100+ DXCCs using FT8

Hello September, here is another update on FT8!

This weekend was quite successful and I was able to log a few new DXCCs using FT8 Mode.  3V, FR, FG, TI and JY made the 103 DXCCs complete.

Big gun DXers might think 100 DXCCs is a goal for one weekend, but with a simple vertical wire it takes a little longer, but IT WORKS! Also see “Monster Antenna” under My Station on this website. 🙂

The QSL rate using LotW is not bad and 80 entities are already confirmed. (yellow)

The question comes up quite often: How do you do the DXCC list and map? There is a great tool by DL4MFM: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/ 

There are two very active FT8 groups on facebook, one with over 3000 users, where you can get some good help if needed.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FT8.Digital.Mode/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/685845101611130/

Meanwhile Joe K1JT and his team put a new WSJT-X release candidate (RC2) on the website. Reports form all over the world confirm that the decoding hast improved again and signals as low ans -24 dB can be decoded just fine. There was also made a lot of improvement on the decoding part if multiple stations are calling at the same time. The new versions can ve found here:

https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html

I also wanted to mention that WSJT-X runs very smooth using teamviewer. This gives you the opportunity to have an eye on incoming DX if you are not in the shack.

Now with about 1500 QSOs in the log … it is still fun!

Opening another can of worms: FT8 is NOT a QRP mode! It is a week signal mode! This is the most discussed topic on the facebook groups. Great if you can make contacts running 5w or less, but this is not the goal. QED

 

73

Helmut