<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:Courier New, courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div class="" dir="ltr" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9325">The
PropNET Project is built on a variation of a well known saying (and a call-out to Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU who first used it). In our
case, it is a variation that is worded, "If the band is open and nobody
is transmitting, can anybody hear it?"</div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9439" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16026"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9702" dir="ltr"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16155">To
answer this question, software was designed that configures PSK31
stations to automatically ID to announce its' presence (like an FM
repeater does) AND be available to be "engaged" by a human operator
(like OSCAR satellites used to do on CW)! The software creates a
"Robot" for this purpose!</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16183"><br></div></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9789" dir="ltr">Hams
use these features for many reasons (like knowing that the band is
actually supporting PSK31 links), and assuring that their OWN rig is
transmitting a clean enough signal for others to decode (because the
Robot needs to be able to decode it before it can respond).<br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16033"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9762" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16036"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9886" dir="ltr">As an added benefit, the software reports what it hears to our website at <a class="" rel="nofollow" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9887" target="_blank" href="http://www.propnet.org./">www.PropNET.org.</a></div><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16040"><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9700" dir="ltr"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16211" dir="ltr">Since
this software provides services well beyond simple propagation
tracking, all of this happens under the rules governing Automatically
Controlled Digital Stations in the USA's FCC rules, part 97.221. These
are not "beacons" (those are different rules), they are ACDS' (and were originally based on an APRS tenants!)<br></div></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9699" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16046"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9650" dir="ltr">This
means many things, including the fact that (in the USA and countries
with similar provisions) you can run this software without being
physically present at your station. If your country does not have this
provision...then "just be present".<br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16049"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9976" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16056"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_9988" dir="ltr">The
newest iteration of "the software" is about to be released to PUBLIC
BETA. I can tell you that it is the product of a V-E-R-Y long
development cycle by a group of dedicated volunteers who have put in
countless man-hours. It includes M-A-N-Y new features that bring
excitement to Probing (IDing) and Lurking (RX-only) participants (people
who USE the software themselves, rather than simply rely on the maps
generated by others).</div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10000" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16060"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10028" dir="ltr">This
new "software" has a new name: ACDS. It serves as a foundation to a
new class of Automatically Controlled Digital Station operation.</div><div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16063" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16065"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10069" dir="ltr">Over the upcoming few days, you will see more "ticklers" about the PUBLIC BETA. These will lead up to the actual release.</div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10126" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16069"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10110" dir="ltr">More, shortly.</div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10109" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16073"></div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10108" dir="ltr">Cheers,</div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10107" dir="ltr">Ev, W2EV</div><div class="" id="yiv5126970379yui_3_16_0_1_1444384186886_10106" dir="ltr"><br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_16078"></div><div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1444485115982_15311" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">PS: have I mentioned this will be a PUBLIC BETA? ;-)</div></div></div></body></html>