Do you need Internet for FT8?

– A Question of Timing. However the criticism of FT8 requiring an Internet connection is a bit different. Most weak signal modes require synchronization of computer clocks to a time standard. Typically, this is done over the Internet.

What do I need to run FT8?

Is FT8 killing ham radio?

So, will FT8 kill ham radio as some have posed? True, it is mostly automated. True, it reduces the skill required to make DX contacts. True, it removes conversation from the QSO the same as is true of most DX chasing contacts on any mode.

How do you operate FT8?

With FT8, you're restricted to very small messages, with a limit of 13 characters per message. Each message of up to 13 characters takes 13 seconds to send. There are 4 slots per minute, and you transmit for one 15 second block, then listen for replies for 15 seconds, and transmit again for 15 seconds.

Can technicians use FT8?

In addition to SSB on 10M, Techs can also work digital modes including RTTY, PSK, and FT8.

The Essential Software you NEED for FT8! | Gridtracker WSJT-X

What is Pota ham?

Parks on the Air ® Welcome to the Parks on the Air ^® (POTA) site for international portable amateur radio operations that promote emergency awareness and communications from national/federal and state/provincial level parks.

What is f8 in ham radio?

The numeral designates the mode's 8-frequency shift keying format. Tones are spaced at 6.25 Hz, and an FT8 signal occupies just 50 Hz. Unlike JT65 or JT9, transmit and receive cycles in FT8 each last about 15 seconds. Like JT65, FT8 requires accurate time synchronization.

What is Pota activation?

POTA requires the activator to research the park to determine that activation is within official park boundaries, and to determine that the park is open and safe to access. Any parks that do not offer an informational website and/or recent boundary map cannot be included.

What is the most popular ham radio digital mode?

when hams worked out techniques of connecting mechanical Teletype keyboard/printers to amateur gear using FSK and AFSK modulation. There are too many different modes to list individually, but here are some of the major ones: FT8 - In 2018 it is by far the most popular digital mode for award chasing and working DX.

Is FT8 SSB?

It appears that although FT8 and other WSJT modes are going strong, the essential life-blood of amateur radio still continues to be the SSB radiotelephony and CW which are doing absolutely fine. There is a healthy and sustained growth of these core radio communication modes on the amateur radio HF bands.

What does FT8 stand for?

FT8 stands for "Franke-Taylor design, 8-FSK modulation" and was created by Joe Taylor, K1JT and Steve Franke, K9AN. It is described as being designed for "multi-hop Es where signals may be weak and fading, openings may be short, and you want fast completion of reliable, confirmable QSO's".

What is the difference between FT8 and FT4?

FT8 messages are transmitted using eight-tone continuous-phase frequency shift keying (CPFSK). Each transmitted tone or channel symbol conveys three bits. FT4 modulation uses four-tone CPFSK at approximately 23.4 baud, with tones separated by the baud rate so each channel symbol conveys only two message bits.

Is FT8 upper or lower sideband?

When we think of "Band," we're usually talking about, say, the 40M band, or, at least, the cw, data or voice portions of it. But FT8 is an extremely narrowband mode, around 50 Hz wide. In the case of 40M, you set your radio to upper sideband (yes, upper, even on 40M and 80M) and tune it to 7074 kHz.

What is SOTA and POTA?

A SOTA activator does not get credit for working another station on the same summit. That is, the other station must be outside of the summit activation zone to be counted. POTA allows an activator to work another activator in the same park for QSO credit.

What is SOTA in ham radio?

Welcome to Summits on the Air!

SOTA is an award scheme for radio amateurs that encourages portable operation in mountainous areas.

Who do I send my POTA logs to?

POTA Logging Requirements. One requirement for activating a park (called “references” in POTA-speak) is that logs must be emailed to the regional coordinator for your call area formatted as an “Amateur Data Interchange Format” (ADIF) file. ADIF standardizes field names and formats, and stores log entries in a text file ...

Can a technician use FT8 on 10 meters?

On 10 meters, Technicians have RTTY and data privileges — including FT8 — from 28.000 to 28.300 MHz, and SSB phone privileges from 28.300 to 28.500 MHz, and may operate on CW over the entire 28.0000 – 28.500 MHz segment. Technicians may enjoy all operating privileges at 50 MHz and above.

Can a technician talk on 10 meters?

Technicians can talk around the world, too!

Techs can operate in CW (Morse code) mode on HF on the 40-, 15- and 10-meter bands on a narrow swath of frequency segments, as well as RTTY (radio teletype) and data on the 10-meter band.

Is 10m band open?

10m band (28 MHz)

It is mainly a daytime band but remains open a few hours after sunset. During moderate solar activity this band open near noon for some trans-equatorial communications but is closed for the higher latitudes. During the minimum of the solar activity this band is straight out dead.

How long has FT8 been around?

FT8 was introduced in July 2017 with version 1.8 of the software package WSJT-X [1, 2]. It quickly gained world-wide popularity, by some measures soon accounting for a large fraction of all ham radio activity on the high frequency (HF) bands [3].

When was FT8 released?

Joe Taylor, K1JT, announced the availability of a new mode in the WSJT-X software suite, FT8, on June 29, 2017. Created by K1JT and Steve Franke, K9AN, FT8 stands for “Franke-Taylor design, 8-FSK modulation.” WSJT-X is a computer program used for weak-signal radio communication between hams.

What is QSO in ham?

Ham Radio operators still make liberal use of them today. A QSO is another word for “contact,” as in “I made 783 QSOs during Field Day last year!” or “Making QSOs with European stations was difficult during the contest.” Many Hams enjoy keeping a record of stations they've made QSOs with by writing them in a log book.