digital modes again. And what a refreshing change it has been. And it is constantly getting better with 2007 as the big year of change with ARQ sound card modes becoming available. I would expect a number of other OT group members have had similar experiences. 73, Rick, KV9U Leskep wrote: > Rick > Doesnt only apply to software - I have already been down that same path > with the P38 modem - got one going cheap if anyone wants it > Les VK2DSG >
