Select the operating mode, either Psk-31 or Psk-63 from the pull down
menu:
This is also the menu that provides access to the simulation mode.
Select the sampling interval (.5, 1.0 or 2.0 seconds). You may
find that you want the shortest interval between samples when using
automatic level conrol. The default of 1 second should be
satisfactory. If your computer is ancient and slow, try the 2
second interval
Select the Signal View that you want to use. Either the Signal or
the Spectrum view will be most useful during normal operations:
The 4 views are selected by the notebook tabs:
Signal View
On Air Psk-31 Transmitting Characters
Spectrum View
On Air Psk-31 Transmitting Characters
A/D Data View
On Air Psk-31 - Raw data (normalized to 8 bits)
Antenna Data View
On Air Psk-31 Filtered Data
The Spectrum display is a derived rf display. This has the
appearance of the transmitted rf spectrum. A good PSK signal
looks
like a single tone DSB signal on the waterfall. In fact, the idle
signal is for all purposes is the same as a two-tone test signal.
The center line of the Spectrum Display is the effective suppressed
carrier of the PSK signal. Sidebands appear on both sides of the
carrier. A single sideband with perhaps just a little of the 3rd
harmonic is normal for most modern transceivers unless you are overdriving the audio.
Then you will see multiple sidebands including the 3rd, 5th and
7th. Because of the signal processing used in the program you
will not see any even harmonics on the display. Even harmonics
are almost never introduced into the actual transmitted signal.
Note the discontinuity in the signal view window. This is caused
by the asynchronous sampling of the transmitted signal. The data
has been rotated and normalized prior to being displayed in this
view. The peak value of the displayed waveform will not change
with power output! But the shape of the signal will change if
you overdrive the transmitter.