ft8 signal reports explained

As a result, the signal report I end up giving is like 30dB higher than it would be if I left the entire passband open. On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 07:13:50 AM CST, John wrote: On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 09:15 PM, Michael Black wrote: Suggest running at 50% duty cycle on the IC7610 for data. Please leave your Call Sign if applicable. Free Help. ie every 100 or 120Hz. It is popular among amateur radio operators for its ability to send signals despite challenging propagation conditions, high noise environments, low power operations (QRPIn amateur radio, QRP operation refers to transmitting at reduced power while attempting to maximize one's effective range. Both FT8 and JS8 are heavily dependent on an accurate computer clock, since the modes send/receive information in a recurring, automated, 15s transmit/receive cycle. This page was last modified on 14 April 2021, at 21:03. How's the ALC meter looking, antenna gain or attenuation, RX bandwidth, etc. The new topic will begin with this message. It is one of the modes included in the open-source, weak signal, ham radio software package, WSJT-X. The frequency shift between tones is 6.25Hz, the tone duration is 0.16s. Getting started with FTA Free To Air Satellite Television. For more information regarding our Covid policies, please visit vintage faucet handles Without further information all it says is the other person has a good SNR with your signal. Here you will see that on my FT8 Transmit some decoded me as +13 and others closer as -3, this can be due to skip zones as well as different antenna setups, etc. This runs in the background and keeps your clock in-sync by resetting the time to one of the online atomic clock servers every 20 minutes. It's a popular mode, so popular in fact that one report citing Club Log data recently showed that 80% of HF contacts in their tracking nowadays are FT8. Between the radio and SteppIR DB18, I have these devices inline: Welcome to the world of Antennas, Propagation and Black Box Technology!! JS8 is a variant of FT8 which allows operators to send more information and converse with each other. A computers onboard clock can be notorious for drifting off, and FT8 needs to transmit at very specific times to work. Don't you dare speak ill of my compromise antenna, at a compromise height, at a compromise location. Some elements, such as rich link embeds, images, loading indicators, and error messages may get inserted into the editor. JS8, a variant of FT8, can send full conversations and relay messages, CQ call from radio operator "KI7PO" along with his. Therefore, FT8 is not a "keyboard-to-keyboard" (real-time chat) mode. Something like an over driven audio stage generating harmonics of the audio. Norfolk Amateur Radio Club. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Scorecard Research sets this cookie for browser behaviour research. If you are wondering what Amateur Radio is about, it's basically a two way radio service where licensed operators throughout the world experiment and communicate with each other on frequencies reserved for license holders. FT4 is faster still (7.5 s T/R sequences) and especially well-suited for radio contesting. Free Training. Consider a practical example the transmission of the phrase CQ DL1ABC JO62. FT8 was developed by Joe Taylor (K1JT) and Steve Franke (K9AN). I always thought, its likely because of a quiet location, a good radio (6600M) and maybe others running more power. My antenna is a horrible piece of wire, their antenna is a multi-element yagi on a tower as high as the Babel one, but sometimes this work, take this one with Croatia, 1300km distance on 6m: What you have are good signal reports, I wouldn't change much. The interface will need to connect into the PCs soundcard (for audio) and typically USB for controlling the radio. It is an ICOM feature, not a bug. by | Jun 10, 2022 | forsyth county newspaper | the center does not hold meaning | Jun 10, 2022 | forsyth county newspaper | the center does not hold meaning By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Often this will be a separateCOM port that needs setting up in the software. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I consistently get low signal reports for FT8 contacts, typically 15db less than what I send as a received signal. Some of these I see the images spaced at twice their mains power frequency. As a result, the callsign DL1ABC will be written as 06 29 17 3B we use 4 bytes instead of 6. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. The Group moderators are responsible for maintaining their community and can address these issues. They are a signal to noise representation. Is it because I'm only running around 1/2 power? This is most easlly done by the PWR Slider. ft8 signal reports explained If nothing else sticks from these Hinson tips, at least remember to shift-click. SNR is expressed in dB (decibles). According to Taylor, the important characteristics of FT8 are T/R sequence length: 15 s Message length: 75 bits + 12-bit CRC FEC code: (174,87) LDPC Modulation: 8-FSK, keying rate = 6.25 baud; tone spacing = 6.25 Hz Waveform: Continuous phase, constant envelope Occupied bandwidth: 50 Hz Hello, after years of saying I would never work FT8 I have finally taken the plunge and having a play. With all features enabled, JTDX seems to decode more signals on a crowded band than WSJT-X. JT65, JT9, FT8 SNR Explained. Many ops can compensate with more power, but the problem with that is you quickly exceed your receive capabilities - people can hear you but you cant hear them. NP4Z Team will be active from Puerto Rico, IOTA NA - 099 in ARRL DX SSB Contest, 4 - 5 March 2023. Is there a solution? CleanTalk sets this cookie to store dynamic variables from the browser. Frequencies for JS8Call and FT8 are adjustable by the user. A +12 signal at times says more about the other persons low noise floor than whether you maybe a strong signal. The mode is a modification of the JT9 & JT65 weak-signal modes that have been around for nearly ten years, an eternity in the digital world. This cookie is placed by CleanTalk Spam Protect to prevent spam and to store the referrer page address which led the user to the website. The other thing to keep in mind is that signal level is relative to the noise level around the signal. Its a really smart combination of bit optimization, mathematics and usability. When you get back a signal report from someone, it just tells you how loud you were on their setup at that particular time. Having the sequence shown above, we can easily generate a WAV file or directly control the frequency synthesizer in the case of an autonomous beacon. Thats what I do. The above is an example of what you will find at the PSKreporter.info website where you can monitor your own transmissions and see where you are heard. Yep I've been lucky enough to get Fiji x2 and Kenya in the past week or 2 so it's definitely working! Splattering shows up as an extra wide signal on the receiving waterfall. Buddy WB4OMG. FT8 uses 8- GFSK modulation, includes forward error correction ( FEC ), and has an effective data rate of 5 words per minute. Hello, after years of saying I would never work FT8 I have finally taken the plunge and having a play. Designed by Shape5.com, forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/the-skignal-reports.591508/. The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. I forgot how the software handles the ratio. When I last had a play the lower the alc the smaller the spurs at each tone change. Typically S7 to S9+ on HF. FT8 is a weak signal - not a low power mode (power works the really weak ones) FT8 lets you work DX on 6m when there would be none FT8 is suddenly dominating VHF/UHF contesting FT8 lets you work weak signal DX without proficient CW skills FT8 is like having constant DX beacons on every band Antenna for 70cms is a 7 ele ZLspecial, fixed towards SE up at about 15 feet. With FT8, youre restricted to very small messages, with a limit of 13 characters per message. Frequency modulation 8-FSK, tone space is 6.25Hz. It is calculated as the ratio of signal power to the noise power. If band is open pulls in FT8 quite well, Copyright 2023. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. To maximize the chances of success, each FT8 packet holds 13. Just to report that quarantine in between I was able to pump some hours into the long delayed FT8 transceiver based on a raspberry pi using the RPiTX package and now ft8_lib. If you're getting a +5 SNR report then obviously dial it way back but when I do DX at 100 Watts it's usually -10 or less. Cleantalk set this cookie to detect spam and improve the website's security. Just kind of looking for a FT-8 signal report sanity check. The domain of this cookie is owned by Ebay. FT8 and Ghost Decodes. Image source: https://www.amateurradio.com/over-2000-miles-on-80m-with-the-warbler/ (2010). The fact that they align properly to the FT8 15-second period, and have 8 tones (the same as FT8) is a sign that these may be distorted FT8 signals, caused by AF harmonics in the transmitter or the receiver. This is just a summary of thebasics, plus a few tips Ive picked up along the way. A +12 signal does not say you are splattering. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. toggle quoted message. Please review the new, If you are having a problem, please refer to the. As others have said, the signal reports are based on the signal-to-noise. If this is the case, then you probably have signal distortion in audio output. FT8 uses the clock to know when to decode and transmit, so for best results, time has to be EXACT. The spectrum of the generated signal of our message looks like this: This signal is transmitted almost as is into the air, and the backward process of decoding is activated on the receiver side. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It is very easy to beat an EFHW at 35'. New chunks of messages arrive every 15 seconds, and are decoded by the WSJT-X software, which displays the messages like this: FT8 handles very weak signals very well, meaning that a Foundation licence holder with just 10 watts should be able to make some impressive contacts with a modest antenna something not possible with voice or some other data modes. FST4 is designed especially for the LF and MF bands. This anonymous data helps us to better understand users' needs and customize the website accordingly. Good luck! What sort of AGC are you using? On a trial basis, and in response to numerous suggestions from around the world, we have added a second set of suggested dial frequencies for FT8 on three HF bands and also on 6 meters. - Lucas / W6AER. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. WSJT-X This is the client that most people use for decoding FT8. Forgot your password? 3,298 Stations <0 698 Stations >0. . An inline formatting menu will show up when you select text. Be sure to configure your software properly as described below. For example what is the equivalent in comparison to RST. Welcome to JS8Call JS8Call is software using the JS8 Digital Mode providing weak signal keyboard to keyboard messaging to Amateur Radio Operators. These frequencies will appear in your drop-down band-selector list after you go to the Settings/Frequencies tab, right-click on the frequency table, and select Reset. (references). Press J to jump to the feed. I would think that is more than enough to get a decent signal report. Signal reports in FT8 are signal to noise ratio, NOT strength. During this step, we transform the message into a tones sequence of different frequencies. No, I can't confirm that, I only use FT8. However this is what makes Ham Radio so DAM interesting and fun!! On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 04:32:27 AM CST, John wrote: On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 10:15 PM, Arnold Lausevich wrote: Do you mean 50% power? That means that you need your clock to be accurate to the precise second. On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 08:25:36 AM CST, Chris VE3NRT wrote: "The cycle of operation of a machine or other device which operates intermittently rather than continuously. You can test it by clapping your hands or sneezing while the FT8 transmission is ongoing, if you see something appearing in the waterfall on your monitor (as I did) then turn the MIC off. Image source: www.qsl.net/w1dyj/FT8%20for%20web.pdf. +19 is about the best you should get, down to about -24dB. On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 07:19 PM, neil_zampella wrote: its key down on the carrier how is that 50%? ), QSO-only communication protocol used by amateur radio ("ham radio") operators. I wonder if raising the far end up any more would help? Other amateur radio operators herald the mode as a boon to the hobby of amateur radio during times when the solar cycle is at a minimum and when radio propagation conditions are poor. Lets try to figure it out. Some modes, such as JT65, JT9, FT4 and FT8, for example, use a dB system but more about these later. Groups.io. transmitters. Does anyone know what this connector is please? Watch the following two sites for your call as well. the QSO record in ACL log does contain the signal report . I like to keep things as up-to-date and as accurate as possible. If you are wondering what Amateur Radio is about, it's basically a two way radio service where licensed operators throughout the world experiment and communicate with each other on frequencies reserved for license holders. This cookie, set by Microsoft, is used by the website to store the user's session ID and is sent with each request to the ASP.NET application. Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Be sure your audio chain does not introduce any distortion. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". I slide it down until my TS-590s ALC meter shows nothing. Remember this is a S/N report,not a power level report. Some operators do, some don't. I consistently get low signal reports for FT8 contacts, typically 15db less than what I send as a received signal. There is just a PC screen, and the rest is done by algorithms and mathematics. FT8 is a very popular protocol and continually growing. Subject of the new topic: Practical Wireless - March 2023 - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. If you find something incorrect, have an update, or if there is something you would like to see added to the site, drop me a line here. The amount that are running amps at high power may just surprise you. But since you are new at it, I'd start with the radio settings. Good sensitivity allows using of FT8 with compact or even balcony antennas. But yet, you can clearly hear the musical Frequency Shift Key (FSK) tones and watch the FSK tones rise . 73 Cliff W3KKO. Examples of non-digital reports would be: The polite thing to do otherwise is to give an accurate report to the other party so they get a feel for how well their signal is getting through. Finally, after the conversion, we get a sequence of the form 31406520 00000001 04531130 52105775 34623140 65267442 47514714 36372416 64750133 3140652 where each digit represents a tone number from 0 to 7. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. FT8 is a digital mode, too. From a psychological point of view, the FT8 mode is also interesting to analyze. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". For FT8 and many other digital modes (But not RTTY), the values are measured by the software and are expressed in dB such as -10 or +02 for example. (in the form of a WSJT-X dBThe decibel (dB) is a logarithmic unit used to express the ratio of two values of a physical quantity, here the strength of a received signal. FT8 is intended to be quick (relatively) and easy and very sensitive. This letter is often printed on QSL cards between quotation marks (like "O" ) in order to clearly indicate that it's a letter O and not a zero. Also, JTDX, which many of us use because it often decodes weak signals that WSJT-X misses, uses a different algorithm for computing that report (usually many dB lower). Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Even if you don't get a response to your CQ, there are plenty of stations monitoring and reporting to the site, and you can see exactly where you are being heard, and how well you are being heard. A lot of people hate FT8. FT8 is four times faster (15-second T/R sequences) and less sensitive by a few dB. When I run FT-8 I set the filter wide open which bumps up to the 15Khz roofing filter instead of the ~3Khz SSB filter. You know, I can play with my volume on my computer and get that +12 down to a -18 or lower. The numbers tell you the strength of your FSK signal (6.25 Hz) as it compares to the signals in an entire 2.5 kHz SSB bandwidth. I am using Windows 10 with WSJT-X v2.5.3 with a USB connection to an iCom 7610 . (Serial number sequencing for DX op's could be a challenge for those op's) The typical JT / FT8 signal report data would interchange nicely instead of RS (T) without any modifications. Special data for synchronization (7x7 Costas Array) is also added, it requires for proper signal decoding. Show quoted text. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The RST reporting system is represented in three numbers for CW and two numbers for Phone. The bandwidth is 50Hz. The following equations explain why FT8 signals start decoding at -26dB and everything else is below the noise floor: SNRFSKFT8 = SNRreportedFT8 + (10 x LOG (2500 Hz/6.250 Hz)), SNRFSKFT8= SNRreportedFT8 + (10 x LOG (400)). For details of this cookie, go to, The __gads cookie, set by Google, is stored under DoubleClick domain and tracks the number of times users see an advert, measures the success of the campaign and calculates its revenue. This cookie is used for targeting and advertising purpose. Welcome to the new FlexRadio Community! Yes it can be frustrating some times, but the challenge is half the fun. It's not an absolute scale. On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 7:15 AM John wrote: Are you sure you wish to delete this message from the message archives of main@WSJTX.groups.io? If you want to, fine, but absolutely not necessary to run 1 watt or less.lol.. IMHO your results are just fine. JTDX adds a number of FT8 decoding options that are useful on crowded bands and in situations when signals are very weak. But does everyone understand the nuances? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Operators may or may not be aware of the noise they're creating on the band's, but the result of that noise is is qrm for the others trying to operate on the same band . Overcrowding encourages some to turn on their amplifiers, which only makes things worse. delphinium hybrid blue. FT8 is designed as an HFHigh Frequency (3-30 MHz) mode, but (as with any amateur radio mode) can also be used on VHFVery High Frequency (30-300 MHz)/UHFUltra High Frequency (300-3000 MHz) if desired. CleanTalk sets this cookie to prevent spam on the site's comments/forms, and to act as a complete anti-spam solution and firewall for the site. Be aware that as currently implemented, WSJT-X will set your dial to the lowest frequency for the selected mode and band, when you switch bands. Heck, I even see a difference in dB when running two slices off the same antenna. A WSJT-X application screenshot in FT8 mode looks like this: Source: 3fs.net.au/ft8-digital-amateur-radio. Here is the generally accepted System: Basic rule: Higher Numbers are always better. DT: Calculated offset of the received signal from your local clock Values above .3 are not optimal. I received services from the Prefet of the TAAF the new convention me allowing me to start my HF activities under the conditions set by the IPEV.

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ft8 signal reports explained