Digital Mode FT8

New Digital Mode from K1JT – FT8

 Here’s a short demonstration on the new digital mode FT-8 developed by K1JT & K9AN. Part of the WSJT-X software suite. We’ll go over how to call CQ, and a basic QSO of this mode.

 NEW FEATURES IN WSJT-X Version 1.8.0

1.  New mode called FT8: sensitivity down to -20 dB on the AWGN
    channel; QSOs 4 times faster than JT65 or JT9; auto-sequencing
    includes an option to respond automatically to first decoded reply
    to your CQ.
2.  New mode for accurate Frequency Calibration of your radio.
3.  Improved performance of decoders for JT65, QRA64, and MSK144.
    MSK144 includes facilities for amplitide and phase equalization
    and an "SWL" mode for short-format messages.
 4.  Options to minimize screen space used by Main and Wide Graph
    windows.
 5.  Enhanced management scheme for table of operating frequencies, and
    a new set of default frequencies specific to the three IARU
    Regions.
 6.  Improved CAT control for many rigs, including those controlled
    through Commander or OmniRig.    
7.  New keyboard shortcuts to set "Tx even/1st" ON or OFF.
8.  A number of (mostly minor) bug fixes and tweaks to the user
    interface.  For example: new behavior for the audio level slider;
    correctly logged QSO start times in certain situations; correct
    control of FT-891/991 and some other radios via rigctld.

Download here:  http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html the
Candidate Release for WSJT-X Version 1.8.0-rc1.

How to work FM satellites

Simon 2E0HTS has released a video that shows him making contacts via the amateur radio satellite SO-50.

This satellite carries an FM transponder that receives signals on 145.850 MHz and retransmits them on 436.800 MHz (+/- 9 kHz Doppler shift). Operation is a little more complex that some other satellites since the transponder needs to initially be activated by a CTCSS (PL) tone of 74.4 Hz which starts a 10 minute timer and then a 67 Hz tone is used for the contact.
Note: If your radio has selectable FM filters use the wider filter designed for 5 kHz deviation FM which is sometimes referred to as a 25 kHz channel spacing filter.

 MORE: https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/how-to-work-fm-satellites/

Icom RS-BA1. Installing & Setting up Remote Control

Our friends at the TX Factor have produced a video that logically goes through the step by set process of remote controlling an Icom Amateur radio, more specifically in this case, the IC-7300 using the RS-BA1 remote control software.

An European VK8's summer

VK8AW, Gary.

 Our 1st opening on the 22nd June 2013 was a big surprise (here you can read the 1st article on Sixitalia). Unlike the previous mid-May opening, this one was completely different! No 49 MHz TV was heard from China/Russia, and only a weak 48.250.250 MHZ from Dubai was noted. The opening exhibited Sparodic E type properties, good clean signals with no distortion or shifting in frequency. There was fading, but it was slow and predicable. Most stations were between S1 - S5:

22/06/13    1104Z 6 MTRS      CW    UK8FF       UZBEKISTAN
22/06/13    1108Z 6 MTRS      CW    UR5QU       UKRAINE
22/06/13    1113Z 6 MTRS      CW    UR5MID      UKRAINE
22/06/13    1118Z 6 MTRS      CW    LZ2WO       BULGARIA
22/06/13    1120Z 6 MTRS      CW    US4EX       UKRAINE
22/06/13    1122Z 6 MTRS      CW    UT9FJ       UKRAINE
22/06/13    1124Z 6 MTRS      CW    UX0UN       UKRAINE
22/06/13    1125Z 6 MTRS      CW    LZ1QI       BULGARIA
22/06/13    1127Z 6 MTRS      CW    UT7QF       UKRAINE
22/06/13    1130Z 6 MTRS      CW    YO3DDZ      ROMANIA
22/06/13    1131Z 6 MTRS      CW    UT4EEH      UKRAINE
22/06/13    1132Z 6 MTRS      CW    YO3JR       ROMANIA

On the 24th June 2013, our 2nd opening occurred. Again, this opening exhibited the same properties - Sparodic E, no distortion of signals and slow fading. Also, no 49 MHz TV was heard from china/Russia. There was a weak 48.239 MHZ from Iran prior to the opening. Most stations were S2 – S7:
24/06/13    1107Z 6 MTRS      CW    LZ1QI       BULGARIA
24/06/13    1130z 6 MTRS      CW    SV2DCD      GREECE
24/06/13    1131Z 6 MTRS      CW    I4EAT       ITALY
24/06/13    1134Z 6 MTRS      CW    LZ1UQ       BULGARIA
24/06/13    1140Z 6 MTRS      CW    SV8CS       GREECE
24/06/13    1142Z 6 MTRS      CW    IK4WMA      ITALY
24/06/13    1145Z 6 MTRS      CW    S57BVM      SLOVENIA
24/06/13    1146Z 6 MTRS      CW    I7CSB MIKE  ITALY
24/06/13    1150Z 6 MTRS      CW    HA5CW       HUNGARY
24/06/13    1151Z 6 MTRS      CW    IZ8MWG      ITALY
24/06/13    1152Z 6 MTRS      CW    HA5FW       HUNGARY
24/06/13    1153Z 6 MTRS      CW    IW0FFK      ITALY
24/06/13    1154Z 6 MTRS      CW    SV8RX       GREECE
24/06/13    1155Z 6 MTRS      CW    I4MKN       ITALY
24/06/13    1156Z 6 MTRS      CW    IK0FTA      ITALY
24/06/13    1157Z 6 MTRS      CW    IW0GBU      ITALY
24/06/13    1206Z 6 MTRS      CW    IK4GME      ITALY
24/06/13    1209Z 6 MTRS      CW    I0EKY       ITALY
24/06/13    1210Z 6 MTRS      CW    IK0MS       ITALY
24/06/13    1215Z 6 MTRS      CW    IZ0DZM      ITALY
24/06/13    1224Z 6 MTRS      CW    IZ7SE       ITALY
24/06/13    1235Z 6 MTRS      CW    I6WJB       ITALY
24/06/13    1240Z 6 MTRS      CW    IZ7FLS      ITALY
24/06/13    1244Z 6 MTRS      CW    SV2CXW      GREECE
24/06/13    1250Z 6 MTRS      CW    I2WDX       ITALY
 Tonight the 25th June 2013, our 3rd opening occurred. This opening exhibited the same Sparodic E conditions, but this time Iran on 48.239600 MHZ and 48.252 MHZ, was very loud (S9 plus) during the opening.
25/06/13    1111Z 6 MTRS      CW    UT5URW            UKRAINE
 This was the only contact logged prior to the 48 MHZ indicators disappearing L
 I hope these contacts highlight that 50MHz experiences many different modes of propagation at various times of the year/solar cycle, and you never truly know how far your signal will go!

Gary - VK8AW / VK4ABW

INFO:  http://www.sixitalia.org/jv10/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1&lang=en

PSK31 for Android

Understanding Single Sideband (SSB)

A new Technician Class operator is likely to get started in ham radio with VHF and UHF phone operations using FM simplex channels and repeaters. The channelized world of VHF/UHF FM offers relatively simplicity of operations and is a great way to get on the air immediately upon earning the Technician Class license. However, after mastering repeaters and gaining comfort with on-air FM phone QSOs, the next step for many hams is the more challenging domain of single sideband (SSB) phone operations.

INFO: http://www.hamradioschool.com/understanding-single-sideband-ssb-2/

IARUMS Region 1 (IARU Monitoring System)

IARU Monitoring System

The IARU Monitoring System is a worldwide service authorized by the IARU Administrative Council. It is the obligation of the IARU and its member-societies to defend the interests of the Amateur Services as stated in the IARU Constitution. The IARU Monitoring System is served by many dedicated volunteers who have served effectively for many years. Each of the three IARU regional organizations selects and appoints an IARU MS Regional Coordinator. The IARU Monitoring System operations are coordinated by the Monitoring System Committee (MSC).

One of the primary objectives of the IARU Monitoring System is the identification and initiation of steps leading to the removal from amateur bands of radio signals of non-amateur stations causing harmful interference to the amateur satellite services contrary to International Telecommunications Union and national radio regulations. Typical intruders include shortwave broadcasters, Over the Horizon Radar, CODAR, unlicensed operators on the bands including taxicabs on 10 meters and fishermen on various bands, military RTTY and beacons, fishnet beacons and various types of jamming signals.

Interested parties who want to report intruders on the amateur bands are encouraged to send their observations to the Regional Coordinators and include the following information: your identification (organization-call sign), the frequency, time in UTC, the day, month, any possible identification of the signal, mode, signal strength, direction bearing and any remarks that help describe the signal. In addition, a very beneficial piece of information is a recording of the signal preferably in the form of a wav file that may be e-mailed for quick evaluation.

                                         Info: https://www.iarums-r1.org/