Unlike the regular wide ALE mode, ALE400 has been mostly used for QSO's , and less for soundings. It is fairly robust and works well in FAE down into the weeds quite nicely.
I mostly use ALE400 FAE mode to call CQ, or specific stations that are known to sit on frequency. When the connect is made then do a keyboard to keyboard QSO. When I hear a station respond during a sounding (either hfn or qrz) , I'll try a connect, and , if the operator is absent usually disconnect, compose mail and then reconnect and send a short note or a small .doc file to his mailbox with a disconnect coming automatically at the end of the data transfer. This is a very sociable mode, especially for rag-chewers like myself, where the intent is to communicate, and sounding function is a useful side benefit to see who is around and what the propagation is like. By the way, 30 M opened up around 2200Z on the 29th, copying RTTY stations form JA, South America, Europe, etc. I am becoming a believer in this band hi hi Happy New Year to all from the great white north John VE5MU
