[Knightsqrss] Evolution of WSPR

[Joe Taylor]

Dear WSPR Friends,

WSPR v0.7 (r752) seems to be stable and free of significant 
bugs, so I am working now on the possible future evolution 
of the program.  I hope to be ready to share some of my 
ideas with you in the reasonably near future.  Present plans 
involve an optional "reply mode", as discussed here earlier, 
and eventually an optional "QSO mode" as well.

In the meantime, I have a request that should help to make a 
smooth transition to the next version of WSPR easier.

Since the first WSPR version, all transmitted messages have 
consisted of a callsign, a grid locator, and an integer 
power level in dBm.  For example, my standard message is 
something like:

     K1JT FN20 30

The power-level indicator is coded into 7 bits, and 
presently all values from -64 to +63 are permitted.

In the future, WSPR will allow you to select a dBm level 
only from a drop-down list with the entries

0 3 7 10 13 17 20 23 27 30 33 37 40 43 47 50 53 57 60

The values correspond to all power levels from 1 mW to 1 kW, 
in a 1 2 5 10 20 50 ... sequence.  You will need to select 
the closest one to the power level you are actually using.

My request is the following.  Even though in WSPR v0.7 you 
are allowed to specify power levels like 28 or 35 dBm -- 
numbers that will not be in the drop-down list -- it would 
be helpful if you start NOW to use ONLY numbers in the list. 
  The reason is that the in-between numbers WILL NOT DECODE 
CORRECTLY in the next WSPR release.  (Similarly, some new 
message formats generated by WSPR v0.8 will be not be 
correctly decoded by v0.7.)

As soon as everyone has upgraded to the new release these 
things will no longer be confusing; but for a short time, 
when versions 0.7 and 0.8 are both used on the air, some 
confusion will be generated.

It will probably be helpful, also, to have a well advertised 
"changeover date" after which everyone should switch to 
using v0.8.

Your comments and suggestions will be appreciated.

With best wishes,

	-- 73, Joe, K1JT