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Posted: 9/10/2017 7:32:37 AM EDT
[#1]
Yup. JT65 killed all the other digital modes and created a new generation of award chasers. FT8 will kill JT65, might have done so already. It perfectly timed it's entrance near the bottom of the current sunspot cycle. It provides the automation that JT65 should have had from day 1 and that Joe swore up and down he would never do.
The only thing that would make it better is if it also automatically logged the contact. Can't believe it doesn't, that feature is SO obvious. |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 7:45:51 AM EDT
[#2]
JTAlertX automatically logs the contact.
I had a pause in operating in June/July and can't believe how much JT65 activity went away. |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 8:30:44 AM EDT
[#3]
Sure has killed the JT65 & JT9 signals lately. 17m is open to Europe at the moment.
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Posted: 9/10/2017 12:01:27 PM EDT
[#4]
Someone needs to step in and automate this thing so it can make contacts by itself, while I sleep. Next thing you know I'd be a world champion with awards covering all of the walls in the house!
How about a computer software that does automatic QSOs on SSB Voice? "Hello, this is W1ABC's computer speaking. Your signal report is - five by nine, my name is Data, my owners name is - Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob..................................."Ding dong" ....... Please wait while I install Windows updates.... 59 minutes remaining..... Please wait. This QSO is very important to us!" Will you guys buy such an automatic software "plug in"? We won't tell the FCC about it!  
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Posted: 9/10/2017 12:02:52 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Sure has killed the JT65 & JT9 signals lately. 17m is open to Europe at the moment. |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 12:58:28 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks for the 17M heads up. Worked a bunch and I'm pretty sure another flare just hit cause HF just went dead. the coax overnight. Not even WWV is making it through to me, which is why I thought I'd lost the antenna. |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 2:27:39 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
JTAlertX automatically logs the contact. I can have a fully auto-sequenced FT8 exchange, but then it just sits there. I have to push the "Log QSO" button in WSJT-X, then OK the pop-up window, at which time JTAlertX will make the entry into my DXKeeper logbook. But not automatically! How do you get this to happen automatically, say on sending or receiving a "73" message? |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 5:40:30 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
@illini52 (or anyone else): please tell me how to get JTAlertX to do this! I am running WSJT-X v1.8.0-rc2, JTAlertX 2.10.1, I have it all hooked up to log in DXKeeper. I can have a fully auto-sequenced FT8 exchange, but then it just sits there. I have to push the "Log QSO" button in WSJT-X, then OK the pop-up window, at which time JTAlertX will make the entry into my DXKeeper logbook. But not automatically! How do you get this to happen automatically, say on sending or receiving a "73" message? See if that works. I'm running the exact same setup and have been for a few years so can't remember exactly what I did. |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 6:42:01 PM EDT
[#9]
With that setting it happily prompts me, but I still have to push all the same buttons.
Afaik right now there is no way to automatically log at the end of a sequence. |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 6:44:29 PM EDT
[#10]
Yeah, I realized after I made some QSOs that it was pretty much the same thing you've been doing. I guess it's automatic enough for me.
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Posted: 9/10/2017 10:08:38 PM EDT
[#11]
Well the VHF bands, at least where I am, were dead as a doorknob today. Made one 2m SSB contact and zero 6m SSB today
I did manage to squeak out three FT8 contacts on 6m. I think 6m FT8 would be substantially improved if folks would use lower gain or omni antennas instead of big beams. I really struggled to work one guy, probably returned his CQ at least 15 times before he finally heard me and replied. His signal went up 26dB during the course of the QSO as he swung his beam around. I heard several stations that I was unable to work, and I suspect this is the reason. I can see where this mode would be somewhat addictive on HF. I guess I finally need to get an HF antenna up. In a silly exercise last night, I went to some Web SDR page and tuned in the FT8 frequency, and piped the system audio to the input of WSJT, and was amused to see all the traffic. Kinda neat. |
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Posted: 9/10/2017 10:34:58 PM EDT
[#12]
Which software is everyome using for this?
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Posted: 9/10/2017 10:37:59 PM EDT
[#13]
The only software that supports FT8 are the beta release candidate versions of WSJT-X:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html |
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Posted: 9/11/2017 10:33:50 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The only software that supports FT8 are the beta release candidate versions of WSJT-X: http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html |
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Posted: 9/11/2017 12:26:46 PM EDT
[#15]
Yeah I thought something was wrong when I went to test the new PC at the remote QTH and started wsjtx and...nothing.
What the...? Switched to FT8 and Oh THERE they are! |
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Posted: 9/11/2017 6:37:34 PM EDT
[#16]
I forgot and left wsjt-x running over the past week.
17M
20m
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Posted: 9/24/2017 2:19:48 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The only thing that would make it better is if it also automatically logged the contact. Can't believe it doesn't, that feature is SO obvious. |
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Posted: 9/24/2017 9:04:33 AM EDT
[#18]
Anyone know about a OSX Jt alert?
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Posted: 9/25/2017 8:54:10 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Sure has killed the JT65 & JT9 signals lately. 17m is open to Europe at the moment. |
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Posted: 9/27/2017 9:59:49 AM EDT
[#20]
There is still some JT65 traffic. Usually on 40 or 30. Now JT9 on the other hand is dead. For DX I was having better luck with JT9 and have pretty much switched over to totally FT8. Make sure you are using the RC2 version for the multi pass decode. I upgraded and am seeing twice the decodes and have seen a few at -24.
At this point I am going to put up my 6m Halo again. Gain is great but having an omni with FT8 may be just the trick. |
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Posted: 9/27/2017 5:23:31 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Make sure you are using the RC2 version for the multi pass decode. I upgraded and am seeing twice the decodes and have seen a few at -24. |
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Posted: 10/4/2017 11:13:15 PM EDT
[#22]
I discovered FT-8 quite by accident. Turned on the gear for the first time in a long time this week....the spotting function on my JT alert wasn't working and it said I needed to upgrade to the latest rev....so I did. Then I thought, been a while since I updated my WSJT-X software, so I grabbed 1.8 and installed that too. Noticed the new mode in the menu and tried it....damn it moves fast. Also noticed on my spotter that the vast majority of traffic was now FT-8....very little on the other modes. Guess everyone is enjoying the shiny new toy. I've seen K1JT on the past few days on FT-8.....and I'm seeing lots of traffic from all kinds of places. Crazy how far digital has come.
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Posted: 10/5/2017 12:56:05 AM EDT
[#23]
After all the trouble I had getting time sync to work from the GPS receiver, I found it's pretty easy to just set the clock by listening to WWV and I'm usually within like .3 seconds.
When I was listening via a web SDR, I just time synced by listening to the FT8 traffic and got under .5 seconds pretty easily. |
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Posted: 10/14/2017 2:25:18 PM EDT
[#24]
Been working FT8 now for about 2 weeks....primarily because JT-9 and JT65 are DEAD!!!
Guess everyone decided they had the need for speed...very few folks on the traditional JT modes now. Pretty much all the action is on FT8. I guess its ok, and I like the automation of the QSO...but it moves too fast for my likes. I feel like I need to keep up with it. Still, its nice to be able to grab 4x the contacts over the same time constant. Really with the bands were more open...really not seeing much in terms of traffic from my QTH....very little ME and Asia...occasional Antarctica and lots of the Americas and Europe....but not many 'exotic' callsigns 
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Posted: 10/14/2017 3:32:59 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
...but it moves too fast for my likes. 
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Posted: 11/9/2017 3:15:14 PM EDT
[#26]
 Attached FileSo this happened today... thank you West Virginia! Still need Arkansas and North Dakota for all-FT8 WAS. I really wish ARRL contest entries would be scanned for LOTW matches, I have tons of VHF contest contacts that are not confirmed. |
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Posted: 11/10/2017 2:52:44 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/58237/Your_Logbook_WAS_Award_Acco-357842.JPG So this happened today... thank you West Virginia! Still need Arkansas and North Dakota for all-FT8 WAS. I really wish ARRL contest entries would be scanned for LOTW matches, I have tons of VHF contest contacts that are not confirmed. ETA: This made me look again and I answered my own question. There is a mixed award and I do have over 100 confirmed LOTW QSLs. I need to apply for it. |
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Posted: 11/10/2017 4:01:20 PM EDT
[#28]
For 2018 there will be an ARRL FT8 contest.... well they call it the "Grid Chase" but I think it's obvious what the origin of it is:
http://www.arrl.org/international-grid-chase-2018 |
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Posted: 11/20/2017 7:35:44 PM EDT
[#29]
So I have been working FT8 just about exclusively for about a month...about 500 QSO's give or take...I have totally taken for granted already how fast this is. Propagation hasn't been great, so i have been working some JT-65 for a little enhanced weak-signal capability......daaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnn is that slow by comparison. I cant believe how many hours I've say here at this keyboard watching time tick away trying to make contacts with the older JT modes. Funny...JT-65 was like space age technology to me when I first learned of it...and now FT8 is my measuring stick for how long a digital QSO should take. I really look forward to a mode that can some day work as fast as FT8 but pull signals out from -30dB
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