Digital Modes in Amateur Radio: What Australian Operators Are Actually Using
Digital modes let a computer encode and decode radio signals, allowing contacts at signal levels where voice simply disappears. The latest digital modes in amateur radio are not all about novelty: some are built for weak signals, some for an actual chat, and some for passing messages when ordinary communications are unavailable. Why digital took over the weak-signal end of the hobby A decade or so ago, digital operating often meant a rather earnest corner of the band occupied by RTTY, PSK31 and serial-port enthusiasts. Now it is every day. Open an HF waterfall on a quiet evening and you will see narrow, orderly traces where there might otherwise be only atmospheric noise. Digital modes trade speed and free-form conversation for decoding ability. A computer can recognise a structured signal that your ear cannot pull from the hiss. For an operator on a small suburban block or in a Perth strata unit with no practical antenna, that can be the difference between contacts and static....