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From: roskos@IDA.ORG (Eric Roskos)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: RTTY/FAX Starter Information
Message-ID: <1990May26.002343.4090@IDA.ORG>
Date: 26 May 90 00:23:43 GMT
References: <24400@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: IDA, Alexandria, VA
Lines: 38

rlscon@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Robert Sillett) writes:

>What exactly is needed to view the various RTTY and FAX modes on my
>IBM PC?  I know this question can't be properly answered in the
>framework of this newsgroup.  However, I would greatly appreciate any
>suggestions for books and articles.  Also a list of the bare
>essentials would be nice so that I can extimate the cost and start
>looking for parts.  Any information would be very helpful.

I'd recommend you buy an AEA PK-232 rather than one of the "budget"
devices, since it doesn't cost a lot more and will allow you to receive
most of the modes in use on HF.  (Note that it will not work with
FAX images transmitted directly from weather satellites, however, since
they use an AM rather than FM subcarrier.)

But be aware that most of the RTTY you hear when tuning around on
HF is encrypted.  Most of what you can receive is weather, ham radio,
and a very small number of foreign news services.  It is hard to receive
RTTY without a lot of garbling due to noise and fading, also.

In my opinion, it's much more productive to invest in equipment to
receive weather satellite transmissions unless you are interested in ham
radio communications, since the cost is similar and since you get more
information that is of long-term interest -- for most of the RTTY
stations, once you've seen what's out there, it's not too interesting to
receive it regularly.  If you plan to become a ham, on the other hand,
the various RTTY modes are of interest since they are heavily used
(particularly the packet radio modes) by radio amateurs.  Look at one of
the magazines such as Monitoring Times or Popular Communications, at the
information people log, and you'll get a good sense of what is out there
on RTTY.  It's not all that interesting.

Obviously, this is my own personal opinion.  Your opinion may differ.
-- 
Eric Roskos, IDA (roskos@CS.IDA.ORG or Roskos@DOCKMASTER.ARPA)

	"He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies
	 must carry the wealth of the Indies with him."  -- Union Station