N1MM and WSJT-X
ERIC OLSON
If you contest log with N1MM+ and are unaware of the recent changes/ enhancements to the UDP interface to WSJT-X you need to make sure you have the latest version of N1MM+ and of course WSJT-X ver 2.0.0 (you will ALL be using NA VHF Contest mode this weekend right?). The interface is now bi-directional so dupe and mult checking can be done in N1MM+. Lots of reading to do in their online manual. I tested the release of this in the RTTY roundup a couple weeks ago and it is slick. There have been some more improvements and bug fixes since then. See:
http://n1mm.hamdocs.com/tiki-index.php?page=UDP+Broadcasts scroll down to point 9.
http://n1mm.hamdocs.com/tiki-index.php?page=WSJT-X+Decode+List&structure=N1MM+Logger+Documentation read and follow very carefully! Select NA VHF Contest mode instead of RTTY Roundup in WSJT-X instead (of course).
Have fun this weekend and good luck!!
73 Eric N7EPD
Mike Lewis
Adding to what Eric said, I also tested N1MM+ and WSJT-X 2.0 integration, seems to work well. I set up a VPN and connected WA to FL and my laptop to keep a common log. That worked fine also, 3,000 miles apart. Further down I mention some other software that is worth a look also. Lots of stuff out there now.
Since I am also retired now and spend too many hours hunting for countries, states and grids lately, I set up JTAlert for the first time. Yes, I am late to this party but will share my experience in the last few weeks setting this up. That is what follows.
If you are not using JTAlert yet with WSJTX, I highly suggest considering it. If you are a grid/state/DXCC chaser, this is a fantastic program that was also updated to work with N3FJP Contest Log (ACLOg) and WSJT 2.0 and JTAlert in a chain. If you are not a chaser, JTAlert will turn you into one. JT Alert generates an ‘alert(s)’, visually and audibly, you click on the selected alert and WSJT-X starts calling that station. JTAlert populates N3FJP logger (either ACLog or VHF Contest Log) with no user intervention required. Other than testing and curiosity, I can minimize N3FJP log program and just focus on WSJT-X operation and the JT Alerts (which is just a thin bar some place on your desktop, or docked to WSJT). Note that JTAlert works with several loggers like MixW, HRD ,and more. It can work without a logger just using WSJTX’s log (which is kept no matter what logger you use).
Since I am grid/state/DXCC hunting, I just switched to N3FJP for now because it has good VHF Contest logger, good JTAlert integration, good LOTW (eQSL and maybe others) upload and download features and an Award status page so I do not have to keep manually checking in LOTW what has been confirmed or not. You do need to manually check the states/grids and DXCC you want to be alerted for in JT Alert, or if you have a logger program that has QSL confirm status, JTAlert queries N3FJP for the latest list of wanted stations. You use the scan and rebuild menu item. Alerts can play unique sounds for each type of alert (State, Grid, DXCC, others) so when a station pops up, you know when an where to look quickly, click and snag it. Very efficient. I had been looking at a paper list of states needed, then looking at 90 contact per 15 seconds (3 WSJTX instances with busy bands), looking for grids on a paper grid map to identify who might be the one I need. Then periodically log on to LOTW to display the latest status for each award and update my paper list with any confirms. Way too much work.
Up to now I have been using paper or old DOS VHFContest and Windows RoverLog, but I am finally updating and enjoying the high level of integration now possible, makes things really easy. Here in Florida, the HF propagation Gods are always smiling (amazing better than in the PNW) and just on WSJT-X in a couple weeks of operating I have managed to get WAS for DIG, 40M, Mixed, and over 70 countries. Vatican City was easy (Fox and Hound mode). Today almost wrapped up 20m, and not far left to go on 80 or 30M. I credit location and the power of JTAlert to help efficiently chase the DX, really helps a lot. I also CQ and answer anything also. Amazingly tonight on 17m and 20m I CQ’d for a couple hours with a high response rate and >90% that answered were states I needed. Very lucky considering how the list of needs shrinks over time, like they knew my Wanted list!
While the above sounds like mostly HF, and it has been so far for me, all of this is applies to the VHF bands also, particularly for grid chasing, and down here I am seeing small but increased FT8 activity on VHF, with a weekly net establishing on 432 for FT8 between the FL and GA area. I lack any VHF antennas that work here due to CCRs and a faraday cage for a house, but I have a long wire in palm trees and they will soon see some verticals or loops hidden in them. Add the Alerts for DX spots that match your needs, crank the alert audio up, and you can be elsewhere I the house, the radio running all day and hear a alert when 6M or such opens up. Just work on the computer on other stuff and not paying attention until the alert goes off.
I was comparing performance between 2 inexpensive USB sound cards versus my old 2008 Dell laptop (which had premium sound chips hardware) and the new HP laptop internal sound cards. You can run multiple instances of WSJT on any sound input you like. I run them side by side to compare the decoding accuracy of each input and tune up the audio levels as appropriate. Further I remote desktop to the old laptop and compare that wit the local instances. BTW, I have found the USB soundcard Behringer UCA202 to work very well, with stereo line and out phono jacks, 48KHz 16bit, an adjustable level 3.5mm audio out jack. 48KHz is what WSJT expects. An SDR would want more.
Taking this further for anyone with K3 or other sub-receiver equipped radios, I use TX Data mode and the line out jack is stereo with each receiver available on the right and left, each via a transformer. The K3S has USB instead. SO I run 2 instances of WSJT-X monitoring 2 bands. You could add a SDR to do the same. Now here is a bonus. You can run and instance of JTAlert on each instance of WSJT (up to 16). If you choose to dock it, it floats with the WSJT window helping keep things straight. The only thing I need to do is turn off spots or Monitor in WSJTX so I do not report my other-band transmissions via the sub-receiver WSJT which reports it on its band. (SO TX to Japan on 20, and you get 2 spots, one on 20M and one on 80M where the sub is listening. You need to set the 2nd WSJTX UDP port to a unique value and check the extra UDP checkboxes. I spice it up further and put up a remote desktop to the 2nd station on another screen (no sub RX there). Now I am monitoring 3 bands, with alerts, optional spots, a common database if needed, and 2 transmitters if desired. Next stop is full-on multi-op contest station with attic mounted stealth antennas and poor VHF signals 😊.
If this sounds like to much work to set up, it does take some reading and some testing but it is not bad, or you can just ask to see a working setup. Once I got it down on my desktop, moving it to the laptop was easy. VHF contest can use the ACLog database if networked, else use its own. I put this into the category of once you try it, you never go back. I plan to try it networked using my MoFi cell modem router while roving this weekend to connect to the mothership database see what happens. It will also enable me to remote into Camano to make some PNW contacts while rover down here. Speaking of PNW and Rovers, I see that K7MAC checked into the FLWSS net this week, so he is somewhere close to me now.
I plan to be rover on 50-1296 , 5.7G and 10G bands this weekend in the northern half of Florida. I am still working on mounting antennas to my truck playing beat the clock, but the radio equipment is all tested, the 432, 903 (now 902) and 1296 amps are repaired, software working and ready for digital, logging and voice/CW contacts. My priority for this weekend is making microwave contacts and finding the best big hills in Flatistan here and trying the gulf beaches, and maybe time it right to meet up with others on the route. Went to a Florida Weak Signal Society meeting in Melbourne, FL a month ago, lots of microwave interest around, hope to see them on the road soon. Orlando Hamcation next month also with a FLWSS meeting there.
If I am home at all during the contest period you will hear me on remote from Camano. While Rover, maybe as a separate log (no /R). I still have a VERY high noise level on 2M, some on 6M, a lot from my furnace it seems. Was not able to fix it before I left 2 weeks ago. Makes it very hard to hear anything less than S7 (i.e. strong) signals.
Good Luck and hope to hear you all on 6 and 2M (my only VHF bands in Camano) this weekend.
- Mike K7MDL
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