[wsjt-devel] Best S+P Issues

[Harry E. H. <ka...@fr...>]

Hi,

I am running V2.4.0-rc4 under Windows 10 Home 20H2 and I have noticed 
that when running FT4 BEST S+P does not always function as expected. I 
will engage the BEST S+P mode and it may or may not respond and try to 
contact the strongest signal calling CQ that would be a NEW contact for 
me. I have notice this when I had switched from FT8 to FT4 and if I 
restart the program while in FT4 it usually will connect with the best 
S+P station on the next cycle. I know that it will drop out of BEST S+P 
after that contact and has to be engaged again if desired which I do but 
it may only work for a contact or two and then fail again. A restart or 
maybe letting several cycles pass it may start responding again. I don't 
remember this being an issue when I was running V2.2.2, I have noticed 
it in all the V2.4.0-rc versions. By the way when it does pick a station 
and engages the transmitter it does not always choose the strongest 
signal, I have seen it choose a station with say a -17 over one that was 
a -07, is it not looking at the minus sign and just seeing that 17 is 
larger then 7?

A feature suggestion, can the BEST S+P mode also be used in FT8 mode?
Can the mode be made latching rather then once and done, requiring a 
manual re-engagement, or let the operator choose latching or not?

I made some Q65 contacts on 432 with a friend about 25 miles away, it is 
a very interesting mode, we were able to make contacts with a fraction 
of a watt.

73, stay safe, and thanks for all your work on this project.

Harry (KA2ENE)