Saturday, March 3, 2018

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:

Detailed instructions for Fox and Hound stations are posted here:
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)


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