VOA Radiogram Weekend Schedule

Hello friends,

Last week's surprise mode was 8PSK-125. The 8PSK modes were added to Fldigi as of version 3.22.00.

Most of you were unable to decode the 8PSK-125 transmission. I think this is because I used Fldigi 3.22.00 to produce the 8PSK-125 segment, and most of you installed Fldigi 3.22.01. There was a change to the 8PSK encoding scheme with version 3.22.01.

This weekend, I will try another transmission in 8PSK-125, this time produced using Fldigi 3.22.01. If you do not already have Fldigi 3.22.01 installed, please download it from http://www.w1hkj.com/download.html.

You will notice that 8PSK-125 is fast: 316 words per minute, versus 120 wpm for our usual MFSK32 mode. Despite its speed, it does have some  forward error correction (FEC), so it might be able to withstand some of the degradations of shortwave propagation.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 83, 1-2 November 2014:

 1:47  Program preview (now)
 2:57  Introduction to 8PSK-125 test
 3:54  8PSK-125: Radio/TV Martí PSAs
 4:40  Failure of Antares rocket launch*
11:41  Solar power from Tunisia will supply Europe*
17:56  Recycling e-waste in Ghana without burning*
25:04  Closing announcements with MFSK64 logo
28:25  Surprise mode of the week

*with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz*
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

*North American listeners: With the time change, note that the Sunday 1930 UTC transmission is now one hour earlier for most of you, e.g. 2:30 pm Eastern *Standard* Time.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (Saturday 9:30 pm EDT) on 7375 kHz. Both frequencies are via Germany. Reports to themightykbc@gmail.com .

The new UTC time shift is because of last weekend’s time change in Europe. The frequency is 6095 kHz.

The Mighty KBC’s North American transmission stays at the same UTC time all year: UTC Sunday 0000-0200 UTC. This weekend, the MFSK64 transmission will be at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday Eastern Daylight Time, then next weekend 8:30 p.m. Saturday Eastern Standard Time. The frequency is 7375 kHz.

On VOA Radiogram this weekend, the press release transmitted in 8PSK-125 will have accented letters and typesetter quotation marks, so you will need the UTF-8 character set: Configure > Colors & Fonts > Rx/Tx Character Set. As stated in my previous email, you will need Fldigi 3.22.01 for correct decoding of the 8PSK-125. It will be centered on 1500 Hz, the same as the MFSK32.

In the Windows operating system, MFSK images decoded by Fldigi are stored as png files in the folder \fldigi.files\images\ somewhere in your hard disk. The folder names may be different in other operating systems. You may send those png images with your reception reports.

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend: radiogram@voanews.com .  

Thank you for your reports from last weekend. I am now constructing the eQSL and will reply soon.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliot
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net