Some Friday Night FT8 (using my simplified approach)

Рет қаралды 4,642

Күн бұрын

#hamradio #ft8 #ft4 #digital #mode
I sat down in front of the FTdx5000MP on a Friday night and listened for anything interesting on CW. Finding nothing that interested me, not even a SOTA/POTA spot, I moved to SSB. I scrolled up and down 80m, 40m, 20m, 17m, and 60m, but nothing caught my ear. So I decided to fire up the FTdx10 and work some FT8. I have fallen into a pattern of using the FTdx5000MP for SSB/AM/CW/FM and the FTdx10 for FT8 and also CW. The FTdx10 is a fantastic CW rig. But it has everything I need for FT8, thus there is no need to buy the sound module needed in order to use my FTdx5000MP on FT8.
When I powered up the FTdx10, it was obvious that the last time I used it was on 20m CW. I planned to jump on 40m FT8. At that point I realized that this could be a teachable moment. I could let you see how I use my simplified FT8 method to switch band/mode and go straight to FT8, without touching a menu or using the digital mode Preset.
Note that the digital mode Preset must be disabled before you exit digital operation, otherwise message memories will not transmit audio. My simplified method avoids the issue. There is a video in the FTdx10 collection at www.Patreon.com/N4HNH that shows how I set up my simplified method.
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I hope you enjoy this video and find it helpful. If you find my channel informative and entertaining, I hope you will consider joining my support group by clicking on: www.patreon.com/N4HNH There are 3 levels of support, including exclusive content. Visibility of premium content is determined by the level of membership you choose. The higher the membership level, the more content you have access to. VIP members are invited to participate in periodic Zoom meetings.
Most videos are visible to the Patreon team members long before they are released for public viewing. Some videos are never released for public viewing. Annual S7 (Executive) and S9 (VIP) members have access to the menu optimizations PDFs I’ve written for the FT-891, FT-991A, FTdx5000MP, FTdx101D/MP, FTdx10, and FT-710 AESS. Annual S7 (Executive) members can receive one menu optimizations PDF while abbual S9 (VIP) members can receive multiple menu optimizations documents, plus my FT8 configuration guide for either the FTdx10 or the FT-710 AESS. Future radios might be added. The documents are copyrighted. They shall not be divulged to anyone else without written permission from Doug McAlexander, callsign N4HNH.
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73, de N4HNH

Пікірлер: 28

@AlvinMcManus Ай бұрын

Good video! I am re-watching to learn more about FT8 using the FT-710.

@n4hnhradio Ай бұрын

There is an FT8 configuration guide for the FT-710. It is available for annual S7 or S9 Patreon members. Annual S9 members can request both the FT8 guide and a menu optimizations guide.

@af4od02 Жыл бұрын

Good Video. I always pick up a gold nugget of new information. Thanks!

@n4hnhradio Жыл бұрын

I’m glad you liked it, Bill! Feel free to share the link with a friend. The video isn’t public but the link I sent to you can be shared, in case you have a friend who could benefit from it.

@keithhamilton7242 Жыл бұрын

Great info! I will try to set my FTDX-10 this way!

@n4hnhradio Жыл бұрын

I much prefer this simple method. 73, Doug

@AC3HT 11 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@n4hnhradio 11 ай бұрын

Thank you, David!

@ryn448 7 ай бұрын

This is some good info, thank you for this video! The one thing that I don't understand about FT8 still though is why? It seems like all you do is sit back and watch contacts come in, there's no human contact. It interest me, I just am a little confused about what the benifits of FT8 or really any digital mode would be.

@n4hnhradio 7 ай бұрын

FT8 is certainly not my preferred mode. I consider it a novelty. There is no conversation. It’s just your computer sending a signal report to another. It can decode down to around 24dB below the noise floor, so it competes with CW as far as weak signal communications. But I prefer CW. I don’t need a computer. It’s a useful mode during emergency conditions, when I might need to operate low power from a battery or solar power source. I only shot these videos while I spent time writing a how-to guide for the long-hauler members of my Patreon team who had requested help with setting up for FT8. Without them this KZfaq channel would have ceased in 2020. But, like I mentioned before, I prefer a mode that is useful in emergency conditions.

@RosarioDiPeri 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for video. Could you please do a video for Olivia digital? For beginners, if you can. Thank you!

@n4hnhradio 11 ай бұрын

I’m sorry. I don’t use Olivia digital. FT8 and FT4 are the only digital I use, but I don’t even use those very often. My interests are mainly CW and SSB.

@thuff3207 11 ай бұрын

You have the right approach to how to use a HF radio. I really like your band stacking and can you do the same on the FT991A. I am asking because all the menus you have to change for FT8, winlink etc. IF can use band staking to move from digital modes then to SSB or CW. What I have seen everything move except the mic. Then that does not work. Great video as usual.

@n4hnhradio 11 ай бұрын

With the FT-991A, I would set everything up as memories. I operate my FT-891 that way. I have favorite frequencies, modes, filter settings, etc. programmed in for each band. If I’m operating on 7.251 LSB and I want to move to 15m FT8, I scroll through my menus until I see 21.074, and I’m ready to go. I have the FTdx10 programmed that way too.

@CamilleCullen-ow6qj 11 ай бұрын

Great video!!! Robert K5TPC

@n4hnhradio 11 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

@PaulTaylor1 11 ай бұрын

Great video. But on mine, the moment you launch WSJT-X and it connects to the rig, it switches to VFO-A by itself. Yours seems to stay on VFO-B. Hmmm... 🤔

@n4hnhradio 11 ай бұрын

That seems odd. Maybe it’s your firmware version. I’m running V01-04.

@johnauerswald4645 Ай бұрын

I just watch this video and I have the FTDx10. I have 2 questions first with my power slider it doesn't affect my power, it controls my audio to adjust the alc. The second question is I have noticed that the power out meter show that instead of going straight to set power it will go up to 10 to 20 watts drop to 0 then shoot back up to set power. Is this a setting, a feedback or a week old rig having issues?

@n4hnhradio Ай бұрын

The power slider doesn’t directly control watts out. It controls the audio level sent from the computer to the USB modulator, which affects watts out. You must balance the computer audio with the radio’s rear port gain and strive for minimal ALC deflection. I created a step-by-step tutorial for the FT8/4 setup. It is one of the guides I make available to annual S7 or S9 Patreon members.

@thomashenderson603 11 ай бұрын

How do you keep the 50 watts in the window to confirm qso?

@n4hnhradio 11 ай бұрын

The reporting tab in WSJT-X has a check box labeled, “Prompt me to log QSO.” I checked it. When the popup prompt appears, there is a field where we enter the power used. If I’m running 50W, I enter 50. This field is “sticky”, meaning that the next time I get prompted, it will show 50W again. It will continue to show 50W until I change it.