Now that I’ve started having fun with PSK31, I’m getting interested in slow-scan TV (SSTV). The term SSTV can be a bit misleading, as there’s both analogue SSTV and digital SSTV. Digital SSTV signals must be less than 500 Hz wide. That allows them to be used in the same band segment as PSK31 and other similar digital modes.
To find out more, one place you can go is K3UK’s Quick and Dirty Guide to Narrow Bandwidth SSTV. It focuses on using the MMSSTV software, but has a lot of good info on operating practices as well.
Another resource is CQ SSTV de KB4YZ. This page has hundreds of links to other sites with SSTV information. There are almost too many links here. It’s hard to decide where to start.
Since I’m now using a Mac laptop in my shack, I was interested in what software is available for the Mac. KB4YZ has two links:
- MultiMode for the Mac by Chris N3JLY. This is commercial software and costs $89. It looks pretty good, but I’m not sure if I want to spend $89 on it.
- MacRobotSSTV for the Mac by Sergei KD6CJI. This looks like a nice program, but the User’s Guide notes, “currently USB audio input e.g iMic is not working.” Looks like I’m going to have to wait for the next version.
Rob, w0jrm says
When you get setup, lemme know. We can try a sked. I’ve played with SSTV before, but have mixed emotions on it.
Dan KB6NU says
Of course there are always going to be people that abuse it, but even so we shouldn’t let that get in the way of enjoying it ourselves. Perhaps this is the next thing for Riley Hollingsworth to tackle?
Tim Roberts says
Hello Dan
I use both MacRobot and Multimode at the same time ( one on each of two screens). Multimode for RX and Macrobot for TX. Why? I don’t like the complexity of Multimode for tx, especially adding text to a picture, and Macrobot is not as sensitive on RX, so detection turns off frequently under variable conditions. I use a Signalink USB and set the sound in to USB on my G5 tower. My preference is to use a mac, but I have to say that MMSSTV is a far superior SSTV program to anything else available for the mac at this time, in terms of ease of use and flexibility.
Hope to catch you on air sometime.
Tim Roberts
VK4YEH
Dan KB6NU says
Thanks for the info, Tim. I’ll have to find some time to get this going. Right now, I’m pretty booked up teaching a General Class license course. I’ll be looking for you in a few months, though.
Sergei KD6CJI says
MacRobot SSTV is no longer supported program. It was replaced with MultiScan. New program supports more modes, have a better receiver but is build for OS X 10.5. MultiScan is freeware and can be downloaded from http://homepage.mac.com/kd6cji
The latest lelease version is 1.8
Thanks and 73, Sergei KD6CJI