Fwd: How to get on the air with FT8 - email #3

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Jim Frazier

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Jul 15, 2018, 10:51:42 PM7/15/18

to BPSK31 GOOGLE GROUP

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Jim Frazier <jimfra...@comcast.net>
To: "Petroff, Christopher" <cpet...@comcast.net>
Cc: Jim Frazier gmail <jim.f...@gmail.com>
Date: March 23, 2018 at 11:58 AM
Subject: How to get on the air with FT8 - email #3

The WSJT-X Software

Hello again Christopher

The next series of emails are associated with the software configuration I use to get on the air with FT8, JT65, and JT9. I use WSJT-X. They are up to version 1.8.0. Go to the WSJT Homepage to download yours.

http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html

I will forward you some emails I sent to my brother, Roger, WA3VYP, who recently got on the air with FT8, JT65, and JT9.

The strongest feature associated with FT8, JT65, and JT9 is that it uses forward-error-correction coding (FEC). The redundancy it provides is what makes it a powerful amateur radio HF digital communications mode for working extremely weak signals. The received messages you'll see on your display are perfect, that is, there are no character errors or missing characters in the text line. If the FEC software detects an error in the message due to signal fading or extremely low received signal - to - noise ratio, and cannot correct it the message will not be displayed to the operator.

FT8, JT65, and JT9 are not used for casual text messaging communications like BPSK31, for example. It is an HF digital communications mode that uses very short (13 characters long) message strings that are highly structured in their content. Only CQ, Call Signs, Grid location, SNR reports, and 73 are generally exchanged. But it does work great for DXing because neither party needs to know the language to complete a QSO.

Enjoy

73
Jim Frazier, KC5RUO