1. ATTENTION! The proper way to do slow scan is to first initiate contact on voice, then engage in real communication, interspersed with SSTV pictures. This does not necessarily need to be done on the so called "SSTV CALLING FREQUENCIES". SSTV can be utilized on any voice frequency. Everyone piling in on the likes of 14.230 is absolutely ridiculous. Spread out!. It sounds like a CB channel. If you insist on strict channelization, establish contact on 14.230, then slip DOWN to 14.227, 14.224, etc, assuming they are clear, (NOT UP, as you will interfere with EasyPal/EZ-PIX and FREEDV communications. AVOID 14.233 AND 14.236!). SSTV was NEVER meant to be hello/goodbye with the exchange of 2-3 pictures, never picking up a microphone. SSTV is a tool that was created to augment voice communication in real time, not as an end in itself. This has lowered SSTV to the level of out of control DX pileups and contests, which has turned amateur radio into nothing but herds of button pushing mind numbed robots. What is the value in that? What happened to real communication? Let us put FUN back into amateur radio by living up to our charter.
2. NARROW-SLOW SCAN (n-SLOW SCAN) is done on 10132, 18117, and 24927 khz (North America). WARNING: Normal SLOW SCAN modes such as SCOTTY1, MARTIN1, etc, are NOT authorized on WARC bands due to their bandwidth! Only use those SLOW SCAN modes denoted with -N, which denotes NARROW. See below for details on n-SLOW SCAN. All frequencies are USB.
3. At times I operate a Simplex SLOW SCAN Repeater on 28.680 mhz USB. To access my repeater, transmit a 1750 hertz tone for approximately 3 seconds, unkey, listen for a CW response, and then transmit your picture within 10 seconds, (otherwise you'll have to send the 1750 hz tone again). Whatever you transmit shortly after the CW response to your tone will be retransmitted on the same mode. Be advised that there are other SLOW SCAN Simplex Repeaters on 28.680 that respond to various tones. This can be a neat way to check the quality of propagation, check your slant, check your signal quality, test various SLOW SCAN modes, etc. My Simplex SLOW SCAN Repeater is not currently on 24/7/365. I do hope to make it so in the future.
4. K7EK Simplex SLOW SCAN Repeater may periodically transmit a beacon picture when active. If all else fails, transmit a 1750 hz tone for at least 3 seconds. If you hear the CW letter K (dah dit dah), the repeater is waiting for you to transmit your picture. Enjoy!
