Real time on-the-air spotting/sharing network?

[FTU Alumnus]

As a licensed amateur who enjoys listening to all types of communications I've often wondered if it was possible to use HF amateur bands to share real time spotting information about whatever it is we happen to be hearing. (broadcast, pirate, utility, beacons, etc.) Something to get us out of the name/QTH/signal report hit-and-run QSO rut so many hams seem to be stuck in.
I'm not interested in any form of "net" with roll calls or check ins. I'm open to ideas and suggestions.
Marc/K4FTU

[ThaDood]

Sure... I've done stuff like this, but with mixed results. Problem is, it is best to know what type of ops you have. Do you have the kind of ops that are open to various topics to kick around, like what we hear on LF, MW, HF, FM broadcast, TV bands, VHF / UHF, microwave, even light wavelengths, bands, legal operations, not-so legal operations? Or, do you have ultra, (Hum-drum.), conservatives that want nothing out of the norm? This is crowd depending, for sure. Me??? I like the idea to have two-way radio being the ultimate in interactive talk radio, where you use radio to respond and add to the subjects and conversations. It's like anything else, study and know your limit, and stay within it. BTW, not just Amateur Radio, but also CB, MURS, and GMRS, as well.

[Charlie_Dont_Surf]

As a licensed amateur who enjoys listening to all types of communications I've often wondered if it was possible to use HF amateur bands to share real time spotting information about whatever it is we happen to be hearing. (broadcast, pirate, utility, beacons, etc.)

Many decades ago there was a net for shortwave listeners on Sunday mornings on the North American east coast. In addition to folks checking in with loggings, there would always be some gateway stations who would accept loggings from SWLs via telephone and then would read them out over the air. Not quite real time but the idea is similar. This was just as the internet was just becoming more ubiquitous and not everyone had it at home. The net was run by KW3F, whom I believe has passed away.

[Josh]

This net thingy would be great in say a good weak sig digital mode like robust packet, or even ita2 baudot or ascii would be fun. Heckers even 300Bd packet. Even ale using amd messaging would do.
There are any number of digital suites to use for such, my fav's dm780, but for robust packet you have to download it alone unless you have one of sds high dollar modems;
https://vapn.org/help/robust-packet
DM780 has a lot of modes and I find it to be very stable;
https://www.dxzone.com/dx21563/digital-master-780.html
Use a keyboard to keyboard mode for the net and 110A or similar for file transfers.
I'm going to suggest robust packet for kb2kb and 110A for files but everyone has an opinion.
I have a copy of gtor, a software emulation of GTOR, kantronics answer to pactor that showed a lot more promise than pactor-1 but can't find a online source to direct you to a dl link. GTOR would likely be better for use on older pcs but any pc made in the last 20 years should be serviceable for our porpoises.