Moving on to mode/throughput, let me put on my Incident Commander cap... As an incident commander, I would rather have a printed/written message than one delivered verbally. If I know that you have a digital print system, I would want that and especially if you tell me its error free.
The thing important to me is getting every word correct...no errors and sending/ receiving a message in a timely manner. Thus a PSK63/125/250 message that is error free is what you want to make me happy. If you use FlARQ with FlDigi or with DBdigi and at PSK125 or 250 then I shouldn't ask for anything more. how you accomplish the message exchange really becomes unimportant. When it comes to setting up a comm. unit, I ask the "operators" to tell me where they want to set up if the area I have recommended doesn't meet their needs. The IC should give you room for you HF antennas as well as assistance in setting them up. Putting on my communicator cap, I can set up a 40M Inverted V with counterpoise and fed with 50 ohm coax with the apex at 20 ft and cover most stations from 25-600 miles in the day and raising the antenna to 30 ft for 80/75M I can cover the same area at night. Two individuals can set up then 40M Inverted V in 15-20 minutes. Of course if you can set up a 10-12 element 2M beam at 30 feet in 30 minutes and have connectivity at the other end, then go for either one. What ever you do, just make sure that you contact on the other end of the string is on the same frequency/mode etc. :-) Good comments all around. 73, Walt/K5YFW
