Mode PSK31

PSK31: keyboard chat, every signal in the passband.

Group	Amateur: digital
Default frequency	14.07 MHz
Default sample rate	2 Msps
In the mode list	Keyboard chat, 14.070 MHz

Step-by-step: Tutorial-PSK31

What PSK31 is

PSK31 is a narrow keyboard-to-keyboard chat mode (31.25 baud) that fits in 60 Hz of spectrum.

Frequencies and settings

Keyboard chat on the HF bands (BPSK31 / 63, QPSK31 / 63).

Setting	Value
Start frequency	14.07 MHz
Tuning range of the mode table	1.8 to 30 MHz
Sample rate asked	2 Msps
Lowest working rate	250 ksps
Channel width	4 kHz

OnAir takes any frequency you type; the numbers above are the mode's starting point and the range its table describes. In the app the shortcut label is Keyboard chat, 14.070 MHz.

What OnAir shows

Every signal in the 3 kHz passband at once: a chat log per signal, the picked one in big text, callsigns highlighted.

Tips and caveats

• Checked with generated signals and impairments; recordings of real signals welcome.
• Which radio: An RTL-SDR can receive HF only in direct-sampling mode, which OnAir offers in its radio settings; results depend on the antenna. SDRplay and Airspy HF+ radios are better suited.
• Try it without a radio: most modes include a built-in synthetic test signal, so you can open the screen and try the controls first.
• Receiving and the law: Amateur radio signals are meant to be received. Receiving needs no licence in most countries; OnAir does not transmit. See Legal.

Related pages

• All modes, Amateur: digital
• Supported radios, Troubleshooting, FAQ
• More in Amateur: digital: FT8, FT4, FT2, WSPR, JT65, JT9, Q65, FST4, MSK144, JS8Call, RTTY, CW, SSTV, HamDRM, Olivia, Contestia, MFSK, THOR, DominoEX, Hellschreiber