I wanted to thank Rein for his hard work in developing a simple to use Puppy ISO for us non-Linux users to be able to try PSKMAIL server operations. I am quite impressed by the features that PSKMAIL has.
I know that the concept is simple, but the addition of RSID and the multi mode nature of fldigi really make a difference for PSKMAIL. Yesterday, my server was monitoring the band in Thorr22 mode . I heard weak RSID on the band and noticed I had been switched to THOR8 by the reception of the RSID and then the person connected to my server. I am impressed that we have a email and APRS system that can be used on HF and we can change the mail server station's mode if necessary. I still have to do some experimenting to find that mode that will do error free ARQ type message exchanges in just "fair" conditions. I have had people connect and try Thorr22, 11, and 8. plus various BPSK , and also MFK16. We have all had those QSOs where a really weak signal still produces 100% copy while keyboarding. However I have yet to see that using ALE, WINMOR, FLARQ, or PSKMAIL. Under just fair conditions , using the aforementioned in ARQ/FEC states, it always seems difficult to get a message through when conditions are not optimum. MFSK16 did pretty well though, so perhaps I will play around more with that. While we know that PSKMAIL works well with modes like PSK250 and THOR22 when there is a good signal, my goal is to find a mode that can be switched to to get a message through during poor conditions, even if it is very slow due to repeated request to resend data . After a week of playing around, asking questions, and reading some instructions, I have learned there is a lot to PSKMAIL. Rein PA0R and Pär SM0RWO should be congratulated for their fine product . Dave W1HKJ , Stelios M0GLD and Leigh WA5ZNU should likewise be congratulated for their innovations in fldigi. In fact I will go as far as saying that if you want your station to be prepared for digital mode use in emergency situations, Fldigi is now THE software that each ham should have. The pskmail, flarq,and wrap file options with Fldigi give the "emcomm" ham all they need for either VHF or HF emergency work. That is indeed a bold statement but one that I feel I can verify. My view is that every station at a EOC or hospital should have a boot disc with FLdigi laying around, ready for use...just in case. In fact, on Monday I will place a copy in the RACES station at my local hospital. Andy k3uk
