In Multipsk and PC-ALE there are settings that enable the user to select the scanning rate . The scan rate needs to match the typical length of a "sounding" or a individual call. . By that I mean, if a station sounds for 15 seconds but you change frequency every 30 seconds, you are going to miss a call and defeat one of the main features of ALE. Typically, a 2 seconds per channel scan rate is quite sufficient and all rigs that I know of can do this. Sometimes I slow it down and choose a 5 second per channel option, this works well too. I am puzzled by the fact tha ALE default digital mode is accepted as not be very robust but I have seen it detect basic callsigns from a very weak signal while scanning quite fast.
If your rig is scanning the 80.40,30,20,15,17,12,10 ALE data channels that is 8 channels covered in 16 seconds. The next issue , if doing multiband scanning with a non-resonant antenna, is can your antenna tuner detect you have changed frequency and match the new frequency quickly enough (before transmit begins). My TS2000 can, my TS440 cannot . The TS440 antenna tuner does not memorize settings and thus has to take time to match each time, that is too long for ALE. Please note that I agree with Charles, ALE does have a "lid" factor in that you can transmit automatically and on top of another QSO. I am advocating that we do this will in the shack and listening first. Andy K3UK On Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 10:02 AM, Phil Williams <ka1...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > "This is not really correct with PC-ALE and a modern receiver that has > a internal antenna tuner. I have used PC-ALE with a TS2000 and an > Icom 746 Pro and the tuner in both rigs memorizes settings for each > transmission" > > How fast does the rig need to scan? > > philw de ka1gmn > >
