FT8

mikelib

Pub Member / Supporter
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Lifetime Supporter
Apr 26, 2009
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Jersey Sure
Anyone trying out the new FT8 mode?

Made a lot of contacts on 6 meters, even when the band looked dead.
 
I've been wanting to try FT8 but understood it to still be experimental and is only available as source code that needs to be complied. So haven't gotten around to trying it yet.

Edit. Looks like it is now part of WSJT-X as of a few days ago.
 
I've been wanting to try FT8 but understood it to still be experimental and is only available as source code that needs to be complied. So haven't gotten around to trying it yet.

Edit. Looks like it is now part of WSJT-X as of a few days ago.
It is all the rage on 6 meters, I am amazed how well it works and when the band opens you can work a lot of stations.

You don't hear a SSB signal or CW and yet FT8 pulls out the signal.

A couple of log examples:
The Canary Islands
7/20/2017 EA8DBM,IL18, 50.3148 FT8

The Joe Taylor,
2017-07-15, K1JT,FN20, 50.314206 FT8
 
With JT65 I heard both The Canary Islands and Japan on 6 meters, but wasn't able to work them. This is with a homebrew 1/4 ground plane! Got the new version with FT8 downloaded and I'm building a 4 element yagi.
 
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