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Re: [wsjt-devel] FT8 for 2018 Field Day
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From: W4TMO <w4...@ya...> - 2018-03-28 16:21:20
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At one point, there were 3 extra bits available in the FT8 message payload. If one is still available, perhaps it could be used like this:
Add a "CONTEST" menu itemWhen clicked, an input screen something akin to this comes up:
RUN Message S&P Exchange
__________________ ____
ACCEPT CANCEL
A RUN message for the NC QSO party might be NC QP W4ABC WAK
For the S&P Exhange, enter your county, state or DX as appropriate. Someone in New York would enter NY for instance.
Click on ACCEPT and 1) a CONTEST button on the main GUI turns GREEN alerting user they're in CONTEST mode and 2) the program sets one of the FT8 message bits.
Sequence of events when RUNning:
RUN S&P
NC QP W4ABC WAK W4ABC W2XYZ -10 NYW4ABC -12 73
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------W2XYZ knows the callsign (W4ABC) and exchange (WAK) from the RUN message. W4ABC then knows the station (W2XYZ), signal level (-10) and exchange (NY) from W2XYZ's transmissionW2XYZ then receives an acknowlegement and signal level (12) from W4ABC
Enough info to meet most QSO party rules for a successful QSO.
Screen layout for user input and user instructions need to be fleshed out of course. No DXpedition mode!
Maybe a checkbox in S&P mode to only display RUN stations also in CONTEST mode? Make it easier on contest participants.
Just some ideas, maybe the designers will find something useful :)
73Jim
W4TMOUSAF Retired
On Tuesday, March 27, 2018, 8:01:33 PM EDT, Rich - K1HTV <k1...@co...> wrote:
FT8 for 2018 Field Day
Regarding the use of FT8 on Field Day, you can do what I did during the recent VA QSO Party, that is, use the Tx5 (73) message to send contest data. The VQP exchange sent was number, county & State, "nnn CUL VA 73", where 'nnn' was my QSO number and 'CUL' was the abbreviation for Culpeper county. The 'VA' for Virginia was not a contest exchange requirement. The Tx5 message met the 13 character maximum and ended with '73', which trigger the '73' message of the station being worked. I created a Tx5 macro message "000 CUL VA 73". When a QSO started, I simply pulled down that macro message and manually changed the 000 to the next number in the sequence.
Unfortunately almost no FT8 stations worked in the VA QSO Party knew how to send the required data. As a result I focused mainly on working DX on FT8, where the only a number (dB report) was required. 285 of the 287 VA QSO Party QSOs were with DX stations.
If a future WSJT-X release could have a check box for ""Lock Tx5 message", that would allow the easier use of FT8 in various contests, such as Field Day and State QSO parties. Once the 'Lock' box was checked, the user would type in the fixed contest exchange text into the Tx5 message box. It would remain there until the contest was over and not be overwritten when a new station was being worked.
Sponsors would have to explain, in their rules, how to use FT8 in their contest. The Field day exchange wouldn't present any problem. However, those State QSO parties that presently requiring sequential QSO number exchanges could switch to using the dB report as the numbers exchanged.
73,
Rich - K1HTV
= = =
Jordan Sherer, KN4CRD wrote:
At that very least you can use a free text message for the exchange, Don: "KN4CRD 1B GA"
You just won't be able to use auto sequencing when operating FT8 during field day.
Best,
Jordan
KN4CRD
On Mar 27, 2018, 7:40 AM -0400, Don Goldston <don...@gm...>, wrote:
Any chance that an FT8 mode that performs the required exchange of information for the 2018 Field Day could be
created?
I know y'all are wrapped up in DXP mode, but thought it was worth asking.
Thanks,
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