[MacLoggerContest] Fun with theology

Bill Coleman aa4lr at arrl.net
Wed Mar 16 20:02:49 EST 2005


On Mar 16, 2005, at 7:16 AM, Don Agro wrote:

> Hi Bill,
>
> On 15-Mar-05, at 11:06 PM, Bill Coleman wrote:
>
>> There are several programs in the PC world that use a "short" space. 
>> For example, CQPWin (yeah, I know) allows you to insert a "*" instead 
>> of a space character. I don't know how many dit intervals this is 
>> precisely, but it does result in faster sending.
>>
>> 2 dit intervals between characters seems somewhat too short to me.
>
> When you say "seems" is this from actually listening to the CW that 
> MacLoggerDX produces or just a theoretical concern ?

Theoretical, as I haven't heard the particular CW generated by 
MacLoggerDX.

> I suppose we could further complicate the user interface by making the 
> number of dit intervals between characters variable as well (maybe 
> include fractional dit intervals ?), but to be honest you are the 
> first one to mention this.

We may just have a definition problem. So, if you send "IS", do you 
send:

". .   . . ."  or
". .  . . ."

The first has three dit intervals between the two characters, the 
latter has only two. It's only one dit element removed from sending 
"5".

> But rather than spending all this time on theoretical conjecture 
> (amateur radio is based on empirical science after all) why not listen 
> to the CW that MacLoggerDX actually generates and base your 
> recommendations on that ?

OK.

> Auditory perceptions will introduce their own subjective errors but at 
> least we will be judging the engineering rather than the theory :)

But, I *like* theory.... <grin>


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901



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