What’s in a name?
· PSK stands for Phase Shift Keying
· 31 represents the width of the signal (31.25)
· Occasionally you will see this mode listed as BPSK. The “B” stands for Binary
The PSK QSO:
Calling CQ:
CQ CQ de [YOURCALL][YOURCALL]
CQ CQ de [YOURCALL][YOURCALL] K
Note: The “K” at the end of your transmission means over or go
PSK Call:
[YOURCALL][YOURCALL][YOURCALL] de [THEIRCALL][THEIRCALL][THEIRCALL]
[YOURCALL][YOURCALL][YOURCALL] de [THEIRCALL][THEIRCALL][THEIRCALL] pse K
Note: The “pse” at the end of this call stands for “Please”
“KN” may also be used; this indicates that you only want communication with a specific station.
Exchange:
[THEIRCALL] de [YOURCALL]
Thanks for the call!
RST 599 599 599
QTH is _____, ______
Grid EM29 EM29
My name is yourname, yourname
how copy?
[THEIRCALL] de [YOURCALL] K
Note: You may also see BTU which stands for “back to you”
At the end of your final transmission use “SK” to send a Silent-Key identifying the end of your QSO
Other common abbreviations:
· DX only /DX – Which means the caller is looking for distant stations
· FB – Fine Business, Which means you copied their transmission
· GN – Good night
· OM – Old Man
Good Amateur Practice:
· Unlike other modes, you do not need to run at full power to transmit PSK, the normal output power is 30-50w. Sometimes less is better, right?
· Your transmissions should not activate the ALC, if so back off your Soundcard output level or gain on your transceiver.
So where can you start:
The table below displays a list of common frequencies where PSK31 can be found. However you can hear PSK crop up all over the bands. Once you have worked PSK for a while you will get used to the tone and can pick it out of the bands just about anywhere.
BPSK-31 Frequencies
| HF | |
| Band | Frequency |
| 160m | 1.838 MHz |
| 80m | 3.575-3.585 MHz |
| 40m | 7.040-7.047 MHz |
| 30m | 10.140 MHz |
| 20m | 14.070 MHz |
| 17m | 18.100 MHz |
| 15m | 21.080 MHz |
| 10m | 28.120 MHz |
| VHF | |
| Band | Frequency |
| 6m | 50.290 MHz |
| 2m | 144.144 MHz |
| 1.25m | 222.07 MHz |
| 70 cm | 432.2 MHz |
| 33 cm | 909 MHz |
PSK Software:
There are several Digi-Mode programs to chose from, all with different strengths and weaknesses. Below are some of the most common programs to get you on the air.
- Fldigi: Flfidi is the first program I started with. It's system resource friendly and offers a large range of digital mode options to choose from. Link: http://www.w1hkj.com/download.html
- MixW: Easy to use Multi-Mode software from our Ham friends in the Ukraine Link: http://mixw.net/
- MultiPSK: Another well known Multi-mode software from F6CTE Link: http://f6cte.free.fr/
- Digital Master 780: Packaged with Ham Radio Deluxe, this comprehensive Multi-mode program provides a wealth of options and settings. May require a faster PC to operate, but its worth a try Link: http://www.hrdsoftwarellc.com/
- DigiPan: Another Popular PSK program that features a nice compact display. Link: http://www.digipan.net/
Now, get out there and have fun.
73 de KD0OYR
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