[Moon] [Moon-Net] QRA64/JT65B

[on4khg]

Serge, Dears,




QRA64 isn't that new. However, it didn't gain in popularity (at least on 
2m) and some ones claimed reasons for it but I don't remind them.
However, I already made some QRA64 QSO's and my points are :

- In QRA64, there is no "trace", just a cloud of points not that easy to 
see on screen. But MAP65 or WSJT-X puts a red mark where the signal is 
on the waterfall and then it is straightforward to refine the F Tol 
around the signal. QRA64 hasn't a multi signal decoding feature neither. 
I.e. in JT65, you can decode several signals within the passband, not 
with QRA64

- QRA64 doesn't require the call3.txt file (always questionable) as in 
JT65

- Yesterday, I decoded a few ones (S52LM, IK4PMB, I3MEK, K8DIO, W7MEM) 
and worked KD7YZ in QRA64. Some decodes were down to -28. So, quite a 
sensitive mode (and again, without call3.txt)

- Last but not least, QRA64 doesn't embed a "Shorthand" feature as in 
JT65. This means that a report must be exchanged instead of the usual 
"OOO". If in CW, the OOO report made sense, it doesn't anymore in digi 
modes. It is still used in JT65 however but I would much more prefer not 
using it and exchanging a report on the air instead of the OOO. Such an 
objective "dBJT" report (in a 2,5 kHz BW) is just the added value of the 
digi modes but is unfortunately not used. With QRA64, there is no 
choice, it must be used

73,

Gaëtan, ON4KHG