[wsjt-devel] WSJT-X: Working frequency suggestions

[Bill S. <g4...@cl...>]

Hi All,

there has been much discussion here and many other places about the 
suggested working frequencies offered by WSJT-X. In general we have 
followed the crowd and set default frequencies that have already become 
common usage. This is because we do not claim to be the arbiters of band 
plans, nevertheless we are accused of forcing users to go to certain 
frequencies that may be at odds with local band plans or even licence 
regulations despite this being the sole responsibility of the licensed 
operator themselves.

The amount of heated discussion now means the we have to try and find a 
better path. To this end I have enhanced the working frequencies table 
in the WSJT-X settings to include the IARU region as well as the mode 
and the actual frequency. Like the mode the IARU region may be set to 
"All" (previously blank) which means the frequency is common to all 
three IARU regions. I have not yet committed the changes as I would like 
some consensus on frequencies for all the modes WSJT-X offers on all the 
bands where those modes are useful and for each IARU region where the 
region defines a band plan that requires operation away from currently 
accepted global frequencies. Once we have a reasonably complete set we 
can run them past the IARU region coordinators and band planners for 
approval. Note that there can be more than one frequency per 
Region/Mode/Band triple but note that where WSJT-X has to make an 
automatic decision it will pick the lowest frequency for the band e.g. 
in automatic coordinated WSPR band hopping.

The intention is to change the settings key used to save the working 
frequency suggestions for the next release, this will automatically 
reset all user's frequency tables to the new default values. As now 
users may adjust, add or remove working frequency table entries to their 
own preference. I have also added the ability to save the frequencies 
table to a file, replace the table by load from a file and merge a file 
into the table.

The frequencies offered in the main window band drop down list will be 
those that match the current mode and the IARU region specified in the 
"Settings->General" panel.

It should be noted that band planners may feel that having HF style 
JT9/JT65/WSPR operation where all users use the same dial frequency is 
not sensible, they may not realize the benefits that a multi-signal 
decoder combined with Internet spotting services like pskreporter.net, 
hamspots.net, wsprnet.org, etc. bring. In fact sometimes there are 
hidden agendas that mean it would be better if operators spread out 
across the suitable available spectrum. We must try and address these 
subtleties as well as trying to find suitable global frequencies where 
we can make inter-IARU region DX QSOs when the propagation permits.

So I am looking for Region/Mode/Frequency triples where Region may be 
"All" for a global frequency, mode may be "All" where there is no mode 
specific allocation for a band (this may apply to microwave bands for 
example where the frequency chosen for a sked could be one of many and 
the mode largely up to the operators preference, in this case the 
working frequency is really only a convenient CAT band switch and the 
real working frequency would be set using the rig VFO or by direct entry 
into the WSJT-X band selector).

The current default list with a trivial addition of IARU Region="All" to 
each entry is (frequencies in Hertz):

       {136000, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {136130, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {474200, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {474200, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {474200, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {660000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {880000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {1210000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {1836600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {1838000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {1840000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2500000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3330000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3576000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3578000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3592600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {5357000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {5000000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {7038600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {7076000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {7078000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {7850000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {10000000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {10138000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {10138700, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {10140000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {14095600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {14076000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {14078000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {14670000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {15000000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {18102000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {18104000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {18104600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {20000000, Modes::FreqCal, IARURegions::ALL},
       {21076000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {21078000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {21094600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {24917000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {24919000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {24924600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {28076000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {28078000, Modes::JT9, IARURegions::ALL},
       {28124600, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {50000000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {50276000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {50280000, Modes::MSK144, IARURegions::ALL},
       {50293000, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {70091000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {70091000, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {144000000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {144120000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {144120000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {144140000, Modes::MSK144, IARURegions::ALL},
       {144489000, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {222065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {222065000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {432065000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {432065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {432300000, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {902065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {1296065000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {1296065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {1296500000, Modes::WSPR, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2301000000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2301065000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2301065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2304065000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2304065000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2304065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2320065000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2320065000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {2320065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3400065000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3400065000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3400065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3456065000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {3456065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {5760065000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {5760065000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {5760065000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {10368100000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {10368100000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {10368100000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},
       {24048100000, Modes::Echo, IARURegions::ALL},
       {24048100000, Modes::JT4, IARURegions::ALL},
       {24048100000, Modes::JT65, IARURegions::ALL},

So what needs to change? I will try and coordinate suggestions/requirements.

73
Bill
G4WJS.