Category Archives: Digital

Articles and Information related to Digital Modes. Topics include PSK, RTTY, JT Modes, APRS, operating using Digital Modes, equipment, software, and more.

Activities, Digital, Education and Training, Featured, Field Day, General, Newsletter, Space, Station Equipment

Field Day Satellites, VHF+ and Fox Hunting

We will have lots of great activities for folks who are interested in operating on the VHF and above bands at Field Day 2019. Here are some of the activities that we’ll be doing:

  • Satellite Contacts using a Portable Computer Controlled Satellite Stations
  • Weak Signal SSB, CW, and FT8 Contacts on 6m, 2m, and 70cm
  • Fox Hunting using Radio Direction Finding (RDF) to find hidden 2m Radio Transmitters
  • Satellite Station, VHF+ Station, and Fox Hunting Training

Satellites at Field Day

Field Day Satellites
Field Day 2019 Satellite Passes – Saturday

We will have a lot of great satellite passes during Field Day this year! The table above shows a summary for Saturday. Sunday passes are also very good! You can see view the passes and associated details in our 2019 Field Day Satellite Pass Book.

Field Day Satellites
Computer Controlled Satellite Station

We will be using a Computer Controlled Portable Satellite station which features the new Icom IC-9700 Transceiver.

Field Day Satellites
Portable Satellite Antennas

Our Portable Satellite Station uses circularly polarized yagis and an Az/El Rotator system to enable us to track and make contacts through LEO satellites. You can learn more about the station hardware and software here.

VHF+ Station

VHF+ Station
VHF+ Antenna System

We are planning a serious VHF+ effort at Field Day 2019. We will be putting up a dedicated 40 ft tower with yagis, low-loss feedlines, and preamps for the 6m, 2m, and 70cm bands.

Icom IC-9100 Transceiver

The VHF+ station will use an Icom IC-9100 Transceiver and will support all modes including FT8 Digital operation via WSJT-X.

Fox Hunting

Field Day Fox Hunting
Large N1FD Fox

We will have several “Foxes” out during Field Day 2019. Fox Hunting (locating hidden transmitters using Radio Direction Finding) is a great way sharpen your RDF skills and have fun.

Training, Training, Training

Field Day Training
Field Day Satellite Training

We will be offering training on all of these activities at the start of Field Day 2019. Training will begin at 11 am at the VHF+/Satellite Station Tent. We will cover Satellite Operating, VHF+ Operating, and Fox Hunting then.

Field Day Training
Fox Hunting Training at Field Day

It might be worth coming to Field Day 2019 just for the training – Don’t Miss It!

See you at Field Day!

Fred, AB1OC

 

Digital, DX, Featured, General, Newsletter, On The Air

DXing and Operating Award Tips

We’ve been pretty active in DX Operating Award programs since we built our station a few years back. Operating Awards provide incentives to get on the air and chase all kinds of contacts and they also help us to understand our station’s and our personal operating strengths and weakness. They also provide motivation to improve the latter.

Yesterday was a banner day for me in terms of completing Operating Award goals. I was able to make the needed contacts to complete two that I’ve been working on for quite some time:

  • Worked All Japan – Requires working and confirming all 47 Prefectures (similar to US states) in Japan
  • Top Band DXCC – Working and confirming 100 DXCC Entities (basically countries) on 160m

Both of these goals were completed using the FT8 digital mode for the remaining handful of contacts. I wanted to take a little time and share some of the techniques that have worked for me in hopes that it might help our readers have more fun and meet their operating goals on the air.

Here are some general techniques and tips for working DX (in no particular order) … You can read the entire article via the link which follows.

Source: Our HAM Station – DX’ing and Operating Award Tips

Fred, AB1OC

Digital, Featured, Newsletter

JTDX – Feature Rich Software for FT8 and Other JT Modes

We’ve recently begun experimenting with a WSJT-X derivative for FT8 and other JT Modes. Its called JTDX. The stated purpose of the JTDX software is (from the JTDX website):

JTDX supports JT9, JT65, T10 and FT8 © digital modes for HF amateur radio communication, focused on DXing and being shaped by the community of DXers.

The latest release candidate of of the JTDX software supports some interesting additional features beyond WSJT-X including:

  • Additional FT8 and JT65 decoder options which can provide improved sensitivity
  • Advanced automatic sequencing and QSO selection features
  • Decoded messaging filtering features

We’ve been testing JTDX V2.0 release candidates here for about a month now. The feature additions definitely provide some useful enhancements. The software is derived from WSJT-X and we’ve been using it here for DX’ing and for weak signal FT8 work on 6 meters. It appears to have most of the features of the current version of WSJT-X with the notable exception of support for specific contest exchanges.

JTDX Main Window and Waterfall

The JTDX software adds a number of FT8 decoding options that are useful on crowded bands and in situations when signals are very weak. These features can be selectively enabled to match band and signal conditions as well as the user’s available CPU horsepower. With all features enabled, JTDX seems to decode more signals on a crowded band than WSJT-X.

You can read more about the features of JTDX and how to get started with it via the link that follows.

Source: JTDX – Feature Rich Software for FT8 and Other JT Modes

Fred, AB1OC

Radio Amateurs Developing Skills Worldwide