MIXW is a well-supported Windows-based program which uses your computer's soundcard to process digital modes including, PSK-31, MT63, Packet, RTTY, SSTV, Morse, and others. Minimum computer requirements are a 166 MHz Pentium, a compatible soundcard, and a Windows 9x, ME, NT4, 2000 or XP operating system. It is shareware, requiring a $50.00 registration fee after a 15 day free trial period. For details and downloads, go to http://www.mixw.net/.
MT63 is a digital mode which has a reasonable data rate and can be used through FM voice repeaters. By encoding the data to transmit (what you type on the keyboard) in a complex way, using 64 different modulated tones, the MT63 developer Pawel Jalocha SP9VRC has been able to include a large amount of extra data in the transmission of each character, so that the receiving equipment can work out, without any doubt, which character was sent, even if 25% of the character is obliterated. This technique is called Forward Error Correction. Other modes use FEC (for example AMTOR mode B uses a simple FEC technique), but MT63 has other advantages. Unlike most HF modes where a character can be lost or changed into something else, by a single noise burst, MT63 is inherently very robust, because each character is spread over many tones (to avoid interference such as other radio transmissions) and over several seconds (to avoid bursts of noise, such as lightning). The official MT63 web site is at http://www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/MT63/MT63.html.
SKYWARN is a concept developed in the early 1970s that was intended to promote a cooperative effort between the National Weather Service and communities. The emphasis of the effort is often focused on the storm spotter, an individual who takes a position near their community and reports wind gusts, hail size, rainfall, and cloud formations that could signal a developing tornado. Another part of SKYWARN is the receipt and effective distribution of National Weather Service information. For details, go to http://www.skywarn.net/.
Net Manager is a multi-window Windows program designed for the Amateur radio operator who either participates in NTS nets or ARES nets. The current version is still a beta version with updates almost daily. For the latest version go to http://www.levektronix.com/. It includes ARRL message form with automatic check count and packet radio capability.
ARESPACK is a multi-window MS-DOS terminal program designed to facilitate emergency communications via packet radio. ARESPACK has been developed over a period of several years by members of the Utah County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (UC-ARES). It incorporates many features that have been found valuable for use during actual emergencies where packet radio was used extensively. Download the documentation (pdf 32k) and the program (zip 192k).
Return to LAARC Main Page
Last updated Thursday, August 5, 2004