Scott,
SC>Think of it this way - your brain can pick a voice out of static better 
than
SC>computer can pull a digital signal out of the same amount of static.  So, 
yo
SC>have to have more signal to make the digital system work.  When it works, 
it
SC>works great, but low signal and multipath (like ghosts on TV) that your 
brai
SC>can deal wit would kill the digital signal.
        True.  In many cases when the signal is coming from a fringe
        area, it might be weak and have lots of static, but a human ear
        can listen to the voice and make it out.  This is even more true
        when you use AM mode, hence one of the reason that aircraft use
        AM mode in the VHF/UHF bands.  If you go digital, if the signal
        breaks up, you lose it all.  Digital is OK for wired
        communications and computer to computer comms, but I really
        don't trust it for voice communication at all.  Also, from what
        I have heard, a digital mode handie-talkie uses a lot more
        battery power than an analog one and when the battery gets low,
        the user has to switch to the analog mode anyways.  They're
        really rough on batteries.
Chuck, just my $0.02.....
DE KA3WRW
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 * SLMR 2.0 * Long live the magic-eye tuning indicator.
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