FT-8: I\u2019m not really feeling the magic<\/b><\/p>\n
By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU <\/p>\n
Partly out of curiosity and partly because Jeff, KE9V, shamed me into it, I setup my Signalink interface, downloaded WSJT-X from https:\/\/physics.princeton.edu\/pulsar\/k1jt\/wsjtx.html, and started operating FT-8, the latest \u201cshiny object\u201d (as the ARRL dubbed it) from the K1JT team. As you probably know, this mode has really caught on with the digital crowd, and the waterfall is chock full of FT-8 signals. Part of the reason for this is that it has some of the characteristics of JT-65, but is not as excruciatingly slow.<\/p>\n
A waterfall display generated by WSJT-X at 7:30 pm, 11\/23\/17.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Over the past couple of days, I\u2019ve made 32 QSOs, including a couple of DX contacts. It\u2019s been fun to try something new, but to be honest, I\u2019m not really feeling the magic.<\/p>\n
Part of it is that I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m really doing anything. I downloaded the software, plugged in my digital interface, fooled around with the settings a bit, and then, the computer started making contacts. I have to click a few on-screen controls to make contacts, but even that\u2019s a step that could be easily programmed in by the WSJT-X developers. (In fact, I wonder why they haven\u2019t done that already!)<\/p>\n
WSJT-X screenshot. The sequence of transmissions in the Rx Frequency window comprises a contact.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Take a look at the screenshot above to see how a typical contact happens. When a CQ appears in the \u201cBand Activity\u201d window, you double click on it. When you do this, the software begins listening for signals on that frequency. In this case, I double-clicked on the CQ by WA9THI. When I double-clicked on the CQ, the program began decoding signals on that frequency and display the transmissions in the \u201cRx Frequency\u201d window.<\/p>\n
Then, I clicked on \u201cEnable TX\u201d and the program began the contact sequence, sending \u201cWA9THI KB6NU EN82.\u201d EN82 is my grid designator. This is shown as the first yellow line in the Rx Frequency window. The transmissions that I sent are highlighted in yellow. The transmissions sent by WA9THI are highlighted in red.<\/p>\n
The sequence of transmissions shown there comprise a complete contact, and that whole process takes less than two minutes. And, once WA9THI received my first transmission, the sequence is all automatic. You just sit there and watch the two computers talk to one another.<\/p>\n
While I can certainly appreciate the thought and the work that went into the design of the protocol and programming to implement it, sitting and watching the computers talk to one another just doesn\u2019t excite me. On the other hand, if you\u2019re one of those guys who wants to make contacts, but doesn\u2019t really want to talk to anyone, than this is the mode for you!<\/p>\n
Here are a few more notes about FT-8 operation:<\/p>\n
All told, I\u2019ve found this to be an interesting foray into a new digital mode. While I\u2019m not feeling the magic that some others seem to be feeling when operating FT-8, it certainly will be a change of pace to operate this mode from time to time. Give it a shot and tell me what you think.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Dan, KB6NU, is the author of the \u201cNo Nonsense\u201d amateur radio license study guides and blogs about amateur radio at KB6NU.Com. When he’s not working FT-8, he teaches ham radio classes and operates CW on the HF bands. You can email him at cwgeek@kb6nu.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FT-8: I\u2019m not really feeling the magic By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU Partly out of curiosity and partly because Jeff, KE9V, shamed me into it, I setup my Signalink interface, downloaded WSJT-X from https:\/\/physics.princeton.edu\/pulsar\/k1jt\/wsjtx.html, and started operating …<\/p>\n