Re: [wsjt-devel] WSJT-X - E.O.L.?

[Joseph T. <jo...@Pr...>]

Hi Jim, K9YC:

You write here of "major errors," "massive failures," "developers living in their own world," "failing to consult with other users of the spectrum," etc., etc.

You write: "The major error that developers made way back when, and CONTINUE to make, is to chew up way too much spectrum by spacing watering holes with excessive spacing, and by... "

We (developers of the digital protocols in WSJT and its sister programs) have never dictated any band usage plans or unilaterally set any rules for particular frequencies.  On the contrary, we've always emphasized that such plans must be community decisions. We have sought wide input before making  even tentative recommendations for a dial frequency for exercising a potential new mode. I could be wrong, but I don't recall that you ever responded to any of these requests for input, when we made them.

Chewing up "way too much spectrum" ???  The 3 kHz slices of spectrum used for most FT8 and FT4 activity on the HF bands are on the order of one percent of our allocated spectrum on most HF bands. WSPR uses an  order of magnitude less still.  The consensus "way back when" was that something like 10 kHz spacing between (say) initially recommended 3 kHz slices for FT8 and FT4 made good sense because usage patterns suggested increased future occupancy and a likely need for the conventional sub-bands to grow somewhat.

Suggestions for better band plans could be useful.  Why not produce some, rather than  issuing broadside complaints with the implications that you would have done it better?

    -- 73, Joe, K1JT