New FT8 software released

Here's a copy of an email sent out by Joe Taylor for the release of the new FT8 software that supports the DXpedition mode. 

You will need to use this software to work any station that is running it for a DXpedition.

When used as the standard FT8 software, it works well.

Hi all,

I write to remind you of the public test of *FT8 DXpedition Mode* 

scheduled for March 6-7.  The more participants, the better!

The main goal is to simulate pileups in which many "Hounds" call and 

attempt to work a desirable rare DX station, the  "Fox", and to maximize 

the resulting QSO rate.  We hope you can be there and work each of our 

Foxes on each band.

All participating stations must use program version WSJT-X v1.9.0-rc2. 

If you don't yet have it, download links are available here:

https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html

Detailed instructions for Fox and Hound stations are posted here:

http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/FT8_DXpedition_Mode.pdf

It's important to read and follow these instructions carefully!  Don't 

just try to wing it.

Each hour during the test has a designated frequency and Fox callsign, 

"Fox_A" in the following table.

Date   UTC    Freq  Fox_A    Fox_B   NSlots

-------------------------------------------

Mar 6 2300  14.080  K1JT     W7/KH7Z    3

Mar 7 0000  10.141  W1/KH7Z  K9AN       5

Mar 7 0100   7.080  W7/KH7Z  K1JT       4

Mar 7 0200   3.585  K9AN     W1/KH7Z    3

As you will know after reading the FT8 DXpedition Mode User Guide, Fox 

can conduct up to "NSlots" QSOs simultaneously.  W1/KH7Z will be 

operated by AA7A, and W1/KH7Z by N1DQ.

Fox_A will operate for the full hour if plenty of Hounds keep calling. 

Fox_B is on standby reserve.  If the QSO rate for Fox_A approaches zero 

at the half-hour mark, Fox_A will stop transmitting and Fox_B will call CQ.

If you (as a Hound) can legitimately use more than one callsign -- your 

spouse's call, club call, etc. -- please try to work each Fox multiple 

times.  No dupe QSOs with the same call and same band, though.

Real-time liaison will be available via the "Ping Jockey Relief" chat 

page (PJB), https://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalkB .  Everyone 

should monitor this page for possible announcements of frequency changes 

or switch-overs from Fox_A to Fox_B.  To ensure that announcements from 

Fox stations are easily visible, Hounds should monitor PJB but not post 

messages there during the test.

The deepest pileups will help us to tune the final-release software 

version for optimum performance on both Fox and Hound sides.  After the 

test, please post any comments you feel will be helpful to one of our 

two email forums, wsjtgroup@yahoogroups.com or 

wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net .  You will need to be subscribed to 

the list in order to post there.

We sincerely hope you can join us for this test, working each Fox on 

each band!

                -- 73, Joe, K1JT (for the WSJT Development Group)

Introduction to the ZL1LC Bookmarks

I've been writing the New on the Net column for the BreakIn, the NZ amateur radio magazine, for a few years and accept that it takes some months from the time I write the article until it appears in print.  With things changing so fast on the internet, often the web pages mentioned are out of date and the readers need to be pointed at the new pages.

To resolve this issue, I have decided to supplement the BreakIn column with a blog, which has the BreakIn article plus any other site bookmarks that are of interest.  Not all of those other bookmarks will appear in the following issue of the BreakIn.

In particular, this will resolve the fast changing links, such as for the new FT8 digital mode, which is advancing so rapidly that the paper publication can't keep up with it.

As always, I'm always interested in your bookmarks, so feel free to send a couple of interesting ones to me each month.  My email address is newonthenet@nzart.org.nz


73

Jim
ZL1LC