Palomar Amateur Radio Club STEM Experimentation Lab

There are a lot of advantages to digital protocols in radio generally. The bandwidth is often smaller than with analog and the accuracy of data transmission and clarity of voice communications is generally superior to analog.

There are actually a lot of digital modes that have been developed over the years. Each has been developed for particular uses. The STEMLab lets you easily access and gain experience any of these.

In addition to digital data, there are a growing number of digital voice mode protocols. The most popular of these are D-Star, DMR and Yaesu System Fusion. P25 is mostly used by business and public safety organizations.

Amateur Radio Digital Data Modes

• Radio TeleTYpe (RTTY) — A frequency-shift keying modulation mode used for text transmission. It is the oldest digital protocol (other than CW) with a low transmission rate of about 60 words per minute.
    🔗 Radioteletype (Wikipedia)
• AMateur Teleprinting Over Radio (AMTOR) — An enhancement to traditional RTTY (Radio Teletype) by incorporating error detection and correction techniques, making it more reliable for text-based communication, especially in poor radio conditions.
    🔗 AMTOR and PACTOR (G4AON)
• Clover — A phase-shift keying RTTY mode that is highly efficient for high data rate transfers, particularly under good conditions. It also supports full-duplex communications.
    🔗 Clover (ARRL)
• Continuous Wave (CW) —
    🔗 Continuous Wave (Wikipedia)
• Facsimile (FAX) —
    🔗 Radiofax (Wikipedia)
• Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) —
    🔗 Frequency Shift Keying (Wikipedia)
• Franke-Taylor 4 (FT4) —
    🔗 FT4 (SigIDWiki)
    ⓘ  FT8 and FT4 Weak Signal Digital Modes
• Franke-Taylor 8 (FT8) —
    🔗 FT8 (ARRL)
    ⓘ  FT8 and FT4 Weak Signal Digital Modes
• Joe Taylor, K1JT (JT65) —
    📑 The JT65 Communications Protocol
• Packet (AX.25) — A classic standard used mainly for APRS in
  tracking locations and sending short text messages
    🔗 AX.25 Wikipedia
• Packet Radio + AMTOR (PACTOR 1, 2, 3, 4) —
    🔗 AMTOR and PACTOR (G4AON)
• Phase Shift Keying (PSK31) —
    🔗 PSK31 (ARRL)
• Slow Scan TeleVision (SSTV) —
    🔗 SSTV - Slow Scan Television (ARRL)
• WSPR - Weak Signal Propagation Reporter —
    ⓘ  WSPR Information

Amateur Radio Digital Voice Modes

• Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) —
    🔗 What is DMR? A Complete guide to Digital Mobile Radio (OneSDR)
    ⓘ  Digital Mobile Radio (DMR)
• Icom Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio (D-STAR) —
    🔗 D-STAR System Introduction
    ⓘ  Icom D-STAR
• FreeDV Digital Voice (FreeDV) —
    🔗 FreeDV
• Project P25 (P25) —
    🔗 What is Project 25 (P25)? (RFPage)
    ⓘ  Project 25
  
• Yaesu System Fusion —
    🔗 Our Technology – What is System Fusion? (Yaesu)
    ⓘ  Yaesu System Fusion
• Note: Hotspots — Hotspots support connection to multiple digital protocols without requiring the purchase of multiple digital mode capable radios for each one (which gets expensive very quickly). You usually connect to the hotspot locally with a handheld vhf or uhf radio on low power. One of the most popular all-in one solutions is ZumRadio
    🔗 ZumRadio
  

Popular Digital Radio Modes Monitored by Amateurs

• Automatic Dependent Surveillance System (ADSB) — Very popular for aircraft tracking
    🔗 Automatic Dependent Surveillance System - Broadcast
    ⓘ  Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B)
• Automatic Identification System (AIS) — Uses transponders on ships for tracking
    🔗 Automatic Identification System (AIS) Overview
• High Frequency Data Link (HFDL) — It uses ACARS for aircraft data exchange —
    🔗  High Frequency Data Link - Wikipedia