I was on 30 meters last night up in the automatic subband just above 10.140 (dial frequency 10.140 to 10.141 USB + audio), and I did hear a number of stations, particularly K3MQ. I did copy KB9UMT but was difficult to get the entire call for sure, due to quite a few hits, but based on reading his comments on the reflector, I am sure it was his station.
Have you 30 meter operators really found PSK31 to be a good choice of digital mode for this band? I found many hits from QRN as PSK31 has never worked well for me on noisy bands compared to some other more robust modes. I tried calling on DEX11/FEC using the RSID and the waterfall video ID, but no luck. Summer QRN is not quite as bad as 40 meters, but it is still quite severe compared to the relative quiet of 20 meters. The other problem is what I expected, where Pactor stations will suddenly come up on frequency and completely wipe out the area from 10.140 and up and there would be no copy at all for a while on the PSK stations that were covered up. At one point three stations were blocked at my location. Any particular reason why the 10.140 automatic subband was selected for keyboard contacts? The area from 10.130 to 10.140 seems like the very best location for digital keyboard modes because you are not required to be in the automatic subbands and what else is in that part of the band except for the VE3TO beacon? Maybe other regions have different beacons? Most CW operation tends to be below the commercial RTTY station and typically stay below 10.125. This morning I hear at least at least 4 CW stations below 10.125 and two are at least S9. Then there is the VE3TO beacon on 10.132 and that is coming in at S9 as well. Then it is quiet up to 10.140 where there is a Pactor 3 station that is S9 + 10 dB and takes up quite a bit of the area above 10.141 dial frequency and would completely block any possibility of PSK31 or any other keyboard digital mode in that part of the band here in the northern midwest U.S. Have any of you tried modes other than PSK31 on 30 meters? If so, which ones do you find work the best and can still maintain 40 + wpm speeds like PSK31? Any interest in operation outside of the automatic subband? 73, Rick, KV9U
