PACTOR Interference on ARRL SkipNet NET147 10.147 Mhz.
A map of the ARRL Skipnet NET147 can be seen by downloading this PDF file. (423k)
Here you will see a PACTOR station starting up right on top of an ongoing ARRL SkipNet located on 30 meters. Of the seventeen stations in NET147, eight were participating at this time and so were affected by the PACTOR interference shown. Start at the top, and scroll down to see a cooperative digital network being trashed by irresponsible PACTOR QRM.
In the first image, shown above the multiple stations of the ARRL SkipNet
network are passing traffic to each other normally. The first PACTOR transmission
can be seen near the top, coming in right on top of the ongoing net.
Note how the Packet signals fade when the PACTOR inteference overlays them,
causing the packets to appear 'transparent' on the waterfall display. Those
packets cannot be received and decoded.
Note the times given in the lower right-hand corner of each frame. This image is
taken three minutes after the first one. It shows the short Packets as the forwarding
net tries to recover from the previous interference and re-establish thier message
transfers. - Before that can be done however, the WL2K server station answers the
customer and goes into PACTOR II mode.
Eight Packet stations had been sharing that frequency, making very efficient use
of it in order to move NTS, message traffic and information bulletins among each
other. - It took this PACTOR 'customer' station less than six minutes to
completely disrupt what all those other amateurs had been doing.
This kind of pollution on our ham bands needs to come to an immediate stop.
Charles Brabham, N5PVL@N5PVL.#STX.TX.USA.NOAM